A Bloggin Exercise in Fact-checking Gloria Molina's "Paycut Mailer"

With the first of Gloria Molina's Campaign Mailers arriving in the mailboxes, we engage in the Public Service of deconstructing the alleged factual statements made within its glossy contents of what we will call "The Pay Cut Mailer".

With the disclosure of Councilman Huizar's Property Tax Issues, its a given that he will not match Gloria Molina's "Paycut Pledge".

** Blogger's Note: The waiting is sometimes the hardest part when seeking the first issues-related campaign mailer from a prominent politician, who has not been engage in a contested election in recent times. Surely, the discerning political observer were wondering when the fiscally-challenged Molina Campaign would counter the recent rain of Incumbent Councilman Huizar mailers into mail boxes district-wide......., but the wait is over and it was worth it. In what can only be described as an effective use of pledges and facts, the Molina Campaign has crafted a Talking Points Document to voters, which should instill greater interest in her latest political endeavor, while rekindling debate on past Huizar's CLARTS Fund Controversy, as we extrapolate upon further below----Scott Johnson in CD 14.   



About those Talking Points of substance?

Its not hard to feel a bloggin "Deja vu Moment" as we read through these four Talking Points ......, and as for their veracity? We continue below. 

1. Cut back on costly staff:

In recent months, Councilmen Huizar has added staff to his three field offices as some staffers took supposed leaves to work on the Campaign. But regardless whether the rate of resolving constituent issues was improved, or not, the combined public-paid and campaign-reimburse staffers fulfilled the same obligations, as former Glassell Park Neighborhood Council Member Tony Butka recently mused at City Watch regarding the Northeast LA Democrats Endorsement proceedings .........  I should point out that the 71% in favor of Councilman Huizar was based on some 57 votes cast.  When you take that number into consideration, and the fact that virtually all of the Councilman’s staff (at lease 16) were in the room (though I don’t know how many of them were eligible to vote), and add to it the composition of the Executive Board, I am a little surprised that the vote was only 71% in favor of the incumbent.

2. No more scandalous legal costs:

With apologies to the Molina Campaign, the true cost alone for the former Deputy Chief of Staff Francine "Affair/Sexual Harassment Controversy", are potentially in the millions considering the following;

1. $500,000 plus, in inflated salaries for "Sancha Godoy" between 2007-2012.

2. $15,000 to furnish access door and drywall partition connecting both offices to facilitate quick interaction.

3. $115,000 per year, with normal CPI increases, could cost taxpayers $2 Million Dollars plus, if "Sancha Francine" stays employed for twenty years at the Bureau of Santitation.

4. $$$$ in money for meals and other cost via the "Tonto Huevon's" Officeholder's Account.

5. $200,000 in legal fees pertaining to the lawsuit.

6. $$$$$$ in future costs to the taxpayers to pay off the favors of those who fronted "Tonto Huizar" the money to cover the cost of a Private Settlement.

3. Stop using CLARTS as a personal "slush fund":

As prepared by former Councilman Nick Pacheco during the 2011 CD 14 Campaign.

$1.2 Million plus transfer into Councilman Huizar's Salary Account.

Plus, former CD 14 Chief of Staff and CD 9 City Council Candidate Ana Cubas knows all too well how this controversy was used against her as the mailers via now Councilman Price highlights.

What was bad for CD 14 was not wanted in CD 9.



4. Start living within our means:

The contrast here is that former Supervisor Gloria Molina found "Fiscal Religion" when LA County was near failing into the bankrupt abyss in the 1990's . Councilman Huizar on the other hand, has voted to weigh down the City of Los Angeles with billions in future pension obligations, while voting to approve every DWP Rate Increase in recent times and stripped the powers of the Ratepayer Advocate.



Your thoughts ...............

Scott Johnson in CD 14.