Letters to the Editor 10-10-24

Taxes for bricks

Dear ER:

I’m a 27-year resident of Manhattan Beach, and I am in favor of Measure RLS for our public schools. RLS is a $200 million bond measure. Unlike parcel taxes, which fund teacher’s salaries, bond measures can only be used on “bricks and mortar,” such as school facilities. RLS replaces existing bond measures that will be paid off this year, and thus will not raise our property taxes. Previous bond measures have delivered a new science building, new music classrooms, and replaced portable classrooms, all on-time and within budget. Interest rates are falling due to Fed cuts, making this an opportune time to minimize the repayment when the bonds are issued. There is also a chance that state funding will match our funds, returning our hard-earned dollars back to us. Ballots will be mailed soon. Join me in supporting Measure RLS, for our public schools, which bring great value to our community.

John Oshiro

Manhattan Beach

New school, same taxes

Dear ER:

Create safe, modern learning environments by voting Yes on Measure RLS (Repair Local Schools). Our Manhattan Beach schools are the centers of our neighborhoods and the pride of our community. Despite significant funding limitations, our schools rank among the best in the state, largely because of the long tradition of local support. The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation raises funds to elevate learning in our schools by focusing on enriching learning with smaller class sizes and specialized educator positions and programs that bring learning to life. But even the best educational programs can’t succeed without safe, modern facilities.

The limited state funding structure impacts our District’s ability to properly maintain school facilities. Despite ongoing repairs and improvements, there is still much to be done to modernize our campuses. Many of our sites require significant repair to their critical systems — plumbing, electrical, and safety features — to maintain learning environments where students and teachers can thrive.

Measure RLS gives Manhattan Beach voters the opportunity to address these urgent needs now without increasing taxes. If Prop 2 is also approved, MBUSD is eligible for $58 Million in state matching funds. If we wait, the tax rate will go up and the matching opportunity expires. Voting Yes on Measure RLS is a critical investment in our students’ education. The Manhattan Beach community has proven that exceptional education is a priority. Please continue to support our students now, and into the future, with suitable facilities that meet their growing needs. Vote Yes on RLS.

Hilary Mahan

Executive Director

Manhattan Beach Education Foundation

Two for three

Dear ER:

Voters in Redondo Beach will soon weigh in on three bond measures – to be financed  via three new additions to our property taxes over the next 30 years. 

I urge voters to say Yes to two of them: city Measure FP (for long-overdue police and firefighter building updates); and school district Measure S (for much-needed school  repairs and upgrades) — and No on Measure BC, sponsored by the Beach Cities Health  District. 

The District plans to spend a whopping $9 million – out of the $30 million it is asking us to pay — to build a new state-of-the-art structure to house the allcove youth mental  health program. This will be added to the $7 million the District has already raised for this project. Yet their CEO recently stated this still won’t be enough. Never mind the District only recently estimated the entire cost to construct the new allcove building would be $6 million. 

What will happen to the rest of the $30 million our new property tax dollars will raise under Measure BC? Most will be used to demolish the old hospital building and turn that property into what Measure BC simply refers to as “open space.”  

With Dominguez Park directly across the street, this new patch of open land would bring  little added value to nearby residents – and even less to people in Manhattan and  Hermosa Beach, who will also pay for 30 years to create this new open space in South  Redondo Beach. 

Let’s end this wasteful spending. Vote NO on Measure BC. 

Arlene Pinzler 

Redondo Beach

Measure BC a call to action

Dear ER:

By voting Yes on Measure BC, the $30 million Beach Cities Health District bond, we are creating a community that gives people of all ages a means of engaging in healthy behaviors, forming meaningful connections, and living well, for generations to come.

The wellbeing of our youth is paramount.

Over the past decade, the mental health of our young people has faced unprecedented challenges. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that feelings of persistent sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts among young people nationwide have surged by 40%. Here in the Beach Cities, the situation is no less dire. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey, one in twelve 11th graders in our community has seriously considered attempting suicide within the last year. The Surgeon General has called youth mental health an “urgent public health crisis,” demanding immediate action. Mental health is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. By voting Yes on Measure BC, we commit to prioritizing mental health and ensuring that all our kids have the resources and support they need to thrive.

