Anti-recall front man Larry Bennett has been making all sorts of ridiculous claims in his efforts to save the dying political careers of the Three bald Tires – Don Bankhead, “Dick” Jones and Patdown Pat McKinley; and his latest claim is probably one of the most outrageously comical.
According to Bennett, City Hall is doing just fine on all fronts, thank you very much, and the residents of Fullerton have absolutely nothing to worry about.
But even a broken pair of pliers like Larry can drive around Fullerton and notice the broken water mains, leaking sewer lines and expanding potholes and crevasses in our streets, and realize that the residents, taxpayers and businesses of Fullerton have been sold down the river to cover the bloated paychecks, fat pensions and corpulent developer subsidies handed out over the last few decades by the Three Tired Tree Sloths. And then there’s that little matter of $27,000,000 his boys have illegally tacked on to our water bills for the past 15 years. Somebody’s got a refund coming!
Bennett obviously has no interest in relating the massive, multi-hundred million dollar pension liability that his pals have left the taxpayers. And of course we already know he thinks the thievery, sexual assaults, sadistic brutality and rampant corruption in the FPD is no big deal.
So there you have it, folks. The difference between the Recall and the forces of sclerotic self-interest, incompetence and malice.
#1 by Johnny Donut on May 21, 2012
Awww, c’mon. That street just needs a little Roundup©.
#2 by One for the books on May 21, 2012
LOL!!!
#3 by The Fullerton Harpoon on May 21, 2012
I think Larry Bennett is just a little tired. Actually I think Larry Bennett is a lot tired. Time for a little nap.
#4 by van get it da artiste on May 21, 2012
I thought the illegal 15% water tax was passed by our esteemed city council members to cover the costs of water/sewer upgrades and to pay for city “o” fullerton’s water. From a past discussion on this blog, Dick Jones said the illegal water tax only was used to pay for fullerton’s water, and now it is needed to pay for upgrades.
$27,000,000 only bought us water, how much does anaheim pay for its water in the last 17 years.
#5 by Greg Sebourn on May 21, 2012
Van,
The $27,000,000 being discussed bought raises and benefits for City employees. It was distributed proportionately through the City’s General Fund, 80% of which is spent on employee salaries, benefits, and pensions.
So, rather than cutting a “program” to give themselves a raise, they only needed to raise water rates a small percentage to back fill the program’s funding and allow their raises to look like they had no negative impact on the City’s funds or services.
#6 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
If 80% of the $27,000,000.00 went into funding pensions and salaries, then it sounds like 20% of these future funds should be a good starting point in negotiations for how much of the pass through tax to charge residents.
I keep hearing the City Council arriving at an arbitrary figure of charging us an additional 6-7.5 % instead of the illegal 10% “pass through rate” that they had been charging us. 2% seems a little bit more realistic to the actual charges incurred to administer the distribution of water.
If it weren’t for concerned individual taxpayers like Greg Sebourn, who actually shined the light and then carried the torch on this illegal water tax issue, Fullerton residents would all still be paying these additional arbitrary overcharges with no end in sight.
Muchos Gracias Senor Sebourn!
#7 by The Fullerton Harpoon on May 21, 2012
Wrong. The $27,000,000 bought you pensions and perks. It paid for NO water related stuff.
#8 by Commonwealth Lawnmower on May 21, 2012
Even those jackasses in Brea can figure out that you eventually have to repave your streets. Larry the Liar, you have hit rock bottom.
#9 by Hick Jones on May 21, 2012
Ah’m up on the hill. Ah’m alright!
#10 by Greg Sebourn on May 21, 2012
Mr. Bennett said “citizens are quite satisfied with the quality of life in the city”. I’m afraid he must be referring to some other city.
Fullerton’s west side residents and business owners attended numerous meetings throughout 2011 regarding the deplorable quality of life they faced. Broken and non-existent street lights, vandalism, rampant blight, cracked and crumbling streets, lack of resources, and the general neglect of the City.
The meetings, hosted by Community Development Director Al Zelinka, were well attended. I don’t recall seeing Mr. Bennett at any of these meetings but surely he heard the concerns expressed at City Council meetings by the public as well as the attempts by the City’s staff, not Council, to address the issues discussed.
#11 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
You can add to that list that almost every single park over here on the West side of Fullerton has been padlocked shut so that our children have no parks to play in.
