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EXCLUSIVE: Standard Protocol for Career Politicians; Wendy Greuelâs Official Calendar Shows Years of Campaigning for LA Mayor on Taxpayerâs Dollar
(Copyright Los Cerritos Community Newspaper, La Mirada Lamplighter, La Mirada Blog. All Rights Reserved. Republishing Granted With Proper Attribution)
Cerritos~A six month investigation by Los Cerritos Community Newspaper (LCCN) into the official activities of Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel has shown that, in possible violation of the Los Angeles Governmental Ethics Commission Ordinance, she has spent an overwhelming majority of her official schedule for the past three years attending lavish dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and social events in an effort to advance her 2013 mayoral campaign.
Greuel is in a heated four-way campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles in the upcoming March 5th Primary Election against fellow city councilmembers Eric Garcetti, Jan Perry, and former Federal Prosecutor Kevin James.
LCCN released more than 640 pages of Greuel’s “official city appointment calendar” that was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Those FOIA requests went unanswered for more than five months by Greuel and her office.
“We had received tips from inside her office that Gruel was campaigning on county time, so LCCN requested copies of her 2009-2012 daily calendar,” Hews said. “LCCN was able to conquer a bureaucratic maze created by the Controller’s Office that included being told more than 15 times that our request was being “gathered” by personnel in her office.”
“The process to obtain the records was extremely arduous and involved. As a public official, whose calendar is open to the public, I expected this process to be simple, and for city staff to be helpful rather than adversarial toward releasing information about a public employee, especially to a community newspaper,” Hews said. “This treatment certainly raised some red flags.”
According to the California Public Records Act (PRA) [GOVT. CODE 6250 - 6276.48] the responding agency of the government must fulfill the request for public records within approximately 24 days. Further extensions can be requested but should not go longer than three months.
“But in this case it took the Controller’s office six months and several phone calls to provide LCCN with Greuel’s calendar. That being said, whether or not the controller’s office is in compliance with the California Public Records Act is definitely a big question,” Hews said.
Vehicle Burglaries Lead LM Crimes; La Mirada Weekly Crime Report 12/10/12-12/16/12
CRIME REPORT
Aggravated Assault -A fight was reported near Duffield Ave. and Ratliffe St. A male at the location was assaulted by two unknown males.
Vehicle Burglary-Six vehicle burglaries were reported last week. A window smash burglary to a semi-truck was reported on the 16800 block of Trojan Way. It is unknown if items were taken. Cash and school supplies were reported stolen from a vehicle on the 13700 block of Biola Ave. Two window smash burglaries were reported on the 14300 block of Firestone Blvd. A laptop and other items were stolen from one vehicle. A leather bag stolen from another vehicle was recovered nearby. A burglary was reported on the 16100 block of Rosecrans Ave. Identification and miscellaneous clothing were stolen from the vehicle. A burglary also occurred on the 15500 block of La Mirada Blvd.
Other Structure Burglary-A burglary to a business occurred on the 15700 block of Imperial Hwy. Cartons of cigarettes and electronics were stolen.
Grand Theft -Steel shelving was reported stolen from a business on the 14700 block of Artesia Blvd. A grand theft was reported on the 14200 block of Firestone Blvd. The incident is currently under investigation.
Grand Theft Vehicle-A utility trailer was reported stolen from a business on the 14700 block of Artesia Blvd.
La Mirada Blog Calms Community as News Agencies Trip Over Themselves
La Mirada Blog First to Report Situation at La Mirada High; Uses Social Media to Reassure Parents
La Mirada~Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies help secure La Mirada High School Friday morning after an unspecified threat was made against the school according to the Norwalk Sheriff's Station.
Captain Pat Maxwell said they were dealing with unsubstantiated rumors only, "At this point of the investigation, there is no specific information that the threat is credible, or to identify the source or wording of the alleged threat. It appears to be spoken concerns only," he said in a press release issued by the Sheriff's Department about 8:20 a.m. Friday morning, about ten minutes after the first La Mirada Blog followers were already tweeting us letting us know that there was some kind of police activity at the school.
