Bruce Whitaker
Bruce Whitaker is signatory of the Great Fullerton Recall of 1994. He was elected to the Fullerton City Council in 2010.
STAND & DEMAND
Posted by admin in A Step in the Right Direction, Bruce Whitaker, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, Pat McPension, Sharon Quirk, Strange But True, The Crime Beat, The Culture of Corruption, The Fullerton Recall on May 14, 2012
Stand with Kelly’s Army and demand answers! From Ron Thomas:
Now that everyone knows the truth that I have been carrying inside of me for many months, please join me at the Fullerton City Council meeting Tuesday night May 15th at 6:30pm. The city council, and Cpt. Dan Hughes (the acting Chief) need to finally come clean and give us, the people, the answers that we have been asking for. First, how did Cicinelli get hired as a full time patrol officer with only one eye? With this knowledge, how come they let him endanger the public by letting him drive Code-3 for ten years without any left side vision? Why, after seeing the city video many times did the police department including Capt. Dan Hughes allow all six officers to remain on duty for six weeks until Kelly’s Army pressured them to take them off of the streets (Bruce Whitaker also made this happen)? Why is it that Capt. Dan Hughes STILL after seeing the City Video over 400 times (his admission) has not fired Joe Wolfe? No matter where you live, come out and demand the answers. Become part of Kelly’s Army and help us get justice for Kelly.
Even if you can’t physically attend, please show your support by accepting the invite. That way it will post to your page and others will become aware. We’ll also be posting links to the council meeting so you can watch it live.
Time For Real Justice. At Long Last.
Posted by English Major in A Step in the Right Direction, Behind Closed Doors, Bruce Whitaker, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, Fullerton City Council, Pat McPension, Repuglicanism, Setting The Bar Low, Sharon Quirk, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Crime Beat, The Culture of Corruption, The Fullerton Recall, Union Goons on May 13, 2012
If you’ve watched the now infamous video of six overfed Fullerton cops beating the life out of Kelly Thomas and then standing around joking as he gasped for his last breaths in the street, a few feet away, you will have probably felt some pretty raw feelings. Disgust, anger, fear, pity, and sorrow are what we have all experienced.
Upon calmer reflection we can use the video to start piecing together what really happened and what motivated our “officers.” The behavior of Joe Wolfe stands out as the most egregious and makes me wonder how in the world he escaped charges by the District Attorney. Many have already stated the obvious: that DA Tony Rackaukas’ supposition that Wolfe could not know what was happening right in front of him, a mere 15 feet away is patently ridiculous. But even if we accept the unlikely plausibility of this convenient surmise, one unalterable fact remains: Joe Wolfe assaulted Kelly Thomas. We have all watched Wolfe emerge into the video frame when Kelly raises his arms, palms outward in a submissive gesture. At this point it would have still been possible for the bloated, oafish cops to de-escalate this situation. But instead Joe Wolfe for some as yet disclosed reason attacked Kelly with his baton, and Manuel Ramos joined in the fun. The murder had begun. And Kelly Thomas, accused of nothing, cited for nothing, guilty of nothing was entering his last ten minutes of his life.
I don’t know about you Friends, but the fact that Officer Joe Wolfe is not only walking free, but actually still getting a Fullerton paycheck makes me nauseous. The fact that my tax dollars are paying this thug’s salary makes me feel even sicker, and somewhat accountable, especially if I don’t do something about it. I’m sure I’m not alone.
Hell, if anyone were caught beating an animal in such manner as the way those goons treated a human being, they would be in prison.
So what do we do? Provide helpful suggestion in the comments thread.
A Letter from Bruce Whitaker
Posted by Chris Thompson in Bruce Whitaker on May 12, 2012
This is leadership folks. Plain and simple. Juxtapose this honest and sincere letter from Councilman Bruce Whitaker with the foolish and self-serving comments of Pat McKinley and Dick Jones, or the silence of Don Bankhead.
Gennaco Delivers Report Part Deux
Posted by Grover Cleveland in Behind Closed Doors, Bruce Whitaker, Chronic Failure, Dead heads, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, I Ain't a Swallerin' That, Law 'N Disorder, Local Media, No News Is Bad News, Pat McPension, Repuglicanism, Sharon Quirk, The Crime Beat, The Culture of Corruption, The Fullerton Recall, Watch Your Wallet on May 3, 2012
According to The OC Register, here, the outside “independent” investigative company hired by the City to look into the actions of the cops that beat Kelly Thomas to death last July has delivered its report on the incident. Unfortunately, nobody gets to see the report authored by Mr. Michael Gennaco except Acting Chief Dan Hughes – because it relates to police personnel matters. And, as everybody knows, those matters are shrouded in a veil of impenetrable secrecy. Just the way the police unions like it.
