La Habra Now

At this very moment, exactly 100 years ago, the White Star liner R.M.S. Titanic was carving a deep, symmetrical wake across the dark Atlantic Ocean in pursuit of its destiny.  And the very moment that the doomed, iconic vessel hit the iceberg, a century earlier, will arrive at 6:40 PM, local time, on Saturday evening. 

As you might gather, I’ve had more than a passing interest in the history of the most famous shipwreck in history, and I have a bit of personal history with its legacy.  Over ten years ago, fascination with the disaster led me to build a model of the ship and the result was sufficiently satisfactory to have the model displayed on the Queen Mary inLong Beach one summer.  The model was eventually sold to a collector in New Jersey, but I had made another for myself, which is pictured above and is now ensconced on a family room shelf.

 I wish that the source of my fascination was unique, but it is not.  Most would agree that the story of the largest and most advanced vessel ever to sail in 1912 suddenly and summarily diving to the bottom of the Atlantic on her maiden voyage is breathtaking.  And of course, there’s more.  In 1912, Victorian sensibilities were waning just as transformative achievements in science and engineering were occurring.  Culturally, the “first world” was feeling very self-satisfied, if not downright cocky.  The Titanic was the ultimate socio-economic crucible where the “one-percent” was never so clearly disparate from the “ninety-nine percent” on lower decks.  Of course, we now frame economic inequality as a challenge, but in 1912, it was a natural order that, like so many assumptions and beliefs of the gilded age, was never questioned.

 When the ship sank, killing over 1,500 passengers, also extinguished was faith in the natural order, or that progress, prosperity and God’s good blessings could be taken for granted in the coming new age.  Just as well, as less than five years later, World War I tore the first world apart and set the standard for what would be a very tough century.  Everything after the Titanic was now, clearly, very “sinkable.”  And it is a realization with which we live today, in the early stages of the following century.

 Believe it or not, this brings me back to La Habra.  The sharp demarcation between classes on the Titanic has parallels today.  To use the passenger ship analogy, every local city likeLa Habra has its share of first-class passengers that tend to inhabit the “higher decks.”  The foaming ocean swells are a good distance below, so the fear of filling one’s lungs with water is not so acute up on the Promenade.  But for many in La Habra, as in all surrounding communities, the waterline is close.  Keeping dry is a daily challenge and the slightest misstep could plunge them and their families under water.

 For this, La Habra has lifeboats.  They exist in the form of our many non-profit organizations that exist to serve those in need and who form the unique and lovely tapestry of our “caring community.”  Help for Brain-Injured Children (HBIC), The Gary Center, The Boys and Girls Clubs of La Habra, the La Habra Community Resources Care Center, Rosie’s Garage and the La Habra Host Lions Club are among the most well-known.  Together, they provide drug counseling, medical and dental care, after-school programs, rehabilitation services, food banks and myriad other services and resources whose burden might otherwise fall upon local government.  For those suspicious of local government generally, this is the ideal framework; charitable organizations utilizing volunteer labor that government could not duplicate without likely tripling the cost.

 Here’s the rub; La Habra City Council has our non-profits on its radar.  Some organizations lease their City-owned land for one dollar a year and some also have their utilities paid-for by the City.  There has been talk in City Hall of tweaking these arrangements in order to bolster the City’s bottom-line.  Some tweaks appear to be acceptable to most non-profits, such as utility bills.  It makes sense that in the interest of uniformity, all organizations should shoulder their own utility costs, even though this will necessarily impact resources available to the community.  However, there is also talk of charging all non-profits market-based rent for their properties.  Suddenly, an organization such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of La Habra could see their one-dollar annual lease skyrocket to $12,000 per month.

 Most non-profits in La Habra would not survive such “tweaking.”  The door to these destructive changes is opened by the current leases, which can currently be terminated with a 60-day notice. La Habra’s non-profits, the “lifeboats” of our community, certainly warrant the same lease terms typically extended to commercial lessees, such as 15 or 20 year terms.  The council seems open-minded about this, but then again, the idea of charging market-based rent has also been floated.  It appears evident that Council members Rose Espinoza and Jim Gomez have always been ardent supporters of the non-profits and are disinclined to take any action jeopardizing their future.  The other council members should speak for themselves and they will have ample opportunity at 6:30 PM this Monday night at La Habra City Council Chambers.  That’s when the utility question will be addressed.