At 8:10 a.m. follower @MaryRandall8 tweeted, "Anyone know what is going on at La Mirada High? LOTS of police activity." Eight minutes later and two minutes before the sheriff press release follower @MimsyYamaguchi reported, "My son said there were threats at La Mirada High, so there's an increased sheriff presence on campus and the park,"
Yesterday was the last day of school for students before beginning winter break and sheriff's deputies continue to work closely with school officials to ensure the safety of the students on the heels of the events in Connecticut last week, and to help deal with the ramifications of the tragedy that has affected many schools across the nation.
Deputies on the La Mirada campus yesterday encouraged students to ask questions and/or comment on what was, or is, on their mind in regards to school safety.
Officials from schools continue to grapple with numerous threats and the copycat syndrome that seems to follow in such tragedies. Earlier in the day deputies entered the Diamond Ranch High School campus in Pomona after two telephone threats that morning against the school. A similar security alert also occurred at South Pasadena High earlier in the day.
Shortly after the sheriff press release, at 8:37 a.m., the La Mirada Blog informed its readers of the situation by linking to the sheriff press release on its Twitter feed. With over 1000 followers in the La Mirada area, the service allows for messages to get out into the community almost immediately.
Within that same hour hour we already had parents tweeting us, on-scene at the school, letting us know that everything was under control, messages we were able to relay to followers. At 9:20 a.m. LM Blog fan @Crab_Apel tweeted "only a few police units out front. Things seem to be normal at the school. Nothing serious." Again, a message we were able to get out into the community almost immediately.
La Mirada student @LeviFrafjord tweeted, "every where I looked I saw a cop."
Throughout the day, news stations continued to blast the "breaking story" of the "police presence" at La Mirada High, giving the impression something was wrong, even though most in the La Mirada community already knew there was no story, as early as 9:30 a.m. they knew, thanks to our Twitter feed.
La Mirada Blog fan @ipadsforautism tweeted, "Numerous High Schools in the area had similar events this week, everyone is understandably jumpy given recent events."
Even into the early evening the news stations led with the "big story" at La Mirada High, but most parents in La Mirada already knew, since early in the morning, there was no story.
La Mirada City Manager Announces Retirement
La Mirada~Although already expected, La Mirada City Manager Tom Robinson recently announced his plans to retire.
Robinson came to La Mirada in 1985 and worked his way up to Community Services Director.
He became City Manager in 2008 when he replaced Andrea Travis, who resigned, when she clearly wore out her welcome, and was about to be fired.
“When I was selected as City Manager in 2008, the City Council requested that I commit to serving four years in the position,” Robinson said in a prepared statement, “That commitment has been fulfilled.”
Discussions will begin at the December 11th City Council meeting about hiring Robinson, 62, on a part-time basis until a replacement can be found.
“I have enjoyed my years in La Mirada, and appreciate the opportunity to serve as City Manager in such an outstanding community,” wrote Robinson. “Any achievements I have made would not have been possible without the support of past and present members of the City Council, our dedicated City staff, and the community.”
“After 40 years in local government management, it is time to prepare for life’s next chapter,” he said. “As I turn the page, however, be assured that I will continue to perform my responsibilities as City Manager with the same commitment as always.”
Sources indicate to us the City will use Robinson in the recruitment process, with pay.
His lifetime annual pension will be $189,227 when he retires.
La Mirada Weekly Crime Report; Eight Car Burglaries Plague LM, Ocaso Ave Hit With Grand Theft
The following is the weekly crime report for La Mirada provided by the city for the week of November 26-December 4, 2013:
Aggravated Assault-An assault occurred on the 15100 block of Las Flores Ave. The victim was attacked with an unknown object by two suspects. The incident is currently under investigation.
Residential Burglary-Three residential burglaries were reported last week. A burglary was reported on the 16500 block of Summershade Dr. There was no loss reported in the incident. An incident was reported on the 13700 block of Capistrano Rd. Cash and jewelry were stolen from the home. A burglary occurred on the 13900 block of Plume Dr. A safe containing cash and a firearm was taken.
