Letters to the Editor 12-12-24

An educated vote

Dear ER:

I would like to join with the Redondo Beach teachers in expressing gratitude to our community for approving Measure S, the $278 million Redondo Beach school bond on the November 5 ballot (“Redondo Beach election results,” ER November 7, 2024). There is nothing more important to society than educating our young. There is no reason for our kids to languish on substandard campuses. School funding in California needs fixing. It needs to be the top priority in the state budget.

Barbara Epstein

Redondo Beach

The popular vote winner

Dear ER:

The Redondo Beach City Council continues to ponder the fate of the Beach Cities Healthy Living Campus. While Measure BC, (the BCHD $30 million bond measure) did not pass in November, the majority vote was in favor of BC, with 17,200 voting for BC versus 16,400 against. In 2022, BCHD board members Dr. Michelle Bholat and Dr. Noel Chun were overwhelmingly reelected with 80%-plus of the votes, over the “anti” BCHD Healthy Living Campus candidate Kelly Martin. In this past November’s election the current board members were unopposed. If the stop BCHD side is so confident, why not run candidates for the BCHD Board where they can actually effectuate changes? 

Marie Puterbaugh

Redondo Beach 

Popular vote doesn’t count

Dear ER:

From 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, December 6, the Beach Cities Health District hosted a strategic planning workshop. Remarkably, BCHD interpreted the $30 million bond Measure BC failure in the November 5 election by nearly 20 points (it required two-thirds to pass and received 47%) as an endorsement of building an allcove building and also demolishing the former South Bay Hospital building and preparing the campus for private development. BCHD spent $580,567 of resident-taxpayer funds on Measure BCs rejection, yet somehow BCHD interpreted the loss as an endorsement of the projects that BCHD sought to fund in Measure BC? How can that be?

BCHD asked for $9 million to cover the allcove building. The allcove service and building require 30 years of unfunded operation for a 91% non-resident service area based on the contract that BCHD signed with the State. BCHD also asked for $21 million to tear down the former hospital and prepare the campus for developer PMB’s gargantuan, private senior living facility, which will service 80% non-resident tenants. BCHDs board and executives are disinterested in what the majority of the electorate had to say, and that’s been the same experience that surrounding neighborhoods have had from BCHD for years now.

Mark Nelson

Redondo Beach

BCHD wrecking crew

Dear ER: 

Mark Nelson is a one-man crusade against the Beach Cities Health District, a disgruntled neighbor of the property who has devoted his existence to the destruction of this valuable community asset (“FAR up close,” Letters to the editor, ER November 28, 2024). I stand proudly with the large majority of local residents who support BCHD and the value they bring to our area. If you agree, please make your voices heard. Support BCHD.

Steve Goldstein

Redondo Beach

Health district health issue

Dear ER:

There’s an abandoned oil well on the land Beach Cities Health District wants to build the allcove teen center on. That means kids seeking counseling in this new “Green Rated” facility may be exposed to toxic cancer-causing compounds. The Redondo Beach City staff is informed of this oil well issue and has done nothing to put on the brakes BCHD’s plan. Staff is aware of this information and should recommend the City Council halt any discussion of land use for the BCHD property until this has been resolved. Of all people, Mayor Jim Light should know how City Staff and Council mistakes have cost taxpayers dearly with lawsuits won by the public.

Jessica Gonzales

Redondo Beach

Community complacency 

Dear ER:

Is Manhattan Beach a complacent community? Do we just blindly trust our Council? Maybe so.  Here are some examples of what our residents didn’t know about. Most residents didn’t know that the number of our City’s full-time employees went from 278 to 328 in 10 years, the highest total ever. Most residents don’t know those employees are being given the highest compensation in our City’s history, significantly more than adjacent cities’ employees. Most residents didn’t know that our City borrowed $91 million to pay off pension obligations resulting in debt payments of $5.5 Million for more than 20 years. And, after doing so, the unfunded pension obligations rose again to $28 million. Most residents didn’t know the storm water tax was for operational costs (i.e. employee compensation) rather than capital improvements. Most residents didn’t know the City wanted to build a second LA County Library in Polliwog Park of all places. In fact, there are a lot of important matters our residents didn’t know about.  Here’s why we may be a complacent community?

First, our City is a great city. There really isn’t much to complain about. Second, we all have a great sense of civic pride, so we are reluctant to criticize. Third, our local press is focused more on community events, rather than serving as a “watchdog.” Fourth, our Council is sometimes less than transparent, and likely to engage in “spin” when they sense our community would be opposed. Let’s pay closer attention to Council actions.  

Mark Burton

Redondo Beach