 For now, what’s clear is that La Habrans should not tolerate any irony with their city motto; “A Caring Community.”  It is a burnished, well-deserved description of our town, and the non-profits are lifeboats for thousands of our neighbors.  Commercial concerns reduced the number of Titanic’s lifeboats to roughly half of the ship’s passenger complement—and the spectacularly tragic results are now history.  To paraphrase Santayana, those who forget that history are likely to repeat it.

The metaphor of life as a linear journey down a highway is often used, but mainly because it fits so well.  The road we travel has its ups and downs, with hairpin turns, beautiful scenery, pot-holes and rainbows.  It has a beginning and an ending, and we begin here with one particular ending.  Former La Habra Mayor Steve Simonian lost his beloved mother on February 7th.  Virginia Simonian was 90 years old and had, by all accounts, a gratifying and wonderful life.  I’d met Virginia before and consider Steve a dear friend and mentor, so Carol and I attended Virginia’s services on Friday, February 10th.  The location was the fairly glorious Sky Rose Chapel at Rose Hills and the day was crisp, sunny and gorgeous.  As we approached the memorial park on Workman Mill Road, I noticed how traffic began to build and slow.  By the time we arrived at the gate, a long slug of cars had queued and funeral cops were now directing serpentine lengths of traffic into the park; one procession after another.  We finally passed the gate and began winding our way toward the chapel, but the traffic was incredible.  So much for the standard model of a peaceful cemetery with only the sound of chirping birds and rustling tree leaves.  This was like opening day at Dodger Stadium.  We crawled up the hill at a snail’s pace and finally achieved the summit shortly before the services began at 11 AM.  Of course, there were multiple services taking place that day, which accounted for the traffic, but there were also a lot of folks present at Virginia’s service.  The City of La Habra was well-represented, and with the exception of Council members Beamish and Blazey, our council was there, along with City Manager Don Hannah and other department heads.  Dawn Stille joined Carol and me on a bench just behind LA District Attorney Steve Cooley.

The service was beautifully rendered.  Pastor Lance Cook did an excellent job officiating and we gained a better understanding of Virginia’s life, legacy and enduring spirit.  Steve bore-up well, but it’s never easy, and especially not for the large Simonian clan of children, grand-children and great grand-children.  At the conclusion, we filed past the family to pay our respects and were then informed that a final ceremony would be conducted at the grave site, just a short drive away.  And so, the many attendees piled into vehicles and began departing.  But . . . to where?  Not exactly sure.  We had joined the right group of cars that headed in one direction, but then some cars peeled-off in other directions.  But hey, how hard can it be.  Graveside services are known for their red canopies and assembled mourners.  I turned left, and so did Councilmember Rose Espinioza in front of me.  Ahh, there it is.  We stop and park.  Carol, Rose and I approach a large gathering on the lawn.

Rose shudders to a stop.  “Wait,” she says.  “These people all look like me.”  And then we both glance over our shoulder.  There was a troup of Mariachis approaching.  “Something’s wrong,” I say.  Steve’s family was unlikely to engage Mariachis for Virginia’s graveside service, a conclusion with which Rose concurs.  We scan the pastoral vastness of Rose Hills and now see cars everywhere with multiple red canopies.  It looked like Glen Helen Regional Park before a Justin Bieber concert.  Back to our cars, where resume wandering aimlessly.  Up one access road, down another.  “The service is probably over,” my wife astutely observes.  “Yes, but Steve values perseverence,” I say, and we keep following Rose.  Then, she stops.  Like the leader she is, Rose bounds from her car and blocks the path of a cemetery truck.  I see her speaking animatedly with the driver, who then gets on a walkie-talkie.  Minutes pass.  Rose smiles.  “He knows where it is, and will take us!”

And so, our little procession begins again, picking up a few other wandering Simonian mourners along the way.  Up the hill, down the hill, around the corner, until finally, on a splendid sunny slope, the proper red canopy lies before us.  We scamper from our cars and hurry forward.  Pastor Cook is just finshing his remarks, as we re-join our friends.  Afterward, Steve thanks us for not only paying respects at the service, but for joining the grave-side ceremony.  “Of course,” I say, not mentioning that we also had a fine, 25-mile tour of Rose Hills Memorial Park between the two services.  Rose later laughs, “This is one service I will not soon forget.”