Vehicle Burglary-Eight vehicle burglaries were reported last week. An incident occurred on the 16700 block of Valley View Ave. The vehicle's stereo and stereo accessories were stolen. Bags containing various paperwork and other items were stolen from a vehicle on the 16000 block of Canary Ave. One of the stolen bags was recovered. Four vehicle burglaries were reported on the 16800 block of Trojan Way-all related to each other. A suspect was taken into custody in connection with one of the incidents. The incidents are currently under investigation. A window smash burglary was reported on the 15200 block of Santa Gertrudes Ave. A wallet and other various items were stolen from the vehicle. A burglary to a toy hauler trailer occurred on the 15200 block of Valeda Dr. Various items from the trailer were removed, however they were later recovered.
Grand Theft- Grand theft was reported on the 15600 block of Ocaso Ave. Cash and jewelry were stolen from inside of a residence. A back flow device was reported stolen from the 13700 block of Hillsborough Dr.
Grand Theft Vehicle-A vehicle was reported stolen from the 16200 block of Phoebe Ave. The vehicle was recovered later the same evening on the 16800 block of Trojan Way. A vehicle reported stolen from the city of Fullerton was recovered near Mart Dr and Mercado Ave.
To receive this report directly to your inbox, sign up at cityoflamirada.org
Three Take Out Papers to Run For La Mirada City Council
La Mirada~Earlier this week, on Monday and Tuesday, three potential candidates pulled papers at city hall with the intention to run for City Council.
The three include incumbent Pauline Deal, 53, who was appointed last year in July to replace Susan Tripp, who resigned to pursue personal interests.
Deal was a member of the Norwalk-La Mirada School Board of Trustees from 1998-2011, leaving to take the council position.
The other two who took out papers are Randy Gray, 52, and Connie Balloue, 58.
There are two terms ending and up for grabs, one is Deals' and the other belonging to current La Mirada Mayor Gabe Garcia who has not pulled yet, but sources indicate he will seek another term.
The last to day to file for the March 5th election is December 10th, or December 12th if no incumbent files, which hardly seems the case.
La Mirada Voters Pass Measure I
City's First Ever Local Sales Tax Passed by Almost 2-1 Margin
La Mirada~According to the numbers coming out of the County of Los Angels Registrar-Recorder's office in Norwalk, La Mirada's Measure I has passed.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, 67% of the voters in La Mirada have voted yes on the measure.
As of now, the vote count stands at 8,949 voting yes and 4,612 voting no.
Measure I will raise $4-5 million annually by raising La Mirada's sales tax to 9.75 percent, from 8.75 percent for a period of five years.
The city says it needs the funds to maintain infrastructure.
An oversight committee will be formed to monitor the funds.
In other La Mirada related election news:
The Cerritos Community College District's school improvement bond, Measure G has passed by a wide margin receiving just under 70 percent of the vote (63,645 to 27,447). The district claim
s it needs the funds in order to continue meeting the existing needs and growing demands for expanded educational opportunities in the community. The bond will add $25 for every $100,000 of a home's assessed value and will be added to annual property tax bills for La Miradans.
La Mirada's Noel Jaimes (R) appears to be going down in defeat in the 57th State Assembly race. Ian Calderon (D) of Hacienda Heights has captured a little over 63 percent of the vote (65,297 to 37,696).
Bidding for her sixth two-year term, Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood, defeated Benjamin Campos in the race for the new 38th Congressional District.
Sanchez will now serve in the new territory that was created by redistricting, that will include La Mirada, she formerly 
served in the 39th District that included La Mirada.
Sanchez received just under 68 percent of the vote, doubling up on Campos, 106,844 to 50,889.
In the 29th State Senate District, it appears to be too close to call. With all precincts reporting, Democrat Greg Diamond has 96 votes more than incumbent Senate Republican leader Bob Huff (18,000 to 17,904).
MEASURE I : La Mirada Voters to Decide on Infrastructure Needs
What do you think? Vote in our poll on this page!
La Mirada~For the first time in its 52-year history, and reflecting the current state of the economy, the city will ask residents for financial help to maintain city infrastructure and services by proposing a tax increase.
For as long as anyone can remember, La Mirada City Council incumbents running for re-election have always used the fact that La Mirada has never had a local tax as a major part of their platform. Those days appear to be over.
Measure I will be on the November 6 ballot, and if passed by voters, will raise the sales tax in La Mirada from 8.75 percent to 9.75. The tax would go into effect April 1st of next year, and would last for a period of five years.
