Fresno and Clovis really are small towns. You end up knowing people everywhere and that is something I can't decide if I love or hate. I saw on Twitter Sierra Vista Mall denying any blame for making Justin Willis sick. I went to school with Justin so I had to check out this piece;).
Separately, if you want something to do this weekend go check out the Burger Flipping Contesting in Clovis tomorrow!
I just want to congratulate Nathan Magsig on his re-election to the Clovis City Council! Now I do wonder what it says that both incumbents won but the tax hike they backed didn't.
If what the Fresno Bee said last week about Autry being such a big deal and hard act to follow then his endorsement should seal the election. Autry stated his support of Ashley Swearengin for Mayor of Fresno, California on his radio show today and then they are having a press conference together.
In theory we should be able to call the election now for Swearengin but we shall see.
No one can deny that Swearengin and Perea are young but are they really candidates for the modern age? They both have blogs on their sites but they don't use them. They should have staff that is hitting those blogs multiple times a day. What the candidate did that day (with pictures), their views on every issue that comes up in the Bee, etc. A blog is a huge tool and that should be the press secretary's (I assume they have them) priority. Do what the grown up campaigns do and higher a blogger to come in and help with it! (Swearengin, I am open;)
If Drudge could make such a splash, imagine what it could do for a campaign.
My 2 cents!
I admit it, I have always felt like I live in my mother's shadow. Maybe that is why I can empathize with Michael Der Manouel Jr. ABC 30 ran a story saying that he had endorsed Henry T. Perea for mayor. But the problem is that it was Michael Der Manouel Sr. who endorsed Perea. Not only did Jr. not endorse Perea, he actually endorsed his opponent, Ashley Swearengen.
Ah, the Fresno political circles;).
(HT: Fresno Bee Opinion)
So Mayor Autry is doing a a talk radio show on KYNO. That is now, not when he leaves. According to the Bee's article, the City attorney thinks that Autry can avoid any conflicts of interest. I don't care, I think that Autry getting a 2nd job is a mistake and in bad taste. One of the reasons that the mayor of Fresno is paid almost $100 grand a year is so that they can dedicate themselves mind, body and soul to the business of the City of Fresno. Apparently George Hostetter agrees with me because he said:
* And what about Autry's insightful analyses of issues dear to the citizens of Fresno? Are those personal assets he can sell to the highest bidder and retain the money? Or, while he is in office, do those assets (and any money derived from them) belong to Fresnans?
After all, it was the people who loaned Autry the position that enables him to acquire such valuable (and apparently highly liquid) insights into the city's workings.
Is anyone else excited about the prospect of John Welty leaving Fresno? According to the Bee his wife is in the final 4 to head up Education at California State Polytechnic Pomona. As a side note, considering all the money Fresno State is in the hole for (and some of us blame Welty for some of it) should they still be paying Welty enough that they are traveling around the country? I am sorry, I meant to say should WE (the taxpayers) be paying him so much.
I was out running errands with the brood today and was listening to Ray Appleton. I came into the show late and he was talking with Major Autry about the water crisis in this area for farmers. I don't know all the details but there is a water crisis in Fresno and its outlaying areas due to the need to save the lives of smelt (a fish). It is another time when the environmentalists aren't thinking about human live and its value at all. Apparently there was a hearing with House Subcommittee on Water and Power where Autry was a witness. So Major Autry and Appleton were discussing the long term and devastating effects this is having especially in the small communities in the area. At one point Major Autry said if this issue isn't resolved that we need to think about how to revolt, possibly by not paying our property taxes. Now I didn't listen to the entire 2 hours but I find this interesting. You can go over and listen to the podcast then tell me what you think.
John McCain will be in Fresno on Monday(June 23,2008) morning. It is a Town Hall Meeting at CSUF's Satellite Student Union. The doors open at 8am but the website does not say what time it actually starts.
(HT: Fresno Famous)
Love Mike Villines or hate, at least he is trying to work for us.
Assembly Bill 1987 was introduced by Assemblyman Villines in response to the case of a young Fresno resident, Adam Carbajal, who as a toddler was the victim of a devastating attack at the hands of a family friend. Adam suffered permanent brain damage and is completely paralyzed on his right side, leaving him unable to walk or say more than a few words.
A deficiency in state law resulted in Adam’s attacker only being charged with 2 counts of willful cruelty to a child under the age of five and corporal injury to a child. Current law does not take into consideration the end result of an incident of child abuse when determining the sentence. The punishment is the same whether the child suffers brain damage or a broken arm.