Measure BC is more than just a general obligation bond measure on the November 5, 2024, ballot. It’s a vision for a healthier community hub, brimming with life and activity. Picture walking trails, a great lawn, a community garden, and spaces for exercise, relaxation, and social connections. The programs provided in this open, inviting environment will reduce stress and promote healthier lifestyles.

Measure BC commits to enhancing community health through a series of significant projects:

1. Addressing Urgent Mental Health Needs: Fund the construction of a new state-of-the-art allcove Beach Cities building. This center will offer comprehensive mental health, physical health, and substance abuse programs; peer and family support; and education/employment services for ages 12-25. Built and furnished with sustainable materials, equipped with energy-efficient technology, and offering electric vehicle/bike charging, it aligns with the environmental concerns that increasingly occupy the attention of youth today.
2. Creating More Open Space: Transform the decaying hospital property into a welcoming, intergenerational community campus, providing approximately two acres of outdoor wellness space for exercise, relaxation, and social connections. Beach Cities Health District programs will make extensive strategic use of these spaces as well as having them available for the community at large to enjoy.
3. Addressing a Deteriorating Building: Safely remove an outdated building that fails to meet current seismic standards, thus reducing earthquake risks and potentially saving lives. This demolition paves the way for new, safe, cost-efficient facilities that better serve our community’s health needs.
4. Safeguarding BCHD’s Essential Programs: Modernize the campus to ensure continued revenue through leases, supporting BCHD’s extensive menu of free programs and services for the community. This modernization helps guarantee that programs essential for safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the Beach Cities’ youth, adults, and elders continue to thrive.

By voting Yes on Measure BC, we acknowledge these urgent needs and take a stand to ensure a brighter, healthier future for all Beach Cities residents. Your vote for Measure BC can make a lasting difference. 

Dency Nelson

Hermosa Beach Beach

A fair F.A.R.

Dear ER:

RE: Beach Cities Health District and the Redondo Beach Planning Commission/City Council

is supposed to have the same F.A.R. (Floor Area Ratio) for all public land buildings. The RB  Planning Commission has recommended a .5 F.A.R. for the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) new building project, and 1.25 for the new Police and Fire Department buildings. If BCHD has to decrease its size, it will jeopardize their new building plans and their service to the community. BCHD has made a positive impact in our community and needs your support.  Please let the RB City Council know that you support a larger F.A.R. for BCHD. This will be discussed this month at the council meetings. you may also write to the city council members: redondo.org/government/mayor_and_city_council/index.php.

Also, please support BCHD Bond Measure BC. It will make an impact at a small cost of $3 per $100,000 of assessed property tax value. An assessed value of $600,000 to $1.6 million would range in cost from $12 to $50 per year on property taxes.

Also, please support RB City Bond Measure RBFP. This will replace the very old and horrible conditions of the two Fire Department buildings and the Police Department. This will allow the city to increase emergency ambulance service and create a place for fire trucks to park inside. The buildings are too small to house our fire equipment. Remember that our fire personnel live on site and their facilities are old and falling apart. 

The police department was built in a time where there were 33 police officers, not 100. We need to treat our emergency workers better. Please vote yes on this bond measure. It will cost approximately $17 per $100,000 of assessed property tax value per year. All city council members voted for this measure. 

