Politicians

If the American taxpayers had any doubt that many elected politicians work only to keep their jobs and spend the taxpayers' money, causing huge deficits, they need only look at the scandals in Bell and Vernon and the payments for state legislative office staffs. Then there is the recent decision of the Glendale City Council declaring that a library and fire station need upgrading, so they declared the bathrooms blighted to spend more than $300,000 in redevelopment money on upgrades - an example of why the governor wants to abolish local redevelopment agencies (“Stretching blight's definition in Glendale,” Aug. 12)

Gov. Brown signed a bill last Thursday that requires California schools to use history textbooks and lessons that mention positive contributions from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. No other state has such a requirement. While I have no problem including in a history textbook anybody who is important in human history, I do have a problem when it is mandated by elected officials just because it is politically expedient to do so. No other group of highly educated professionals has so much of their work environment controlled as do teachers.

In regards to the editorial “Smoking issue will linger for a while,” Sept. 29: Without government getting involved in any way, people can decide by themselves if they want to live in non-smoking apartments or hang out in smoke-filled dive bars. Every time citizens cede such choices the government becomes more intrusive, powerful and expensive. Unless we want politicians like Dave Weaver to also run every other aspect of our lives, we should vote for politicians this November who believe in limited government.

Thank you, city of Glendale. We had a beautiful and wonderful float. It was back on Jan. 31, 2012, I wrote in regarding Brittany Levine's Jan. 24, 2012, article on how Glendale politicians couldn't stop fighting about the float and it was going to be discontinued because no one could agree on anything from design to cost and everything in between. It really struck a chord with me how other cities, as a source of civic pride, have their Rose Parade float, yet Glendale wanted to fight among themselves like children and go home.

Our local politicians recently met at St. Mary's Apostolic Church to discuss increasing economic, social and cultural ties with Armenia. From the article, ("Forum aims to improve trade relations," June 21) all seemed to agree that setting up a trade office in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, would be a good thing. It was said in the article that trade between the two countries would strengthen the California economy. State Sen. Jack Scott described it as a win-win situation.

Re: "Examine tenants' concerns before coming to conclusion," by Robert Morrison: Kudos to Mr. Morrison. Of course Glendale's reigning politicians "should examine the rental problems," that is, if it could be done devoid of bias and only in light of what a truly free rental market would gain for Glendale. But that's a core problem in itself. Rent control of any sort would only compound what's already in the market mix. While there is little to disagree with of what Morrison had to say about Ken Carlson's continuing emotional socio-logic dribble in support of rent control, even his proposal for government to study the "problems" behind "any sort of tenant relief ordinance," is a concession of sorts that in itself lends a measure of false credibility to any rent-control proposal.

Blake Beltram's response to Keith Gouverneur's letter on Assembly Bill 273 was typical of voters and politicians that are looking for topical fixes for deep-rooted problems. Assembly Bill 273 is another "feel-good" bill that will accomplish nothing, yet puts an additional burden on law-abiding citizens and increases costs and bureaucracies. His example of registering cars is a perfect example. Yes, applicants for drivers licenses must pass a written test and register their cars, and, by law, even have them insured.

Alexa Capeloto MONTROSE An era ended in Montrose Saturday, as local legend Frank Roberts celebrated his retirement after more than 25 years of service to the community. Local merchants and politicians turned out in droves to honor Roberts, aka Mr. Montrose, and his wife, Elinor, as they prepare to close their store The Candle Tree, a 25-year fixture in the Montrose Shopping Park. The celebration was somewhat bittersweet because Elinor suffered a slight stroke Friday and was in Verdugo Hills Hospital during the celebration.

ceremony Monday's Memorial Day ceremony in downtown Glendale was marred by Larry Zarian's uncalled-for political comments regarding the war in Iraq. Alluding to the war, Mr. Zarian took a bold leap by stating that those individuals, be they politicians or ordinary citizens, expressing their objections to the conduct of the war, are by their actions vilifying and disparaging our military and their courageous efforts. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Judy Seckler CRESCENTA VALLEY HIGH -- A quick visit by state Assemblyman Jack Scott (D-La Crescenta) today will give Crescenta Valley High government and history students an opportunity to press the flesh with the politician. As part of America's Legislators Back-to-School Day, Scott will listen to students' gripes about the political process. Students will gather in John Allen's student government class. A teacher from the San Marino School District will be sitting in on the session to observe, and Crescenta Valley Associated Student Body President Brian Landisi will also be at the event.

