Citizen About Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

E-mail: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

Fax: 626-307-9081

This issue is dedication to the memory of my friend, Marie Purvis, a long time resident of Monterey Park. Marie volunteered her time to her hometown. She served on the City Council and contributed her ideas and talents to this newspaper before she became ill.  Marie Purvis’ memory is forever in the hearts and minds of her family and friends.

The Monterey Park City Council voted on September 16 to have a World War II Memorial Plaque installed in front of City Hall in memory of all those American and Chinese men and women who fought to protect China from the Japanese invasion.

One of veterans of World War II proudly spoke about being a member of the famous “Flying Tigers”. Other veterans were in the Chinese military who fought side by side with the Americans. They wanted the Council to know about their service to their countries.  America and China are allies and we must continue to support each other.

The date of the dedication of the memorial has not yet been determined.

The City Council also voted to support the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration on Garvey Avenue in the Business Improvement District.  Members of BIDAC and city staff would be sending out requests for bids for a company to produce this annual event. The city is only advising BIDAC.  The BIDAC and producer are solely responsible for all the expenses.

The City Council dedicated the October 7 meeting in memory of Marie Purvis.

I asked two questions during Oral Communications at the October 7 meeting.  I asked for a status report on the progress of our first mixed-used project located at the corner of Atlantic and Hellman.  Councilmember Anthony Wong stated the commercial part of the project was scheduled to be completed in November of this year.  The residential housing part of the project may take another five or six months more. Councilmember Betty Tom Chu stated that is may take longer because of the downturn in the market.

I also asked for a status report on the $200,000 project to re-brand our city.  Mayor Mitch Ing asked staff to provide Council a report on the project.  He stated that he did not vote to spend the $200,000.

Many residents are extremely upset that the Council majority voted to spent $200,000 to re-brand the city when there are other more pressing financial matters.

Former Mayor Francisco Alonso said the funds could be used by the Recreation and Parks Department to continue to celebrate Halloween.  This year our celebration has been cancelled. Many children and adults are very disappointment that this annual tradition will not be held in Barnes Park this year.

Long time resident and activist Ruth Willner said the Council could have transferred the  $200,000 to Firefighters Pension Fund as some of the firefighters are still trying to force us to “Go County”.

That’s right the firefighters, who campaigned for Councilmembers Venti, Ing, and Chu, are requesting Council consider a study to be done by the Los Angeles County Fire Service to review our fire service in hopes of taking our city service with them to the County.

Politicians should not make promises to union members that the voters would not let them keep.

What part of “NO” don’t they understand?  We have already voted “NO” to “Going County”.

I believe that our Paramedic Ambulance service is too valuable to all of us to sacrifice.  Not many cities can state that emergency medical service is less than four precious minutes away from the residents and businesses.

Our Paramedic Ambulance service is a matter of life and death. Voice your concerns with our Councilmembers.  We cannot afford to lose our Paramedic Ambulance service.

If our firefighters want to work for the County then they should apply for a job in their fire service.  They work for us the taxpaying-voting residents.

This item is scheduled to be on the agenda for the October 21 meeting. Please join us in another fight to keep Monterey Park’s Fire Department in our hometown.

Can you say that your life has been improved this year as 2009 comes to a close?

We have several political issues that have caused many people to stop, listen and determine that their government is not paying attention to them.

The Federal government has put our children and grandchildren in debt to the tune of $150,000 per person. It is expected to double or triple before all the stimulus packages are spent. They are busy printing more money to spend on their pork barrel projects.

Our State of California is broke.  Sacramento is eying our gas and property taxes to support their spending sprees. They too have special pet projects that don’t include all the people.

All of our cities are suffering from the depressed markets across the United States.  We need to turn the economy around to provided living wage jobs and reasonable housing for all before GREED destroys our American way of life.

The American way has always been for small businesses and large businesses to hire residents of their city or town to work for them.

Lately we have seen more and more of our American jobs sent overseas to countries that have a lower cost of living. The salaries paid to them are substantial less than our living wages.

These businesses have found a tax loop that profits them at the expense of their fellow Americans.

The Federal government should fill in this tax loophole instead of printing up more and more money that puts our country’s future in peril.

All government entities need to review their budgets and reduce their spending so Americans can again look forward to a wonderful future in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

We may not be able to control our Federal and State governments but we can control our local governments and school boards.

Don’t forget to vote in the November 3rd elections.