Vicky Oetzell

Redondo Beach

Tax party

Dear ER:

Last week the City Council and City Management hosted a party/celebration to kick off the renovations at the Historic Clark Building on Valley Drive in Hermosa Beach. It struck me as odd that we were celebrating a project that began as a less than $1 million dollar project that ballooned to $3.5 million and took six years to execute plans and construction documents.  While planning, the building was closed to the public for four years. Residents who had previously used the building were not likely to join in any celebrations, but were probably disgusted by officials spending more tax dollars on a party. Celebrating inefficiency coupled with a lack of accountability should have been the tag line. Being years late and millions over budget is nothing to celebrate before construction even begins. A better use of public funds would be a party celebrating the re-opening after construction. But the City Council’s paid “Publicist” got the cohesive/unified/approved message out in this paper and other outlets. This event only cost taxpayers a couple hundred dollars the publicist’s $85,000 annual consultancy fee, plus the food, beverage, staff time for set up and take down. Couple grand give or take. Just think if the sales tax passes, we can host more celebrations!

Michael Keegan

Hermosa Beach

Balance on the council

Dear ER:

There are five seats on our council and every one of them is occupied by a man. Next month, voters can fix that by electing Elka Worner to the City Council. We need a woman’s voice in city government. Vote Elka.

Michele Lee Hampton

Hermosa Beach

Promises kept

Dear ER:

Manhattan Beach is fortunate to have excellent police, fire and paramedics.

Public Safety is my top priority. As your Councilmember and Mayor, I kept my promises to provide consistent, proven support for the following:

Strong prosecution of State misdemeanors by opposing George Gascon with “No Confidence” votes. I support Nathan Hochman for LA County District Attorney.

A strong, fully-funded Police Department by voting to hire 7 additional Police Officers. We kept our fire department fully funded and under local control.

I created an e-bike enforcement and education program for training 6,000 students on e-bikes Rules of the Road and e-bike Safety. My Council colleagues and I then directed strong e-bike  enforcement. 

We balanced the City budgets and effectively in-sourced strategic services to further save money. I championed strong homelessness solutions and enforcement with an effective partnership with MBSAFE, joining them as a volunteer. We hired our own dedicated MB Homeless Navigator. 

I stood for strong, local control by voting No on the High-Rose Project and blocked the developer’s plan for Short-Term Vacation Rentals. I’ve advocated and supported a strong school/city partnership by working on passing the Measure MB Parcel Tax, and voted to fully fund MBPD School Resource Officers and crossing guards.

I was elected to Council four years ago when unprecedented challenges faced our City. I promise to continue bringing common-sense and independent leadership that puts Manhattan Beach residents, small businesses and schools first.

Promises Made. Promises Kept. Please vote Joe Franklin for City Council.

Joe Franklin

Manhattan Beach

Institutional knowledge

Dear ER:

Manhattan Beach voters have an opportunity to elect an experienced and results oriented candidate for City Council. His name is Steve Charelian. Charelian is a recently retired Manhattan Beach city employee who served with distinction in the City’s Finance Department for 35 years.  He prepared yearly budgets and provided financial oversight with your tax dollars.

Two senior Council members are leaving, taking with them years of institutional knowledge.  Charelian has that knowledge and expertise and can step in and fill that gap.

Charelian will focus on greater police presence and visibility, particularly as it relates to e-bike education, safety and enforcement. He will also  improve the city’s website for greater transparency and be a sounding board for residents.

He supports keeping both the Police/Fire Departments in house and reducing the use and costs of consultants by better utilizing experienced city staff.

Charelian and his wife, Arcee, have resided in Manhattan Beach over the past 12 years and have two young sons. Arcee devotes her time to School PTA duties while Steve volunteers for both MB Little League and AYSO soccer. Charelian is also a supporter and member of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Visit Steve’s website at VoteSteve4MBCouncil.com

Howard Fishman

Retired City Councilman/Mayor

City of Hermosa Beach

Numbers guy

Dear ER:

My name is Steve Charelian, and I’m running for a seat on the Manhattan Beach City Council. After a rewarding 35-year career in local government finance, I recently retired from my role at Manhattan Beach City Hall, where I served as the Finance Director for the last six years. I bring a wealth of experience in fiscal responsibility, institutional knowledge, and local government expertise. During my tenure as Finance Director, I helped maintain the City’s AAA rating, presented balanced budgets and financial statements, and offered financial guidance to the City Council, promoting sound decision-making. My pledge to you is to continue overseeing your tax dollars to make sure they are spent responsibly. I prioritize listening to all and being solution oriented, and I believe in leadership that puts residents first.