#12 by The Hill Jacks on May 21, 2012
Gentlemen, we don’t really pay much heed to the west side of Fullerton (except Sunny Hills). We call it “Buena Park East.”
#13 by van get it da artiste on May 21, 2012
and north orange county originally referred to on maps as east los angeles
#14 by truthseeker on May 21, 2012
Elevated ozone levels at the top of Raymond combined with the blend of MWD and well water have lead to his current mental and moral state. Fortunately the jacarandas are almost in full bloom.
#15 by Meeting of the mindless on May 21, 2012
Mr. Bennetts does attend meetings. Rotary club meetings, where they fine each other for wearing non named brand cloths.
#16 by Jane H on May 21, 2012
What a schmuck!
“This recall is a cynical ploy by Tony Bushala to capitalize upon the death of Kelly Thomas to win a majority on the council.”
By using that argument, it looks like he’s glommed on to Kelly’s murder for his own agenda. Did he not read the latest story about Bushala in the OC Weekly? Kelly’s death in the hands of paid thugs was what propelled him and the rest of Fullerton to move forward.
#17 by James Cameron on May 21, 2012
Larry needs to get out on Orangethorpe with his little bucket of asphalt patch and get to work.
#18 by Mankind on May 21, 2012
There is no doubt that corruption is alive and well in Fullerton, CA.
Wanna see the big picture, people? Take a look at CounterPunch’s web site; read Paul Craig Roberts’ article “Bet on Collapse” (posted today). Read about the escalating number of “stop and frisks” in New York City.
Prepare for Austerity Measures as well as more police violence.
America is becoming a Fascist/police state. It may take a while for the middle class finally reacts, when they do react, all hell will break loose.
Good luck with the re-call.
#19 by The Fullerton Savage on May 21, 2012
By the time the middle class catches on they won’t exist as an economic class anymore. Part of their identity depends upon repressing the lower classes because they buy into the myth that they too could become part of the upper class if they only work hard enough.
#20 by PJ on May 21, 2012
Let’s not forget the sidewalks that have to be replaced b/c they were destroyed by inappropriate City-chosen trees.
#21 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
I’d also like to point out that the fire hydrants in this city are painted yellow ( the color of the hydrant indicates the water flow capacity ) and because of the very light shade of yellow used, I’m continually seeing cars parked within 15 feet of the hydrants because motorists claim that they never even noticed the fire hydrant when they were parking.
Although the city isn’t legally obligated to paint the curbs red within 15 feet of the hydrant, it would and could save lives in the future if cars are parked in front of a hydrant when the fireman need to use it.
One other thing I’ve noticed about the fire hydrants here in Fullerton, is that the raised reflective blue markers that are supposed to be placed in the middle of a road to indicate to the firefighters at night where the hydrants are located, are mostly missing, or sporadic at best.
Do we have to wait for a house to burn down or someone to get hurt before someone from the city or the fire department addresses these issues?
A stitch in time saves nine (lives) right?
#22 by Get to work, son on May 21, 2012
Fire 10 unneeded cops and we have plenty of money to fix the streets. Maybe Hampton, Craig and Blatney could try a little manual labor, you know, a real job.
#23 by Private police on May 21, 2012
What about a private police service? Is that feasible?
#24 by van get it da artiste on May 21, 2012
actually, there is a trend towards privatizing public servants jobs, where the positions require minimal education or skills. If the federal government can force a school district to privatize its education through charter/private schools, why can’t city o fullerton privatize its parks and recreations, maintenance services and so on.
#25 by Christian on May 21, 2012
Yes. Let’s privatize all of management while we’re at it.
#26 by Jane H on May 21, 2012
“privatizing public servants jobs”
Privatizing the public sector has been happening for many years. It’s controversial, but in the short run it can help a budget. In the long run? I don’t know.
#27 by S&L on May 21, 2012
in the long run, outsourcing mediocrity saves money.
#28 by Jane H on May 21, 2012
That sounds right.
#29 by Amen on May 21, 2012
not one city in the USA has outsourced or private police. Yes Fullerton please try it. Please.
#30 by For the record on May 21, 2012
This was definitely tried. Three times I believe.
Robocop I
Robocop II
Robocop III
#31 by truthseeker on May 21, 2012
Don’t kid yourselves-courtesy of the Feds private contractors are coming to a station near you.
