Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Revisions to El Segundo’s filming regulations designed to bring the town more screen time would only drive away production, a movie trade group and state panel has argued.
Set for approval by the City Council tonight after months of crafting, the proposed ordinances have attracted opposition from the Motion Picture Association of America and the California Film Commission.
Both groups argued that the revisions, considered looser by El Segundo city officials, would impede filming in town and undermine the state’s efforts to attract filming and industry jobs.
“I think it has the potential to diminish and decrease the amount of filming in El Segundo,” said Melissa Patack, MPAA’s vice president of state government affairs.
If the groups’ predictions are indeed true, the new ordinances would achieve the opposite of El Segundo’s original intentions to revise its rules so its stately high school would see more lucrative production.
Honed through several hearings since springtime, the proposed ordinances would allow 25 percent more filming at most locations in town, as well as even more days in some spots in town and unlimited filming in some instances.
“The original ordinance didn’t attract nearly as much attention, and now that we liberalize it, they don’t like it,” said Mayor Kelly McDowell, who served on a subcommittee that developed the revisions. “I’m of the mind to move forward.”
Read the entire article at:
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_13800650
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Friday, September 11th, 2009
by Jennifer Evans
If El Segundo residents are opposed to the cityÄôs water rate increase they should check their mailboxes for a protest ballot, due to hit homes in the next week.
At the Sept. 1 El Segundo City Council meeting, members voted to increase the rate by an average of $11 per month to offset a more than $3 million loss in revenue. However if more than 50 percent of the ballots show residents are opposed to the rate increase, rates will not change.
When compared to neighboring cities, El Segundo has the lowest water rates. However, from 2003 to 2009, the Metropolitan Water District has raised its rates by more than 65 percent. Although El Segundo implemented an increase of 14.5 percent last year, it was not enough to keep up with the districtÄôs rate increase.
Read the entire article at:
http://www.tbrnews.com/articles/2009/09/11/el_segundo_news/news04.txt
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Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
The reason that El Segundo has a budget problem is the contract that was “put in place by the late former El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon” per the El Segundo Director of Finance Deborah Cullen.
I just want to point out here, again, that the policies of Mike Gordon were detrimental to the city of El Segundo and were put in place for the advancement of his own political career. The city will survive with the leadership of the current management, but it was a blow that we need to recover from.
So why does the El Segundo Fire Department have 19 full-time staff, with an average salary of $150,000?
Previous to the new contract, both police and fire had been given a five-year contract from 2003-08, put in place by the late former El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon. The contract enabled a raise in both base salary and special compensation. Cullen explained that this resulted in a 38-percent growth in salary payout over that period.
Smith said running two short will have a minimal impact and added that in terms of structure fires, the city experiences an average of less than one per year.
ÄúWe are not putting the city at danger with these cuts,Äù El Segundo Mayor Kelly McDowell said.
Read the entire article at:
http://www.tbrnews.com/articles/2009/09/08/el_segundo_news/news04.txt
Posted in Politics | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
ItÄôs official: A second ice cream truck will be gracing the streets of El Segundo.
The City Council voted 4 to 1 Tuesday night to approve the license for Chekesha PalmerÄôs truck.
Standing his ground against the frozen treats was Councilman Don Brann, a longtime school superintendent who initially raised objections, saying ice cream trucks do no good and cause health and safety problems for children.
Read the entire article at:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/ice-cream-truck.html
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Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Quoting from The Beach Reporter - by Jennifer Evans
El Segundo will soon be the recipient of stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to rehabilitate some of its busier streets.
The ARRA provides $789 billion in spending and tax cuts to stimulate the economy nationwide and of that amount, El Segundo has been allocated $516,000 specifically for the rehabilitation and repairs of its streets.
First in line for rehabilitation is Mariposa Avenue from Sepulveda to Nash Street and next on the list is Main Street from Mariposa Avenue to Imperial Highway.
According to city records, it has been 25 years since Mariposa Avenue from Sepulveda Boulevard to Nash Street was rehabilitated and it has been 36 years since Main Street from Mariposa to Imperial Highway has been rehabilitated.
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Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Quoting from The Beach Reporter - by Jennifer Evans
El Segundo resident Liz Garnholz along with a few others in town donÄôt agree with the flat rate that the city charges for water.
However, in comparison to neighboring cities, El Segundo Water Supervisor James Turner claims the water fee in El Segundo is a bargain. ÄúOur water rates are lower than any other city around,Äù Turner said. ÄúOur price of water is going up and we are not able to pass that along to the residents. The city pays the difference, not the residents.Äù
Garnholz, who frequently speaks at City Council meetings on various issues, has brought up her disdain for the cityÄôs Äúflat processing feeÄù more than once.