Yes, the road is a winding one, and makes for some interesting memories along the way.

(Revision as of April 18th, 2011.  For those who’d rather actually hear my comments that evening, an edited video has been created by a friend and supporter.  It is now on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvAH1Vz37Dc .  Additionally, on 4/18, there was a new post on “Orange Juice Blog” at http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2011/04/la-habra-hanky-panky-and-not-the-octomom-either/)

It is always much more fun to write about bright and sunny developments around town.  As a natural optimist, I find the glass rarely half-empty and fortunately, this is an easy viewpoint in La Habra.  But it is also the responsibility of honest citizenship to seek the truth.  The sunshine sometimes misses dark corners.  And so I am writing about a dark corner in La Habra City Council chambers that needs a little sunshine.

When I ran for council last year, I was chairman of the La Habra Planning Commission and I had a feeling that if I did not prevail on Election Day, those council members who did not endorse me (Gomez, Beamish and Shaw) might decide to deny me a second term on the commission this March.  But I didn’t worry about that then—and didn’t think much about it after the election.  Sure, it would be a wrong-headed, purely political slap, but I also felt that a majority of council members might embrace fair-play and serve the city’s best interests rather than pursue a vendetta.  I was wrong.  I was dumped in March, with only Council member Rose Espinoza voting to retain me.  Council members Gomez, Beamish, Shaw and Blazey all nominated other candidates and for the first time (perhaps ever), an incumbent commissioner was denied a second term.

Big deal?  Maybe not—but that is the tip of the iceberg.  On March 28^th, I chaired my final Planning Commission meeting.  Mayor Gomez presented me with a proclamation thanking me for my service, and for which I thanked-him warmly.  Then I made a few candid comments to the 40 or 50 people in attendance that night.  Very candid.

 I related a series of actions undertaken by Gomez, Beamish, Shaw and Blazey that shows, “a certain disrespect for the city, a certain contempt for the process and a dishonoring of the constituency that we are here to serve.”  At the conclusion and adjournment of the meeting, folks got on their feet and applauded.  City Manager Don Hannah wisely requested an official transcript of my comments and had them sent to all council members.  Below, you will find that full transcript.  I spend some time thanking my colleagues and staff and then I offer my criticism (in bold type).  These were unscripted comments, from the heart.  Take from it what you will.  And understand that despite the perilous course that I fear we have embarked upon, it is a course easily reversed.  And Council members Beamish and Shaw might perhaps be the most interested in how we feel about this, as they are running for re-election next year.

Transcript of excerpt from the (City of La Habra) Planning Commission Meeting of March 28, 2011

Following “Commissioners Comments”, Chairman Daren Nigsarian stated:

 “I’ve got a couple of comments to make as well.  I want to start off by saying how deeply appreciative and grateful I am to two of the people who have mentored me throughout my five-and-a-half years on the Commission, that being Janis (Robinson) and Jerry (Callaghan).  You’ve been great friends and great supporters and I learned a tremendous amount from both of you.  Janis, your knowledge is encyclopedic.  I know your specialty is the aesthetics of the city and without your very astute observations, the city would be much poorer.  So, I just want to express my gratitude to you for being as instructive as you’ve been for me.

 Jerry is another very, very bright man who’s got an enormous depth and breadth of experience.  He’s added—he adds—a tremendous amount to this commission and I am so pleased that he’s on GPAC to help lead that effort.  And I remember shortly after I became a commissioner . . . I watched Juan when he (was) chairing the commission, and I said, ‘If I do half as well as Juan does chairing this commission, I’ll do okay.’  And I want to say that I hung on your every word and I tried to follow your lead as best I could.  I don’t know if I ever measured-up, but you did an outstanding job as chairman and, again, your knowledge is absolutely voluminous.  I mean, you bring a great deal of insight and knowledge to this commission and I am very appreciative for that, and I am very happy that you are going to be on GPAC as well.