My wife and I have proudly called Manhattan Beach home for the past 12 years, and our sons, Knox and Chase, are embedded in the community through school, sports, and various activities. I volunteer as a coach for AYSO and Manhattan Beach Little League and am an active member of the MBUSD PTA and the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce.

With my 35 years of experience collaborating within Manhattan Beach City Hall, I am ready to hit the ground running for you. For more information, please visit my website at www.votesteve4mbcouncil.com

Steve Charelian

Manhattan Beach

Putting in the work

Dear ER:

The City of Manhattan Beach deserves a different kind of political candidate. Incredible fiscal difficulties are facing our town. No one can argue that some of our aging public facilities can no longer sustain band-aid-type solutions. We are talking potentially tens of millions of dollars, beyond our current budgets, for repairs or replacements, notwithstanding the overwhelming expense and desire to create new outdoor dining downtown. Hyperbolic, old, and tired platitudes of simply saying you want to be fiscally responsible, and support public safety without following up with substantive ideas or solutions represent a templated campaign message. Was there ever a politician who said they didn’t care about public funds and did not support the police?

Reviewing all the candidates’ websites reaffirmed my commitment to support Manhattan Beach City Council candidate Brenda O’Leary. Brenda is a highly educated, community-aware, experienced businessperson who painstakingly put together a website that offers factual and interesting solutions. This demonstrates her grasp of the issues that very few of us know intricately. It shows community dedication and passion. I encourage voters to take the time to look; it is obvious, without being verbose, that she understands the severity of our serious community issues. As a past candidate, I can reassure you that getting 60 seconds to answer four questions at a candidate forum is an empty proposition for both the candidate and the voters. Brenda is demonstrating that she is different.”

Stewart Fournier

Manhattan Beach

Hard choices

Dear ER:

Here are some of the results of Manhattan Beach issuing $91 million in pension obligation bonds three years ago. That is $91 million in debt. First, our per capita debt in Manhattan Beach went from under $500 to almost $3,000. Second, Manhattan Beach must pay $5.5 Million a year for 22 years. Mind you, our City ignored the consistent advice of the Government Finance Officers Association that cities should never use such risky financial instruments. With the highest number of full-time employees and highest salaries in our City’s history, our City currently has over $80 Million in pension debt and another $28 Million in unfunded pension liability. That’s over a whopping $108 million.

Manhattan is now asking our residents to approve a ½ percent sales tax that will generate $5.3 million in additional revenue. So, now we know how the City intends to pay for the $5.5 million in annual payments for their pension obligation bonds.

Don’t forget that Manhattan has begun negotiations for new union contracts in 2025. The last negotiation resulted in over 10.5% in raises for all City employees.  

Our next Manhattan Council needs to get its financial house in order by significantly reducing the number of full-time employees. We are at an all time high of 328, when only 10 years ago we were at 278. Also, they need to control escalating salaries, with nine employees making over $400,000, 25 making over $300,000 and 57 making over $200,000. We need to elect new Council Members who are willing to make the hard choices.    

Mark Burton

Manhattan Beach

Treasured candidate

Dear ER:

It’s that time of year again. Time to study voter materials and decide who and what to vote for. Here’s a suggestion. Dave Pedersen is a candidate for the very important position of Hermosa Beach City Treasurer, a position for which he is eminently qualified professionally, educationally and as a long time active member of the community. A full time financial planner, Pedersen  holds a UCLA Anderson MBA. In 2020 he founded Hermosa Advisors to serve the

the financial needs of local and national clients from all walks of life. Pedersen has served two terms on the Hermosa’s Planning Commission, where he has demonstrated an ability to deal with a wide range of issues, including zoning, land use, and conditional use permitting. He canvassed the community in support of the successful NO on O campaign in 2014 and he’s been an outstanding contributor to numerous local organizations, including Leadership Hermosa and the city’s Green Task Force.