Thank you, city of Glendale. We had a beautiful and wonderful float. It was back on Jan. 31, 2012, I wrote in regarding Brittany Levine's Jan. 24, 2012, article on how Glendale politicians couldn't stop fighting about the float and it was going to be discontinued because no one could agree on anything from design to cost and everything in between. It really struck a chord with me how other cities, as a source of civic pride, have their Rose Parade float, yet Glendale wanted to fight among themselves like children and go home.

In regards to the editorial “Smoking issue will linger for a while,” Sept. 29: Without government getting involved in any way, people can decide by themselves if they want to live in non-smoking apartments or hang out in smoke-filled dive bars. Every time citizens cede such choices the government becomes more intrusive, powerful and expensive. Unless we want politicians like Dave Weaver to also run every other aspect of our lives, we should vote for politicians this November who believe in limited government.

As Glendale and other cities throughout the world schedule the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Turks nearly 100 years ago, we are often asked why? Why the inhumanity? We are getting closer to the answer. Unlike the sporadic newspaper stories that surfaced of that genocide during World War I, we can now witness nightly the level of atrocity men are willing to perpetrate on their fellow men. We can now dig faster and deeper into the psychic of these perpetrators.

Time flies faster the older you get, so it seems like only yesterday - not a year ago - that I was offered the opportunity to write a Sunday column for the News-Press & Leader and other community newspapers in the Times Community News group. It has been an eye-opening experience. The contrast between life in the suburbs and in the big city next door is stark in every way. I meet a lot of people who live on the Valley floor, in Eagle Rock, and in other middle-class communities across Los Angeles who share a deep discontent over the state of their city, and who fear the long-term trend toward things getting worse is only accelerating.

Events in recent days - from the eviction of Occupy L.A. protesters from the grounds of Los Angeles City Hall to the open-records lawsuit inspired by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino's defiance of his party's leadership - have exposed a level of political hypocrisy that ought to make everyone uneasy. Hypocrisy is rampant at all political levels today with what is really going on in the back rooms of government having little or no connection to the story fed to the public. It's just a coincidence that the week's events exposed liberal hypocrites from Sacramento to Los Angeles.

The state's ethics watchdog agency has set a meeting next week to consider whether campaign finance limits and spending report deadlines should be temporarily waived for politicians affected by the alleged misuse of funds by campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee. Ann Ravel, chairwoman of the state Fair Political Practices Commission, said she and the staff will hold the public meeting Sept. 30 to hear from campaigns concerning whether a federal investigation of Durkee, which has resulted in many bank accounts being frozen, requires flexibility in complying with rules regarding funding of campaigns.  L.A. TIMES

If the American taxpayers had any doubt that many elected politicians work only to keep their jobs and spend the taxpayers' money, causing huge deficits, they need only look at the scandals in Bell and Vernon and the payments for state legislative office staffs. Then there is the recent decision of the Glendale City Council declaring that a library and fire station need upgrading, so they declared the bathrooms blighted to spend more than $300,000 in redevelopment money on upgrades - an example of why the governor wants to abolish local redevelopment agencies (“Stretching blight's definition in Glendale,” Aug. 12)

State Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) has let the cat out of the bag on what goes on in the California Legislature as to what it costs each legislator to run his or her office each year. This is shocking! So I hope the readers are sitting down. According to the Glendale News-Press article regarding Portantino being told to cut his spending by the Democratic higher-ups (“Papers sue state to get spending records,” Aug. 6), Portantino has been receiving an annual office allowance of $694,375 and spent $657,591 of it last year.

Gov. Brown signed a bill last Thursday that requires California schools to use history textbooks and lessons that mention positive contributions from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. No other state has such a requirement. While I have no problem including in a history textbook anybody who is important in human history, I do have a problem when it is mandated by elected officials just because it is politically expedient to do so. No other group of highly educated professionals has so much of their work environment controlled as do teachers.

Editor's Note: Numerous instances of plagiarism have been discovered in Dan Kimber's “Education Matters” column, which ran in the News- Press from September 2003 to September 2011. In those columns where plagiarism has been found, a For the Record specifying the details will be appended to the piece. Back at the beginning of the last century when Teddy Roosevelt was president, our country was in the middle of something called the Progressive Movement. It was a decade or so of American history where the people - as in We The People - rose up in a common spirit of, “We're not going to take this anymore.” It was mostly a middle-class reform movement that waged war on the evils of monopoly, corruption, inefficiency and social injustice in this country.