Letters to the Editor 10-26-17
Pier Plaza blues
Dear ER:
The passage of time sometimes ravages memories. It’s no wonder then that the recollections of the good old days in Hermosa, including Boot’s Mermaid, is skewed (“ Bring back Boots,” ER Letters Oct. 19, 2017). While being the sole council member opposed to the closure of downtown Pier Avenue to traffic, in retrospect the pedestrian-centric downtown, combined with the disposal of the City’s anti-business bent was successful in encouraging new investment that cleansed the area of dilapidated restaurants, a sparsely stocked pharmacy and panhandling pier rats. What some of the anti bar folks don’t remember is that Pier Avenue was an outright dump in the ‘80s. Today’s anti bar campaign is hell bent on making Hermosa a dump again. As in years past, stupid, anti-business regulations resulted in the opposite or the intended effect. What some of these anti-bar geezers don’t get is that bar owners aren’t in business to anger the neighbors. They set up shop in Hermosa to serve its young demographics. That demographics is a large reason Hermosa is so desirable. The imposition of asinine rules that have no logical basis, such as restricting hours and 50 percent booze/50 percent food requirement increases risks for new investment, ensuring the decline of Hermosa into yesterday’s dump.
Robert Benz
Hermosa Beach
Checks and politics
Dear ER:
Do Hermosa Beach voters really want four or five person, automatic votes, with no discussion? If you vote on November 7 for Hany Fangary, Mary Campbell and Stacey Armato, that is what you will get. Our second President John Adams said, “Power must never be trusted without a check.” Where will the checks be? With Councilwoman Carolyn Petty not seeing reelection, we surely will need someone else to be the check. How can we afford to keep installing expensive, free, electric car stations? Do the people who can afford to own electric cars, really need taxpayer to take care of the outrageous installation costs and the cost of the electricity? We need to spend on more practical things like sewers and street repairs. Vote for Pete Tucker
Leanne Clifton
Hermosa Beach
Alphabet lesson
Dear ER:
In recent years Hermosa Beach voters have weighed in on three extremely important ballot measures.
Measure O – Rejected Oil Drilling
Measure H – Raised the bed tax, placing some of the cost of running Hermosa Beach on our visitors rather than our residents.
Measure S – Prepared the way to provide adequate facilities in which to educate our children.
Not only was current City Council Member Stacey Armato on the right side of all three votes, she played a prominent role in securing their passage. Then, rather than retiring to her garage she ran for and was elected to the Hermosa Beach City Council in 2016, where she’s worked tirelessly with her colleagues to eliminate the threat of oil drilling once and for all. In the meantime, while a small group of pro oil boo birds stands on the sidelines posting outright lies, and personal attacks on Armato, she continues to provide the intelligent, calm, and level headed leadership that has been lacking in Hermosa Beach for many years. Leadership, not on a woe is me City Council, but on a City Council that actually gets things done, such as improving our fire service, adopting a new general plan, beefing up our police department, and making the investments in capital improvement projects that past City Councils only talked about (ad nauseum). Hermosa Beach is on the right path. Don’t listen to the boo birds who supported oil, opposed taxing visitors, and failed our schools for years. Vote for Stacey Armato for leadership and for a future that respects our uniqueness and our willingness to work hard to Keep Hermosa Hermosa.
George Schmeltzer
Hermosa Beach
Three for three
Dear ER:
Hermosa residents, please vote for Pete Tucker, Trent Larson, and Matt McCool for Hermosa City Council on Nov.7. The Environmental Extremist Threesome, Hany Fangary, Stacey Armato, and Mary Campbell don’t have a clue on how to run a fiscally sound Hermosa Beach. They are living in “La La Land” with regards to what is good for Hermosa. We don’t need them to turn Hermosa Beach into “The People’s Republic of Santa Monica,” which is where they want Hermosa to go. We are 50 Year residents of Hermosa Beach. So vote for Tucker, Larson, and McCool, please, for Hermosa’s future!
Andrew Clifton
Hermosa Beach
Stay positive
Dear ER:
It is unfortunate how much negative campaigning is occurring prior to the Hermosa Beach City Council election. Be wary of candidates whose campaigns utilize negative signs, obsessed social media and unsubstantiated accusations. That is not the case for incumbents Hany Fangary and Stacy Amato, and candidate Mary Campbell. These three have stayed professional and positive, while citing their accomplishments and vision for Hermosa.
Ira Ellman
Hermosa Beach
Honest Larson
Dear ER:
If indeed, Hermosa Beach Council Candidate Trent Larson is like what is said about him in this article (“Larson to focus on ‘visible, usable’ if elected to Hermosa Beach council,” ER Oct. 19, 2017), it would definitely be good to have him on the council. I am so disappointed with the council now that my husband and I are finding it hard to find anyone to vote for. This council has no idea how to decide on what project to do. They want to be remembered well and everything they are doing is going to make them remembered as terrible. The have no idea how to manage money and not one of them has a shred of common sense.
Kari Walker
Hermosa Beach
First stone
Dear ER:
I have known Hermosa Beach Council Candidate Matt McCool for many years and he is very stand up person who always thinks of others before himself (“McCool regrets online messages, but won’t exit Hermosa Beach Council race,” ER Oct. 26, 2017.). We all have a past but it is what you do now that counts.
Simon Giles
Facebook comment
Better business candidates
Dear ER:
I’m writing to express my concern about the mistruths being told by those campaigning for Trent Larson and Matt McCool in the upcoming Hermosa Beach city council election — specifically that incumbent Stacey Armato and candidate Mary Campbell are not business-friendly. This is simply not true. As a Hermosa Beach resident and owner of three Hermosa Beach businesses, including two retail stores along Upper Pier Avenue and a branding/communications agency on 11th Street, I, as well as my 18 employees, can attest that both Stacey Armato and Mary Campbell are incredibly business-friendly. Armato was instrumental in overturning the previous council’s Operation Clean Sweep, which disallowed A-frame signs for businesses. Armato understood the positive impact these signs had on sales and the charm they add to the local community. Campbell has been meeting with locally-owned boutique and cafe owners and is constantly discussing how the city can better foster a thriving business economy. Both are committed to streamlining the permitting process and finding ways for the city to work with new and existing business owners. With those campaigning for Larson and McCool by pushing ideology and partisanship, it’s refreshing to see the pragmatic and problem-solving approach of incumbent Armato and candidate Campbell. For those in favor of supporting small, locally-owned businesses, please vote for Stacey Armato and Mary Campbell.
Brian Cooley
Hermosa Beach
Keep the light shining
Dear ER:
The hospital districts created by the California legislature in 1945 were remade into health care districts in 1994 (“Healthy Living Campus faces public test” ER Oct. 19, 2017). This, and the fact that the old South Bay Hospital was failing, is the reason Beach Cities Health District delivers life sustaining and life enriching services, rather than runs a hospital. BCHD has led the charge nationally to define and provide preventative health care services. Rather than apply the standard mantras of “too big, more traffic” to this ‘concept’ of a healthy living campus, why not allow the BCHD’s elected board of directors do their job. As a resident involved with various BCHD programs, I know they have done a solid job so far. We are what the former Surgeon General of the United States referred to as a “shining light in this country” in terms of health care. We should not permit our light to be dimmed by a lack of services and inadequate accommodations.
Arnette Travis
Redondo Beach