Whistleblower hotline: (213) 785-6098
mayorsam@mayorsam.org

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sunland-Tujunga, Foothills Residents Issue Support for Mary Benson

The Following Statements are in their own words.
* Listed for reference purposes only

Update: Sunland Tujunga activist Nina Royal has added her support to Mary Benson.  Read her full statement at MS2.

Nancy Woodruff
Sun Valley Homeowner
Boardmember, Foothill Trails District NC*
I am adding my name to the Mary Benson endorsements because she is the kind of non-political, no nonsense individual that we desperately need in the City Council. Her experience in several Neighborhood Councils for years with many volunteer hours of research into City procedures, environmental concerns and remedies as well as City Planning issues and improvements makes her much more qualified to serve CD2 than any of the 'polished' politicians with professional big bucks backing. Her interest has been to serve the community not play political musical chairs.

Harris Laskawy
Valley Village Resident
You're the BEST candidate for CD-2. You know that one of the TOP priorities for all our CD-2 communities is LAND USE and making sure that the 11933 Magnolia Blvd. SB1818 project is NEVER approved.

We need a GRASS ROOTS CANDIDATE that is ETHICAL, SMART, KNOWLEDGABLE and not owned by special interests like the big three money candidates in this race. I only wish I could give more.

Shirley Neuenswander
Docent at Bolton Hall Museum*

Frank Buchanan
Boardmember, Foothill Trials District NC*
Mary Benson is a citizen like us who for many, many years has been a driving force keeping our community in one piece and heading in a direction that the citizenry relish. As a great and often-GENIUS leader with unparalleled knowledge of the workings of government, she's chosen to intentionally stay behind the scenes on many occasions, in an effort to assign causes to others, guiding and supporting them to get more people involved and making us stronger as a group. I know this, because I was one of them, working with her and alongside of her on the Foothill Trails District Neighborhood Council and during my tenure as President of the La Tuna Canyon Community Association, but the drawback is that because of her humble and wise leadership, her name may not be as prominent as other candidates and most voters make their choices as if an election is a popularity contest. Right now, we have 15 city council members and only 2 appear to be working for the people rather than their own careers or at the behest of big money interests, and the corruptible things I've seen and videotaped at City Council meetings and hearings sickens me to my core, but Mary Benson will definitely be a refreshing 3rd councilperson in support of the citizens that she will serve, and will lend some sanity to the way that the City Council goes about its business! A vote for Mary Benson for CD2 is a vote for OURSELVES!

Cindy Cleghorn
Boardmember, Sunland-Tujunga NC*
Past President, Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council*
Former Commissioner, Neighborhood Council Review Commission*
Local Small Business Owner

Terry L. Hake
S/T Community Activist since 1978
Secretary, Commerce Owners and Business Restoration Association Inc.*

Steve Bednarczyk
Former Member, Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council *

Leona Swan
Community Activist & Nature Girl

Peter Rosenthal
Local Business Owner

Walter Moore
2009 Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate
"I strongly support Mary Benson for City Council. The entire city would benefit from the election of Mary Benson to the City Council for District 2. I've known Mary Benson for over a decade. She's level-headed; she cares deeply about the quality of life for LA. and its citizens; and she's got integrity, integrity, integrity. The last thing this city needs is another career politician jumping from one office to the next, or politicians who rent apartments in an area to qualify for the ballot. Mary Benson has lived in Council District 2 forever. She's running for office not because she wants a career in politics, but because she cares about her city, which is our city. If you want someone honest, dedicated and qualified on the City Council, someone who will fight for the public interest instead of special interests, Mary Benson is your candidate."

Kathleen "Suzy" Evans
Former L.A. Controller Candidate
Current Candidate for California State Assembly 40th District
You have my endorsement!

Kevin James
Radio Host - KRLA

Los Angeles County Republican Party

Julie Tarnawski
Gateway Farm
TWH & MFT since 1974
MARY BENSON is our only hope, and, i firmly believe, our last hope for our horse communities in the valley. I have lived in Shadow HIlls since 1973/74. Depending on who was representing us on the council, we have either lost so much in our animal keeping areas or been able to hold on to the trails, scenic hwys, the feel of horse country.....this is darn close to our LAST HURRAH and we can't afford a "mistake" on the city council!!