So we are left to guess at the contents of the report and left to guess whether or not our elected officials will be able to see it. Speaking of guesses, my guess would be no, except for Pat McKinley, of course, who seems to get special privileges when it comes to sticking his nose into personnel matters regarding the dubious characters he hired as former Police Chief.
The issues here are particularly interesting given the fact of the impending trial of Mssrs. Cicinelli and Ramos for manslaughter and murder, respectively. Negative findings could have an impact on that case. If, as many anticipate, Mr. Gennaco tends to whitewash the case we can expect a comparatively speedy release of the report with some exculpitory headlines by Lou Ponsi. Gennaco’s undernourished first report was more interesting for what it left out than for what it said,
Also lurking in the back of the room is the potentially costly civil trial and possible Civil Rights charges by the Feds. So if the report indicates that the cops acted way outside policy and procedure look for a protracted release of minimal information, or no release at all.
Wine Tasting with Greg Sebourn!
Posted by admin in A Step in the Right Direction, Bruce Whitaker, Fullerton City Council Candidates on April 28, 2012
We have just received this invitation to a fundraiser for Recall replacement candidate Greg Sebourn. Wow! Learn how to taste wine and learn all about the illegal water tax. Now where else are you going to be able to do that?
Speaking of water and wine, if the Three Dithering Dodos have their way our water will soon be as expensive as wine.
Bruce Whitaker on The Illegal Water Tax
Posted by admin in Bruce Whitaker, Home Town Hero, The Fullerton Recall, Victory on April 23, 2012
Here’s a Fullerton councilmember who not only understands the illegal water tax, he knows the right thing to do – end it, immediately. He also suggests a solution that would, over time, address infrastructure deficiencies that have been permitted by our aquacrats and city council. Good luck getting the Three Pompous Pumkins Bankhead, McKinley and Jones to go along with that!
Anyway, if you haven’t already done so, meet Bruce Whitaker:
Proving That Old Dogs Can’t Learn New Tricks
Posted by Mr. Peabody in Bruce Whitaker, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, Fullerton City Council, I Ain't a Swallerin' That, Local Media, Pat McPension, Setting The Bar Low, Sharon Quirk, Small Stuff Adds Up, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Watch Your Wallet on April 20, 2012
Here’s the title of Sylvia Mudrick’s press release describing Tuesday night’s council action with regard to Fullerton’s illegal 10% water tax: ”Council approves eliminating franchise fee on water rates.” That’s not true. Yes, the council voted to stop transferring the illegal tax to the city’s General Fund, but they most certainly did not approve to eliminate the franchise fee on water rates – just the transfer, which means we will keep paying the illegal tax into some sort of escrow fund until a Prop 218 hearing can be held – the Prop 218 hearing that should have been held 15 years ago! Of course in the meantime there is no legal requirement to hold a Prop 218 hearing to quit collecting the 10%; and it looks like Quirky and Whitaker got sideswiped on the scam that will put another $400,000 in the escrow account as City manager Joe Felz tries to cook up a scheme to hang on to as much of that annual $2,500,000 he can.
But back to Mudrick: of course she has been happily peddling pro-city baloney for years, and as a retiree she is still doing it, now as a double-dipper.
The worst part of the press release is the bogus recitation of the history of the water tax, conveniently omitting the fact that periodic complaints have been coming from citizens since at least the early 1990s. Syl would have you believe that it was the City that brought this scam to light and that they have been proactive. Wrong. The City has been hiding this massive scam for decades; the tax has been patently illegal since 1997, and everybody in authority in City Hall knew it, a fact curiously omitted by our highly pensioned and still remunerated Public Misinformation Officer.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE #09312 4/18/2012
Subject :Council approves eliminating franchise fee on water rates
Contact :Sylvia Palmer Mudrick, Public Information Coordinator, Fullerton City Manager’s Office
(714) 738-6317
The Fullerton City Council voted at its Tuesday (April 17) meeting to eliminate the transfer of a franchise fee charged on water rates in the city, effective May 1.
The water franchise fee was first adopted in 1968 when the council assessed a fee of 2 percent of the Water Fund as a means of reimbursing the costs to the city’s general fund for operating a water utility. The fee was raised to 10 percent in 1970.
In fiscal 2010-11, the city’s general fund received approximately $2.5 million from the water franchise fee.
The franchise fee came under review in 2009-10 at the conclusion of a five-year water rate study. At that time, the council formed an Ad Hoc Water Rate Advisory Committee composed of citizens who were tasked with studying all facets of operation of the city water system.
In conjunction with its action Tuesday, the council directed the Ad Hoc Water Rate Advisory Committee to study and make recommendations on a method for the city to charge for the direct cost of operating the water system.
In addition, the council asked the committee to make recommendations on a method for reimbursing citizens for the actual cost of the franchise fee paid for the past three years.