 And I want to say (that) our staff is top-drawer and top-flight; the best that I can possibly imagine.  Carlos (Jaramillo) is absolutely fantastic.  He’s been a great resource for this commission and I am grateful to you.  David (Lopez) is wonderful; he’s just a great Planning Aide and does a tremendous job.  And I can’t imagine us, the City of La Habra, having a better Director of Community Development than Mike Haack.  He has pulled us out of jams, helped guide this commission when we needed it, (given) us direction when we needed a little extra assistance.  Again, his experience as a former planning commissioner himself has served us extremely well.  He does just an outstanding job and it has been a great pleasure serving with you.  And (so) the City is in good hands.

 You know, it’s interesting because in the beginning, I began by always saying, ‘Yes,’ every time I was asked to do anything for this city.  In 2005, it was Tom Beamish who said, ‘Well, how about the Fiscal Review Committee?  Are you willing to serve?’  And I said, ‘Yes.’  And from there, I served as vice-chairman on the board . . . shortly after that, Tom Beamish and Steve Anderson took me to the ‘Cat and the Custard Cup’ and gave me, I think, one or two drinks and said, ‘Look, we want you to chair the Measure-G campaign.’  And I said, ‘Guys, I don’t know anything about running any political campaign.’  And, some would argue (that) I still don’t.  But I (did) say ‘Yes,’ and I made a habit of saying ‘Yes’ any time I felt that my service could be of some assistance to the city, and I’m very proud of that fact, and it followed up, of course, with efforts for Measure-T, and finally, the Planning Commission itself.

 And, you know, the elephant in the room is—and I have to say this because I’m going to be very candid tonight and if I make someone uncomfortable, I am sorry for that in advance but it must be said, because people wonder—why does he have (only) one term?  Because it is unprecedented in this city—I don’t know (of) any historical precedent in the past where a commissioner who served for one term wasn’t given a second term, unless (for) the obvious, such as ineptitude or incompetence.  And I don’t want to believe that anyone in this room thinks that is the reason.  I think I’ve done a pretty fair job the last five and-a-half years.  So, that begs the question, ‘What is the reason?’  And I think some of the people in this audience want to know, and the answer is very simple, and that’s that I had the audacity and temerity to run against a candidate who was endorsed by the (council) majority and by the mayor, and for that reason, I believe now that the commissions have become something of a political prop. I think it’s wrong.  I do not believe the commissions should be used as chess pieces or pawns to reward supporters or to punish those who are perceived to be in opposition to the majority. I think that is not in the interests of this city.

 You know, these commissions are very important.  They do very serious work.  There’s heavy-lifting done on this planning commission, there is important work done by community services (commissioners).  These commissioners should be chosen based on merit and qualifications.  And it might be tempting for those in power to say, ‘Well, let’s make it easier for those who have always been behind us.’  (But) that’s not the democratic way and it undermines democracy at its most basic, fundamental level, and that’s at the local level, (when) you don’t respect the traditions (that) this city has always embraced when it comes to commissioners.  And it’s true that this has never happened before, this kind-of generally political approach to commissions.  You know, in the day when Steve Simonian and Steve Anderson were here, Anderson was famous for saying, ‘No sweet-heart deals!’  He had a lot of back-bone and integrity and I don’t believe he would have been pleased by this.  And I know Steve Simonian would not be pleased.  And (it’s) not just this situation; it goes deeper than that and I am going to say this because it’s all inter-related.  We’ve begun embarking down this road the way (that) some other local cities have and it has led to ruinous results for them.  We’ve just begun and I hope we stop—but when I ran last year, they found a candidate to run in the form of Michael Blazey; a very nice guy—a very nice guy—but he had a disadvantage because he wasn’t a commissioner, (so) he didn’t get any publicity or (have) any prominence.

So, one day early last year, Mr. Blazey showed-up at a council meeting and summarily was nominated by the mayor to serve as a commissioner, without an application being filed, without interviews being held or scheduled, and without the public being notified that a vacancy existed for the position.  Now that is wrong.  But (at) the next meeting, (then) Mayor Simonian asked Mr. Blazey to resign and then to apply in the proper fashion.  But he declined.  And I am here to tell you now that, in light of my experience, I have a very strong feeling that the community services commissioners—all of them—feel very certain that they will be shown the door as their terms expire in the future.  Why?  Because every one of them endorsed me.  And I think they now feel that is their destiny.