I haven't been able to ride for 13 years now. So when I have the time to drive through our wonderful community and see the lack of respect for our rural atmosphere (paved streets with no side trails along the streets, easements and trail accesses closed off) I am very saddened and frustrated that I can no longer ride and "chat" with the new property owners in our area so they can see how friendly and willing our equestrians are to communicate what the area means to us with critters.....that's part of riding the trails, too! From the looks of our community now, I wonder how many riders are taking the time to do that?

Please vote for Mary.....she will take the time to research every need and project. She truly loves this area and wants what is best for it! And that includes the other parts of the SFV which used to be rich farm land until the greedy politicians sold out to the developers/contractors!

Mark Seigel
Boardmember, Sunland Tujunga NC*
I want to endorse Mary.

Mike & Cheryl Greslie
Boardmember, Foothill Trails District NC (Cheryl Greslie)*
Mary Benson is who everyone in CD2 needs as their council member. She is not a politician, yet she know the in's and out's of politics. Mary has lived in CD2 all her life and has worked hard for our community. She has been an activist and has accomplished so much, for our community and city, too much to list. A few are, the Tujunga watershed, Neighborhood Councils, Rim of the Valley Trail, multipurpose trails, the historical site of Stonehurst and many, many more important endeavors for CD2. Vote for Mary, she will represent, you and me, in supporting our community.

Ricky Grubb
Naturalist and Photographer
Boardmember, Sunland Tujunga Neighborhood Council *
I personally endorse Mary Benson for Council District 2. Mary has been a longtime friend to our community and will represent the people of this district. Ms. Benson serves on, and/or is president of several boards and non-profits as a dedicated citizen volunteer, and is a long time resident in CD2 (her home town), and she is NOT a Politician.

Ms. Benson will provide critical leadership now sadly lacking on council (and at the Mayor’s office), as Mary is not beholden to big money donors nor entrenched special interests who are always opposed to communities demands, developers who's project(s) preclude good planning, always at the expense of public health, recreation, watershed and the environment's due consideration. I predict Ms. Benson will bring fresh ideas and beneficial changes for the people that will not be detrimental to doing good business, with reasonable, though long overdue policy and process changes, and deep cultural, and priority changes throughout our city departments.

Elaine Brown
Twenty five year ST Community Activist/Organizer
Past Director on ST Chamber of Commerce*
Current Member of STNC/LUC*
Current President of COBRA*
After careful thought and mustering as much awareness as I can, I have decided to publicize my candidate support... Who of all these candidates has so much as begun to do for this community that which Mary Benson has done for years? Who? Who was here in person working tirelessly on behalf of our community during the Station Fire? Who has lived her whole life here amongst us? Who has fought so consistently for trails, for the Rim of the Valley, for historical status for Stonehurst, for the equestrian community, for the watershed? Who has come to all those meetings in Sunland Tujunga for all those years? Who has worked to preserve our open space and rural lifestyle? Who helped to write the grant for the 4 3/4 acres on Oro Vista? Who fought to stop Home Depot? Who is fighting to save the Verdugo Hills Golf Course? Mary Benson that's who!

Kristin Sabo
Community Activist
Please vote for the one candidate who has our communities as her #1 priority- Mary Benson.

Paula Warner
Community Activist

Royan Herman
Peacock Hill Ranch Owner
President of the Los Angeles Horse Council*
Boardmember, Foothill Trails District NC*
The first time I saw Mary Benson she was on a committee trying to improve relations between LA Rec. and Parks and the horse community demanding, not unreasonably, some trail maintenance. This was about 15 years ago and I actually turned to Marc after listening to Mary and said "Wow". I remember that meeting because Mary's brain was so sharp and so focused on getting the task at hand done. Unlike most of our City Council and candidate professional politicians who will "fit in", I believe absolutely that Mary Benson will focus on problems plaguing CD2 and its people, and as 15 years ago, do what it takes to make things right for CD2 and its people. I am the daughter of an actor and the wife of a retired SAG stunt pilot. I have watched the struggle in LA as various City Councils give lip service to helping the industry while adding ever more fees, taxes. permits and restrictions connected with filming. We even have the California Film Council whose job it is to encourage filming in the State. They have not been able to break the stranglehold on movie money that the City demands and so our movies are leaving. Mary Benson is not a professional politician looking for another fat check, but she is a professional thinker and doer and achiever whose name is well known in equestrian circles because she has always been our neighbor and, therefore, our defender. Mary is not a polished politician who knows how to go with the flow, make the right speeches to look good and then follow whatever is the candidate’s personal agenda. Nope, Mary is someone who will kick up enough dust in City Council that she will be heard, maybe not liked very much, but heard and supported when she is right because the press covers those who dare to make a fuss in the best interests of the City. Mary is also no fool. She knows how much most horse people appreciate her. She also knows the very large percentage of people who earn or earned their livings in the motion picture business and she is one person who truly will be responsible and responsive to the needs of her constituents. It goes without saying and personally delights me to know that Mary Benson will interfere with non-productive and/or inappropriate development, not only in the horse communities, but also in Studio City that has been plagued by high rise profiteers for the last 10 or so years. I'm going to pray to the grass roots god and then vote for Mary Benson. I truly believe if we stick together she has a chance to beat the pros and wouldn't it be dandy to have REAL representation at City Hall??!!!!

