Recalls Redux in Pico Rivera
Pico Rivera Isn't it about time Pico Rivera city activists look at other remedies beside recalls to settle their differences?
Recall is the last straw in most cities. But, it seems to be the first straw in Pico Rivera.
But don't get us wrong. We're not commenting editorially at this time because we're opposed to the latest recall effort, which is now under way in Pico Rivera. We'll reserve judgment.
Our commentary at this time is based on a Pico Rivera recall review published in this newspaper Monday (“New recall attempt echoes city's history,” Aug. 7).
The article reported that various Pico Rivera city councils have been subject to seven recalls and recall attempts since 1993, on average that's almost one every two years.
“It's wildly unusual to have that many in one city,” said Barbara Stone, retired political science professor from Cal State Fullerton.
Hindsight also told us that recall has become more of a habit in Pico Rivera than a political necessity to resolve differences of opinions or philosophies or personalities.
On Tuesday, a group calling itself Pico Rivera Community for Truth in Politics legally declared its intent to circulate petitions to recall Mayor Pete Ramirez and council members David Armenta and Ron Beilke. Ironically, some leaders in the the latest recall effort also were involved in the earlier unsuccessful recall against former Councilwoman Beatrice Proo and councilmen Carlos Garcia and Gregory Salcido. In the subsequent City Council election, they helped defeat Proo and helped Ron Beilke get elected. They also vowed to seek the defeat of Garcia and Salcido in the March 2007, council election.
Those particular recall advocates opposed the previous council majority of Proo, Garcia and Salcido because those three voted to grant then-City Manager Dennis Courtemarche a $40,000-a-year raise. Now, they want to recall Ramirez, Beilke and Armenta because that new council majority appointed Chuck Fuentes as the new city manager, who they felt was unqualified, and they opposed the new council majority's action closing the city-operated equestrian stables. If you are finding this difficult to follow, could it be that this complicated political bickering and periodic clamor for recall is turning off a lot of Pico Rivera voters who simply would like for their city to settle down and go about business like other cities do?
It seems that it is time for some Pico Rivera politicians and activist elements to explore a pathway of solid municipal principles and try to remain above the realm of attacking adversaries' personalities.
Pico Rivera Isn't it about time Pico Rivera city activists look at other remedies beside recalls to settle their differences?
Recall is the last straw in most cities. But, it seems to be the first straw in Pico Rivera.
But don't get us wrong. We're not commenting editorially at this time because we're opposed to the latest recall effort, which is now under way in Pico Rivera. We'll reserve judgment.
Our commentary at this time is based on a Pico Rivera recall review published in this newspaper Monday (“New recall attempt echoes city's history,” Aug. 7).
The article reported that various Pico Rivera city councils have been subject to seven recalls and recall attempts since 1993, on average that's almost one every two years.
“It's wildly unusual to have that many in one city,” said Barbara Stone, retired political science professor from Cal State Fullerton.
Hindsight also told us that recall has become more of a habit in Pico Rivera than a political necessity to resolve differences of opinions or philosophies or personalities.
On Tuesday, a group calling itself Pico Rivera Community for Truth in Politics legally declared its intent to circulate petitions to recall Mayor Pete Ramirez and council members David Armenta and Ron Beilke. Ironically, some leaders in the the latest recall effort also were involved in the earlier unsuccessful recall against former Councilwoman Beatrice Proo and councilmen Carlos Garcia and Gregory Salcido. In the subsequent City Council election, they helped defeat Proo and helped Ron Beilke get elected. They also vowed to seek the defeat of Garcia and Salcido in the March 2007, council election.
Those particular recall advocates opposed the previous council majority of Proo, Garcia and Salcido because those three voted to grant then-City Manager Dennis Courtemarche a $40,000-a-year raise. Now, they want to recall Ramirez, Beilke and Armenta because that new council majority appointed Chuck Fuentes as the new city manager, who they felt was unqualified, and they opposed the new council majority's action closing the city-operated equestrian stables. If you are finding this difficult to follow, could it be that this complicated political bickering and periodic clamor for recall is turning off a lot of Pico Rivera voters who simply would like for their city to settle down and go about business like other cities do?
It seems that it is time for some Pico Rivera politicians and activist elements to explore a pathway of solid municipal principles and try to remain above the realm of attacking adversaries' personalities.
posted by llacer @ 5:31 PM
1 Comments:
At 12:14 AM,
llacer said…
REBUTTAL TO WHITTIER DAILY NEWS ARTICLE
It is fitting that the author of the “Recalling bad habits” article did not sign that article and gave no byline because of the inaccuracies and half truths it contained. First of all, recall is not the first option in Pico Rivera. The first option is addressing the city council at the Oral Communications segment of each city council meeting. However, after speaking on an issue, the council votes which ever way was predetermined by the council majority.
The city manager was not considered by “some” to be uneducated and unqualified, HE IS and that is a fact. The extent of his education is a high school diploma and he has never held a job as a city manager! The process blindsided the council minority and removed them from any input in the process. I know because I was there. We subsequently received information that a currently employed city manager, an assistant city manager, and two others with college degrees in Municipal Administration and Business were “overlooked” during the hiring process. These were QUALIFIED candidates and yet we wound up with an inexperienced high school graduate. Beilke had stated previously that “Fuentes WOULD be the city manager and there is nothing you can do about it” (several months prior)!
It does not appear that the writer lives in Pico Rivera and more than likely does not attend most city council meetings to know that voicing one’s concerns is a moot point and that recalling Pico Rivera city council people IS the only solution to making a change in OUR city. If you had read (and believed) all of the campaign literature for Beilke you could arrive at the conclusion that he was the “reform” candidate. Actually, he turned out to be the “status quo” candidate. There is a lack of checks and balances in a system where one or the majority of councilperson(s) and the city manager have an unholy alliance.
Read the article on our website - INVASION USA and you will possibly get a grasp on what is going on behind the photo ops, awards, and the “hot dog in every pot” propaganda that is being fed to the unsuspecting residents. We do not “call ourselves” the Pico Rivera Community for Truth In Politics, we ARE the Pico Rivera Community for Truth In Politics duly authorized and licensed by the FPPC (Fair Political Practices Commission).
Several other inaccuracies would be too long to address in this article, please check your information for the Truth In Politics, that is why our group was formed and make no assumptions about our group’s positions unless it is an “official statement”. Show me an official release that states anything about Garcia and Salcido, pro or con, regarding the upcoming election in March 2007. I can assure you that such a document does not exist at this time!
In closing this article, let me say if a pathway of “solid municipal principles” were to arrive at our city, I would be the one of the first to take a step on that “pathway”.
Raul Murga
Executive Director, PR-CTIP
http://www.pr-ctip.org/
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