Adam’s Law will change the law by raising the sentencing standards for anyone who abuses a child under the age of 8 and causes permanent injury or disability to the child. The increased punishment will carry a 15 year-to-life sentence. This new penalty will be less than the punishment for an assault that results in the death of a child, but more than the punishment for the crime of felony child abuse that results in non-permanent injury.
So after my blog post yesterday I emailed him regarding my concerns due to his lack of reporting if there was questionable behavior. So here is his response.
Dear NerdMom(OK, his used my name;):
Thank you for your e-mail. Your concerns are well taken.
You sound like a concerned citizen who is involved in the community.
I applaud you for that.
Unfortunately, as a CPA I am STATUTORILY PROHIBITED from disclosing my
findings to the media or anyone else without written permission from the
client. I am by law and the Code of professional ethics restricted and
cannot defend myself except in the court room. Unfortunately the District
can defame me with the media with impunity. I am sure you are aware that my
audit reports and findings, once submitted to the Distirct, are a public
record and can be accessed under the California Public Documents Act.
If you elect me as your next Supervisor then I will be free to disclose and
talk about government waste and mismanagement, when I find it. You and your
friends can rest assured that I will bring CNN to the Hall of Records and
expose the County when things go wrong, and there is plenty of wrong going
on right now. Deficits, cover-ups, bonds being downgraded to junk, and
more. Things dealing with the Fresno County fiscal crisis I can discuss
freely with your group and would be glad to meet with you and anyone else
who is interested to find out what is wrong with the County.
I give you my promise that I will blow the whistle when it needs to be
blown.
I will allways stand up for the rights of seniors.
Thank you again.
Paul Dictos, CPA
I don't know if anyone read the article in the Bee yesterday on Dictos but I found it very interesting. Paul Dictos is currently running for Fresno County Supervisor in District 2. It was a while ago that it came out that the County Clerk messed up his candidate statement by leaving off his name in the closing (and added an "and"). The County Clerk offered him the pro-rated refund based on the left off words ($15) but Dictos wants the total refunded. I can kind of understand that but I would choose to wait until after the election to really do anything about it because it seems a bit petty.
Well, now there is a new money issue with Paul Dictos. He has filed a small claims lawsuit against the Pindedale County Water District for $7500. This is based on an audit that he quit do to questions the district wouldn't answer and now he wants to be paid. Oh.... so many issues this raises. My first question, he didn't finish the audit. Why should he be paid for it? Is this just the amount do for the part he did or the part he didn't do (the article seemed imply that it was the balance on the agreement)? He broke the contract, why do they owe him the remainder? Second, regardless of the claims viability, is it in good taste to do this during a campaign? Why couldn't he have waited? Did he need $7500 today versus 6 months from now?
My last issue is a huge one. Dictos said discovered financial problems with on of the Water District's contracts and when he went to the district officials they "did not want to hear about his findings and they yelled at him". Then he decided to quit and the district hired someone else who completed the audit without the information/clarification that Dictos wanted. I totally understand not wanting to be a party to something questionable but in the big picture, what did he do about it? This is taxpayer's money, just like the money he would be dealing with if elected Supervisor. It wasn't mentioned if he chose to report this issue to anyone to whom the Water District would answer to. I am not sure who that would be but if worst came to worst, all roads lead to Sacramento. If he wouldn't report this when he had the opportunity how will he stand up for us if elected? You prove you are trustworthy with the small before you should be given the large.
I will be emailing Dictos my questions. I will let you know if he gives me any answers.
Fresno City Councilman, Larry Westerlund has been called to active duty by the Navy. This isn't the first time he has been called back into active duty, in 1998 he was called to Bosnia to serve. While I am very proud of him for serving it does raise some interesting issues. He will be missing the 8 months that will be remaining in his current term but he is also running for reelection. It appears that if he is reelected he will miss the first 6 months. Now how does this effect his elect ability? Should he still be able to take office, even if he isn't here to take office?
Separately, what do you think about the federal government calling a local official into service. NerdDad and I were talking and he raised a great point that this is usurping the voters' rights. We (or those in his district) chose for him to represent them and now that is being taken from them. The Armed Services doesn't call back members in Congress because they are serving in a different branch of government. Why doesn't that extend to state and local governments?
We have the right to elect whomever we want to without federal interference. So why can they interfere in this situation? Now I am not trying to get anyone to shirk their duty and I am pro-military. I am just curious about how this plays in the context of voter rights. What do you all think?
Technorati Tags: Larry Westerlund, Fresno City Council, Fresno California
I just saw in today's paper that Brigadier General Edward E. Munger (ret) passed away on Monday from liver cancer. Reading his resume gave further insight to a man I already respected. I have heard him on Ray Appleton's radio show for years and had always enjoyed his insight. My prayers and best wishes are with his family and all who loved him.