Linda Casteel
Secretary of Friends of Sunland-Tujunga Library*
Retired LAPL Employee
Region 1 representative for Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council*
I, Linda Casteel, am personally supporting Mary Benson for CD2 office.

Peter Moen
Business Consultant
Community Activist

* Listed for reference purposes only

Labels: , ,

29 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I predict Mary will win in Sunland-Tujunga based on this list.

September 20, 2009 10:30 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Go Mary go.

Folks its simple, vote for Benson in the first round.

Second round, vote for ANY one against Essel.

September 20, 2009 11:01 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Mary is a nice lady, but it looks like Krekorian wins on Tuesday.

September 20, 2009 11:04 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Higby is only posting this list because he is scared of Tamar. Otherwise, he'd never give these crackpots the time of day.

September 20, 2009 11:06 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

What experience does Mary Benson have with the horseshoe. I've never seen her downtown. She's great with locals on local issues but city councilmen handle city wide issues. Can she swim with the sharkds like a zuma dogg or one of the machine candidates? No one should vote for the machine (Paul K, Chris E., Tamar G.)

September 20, 2009 11:10 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I hear this zuma dogg the one to vote for. I hear he's a real fighter and crime buster. Are they commiting crimes in city hall?

September 20, 2009 11:12 AM  

Anonymous bill eats at sizzler said:

Looks like she's got the white people who need community titles vote. But I asked the guy who tends to the salad bar, and he told me to vote for Tamar Galatzan because she knows the name of some of the local schools and politicians will actually meet with her if she wants them to.

September 20, 2009 11:29 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Janice Hahn and Jan Perry would love to have Mary Benson - this would pull off the amazing feat of getting someone uglier, shabbier-dressed, older and more motor-mouthed and dull than them as the third female.

September 20, 2009 11:45 AM  

Anonymous Kristin C. Sabo said:

I support Mary and I don't mind my name being published here.

That said, no one contacted me and I didn't give anyone permission to do so, so I am not sure how this list was gathered. That one-liner isn't exactly my statement. I have two specific ones I have made publicly, and that isn't it. I also have a few more credentials in the community not listed, like one of the founders and former VP and board member of the FTDNC.

11:10am, Mary Benson is at City Council quite often. You must not be paying attention.

September 20, 2009 11:47 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Well, as one of those "crackpots," will someone please wake Joe up, give him a Bloody Mary and ask him to come out from under the "anonymous" cover where he lurks when he wants to get nasty while I hide here under the "anonymous" cover fearing his wrath? Is it you, Joe?

September 20, 2009 12:19 PM  

Anonymous Kristin C. Sabo said:

I'm really tired of the bullshit minority card being pulled.

I'm half Romanian. Romanians are certainly a minority in Southern California.

Maybe I need to start whining how important it is that I am a minority and I am voting Benson since Bill who eats at Sizzler seems to think this is vitally important.

Or maybe not.

September 20, 2009 12:33 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

bill eats at Sizzler (aka Joe B) "I asked the guy who tends to the salad bar..." Hey Joe, did you ask him if he's a legal resident? Did he wash his hands after taking a dump? Trying to slime race into CD2 where the voters are predominantly conservatives and moderate democrats who don't care for race card players is not going to do it for the Mayor's Big Three. Benson's the one who is going to upset your plans...

September 20, 2009 12:37 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

12:19PM is obviously talking about Mailander not Joe B.

September 20, 2009 12:38 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

To the dunderhead at 11:06 do you and Tamar wish to refer to respected folks such as Mark Siegel, Cindy Cleghorn, Paula Warner and Kristin Sabo as crackpots?