 And I think about our Councilmember Rose Espinoza.  Rose is in the audience this evening.  Rose is a phenomenal asset to this community.  She has a nation-wide reputation.  She has served this community unfailingly and with great courage and dignity, and she was due to be mayor pro-tem this year.  Natural rotation has never been abrogated– it’s always been that way—except this year.  Rose supported me in 2010 and now she has lost mayor pro-tem and I will say it here—and I could be wrong, I hope I’m wrong—but if Rose is not mayor next year, then I will submit to this audience that that is the reason why.  And that is wrong.  It shows a certain disrespect for the city, it shows a certain contempt for the process and I think it dishonors the constituency that we are here to serve.  And I do not feel it is right at all.

 I don’t want to hit this too hard on the nose because this is a wonderful city.  We’ve got some fantastic people in the city and I would just tell the council majority– the four of them right now– that the people of La Habra deserve better.  They deserve transparency and they deserve decision-making that’s made for all the right reasons and with the best interests of the city at heart.  I do not believe that this has been undertaken in this case and I hope desperately that, in the future, commissions are not used as tools, because I guarantee you that this will not serve the city well at all.

 And my replacement, Mark Handler, is in the audience, too. Mark Handler was a great planning commissioner before and he going to be a great planning commissioner in the future.  He will bring enormous depth and breadth of knowledge to this body as well and I congratulate him on his appointment.  He is well-qualified (and) he merits the selection.  I don’t know Mr. (Charles) Kim, but I’ll say it here—and you can prove me wrong—(but) I believe Mr. Kim will run for city council next year.  So you heard it here first.

 Now with that, I will say again that you’re all terrific.  I’ve got nothing but the highest hopes for the future of this city (and) I know we have a bright future ahead of us.  And if I’m ever asked to serve, in any way, shape or form again, my answer has always been ‘Yes’ in the past and (would) again be a resounding ‘Yes.’

 I want to say that, without a doubt, I truly do love La Habra and thank you all very much.  It has been a great five and one-half year ride and this meeting of the La Habra Planning Commission is now adjourned.

 Meeting adjourned at 6:47 PM.

Yes, it’s true, I’ve managed to make the first post of 2011.  You may be wondering, “has he been in a coma for the past three months?”  The short answer is, “kind-of.”  It’s a curious thing, coming off of a grueling ten-month council campaign– a candidate’s life is so completely off-balance that, when it’s over, there is a tendency to swing wildly in the other direction.  I never thought it was possible (or enjoyable) to stare slack-jawed at the History Channel for several consecutive weeks, but now I know it is, and I admit to enjoying the experience.  In fact, the holidays were filled with family, friends, quiet evenings and a complete lack of anything remotely political, which was wonderful.  But the New Year is well underway, and now I cannot help but look forward for signs of hope and renewal.  I found one promising sign at a recent Planning Commission meeting.  On January 10th, we were asked to review a request from La Habra Westridge Partners to entitle additional building space on the property.  Westridge Plaza is one of the best shopping developments we’ve ever seen in La Habra, and is home to Sam’s Club, WalMart, Lowe’s and many other retailers.  The owners have apparently sensed recovery in the air and now wish to expand their buildable space by 50,000 square feet.  Make no mistake; that is a very large amount, and indicates a terrific leap-of-faith in our local economy.  There are no concrete plans or committed new tenants, but Westridge Partners are positioning themselves for a growing local economy and fresh demand for new commercial space in our city.  We should hope that they ultimately build every square foot of that new entitlement.  However, there is also cautionary news, and that is the announcement just today that Borders is considering filing for bankruptcy.  Perhaps not surprising, as bricks-and-mortar booksellers are long-suffering, and no tweaking of the old business model seems to be working.  This is distressing for us in La Habra, as our city council worked very hard to bring Borders to Westridge, and it remains the only dedicated book store in town.  Not that a Chapter 11 would necessarily result in the loss of the store, but it might.  If you haven’t been inside lately, it’s worth a new look.  Their stock has broadened and customer service has improved– it’s a fun place to browse and they deserve our business.  Sure, shopping on Amazon is very convenient, but nothing beats the sensory experience of real books in your hand, the smell of coffee and the pleasure of finding the perfect item on a clearance table.