Further information about the council action may be obtained by calling the Fullerton City Clerk’s Office at (714) 738-6350. Further information about the franchise fee and the water rate study may be obtained by calling the Fullerton Water Engineering Office at (714) 738-6845.
Water Wars Continue
Posted by The Fullerton Shadow in Behind Closed Doors, Bruce Whitaker, Chronic Failure, Dead heads, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, Fullerton City Council, I Ain't a Swallerin' That, Pat McPension, Repuglicanism, Sharon Quirk, Statewide Stuff, The Culture of Corruption, The Fullerton Recall, Watch Your Wallet on March 19, 2012
Running for higher office.
Teri Sforza of the OC Register has done another piece on Fullerton’s fraudulent 10% water tax and the equally fraudulent study commissioned by the City Council to justify keeping as much of the tax as they can. Naturally the consultant ginned up some phony rent value for City owned property that water reservoirs sit on! In fact the bogus rent topped $1.3 million, a figure so absurd that even Mayor Sharon Quirk took offense. It’s a good thing Ms. Quirk is running for the State Assembly or she might not be so concerned about the wear ratepayers getting ripped off in an illegal scam. Whatever. At least she finally seems to have somebody who knows what’s going on advising her.
New Water Tax: 6.7%? Not a Freakin’ Chance!
Posted by Mr. Peabody in Behind Closed Doors, Bruce Whitaker, Dead heads, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, I Ain't a Swallerin' That, Pat McPension, Setting The Bar Low, Sharon Quirk, The Culture of Corruption, The Fullerton Recall, Watch Your Wallet on March 16, 2012
Apparently the much-anticipated Joe Felz Water Study is in, and it says that the illegal 10% water tax is…drum roll, please…illegal. But get this: rather than an honest study, the consultants were clearly told to gin up as much plausible reason to keep as much of the 10% as they could. The result? It’s only 6.7%. Yay!
The only problem is that to reach 6.7%, the consultant cooked up the idea that the Water Fund owed the City rent on land where water reservoirs are located! According to Ad Hoc Water Committee member Greg Sebourn, the total annual rent was figured at $1,374,000 – well-over half of the existing tax.
Of course this scam raises all sorts of new issues, as scams generally do. Such as: the reservoir in Hillcrest Park supports a play field on its deck. Does the City rent this back from the Water Fund? Bet not! The reservoir up at the top of Euclid is situated in a cactus patch patrolled by goats. What’s the rental or development value of a nature park? I dunno, but it’s not much. Has the Water Fund been paying for maintenance on these properties that should have been the responsibility of the General Fund? Bet so.
Then of course there’s the issue of whether the waterworks itself paid for fee title to any of these properties in the first place, a way back when. I wonder if the consultant even bothered to check. Bet not.
And there’s the embarrassing fact that there is no arm’s length relationship between the people that impose the rent and the people that pay it. The City Council can demand any amount of rent they want – then agree to pay it. Why not? The proceeds go to pay their own pensions! Now, that’s not very good, is it?
In any case, the public may find it a bit confusing and unseemly that at the eleventh hour the bureaucrats and their hand-picked consultant are burning the near-midnight oil to drum up ways to charge as much for water as they can that they can keep siphoning money into the General Fund.
Will you please shut up.
Will the city Council buy into this load? Well, of course they will. The vote will be 4-1, and it will be up to the citizens and voters to rectify the scam at the ballot box.
Our job is to continue to expose the fraud for what it is.
So Who (Besides Bruce Whitaker) Hasn’t Seen The Video?
Posted by Joe Sipowicz in Behind Closed Doors, Bruce Whitaker, Dead heads, Dick Jones, Don Bankhead, I Ain't a Swallerin' That, Law 'N Disorder, Pat McPension, Repuglicanism, The Crime Beat, The Culture of Corruption, The Fullerton Recall, Union Goons on March 2, 2012
Here’s an article by the pathetic Lou Ponsi in the OC Register about a guy named John Huelsman, an ex-cop, who unluckily happens to be the step-father of Jay Cicinelli, the Fullerton policeman charged with the beating death of schizophrenic homeless man Kelly Thomas, last July.
This man popped up at the last council meeting nattering the same nonsense about what an angel his step-boy is, so this isn’t really news. What is news is this guy’s claim that he has been able to review the City-owned video that captured the Thomas killing.
Let’s assume for the sake of argument that Huelsman is actually telling the truth. This begs the question – who hasn’t seen the video? We know that our elected representative, Bruce Whitaker is being illegally denied the opportunity to see it. But, really: the freakin’ step-father of the accused gets to watch it? Really? And a Fullerton council member may not?
So who let this guy watch the video? Was it the FPD? Was it the District Attorney? Such questions seem not to have occurred to the incurious idiot Lou Ponsi whom we can all count upon to miss the real story while peddling pro-cop bullshit.
Somebody better explain soon why some clown from who knows where can watch the video, when the people’s elected representative can’t.
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