Comments on: What’s being ignored in the Calderon scandals

By: Tom Bemis

Tom Bemis — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 22:54:17 +0000

You forgot to ask a few simple questions: Just what exactly is going to happen to this $25,000,000 when it gets to the CBMWD slush fund, and why precisely is it “appropriate” that they receive this money? Surely it has nothing to do with their ability to disperse that money to whom they so choose?.?.? And who do you suppose that might be? NOT THEM for sure! Come on folks. Wake up. It’s time to take a turn in the conservative direction don’t ya think?

By: Marcia Hanscom

Marcia Hanscom — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 01:42:24 +0000

This is yet ANOTHER reason that we – the experienced & educated public – are fed up with these big water bonds. We must wake up the rest of our citizens as to what these agencies, electeds and their cronies in consultancies and contractors are collaborating on for “projects.” When I first read the story by Economy – with the quotes about how the project wasn’t needed, I couldn’t help but wonder how we could get our hands on a similar recording re: the Malibu Lagoon Massacre boondoggle. We who fought that terrible, destructive and unnecessary project KNOW that conversations like that had to have happened. “We are going to do this project whether or not it is needed. We’ve convinced the Governor it’s about jobs!” That MUST have been said – but who has the recording? Or the guts to blow the whistle on other bureaucrats? And now the same sort of unnecessary and EXPENSIVE project is being planned at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve on the LA coast. It’s another boondoggle, with millions in bond money spent just to STUDY the plan they already know they want to do.

By: eck

eck — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 02:31:59 +0000

With so many pols like this, we’re doomed.

By: Manuel Arago

Manuel Arago — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 06:41:03 +0000

Thank you for pointing out this insolent act of abuse of taxpayer’s funds. In order to stop the corruption in Sacramento and at the local levels we need your help and assistance in identifying and coordinating legal resources that will step up to challenge specific illegal acts at the local level?

Possible solution – Asking conservative legal entities or counsel members to establish pro bono or reduced fee service pools for specific geographical areas so concerned citizens can provide legal artifacts to support moving forward on critical governmental events that were executed in an illegal manner.

Your content services are uniquely suited for recruiting conservative members to financially support these legal entities or for assisting in organizing these legal entities. I am all for protecting our first amendment rights but besides the HJTA there seems to be no other legal entity or organization that will step forward to challenge illegal events at the local level.
There are quite a few responsible conservative citizens here in the South Bay area (Torrance, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, Palos Verdes) that would be more than willing to pool $1K-2K contributions to support legal attacks against the collective bargaining’s manipulation of publically presented information and governmental compliance requirements.
FYI – another set of noteworthy ethical violation we suggest you look at is the documented Torrance City Council ethical violations at http://www.friendsoftorrance.com (See blog sites).
In addition we recommend you review the the blog concerning the Critical Information About Torrance’s Pension Problems blog at: http://www.friendsoftorrance.com/critical_information_about_torrance_s_ca_pension_problems.
In this blog we point out the fact that Torrance’s Police Chief 2011 pension contribution of $131,195 was the 16th largest pension contribution out of ~1.2 million 2011 California Controllers Government Compensation records.
We would just like to make sure that everybody knows Torrance’s (CA) top seven (7) senior Safety Officers (Police & Fire) are in the top 1/1000 of one (1) percent (0.0014%) of the highest paid personnel in the state of CA out of approximately ~1.2 million CA public employees based on their FY 2011 pension contributions.
Torrance has seven (7) senior Safety Officers (Police & Fire) in CY 2011 where taxpayers paid in more than required annual pension contributions > $100,000. Yes, seven (7) Safety Officers pension contributions were greater than $100K. In fact the average for these seven Safety Officer’s pension contributions was ~$113,000.
Torrance’s annual pension contribution rate for our Police Department (TPD) on July 1st 2014 (FY 14/15) will be at a minimum ~57.60% of their covered TPD payroll and ~52.60% for our Fire Department. On July 1st 2013 Torrance taxpayer’s contributions for our average annual pension & Other Post Employment Benefit (OPEB) contribution costs for each police officer was ~$72,000 and for each fireman it was ~$63,000. These annual pension contribution costs are in addition to their pay and benefits.

It is time to stop this spending madness and readjust our priorities to ensure we stop mortgaging our children’s future standard of living to pay for these multi-million dollar pension annuities Torrance is handing out.

By: Randy Economy

Randy Economy — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 18:33:31 +0000

Thanks Katy and CAL WATCH DOG for this RAW look into what we have been going through as hard hitting, working class, COMMUNITY journalists here in the JUNGLE of media in California! If anyone wants to talk to me or Brian Hews, my Publisher, PLEASE feel free to call our office at 562 407 3873. Randy