So there are the first words of 2011.  I look forward to finishing my year as Planning Commission Chairman by welcoming similar leaps-of-faith from local business and sharing good news with you here.  Now back to the History Channel . . .

Our 2010 Field Team

On January 1st, 2010, I announced my candidacy for La Habra City Council and our campaign embarked on a ten-month odyssey that came to an abrupt conclusion on November 2nd.  Actually, it was about 8:20 PM that evening when the first absentee vote count was posted by the OC Registrar of Voters, and a margin of victory for Mike Blazey appeared that would continue through subsequent updates.  Carol and I were alone, together, in front of the laptop when those first results popped-up, and it was a surreal experience for two reasons; one, we truly thought we’d win that race, and two, it was amazing how ten months of very hard work could be resolved with a single, brutal keystroke on a computer.  Typically, candidates in this position wax eloquently about how some fundamental mission was accomplished, despite the outcome, and how we will go on to fight again.  Well, I’m honestly not so certain about that.  It was a very tough ten months, and both Carol and I sacrificed the quality-of-life that most folks take for granted.  With that said, there were also some very exciting and gratifying moments that most folks never experience, and those memories I will hold dear for the rest of my life.  We garnered incredible levels of support from the community and raised a terrific amount of money.  Thousands of contacts with voters resulted in conversations that were sometimes emotional, hilarious, bitter-sweet and ultimately very revealing of what people find important in their own lives and how they saw their future.  And I’ll confess to feeling out-of-sorts about that, because I now feel I have tremendous knowledge about public policy in La Habra and the people who comprise this community– and now I’m not exactly in the best position to utilize that knowledge.  Will there be an opportunity in the future?  Well, I get asked that a lot.  The fact is that the possibility of running for office again is not even considered by Carol and I now.  Last weekend was our best weekend of 2010; we took our granddaughter to the Brea Mall to wave at Santa Clause, I did yard work, and we watched two movies, and it was absolute bliss.  Of course, we all know that the Universe is weird, random and unpredictable.  All I know for sure is that I have spent about the past six years deeply committed to public service in La Habra, always answering in the affirmative when called and always forging a path toward greater responsibility and experience.  Now, I believe it is time to retire from path-forging.  Perhaps much better to simply let the path reveal itself.

My singular concern now is that our devoted supporters don’t feel regretful.  Our campaign spread the word on the issues of business attraction and retention, public safety, the budget and community services.  We drove the debate on these issues and I’m proud that Jim Gomez and Mike Blazey adopted many of the “planks” of our platform after witnessing the strength of our campaign’s support.  We changed minds, we generated hope and optimism, and we did well.  To my contributors and volunteers, I am grateful forever.  I congratulate Jim and Mike on their success this year and I wish them the very best.  I will continue to serve as Chairman of our Planning Commission and will do my very best in that capacity.  I’ll end this post with a quote that I was reminded of recently by friend Art Munguia.  It should speak to all of us, with respect to any endeavor great or small, that is worthy and has heart.   

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

— Theodore Roosevelt

I’ve known J.P. Gonzalez and Eva Juarez for some time and have been well-aware of their work for “Advance!” in La Habra.  But it wasn’t until last night at our regular Lion’s Club meeting that I gained insight on the incredible resources provided by “Advance!”  This non-profit college counseling service enables kids to avoid a multitude of obstacles and challenges in their pursuit of higher education.  This is an absolutely free service that helps high school grads complete their applications, obtain financial aid and win scholarships.  J.P. and Eva did made an excellent presentation, as did my neighbor, Habib Captan, who serves as treasurer for “Advance!”  Together, they explained that the service has helped more than 2,000 local students get into college and assisted more than 1,500 students and families with financial aid.  The organization has provided 73 scholarships alone and facilitated many more.  I learned that there are services out there that will charge thousands of dollars simply to fill-out an application for a student, (many of which are scams) simply because the paperwork is so complex and intimidating that some applicants just give-up.  In fact, “Advance!” does not limit services to residents of La Habra and will assist students from the surrounding area as well.  Again, no charges are made; this organization is funded solely by donations.  I find the mission of “Advance!” particularly valuable because getting students through college successfully has never been more important.  It is the middle-class that is taking a beating in this economy and for many students, making the jump from a low-paying job to a profession represents the only chance for homeownership and the discretionary spending power that we need here in La Habra.  Learn more about their mission at www.ontocollege.org, and if you’d like to change the future of the next generation, consider contributing to this terrific cause.  They’re having an open house on Sunday, October 3rd, at the La Habra Community Center, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  Again, kudos to J.P., Eva and Habib for a great program last night.