I don't support Mary Benson for a lot of reasons but her supporters appear sincere.

September 20, 2009 12:53 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

I think you are right. Having drank with both of them Joe M is more the martini and bloody mary type; Joe B is more a beer and margarita man.

September 20, 2009 12:54 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Well, get Joe a beer. The crackpots are waiting!

September 20, 2009 1:00 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

I don't know why the Tamar people are calling the Mary people names.

I don't know all the people on that list but the names I do know are not crackpots.

Sup with that?

September 20, 2009 1:19 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Yah, Joe, Sup?

September 20, 2009 1:57 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I heard Mary Benson is going to be on Kevin James for a full hour on Monday. As a supporter of one of the other candidates, can you please make it two full hours.

September 20, 2009 2:35 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

2:35 - oooh, look, one of Essel's supporters got in the fight.

September 20, 2009 3:04 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Kristin, you say you are half- Romanian but Sabo is Szabo Americanized phonetically without the Z, so are you really Hungarian, that is Transylvanian, the part now in Romania taken from Hungary?

Did you change your name to not be kissin' cousins with Matt Szabo?

With Trutanich being Serbian and part of that whole "Dalamatian Club" clan thing in south bay, are Romanians as clannish? How do you feel about Armenians?

September 20, 2009 3:17 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

11:29 AM - bill eats at sizzler said...
Looks like she's got the white people who need community titles vote.

and

12:37 PM - Anonymous said...
bill eats at Sizzler (aka Joe B)

Last I checked, Joe was looking pretty white and clinging pretty tight to his title of President of the Sunland Tujunga Alliance?

September 20, 2009 4:40 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

11:29 AM - bill eats at sizzler said...
Looks like she's got the white people who need community titles vote.

and

12:37 PM - Anonymous said...
bill eats at Sizzler (aka Joe B)

Last I checked, Joe was looking pretty white and clinging pretty tight to his title of President of the Sunland Tujunga Alliance?

September 20, 2009 4:40 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Sorry, Mary. Don't want you as my city council person. I would expect your local community to support you but they are even divided. Why? If you can't get your own to join forces how can we expect you to be a concensus builder on the city council. We need more in our representative, and it must be someone who has stepped outside of Sunland-Tujunga, or their own neighborhood, to make connections with others in CD2. You fail miserably on this count. What neighborhood council meeting or local neighborhood group outside of your local area have you attended? Like Christine Essel, none!

September 20, 2009 6:59 PM  

Anonymous Kristin Sabo said:

3:17, NO.

My family's last name was not anglicized from Szabo, moron. Nice try. Better work a little harder on the genealogy-thing.

I have no idea what self-identifying Romanians, Armenians, or Serbians really think of one another since I was born in the United States as were both my parents. Kinda don't care, either.

Why do you even care, dearie, unless you have some teenie tiny little personal bias?

September 20, 2009 11:03 PM  

Anonymous Kristin Sabo said:

Idiot-at-6:59,

I've personally run into Mary Benson at City Council meetings and committee meetings many times. She's down there far more often than I am. Next you'll be saying I don't go to council meetings either.

Give the spin crap a rest. It is really really boring.

September 20, 2009 11:28 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Kristen Sabo the Mary Benson supporter making comments appears kind of hostile. Doesn't reflect well on Mary.

September 20, 2009 11:48 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

6:59 PM - If you stepped out of your box, you would see Mary all over the City. You would see her speaking at City Council Meetings downtown, Land Use Meeting in Van Nuys & downtown, DWP committee meetings, Citywide Alliance Meetings, Watershed and Environmental meetings plus she's on the Mayor's budget committee. These meetings address concerns that affect all of our communities. Until this campaign started, none of the Big 3candidates had anything to do with the North CD2 area except, ride in a parade or make a public appearances for their campaign.

Lets' be fair, Mary knows more about the south than than the big 3know about the North if you are not judging by tiny details. But one thing is certain, we share the same issues such as traffic, infrastructure, overbuilding, loss of open space, sober living homes, pot shops, McMansions and other quality of life issues. Although our area is more rural, we are not as different you may think.

Mary is up to speed on all of them
and would hire staff from each neighborhood to help her address each of their issues.

September 21, 2009 2:37 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

It doesn't reflect badly on Mary either. It's Kristen's opinion.

Vote Mary or Zuma and steal votes from the most awful of all candidates, Tamar!

September 21, 2009 3:51 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home

Advertisement

Advertisement