#32 by Privatization is no Panacea on May 21, 2012
Considering how messed up private prisons are, private law enforcement just sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen.
There was a violent riot at a private prison over the weekend:
‘The ACLU, which has been highly critical of CCA and the rest of the private prison industry in the past, released a statement Monday saying that this weekend’s incident “should make clear to Mississippi and every other state that for-profit incarceration must end.”
“The riot this past weekend at the Adams County Correctional Center is indicative of what can happen at facilities run by private prison companies like Corrections Corporation of America, who have incentives to cut corners even at the expense of decent and safe conditions,” the statement said. “Staff and guards are too often poorly paid and trained, conditions of confinement are often woefully inadequate and levels of violence can be higher at for-profit facilities.”
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/05/private_prison_riot_mississippi.php
This is a more general report: http://www.alternet.org/story/17392/
“For-profit prison companies like CCA have always presented themselves as both cheaper and better than the traditional publicly owned prisons, staffed by state employees. However, from the mayhem and murders at the prison in Youngstown, Ohio, which eventually led to the company paying $1.6 million to prisoners to settle a lawsuit, to a series of wrongful death civil suits, and numerous disturbances and escapes, the authors document in detail a staggering range of failures of prison management.
failure to provide adequate medical care to prisoners;
failure to control violence in its prisons;
substandard conditions that have resulted in prisoner protests and uprisings;
criminal activity on the part of some CCA employees, including the sale of illegal drugs to prisoners; and
escapes, which in the case of at least two facilities include inadvertent releases of prisoners who were supposed to remain in custody.”
#33 by James Cameron on May 21, 2012
Manuel could do with a little manual labor.
#34 by One for the books on May 21, 2012
The fish stinks from the head down!!
#35 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
Interesting letter from Larry Bennett encouraging Fullerton residents to protest and videotape… just as long as it’s an adult business and not the Fullerton Police Department or a City Council member…
An open note to the Citizen’s of Fullerton
Wednesday night an issue came before me in my capacity as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Fullerton. It involved an application for an adult oriented business which included an Adult Arcade or Peep Show. Following normal review processes this type of application might have been denied as incompatible with community standards.
However many court cases including the US Supreme Court and CA Supreme Court have ruled that these types of businesses are protected Free Speech under the 1st Amendment. It seems that they enjoy extraordinary protection not available to other businesses.
My fellow planning commissioners voted to impose the only requirements available to us. This included a review in 6 months to insure that all codes requirements were being met. A further requirement that all building codes be followed and that the business be prevented from operating until all tenant improvements had been completed in satisfaction of those codes.
I respect the rule of law. I will uphold it, even when it is inconvenient or contrary to the opinion of the majority. But I also know that the Citizens are not without voice. If they find this business objectionable they have the rights to protest and be heard. I am mindful of a similar situation in La Habra where citizen protests and video taping of customers lead to the failure of a strip club that was located at Harbor Blvd and Imperial Highway.
I am sorry for voting to approve this application. I explain my actions simply by upholding the law. I put my Faith in God, the Citizens of Fullerton and market forces to uphold our standards and return our Country to a better place.
Larry
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#36 by truthseeker on May 21, 2012
Porn is bad, murder by cop is ok? Poor Larry-his moral compass is going through the Bermuda Triangle.
#37 by Christian on May 21, 2012
Oh, so that’s why Larry is always hanging out at the adult entertainment businesses. That’s quite a pubic, I mean public service he is providing. Hopefully he’ll share his tapes with the public to see just how often city employees in the interest of making the businesses meet code visit and inspect the premises.
#38 by SherBear on May 21, 2012
So using Bennett’s suggestion to video the place and the clientele, and applying this to the DTF bars on the weekend (i.e. Slimebar, all 3 of Florentines joints); we should be able to rid ourselves of these nuisances in no time. Right? And then we’ll flash good ol’ Larry’s letter and say, “but Larry said…!”.
#39 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
God I love the way you think SherBear!
I’d also suggest that we install an app on a smart phone that will measure and display the noise level on the display of the smartphone, and then use our video cameras outside of these bars after 10 pm to record the source, time, and location of where the excessive noise is emanating from, and then present our results at City Council meetings until they learn how to show respect for their neighbors.
#40 by SherBear on May 21, 2012
GMTA Fullerton Lover! If we can pull this off with Lar’s suggestion of videoing certain DTF establishments to aid in their removal; we may very well resolve that valet parking racket they have going on.