Former Bell City Manager Robert “Ratso” Rizzo’s obscene salary may be an anomaly in California, but nobody is taking that for granted.  Phones are ringing off the hook at every city hall statewide, and besieged staffers answer the same questions over and over; how much do the managers and council members make?   The same is true in La Habra, and frequently, a verbal answer isn’t good enough.  Folks are asking for written documentation of salary schedules and are frequently smart enough to ask about the value of fringe contracts.  When I walk neighborhoods for my council campaign, I’ve been asked the same thing.  The whole Bell scandal has merely added fuel to the fire of cynicism over civil servant pay and pensions in California.  The good news is that no city manager in the state (or even the nation) has a salary that even remotely approached that of Rizzo.  The Bell scandal represents a rare and perfect storm of corrupt councilmembers, heinously greedy city executives and an apathetic, ill-informed constituency.  The stage was set when the Bell council balloted a “charter city” initiative, which passed with only a few hundred votes.  This made the City of Bell a feudal kingdom, and the fat cats went wild.  Fortunately, the “General Law” City of La Habra has salaries and stipends that follow statewide medians, meaning each councilmembers stipend is about 96% less than the insane compensation given a Bell councilmember.  Although nobody at our city hall is getting rich, the Bell scandal is a cautionary tale about what can happen when folks don’t pay attention.  Seemingly  mundane things like consent calendar items and appointments might not seem worthy of scrutiny, but we ignore them at our peril.  Fortunately, the people of Bell reacted as we hoped they would; with righteous indignation and outrage.  The city manager, assistant city manager and police chief are gone, and council stipends have been drastically reduced, and yet that isn’t good enough.  Each Bell councilmember should resign, and pension pay-outs to the disgraced former executives should be withheld pending an investigation by the Attorney General.  Finally, a little county jail time might be in order for those former city fathers, if criminal intent can be established.  Ultimately, the Bell scandal may serve a purpose– awakening us to the potential for malfeasance when we’re looking the other way.  Sometimes, the bell tolls for thee . . .

Flanked by Queen Kirby Morales on left and Councilmember Rose Espinoza on right

The Fourth of July in La Habra is comfort food for the soul.  The crowd was in a great mood, the funnel cakes were toasty and sweet, the band and dancers were fantastic and the pyrotechnics were long, loud and beautiful.  The only departure from tradition was, perhaps, the weather.  The temperatures were more like an evening in March than July.  And yesterday’s cloud-cover was positively grim– let us hope that tradition re-asserts itself with a little more sunshine soon.  Congratulations to Pyro-Master Scott Ward and his team for another flawlessly-executed show.

Moving around a bit, congratulations to La Habra Mayor Steve Simonian for being named “Citizen of the Year” by the La Habra Chamber of Commerce.   The Mayor will be awarded officially at the Chamber’s Installation Dinner at Don Steves Autoplex on July 17th.  That’s also when Dr. Adrian Acosta will take the reins as Chamber President, finally relieving Scott Olson from the duties which he has so admirably performed.  For more info, give the Chamber a call at 562-697-1704.

The last item is the final agreement between the City of La Habra and its employee bargaining units.  The La Habra Police Association agreement was still in flux, having reached an impasse in June.  The choices were either continued furloughs of police officers, or the imposition of a mandatory employee PERS contribution (resulting in a significant cut in pay).  Having already been furloughed the previous fiscal year, the Police Association rejected both options, although expressed willingness to make concessions in order to assist the City with another very tough budget.  At the council meeting of June 24th, I spoke in opposition to the most draconian hits on Association members and urged the council to continue a good-faith dialogue.  That’s ultimately what happened, and although the resulting agreement still requires a PERS contribution, only new-hires are impacted.  The Police Association is satisfied with the agreement, and therefore, so am I.  What La Habra doesn’t need is a demoralized police department.  As always, public safety is “Job-One.”