The measure has opposition, most notably former councilman Pete Dames who served from 1994-2011.
He said the way the measure has been presented is the classic “bait and switch” in politics and he doesn’t like it, “From the very beginning this was supposed to be all about the infrastructure and nothing else.”
“Once the actual wording (of the measure) came out, it was unbelievable, they added other things. They used all the common buzz words including senior care and police services,” said Dames, who asserted other then infrastructure repair needs, the city is fine.
Councilmember Steve Jones, a supporter of Measure I disagreed, “We’ve consistently said these funds are for infrastructure repairs,” look at our City’s record, La Mirada has always done what it said it would do. Measure I will maintain City services by assuring La Mirada has the money needed for infrastructure repairs without taking funds from other vital services.”
The aging La Mirada infrastructure repairs that are needed-identified as about $67 million worth according to a city study-includes traffic lights, streets and curbs, and the sewer system, among other things.
The measure is worded so the money would be put into the general fund instead of a specific need such as infrastructure-the latter requiring a state mandated two-thirds vote.
By including the other items in the measure, along with the infrastructure repairs, only a majority vote is required (50 percent plus one).
If the measure passes, the future tax revenue would go into the general fund and the city can spend the money on anything it desires.
“Money raised by Measure I will go directly into the ground for repairs throughout La Mirada,” says Mayor Gabe Garcia. “Both a twenty-nine member Citizen Task Force and the entire La Mirada City Council have strongly supported Measure I,” Garcia added. “The City Council is committed to making sure every dollar is spent as intended to repair roads, sewers and other infrastructure in La Mirada.”
City Manager Tom Robinson agreed with Mayor Garcia and Councilmember Jones, “The reality is that La Mirada needs additional funding in the coming years to make necessary infrastructure repairs. If the City doesn’t have funding to make repairs in a planned and orderly manner, we will face more costly, emergency repairs that will take resources from other services.”
The revenue was originally expected to generate $8-10 million annually or around $45-50 million for the five year period. However, a recent study by the city tax consultant revealed the revenue was miscalculated, and the city will only receive $4-5 million annually instead, generating $20-25 million total, and falling short of the $67 million total needed.
La Mirada Weekly Crime Report 10/15/12-10/21/12
Residential Burglary-A residential burglary was reported on the 14800 block of San Ardo Dr.
Other Structure Burglary-two commercial burglaries were reported last week. An incident was reported on the 16300 block of Trojan Wy. Copper wire was stolen from the location. A burglary to a vacant building was reported on the 14700 block of Alondra Blvd.
Grand Theft-A grand theft was reported on the 16100 block of Rosecrans Ave. The incident is currently under investigation.
Grand Theft Vehicle-Two vehicles were reported stolen last week. A vehicle theft occurred on the 16300 block of Alpine Pl. The vehicle was recovered the next day on the 13000 block of La Mancha St. A vehicle was reported stolen from the 15100 block of Caravaca Rd. A third row seat was reported stolen in a vehicle burglary on the 14300 block of Firestone Blvd. A window smash burglary occurred on the 15300 block of Fairhope Dr. A tote bag containing various items was stolen. Two separate vehicle burglaries were reported on the 14300 block of Firestone Blvd. Third row seats, electronics, and cash were taken from the vehicles.
Call from Distraught Boy to Sheriff’s Department Ends Peacefully in La Mirada
La Mirada~The Sheriff's department received a telephone call from a 15 year-old boy early Tuesday evening threatening to harm himself.
Lieutenant Evans of the Norwalk Sheriff's Station told the La Mirada Blog they received a call from the boy shortly after 5 p.m. who said he had a knife and also wanted to be shot by police.
The boy was at Los Coyotes Middle School when he made the call. As officers were arriving, he made his way across the field and into the flood control channel, also carrying a backpack.
Parents and children conducting soccer practice on the school field observed officers running across the field.
Deputies caught up with the juvenille, with assistance from a sheriff's helicopter, north of the school at Behringer Park, where he was detained without incident behind the homes on Keating Drive.
The Lieutenant said he does not know why the boy was distraught and no other information is available at this time.
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