#41 by The sandman on May 21, 2012
Well, not really. LaHabra, after wasting millions of dollars on lawsuits, finally condemned it,and paid five million dollars for it. Protests only egged the city on to waste millions on lawsuits that got tossed by the supremes….
#42 by One for the books on May 21, 2012
A new council cannot fix the streets if revenue is a problem. However, a new council can decide on how to best allocate funds for the benefit of the ENTIRE CITY, e.g., transportation infrastructure, water distribution infrastructure, etc. Either revenue is increased through industrial growth (preferred method), or taxation. If that falls flat, then restructuring is the only option!
#43 by Christian on May 21, 2012
As a Planning Commissioner Larry Bennett receives a stipend (payment) for his “service” on the Commission. When the recall passes on June 5, will Larry lose his PC income and could this be his motivating reason for working for Ackerman & Co.? Or has Ackerman set Bennett up with one of Ackerman’s clients as a “favor”?
Gotta love the favors!
#44 by James Cameron on May 21, 2012
The stipend is minimal. Bennett just supports the Three Tree Trunks because that’s what he likes.
#45 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
Larry was also the Campaign Treasurer for Jones and McKinley’s City Council candidacy.
#46 by Anonymous on May 21, 2012
Fullerton Lover you are absolutely correct. I like your logic about the 80%/20% split.
The council actions impacted us negatively twice.
First by overcharging us and second by transferring the money to the General Fund.
How many sacred trusts did Bankhead, Jones and McKinley have to break to get us this result.
It will never end until a majority of this city wakes up and elects people with some integrity and brains. This June 5th in none to soon!
#47 by Cock A Doodle Do on May 21, 2012
Is that the street in front of Bushala’s house? The one where he’s got all the chickens running loose crapping in the street?
#48 by Anonymous on May 21, 2012
The top picture is of the City workers destroying the road to repair a water leak.
#49 by Fullerton Lover on May 21, 2012
It’s when all of our pigs are running loose crapping in the street
that the real problems develop.
#50 by James Cameron on May 21, 2012
The problem is the cops’ salaries and pensions. Privatization is cheaper, especially when you’re paying top dollar for thugs, goons, thieves, perjurers, druggies, pickpockets, destroyers of evidence, killers, etc.
#51 by Privatization is no Panacea on May 21, 2012
Except its not actually cheaper. And instead of unaccountable union goons running around you have unaccountable corporate goons.
#52 by Privatization is no Panacea on May 21, 2012
Private prisons are no more cost effective than public prisons:
“The need to reduce the costs of incarceration to state and federal correctional agencies has allowed the movement to privatize correctional institutions to gain considerable momentum. The empirical evidence regarding whether private prisons are more costeffective than public institutions, however, is inconclusive. To address this question, a meta-analysis was conducted of 33 cost-effectiveness evaluations of private and public prisons from 24 independent studies. The results revealed that private prisons were no more cost-effective than public prisons, and that other institutional characteristics—such as the facility’s economy of scale, age, and security level—were the strongest predictors of a prison’s daily per diem cost.”
http://cad.sagepub.com/content/45/3/358
Rather than privatizing prisons or police, just get rid of laws we don’t need. Then we need fewer prisons and police.
#53 by Greg Diamond's other alias on May 21, 2012
Oh, did I say that?
#54 by Plain Glazed on May 22, 2012
No, that’s my other alias. If Diamond had said it it would have been an extra 900 words. Plus he probably likes laws. And unlike GD I actually linked to published research.
#55 by Amen on May 21, 2012
Amen. I love Fullerton and the USA.
#56 by Arraignment scheduled Tuesday for officers in Kelly Thomas death on May 21, 2012
http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/05/21/32493/arraignment-scheduled-tuesday-officers-accused-kel/
#57 by Lifesaving Service on May 21, 2012
Homocide Detectives must seek couples counseling Pilot 1:30:00
http://www.usanetwork.com/videos/Common%20Law/Full%20Episodes
#58 by FPD on May 21, 2012
Oh hello.
#59 by Lifesaving Service on May 22, 2012
Like I said before National Guard. over!
#60 by Lifesaving Service on May 22, 2012
Feckeled! ones
#61 by The Fullerton Watcher on May 22, 2012
Larry if the city was doing so well why do I need an off road vehicle to drive through Fullerton?