When it comes to annual budgets, June can be a tough month.  When it comes to local government budgets in particular, June is a screaming nightmare.  La Habra’s sales-tax increment has dropped by 2.7 million since the ’06-’07 budget.  Sacramento has been mugging California cities repeatedly in order to mitigate the State budget debacle, and Orange County property tax increments have been spiraling ever downward.  However, as our Finance Director Jim Sadro said at the last council meeting, “we are not alone.”  Looking at Orange County as a marina, we know that all boats are taking on water, but some are sinking faster than others.  La Habra has a working bilge pump that has kept us afloat, even though City employees have been furloughed (including all management and police officers), and four non-sworn employees have been laid-off.  The City is asking employees for further concessions in the ’10-’11 budget, and this will be on the agenda at the council meeting on June 21st.  It is true that economic forecasts continue to predict a slow but steady recovery in the local region, but budgets may suffer mightily for several years into the future.  One solution, as I’ve said here before, is renewed focus on new business and redevelopment.  Sales-tax is the more volatile of revenue sources, but also the one we can more directly impact.  We have a glut of vacant commercial properties in town, but many of them are high-value and well-maintained.  As cautious expansion returns, retailers will be covetous of Imperial Boulevard real-estate and the thousands of cars that flow by every hour.  We must continue to promote the community as an ideal location for retailers of all sizes– our general fund will depend upon it.

On other fronts, the miracle of La Habra’s Corona Park will be repeated, this time at Guadalupe Park.  “Kaboom!”  (a national, non-profit organization dedicated to “community building”) is partnering with the City to revitalize and reinvent Guadalupe Park, and to do it in one, single “build day” on Saturday, July 24th.  This project won’t touch the City’s general fund, so volunteers and sponsors are being recruited.  If you’re willing to spend some time creating a terrific new recreational opportunity for residents, or even just turn a few shovels of dirt, contact Vanessa Rodriguez at 714-447-3460.

Chuck Morse (L) and Daren Nigsarian

Summer’s official debut is June 21st, but we all know that backyard pools are finally swimmable around Memorial Day.  The long weekend is also ideal for replacing the lava rocks in your gas grill and for receiving the first sunburn of the season.  However, Memorial Day is not a holiday meant for casual diversions.  It’s not even meant to honor military veterans among us (although such hat-tipping is natural and complementary).  Rather, we observe Memorial Day for the sole purpose of honoring and cherishing the memories of those veterans not among us, who sacrificed their lives for their fellow servicemen and every American at home.  They have died to protect the United States, and although our fallen men and women may approve of backyard BBQ’s and river boating on this holiday, we must remember that our liberty in such pursuits has been gained at the price of their lives.  And so, on Memorial Day, Carol and I made our annual visit to the home of Chuck Morse, fellow La Habra Host Lion and 78 year-old veteran of the Korean Conflict, to review his “Gathering of the Crosses.”  As described in Monday’s Orange County Reigster, each small cross has the photo and service information of all 48 Orange County service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It’s a small display, but for me, no less moving than the full-scale versions of those iconic white crosses I visited at Arlington National Cemetery, or the American Cemetery at Normandy in France.  It’s an unexpected tribute in a tidy La Habra neighborhood, yet it brings the meaning of the day and the sacrifice of our servicemen into sharp relief.  And yes, I did BBQ that evening.

The next few weeks are crammed with events around town, and the two “signature” events are coming fast; the Fourth of July show at La Habra High, and the Corn Festival on August 6th.  But first up is the HBIC (Help for Brain Injured Children) Poker Run on Sunday, June 6th.  (Visit  http://www.lahabralions.com/ for more info.)  Then, the Jimmy Campanis Celebrity Golf Tournament, benefitting The Gary Center, on Monday, June 7th.  (www.thegarycenter.org for more info.)  The City of La Habra Volunteer Recognition reception follows on Wednesday, the 9th, at the Community Center (562-905-9708 for more info).  And let us not forget “Concerts in the Park,” which begins on June 24th, at El Centro/Lions Park for five consecutive weeks.  And finally, I must add that the largest fundraising event of my campaign for La Habra City Council is set for Saturday, July 24th.  The cuisine will be provided by the five-star catering firm, Kitchen for Exploring Foods.  There will be some very well-known names attending, but they’re under wraps for now– guess you’ll have to keep checking this blog as details trickle-out.  Don’t worry.  You’re invited.