Check out all the candidates, but when you make your final decision be sure to vote for Dave Pedersen for City Treasurer.

George Schmeltzer and Stephanie Crane

Hermosa Beach 

Slightly deceiving

Dear ER:

Redondo Beach Measure SD, Slightly Deceiving? Six former School Board members are listed as supporting the Measure. What is not stated, or even mentioned, in the Argument in Favor, or the City Attorney’s Impartial Analysis, is that all six of those former Board members received potentially illegal payments in violation of the very Charter section that the Measure seeks to amend.

Rolf Strutzenberg

Redondo Beach

Editor’s note: Strutzenberg is a Redondo Unified School District board member Rolf Strutzenberg 

What’s wrong with this downtown

Dear ER:

Have you ever visited Hollywood Riviera, downtown Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach Village, or The Point and Plaza El Segundo — areas built on chemical landfills — and wondered why they attract all the new restaurants and businesses, while downtown Hermosa Beach struggles with tired buildings and long-term vacancies like Becker’s Surf and Rock Sushi? 

The City blames high rents and greedy, absentee landlords. But rents in other cities are similar, if not higher and yet those cities are thriving. The real question is: why would someone choose to invest in a chemical landfill rather than in beautiful Hermosa Beach?

Perhaps it’s because Hermosa lacks vision. The city has spent money on economic development consultants, zoning consultants, parking consultants, housing consultants — you name it. Yet most of their recommendations sit on a shelf, ignored.

Hermosa was two years behind on state housing compliance, and the critical zoning update is delayed. This means that unlike neighboring cities, if you want to change a use permit in Hermosa, you have to go through the State Coastal Commission, adding months to the process.

The city’s parking requirements are among the most restrictive in the South Bay, making investment in the commercial zone nearly impossible. Height limits prevent building up, underground parking is expensive due to the sandy soil, and if you can’t meet the excessive parking demands, the city wants you to pay in lieu parking fees. While other cities are lifting parking requirements, Hermosa plans to keep them, keeping the city locked in a cycle of stagnation. Want to build housing above your store? You’ll face steep penalties under Land Value Recapture (LVR) on top of rising construction costs, fees, and permits, or you’ll have to accept a 55-year deed restriction for building affordable housing.

To be fair, this isn’t entirely the city council’s fault. They’re part-time officials with busy lives working with an agenda set by the city manager’s office. I’ve seen many times council members push for new options only to be told by the city manager that there’s “no staff time” to work on it.

The bottom line is this: when a city doesn’t prioritize economic development, it falls behind. Hermosa has backed itself into a corner, and now it faces money problems. The quick fix? Raising sales taxes — a move that only stifles economic growth further and keeps the vicious cycle going.

Ed Hart

Hermosa Beach

Poster plaster

Dear ER:

At the October 1, 2024 Redondo Beach City Council meeting, Beach Cities Health District  Board member Vanessa Poster attacked the Redondo Beach Planning Commissioner with a claim that seems 100% contradicted by the City’s audio recording of the September 19 meeting.  Board member Poster stated, “Your Planning Commission has demonstrated their inexplicable abhorrence for BCHD, so much so that your own lawyers had to remind them during a public meeting and on the record to stop targeting BCHD in their remarks.” The recording of the September 19 meeting indicates that immediately after BCHD CEO Tom Bakaly spoke, the City Counsel reminded the audience, not the Commission, that the meeting wasn’t about BCHD; the meeting was about the broader General Plan. There was also no reference to the Commission targeting BCHD. The Planning Director delivered this message: “Before we continue I’ve been reminded by the City Attorney to make a statement to the audience just to remind the audience the purpose of tonight’s hearing is about the General Plan update. It’s not about the Beach Cities Health District, so really the focus is more broad, on the entire city and this policy document that we’re working on. So I just would like everybody to keep that in mind, thank you.”

If this wasn’t hate speech against the Planning Commissioners by the BCHD Board member, then what exactly was it?

Mark Nelson

Redondo Beach