ÄúI donÄôt know, El Segundo, if you pay attention to your bills when you pay them, but I do,Äù Garnholz said during the Jan. 20 City Council meeting. ÄúIn 2007 the city sent out what I call a Chicago-style ballot, itÄôs a way of doing tricky business. The flat processing fee for the water bill, which consists of three parts, has significantly increased since 2007. The water readiness service charge has gone up by 70 percent since 2007. The wastewater treatment has gone up 33.2 percent and the wastewater service has gone up by 53.8 percent.Äù
El Segundo Finance Director Deborah Cullen said she was confused about how Garnholz came to that calculation on her bill. ÄúThere is no way the city would raise the rates that high,Äù Cullen said.
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Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
IMG_6358.JPG
Kent Francisco posted a photo:
The Lockheed Martin building on Aviation Blvd.
Read the entire article at elsegundo – Everyone’s Tagged Photos IMG_6358.JPG
Posted in El Segundo, Politics | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
I went to this school from 1960 until 1966. My first day at Kindergarten was at this school. I remember ants got in my lunch and I cried because I didn’t have anything to eat. We played Star Trek during recess. You know how everyone remembers where they were when they heard that JFK was shot? I was standing in the breezeway near the third grade classes. I was facing north when teacher told us. I was 8 years old.
El Segundo district looks at developing land – The Daily Breeze By Nguyen Huy Vu
El Segundo Unified officials are considering a proposal to lease one of the district’s properties to a developer to build senior housing and athletic fields.
District officials hope the plan will help free up general fund dollars, especially as maintenance on the former school site at 540 East Imperial Ave. begins to become a financial drain.
School board members last week voted to approve an environmental assessment to see if the area is suitable for construction.
The decision came after a committee of community and business members agreed the site wasn’t needed to house students and that the district should focus its efforts on finding developers interested in building senior housing.
Posted in El Segundo, Politics, Schools | No Comments »
Friday, November 7th, 2008
The Beach Reporter - by Jennifer Evans
The El Segundo Unified School District was a victor election night when voters approved Measure ÄúM,Äù the $14 million facilities bond, which promises improvements to El Segundo High SchoolÄôs auditorium and outdoor athletic facilities.
At press time, with all precincts reporting, 66.95 percent of the vote was in favor of Measure ÄúMÄù or 4,659 votes out of 6,959 votes cast.
ÄúWe are so thrilled that the community rose up in our time of need,Äù ESUSD Superintendent Geoff Yantz said. ÄúWe are so excited that we had a chance to hear from the community and hear their concerns so that we could make sure that all voices were heard in the process of addressing safety concerns for the outdoor physical education facilities and ESHS auditorium.Äù
During a recent ESUSD School Board meeting, the board prepared for its possible victory of Measure ÄúMÄù by appointing a CitizensÄô Oversight Committee comprising local citizens and taxpayers.
According to an explanation of the bond, residents of El Segundo would not receive an additional tax but would instead agree to a five-year extension of a previous tax increase, which was approved in 1997 and 2001. The taxes are dependent on the value of the residentÄôs home; the taxpayer is charged $59 for every $100,000 of a homeÄôs assessed value. It also states that the bond money can only be used for the outdoor athletic and auditorium facilities, and none of the funds can be used for administrative salaries. A citizen oversight committee must be formed within 60 days of bond passage and annual audits for full public disclosure must ensue.
Posted in El Segundo, Politics, Schools | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
Enjoy your new school that I’m paying for and getting no benefit from. This is like someone coming into my house and taking stuff. It’s not fair.
El Segundo school bond passes – The Daily Breeze – Nguyen Huy Vu
The second time was the charm for El Segundo Unified’s effort to upgrade the district’s only high school.
With all precincts reporting, Measure M passed 66.95 percent to 33.05 percent of the vote.
Bond proceeds would be used to upgrade El Segundo High School’s aging auditorium and athletic facilities within the next two years.
It would be the district’s third successful bond effort in more than a decade. Voters approved requests for $24 million in 1997 and $25 million in 2001.
El Segundo property owners will pay nearly $60 annually per $100,000 of assessed property value through 2032, about five years beyond the 19-year period of the previous bonds.
The district is among several state districts proposing measures to help pay for construction projects.
Read the entire article at El Segundo school bond passes – The Daily Breeze
Posted in El Segundo, News, Politics | No Comments »
