Citizen About Town
Citizen About Town
By Nancy C Arcuri, Editor and Publisher
Email: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvice.net
I attended the Public Safety Town Hall Meeting on February 16th. It was held at the George Elder Park Community Room.
Police Chief Scott Wiese and Fire Chief Matthew Hallock were the main speakers.
Scott Wiese said when he was advised of the tragic events at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on the evening of January 21th. He reached the location and saw that 20 people were shot. He called Sheriff Bob Luna for assistance with all of their resources.
He said that we are a small police force and we do murder investigation on a small scale. So, he needed additional help on this event.
Sheriff Luna stepped in to help handle this investigation.
Scott Wiese said that they had 40 witnesses to the crime and it took time to interview them. English was not their first language so one of his officers helped with the translations.
He said the witnesses said it was a man or a woman who may have been White, Asian or Hispanic.
He did not have enough information to put out an all-points bulletin on the shooter.
Fire Chief Matthew Hallock said his fire fighters and paramedics arrived on the scene to assist the injured. They were able to assist 10 people who were taken to various hospitals by paramedics from Monterey Park and other cities based on our mutual aid policy. One person died of their injuries at the hospital.
The paramedics declared 10 people dead at the scene.
Scott Wiese said he was talking to the Alhambra Police Chief who told him about the incident at the Lai Lai Dance Studio in Alhambra. They pulled up the video recording at the studio and got several pictures of the shooter.
He was told that Brandon Tsay was able to take the gun way from the shooter and describe the getaway vehicle as a White Van. Brandon Tsay also gave the police officers the license plate number on the van.
Sheriff Luna displayed the shooter’s picture at one of the news conferences he held. They were still trying to identify the shooter.
Sheriff Luna then issued an all-points bulletin in Los Angeles County for the shooter and his van.
Scott Wiese said the one police officer in Torrance told his trainee that they were going to find the van today.
He also said that Swat Teams stopped other white vans in Los Angeles County to see if they found the shooter.
The police officers in Torrance located the white van in their city. They ran the license plate but it was stolen from another car so they still did know who the shooter was.
Sheriff Luna had the DMV run a search for the shooter’s name based on his picture.
They finally had a name of the shooter.
The police officers in Torrance approached the van and heard a gunshot. The shooter had killed himself in his van.
The Swat Team blocked his van and the Bomb Squad did a search on the van in case it had a bomb ready to go off at a later time.
Scott Wiese said they are trying to figure out by researching his life history why this man shot up the Star Ballroom Dance Studio and tried to shoot up the Lai Lai Dance Studio.
We may never know why he went crazy that night.
Residents asked question about getting assistance on the Graffiti problems near East Los Angeles College.
Scott Wiese said they are patrolling the area to catch the gang members who are causing the problems.
Other residents asked for help with the homeless people around their neighborhood.
Scott Wiese reminded the residents to be homeless in not a crime. Our city is working to help them find shelter. They can not force a person to visit a shelter and move off the street.
Other residents asked about the coyote problems in their neighborhoods.
Scott Wiese said the city is working with the state to trap them and move them out of our city.
Matthew Hallock said the city is getting ready to-do brush enforcement. They will check out the Edison Trails Park and clear out the brush there where coyotes may be hiding.
Please call 911 if you see a coyote in your yard so the city can track them or report it to the dispatcher by calling 626-573-1311.
Please only call in if you see a coyote in a residential neighborhood.
Residents asked when we have Neighborhood Watch Meetings again.
Scott Wiese said we had over 100 Neighborhood Watch Meetings before the Pandemic.
Please call the Community Engagement Bureau at 626-307-1215 to set one up in your neighborhood.
Another resident asked why we did not have more Chinese speaking and Spanish speaking police officers and fire fighters.
Scott Wiese and Matthew Hallock said they are trying to hire them to serve our community as police officers and fire fighters.
Another resident who was raised in Hong Kong advised the audience that Chinese parents feel that their children should not serve in the military or serve in the police department. That is why we do not have more Chinese speaking members in our police department.
Scott Wiese and Matthew Hallock said the city will be holding more Public Safety Town Hall Meetings in the future.
The meeting ended with refreshment and time to visit with the police officers and fire fighters.
At the March 1st Meeting City Manager Ron Bow presented Agenda Item
3B: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Monterey Park, Opposing
Initiative No. 21-0042A1, The Taxpayer Protection and Government
Accountability Act
His Staff Report stated The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act would amend the California Constitution with provisions that limit voters’ authority and input, adopt new and stricter rules for raising taxes and fees, and may make it more difficult to impose fines and penalties for violation of state and local laws. The proposed constitutional initiative is sponsored by the California Business Roundtable.
The measure puts billions of local government tax and fee revenues at risk statewide
with related core public service impacts. The measure would have significant negative
impacts on the City of Monterey Park’s operations and core service delivery by
reversing the recent voter enacted Measure MP that was approved in November 2022.
Local government revenue-raising authority is currently substantially restricted by state
statute and constitutional provisions, including the voter approved provisions of
Proposition 13 of 1978, Proposition 218 of 1996, and Proposition 26 of 2010. The
Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act adds and expands restrictions on voters and local government tax and fee authority.
This act would affect our City from collecting Fees, Taxes, Fines and Penalties.
If the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act in placed on the
November 2024 ballot and passes, the City may lose approximately $8,500,000
annually in General Fund revenues from the passing of Measure MP, which has been
projected to support and maintain essential City services. The City will also have to
revert to 2021 service user fees further reducing general fund revenues and straining
the City’s annual operating budget.
Adopting the Resolution will include the City of Monterey Park in standing together with
other governing bodies in efforts to stop this potential dramatic revenue loss going to
ballot.
On Jan. 4, 2022, the California Business Roundtable filed the “Taxpayer Protection and
Government Accountability Act” or AG# 21-0042A1. On Feb. 1, 2023, the measure
qualified for the November 2024 ballot.
The League of California Cities, along with a broad coalition of local governments, labor
and public safety leaders, infrastructure advocates and businesses, strongly opposes
this initiative.
After Ron Bow’s Staff Report he stated that the California Business Roundtable is made up of 180 CEOS from many major corporations who want to run our State.
Here are the Executive Officers listed on their web site: Chair Thomas V. McKernan; Vice Chair Mike Vomund; President Robert C. Lapsley; Executive Vice President Kirk M. Clark; Vice President Brooke Armour Spiegel; Senior Policy Advisor of MB Public Affairs Mike Kahoe; Legislative Coordinator Natalie Boust; Operations Manager Rosa Pamintuan and General Counsel Ron Cohen.
Former Mayor Teresa Real Sebastian reminded everyone that they should vote NO on this outrageous ballot measure that would take away our local control on our hometown.
Mayor Jose Sanchez, Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Wong, Councilmember Vinh Ngo, Councilmember Yvonne Yiu and Councilmember Henry Lo all voted adopt a Resolution opposing “Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act” or AG# 21-0042A1.
Please read this March 1st Agenda Item 3-B on the city’s website for a better understanding on this Power Play against the California residents.
November 2024 may be more than a year away but I have noticed that Power Hungry People plan their political attacks far into the future.
Please read all the information on this subject you can before voting on this issue on your November 2024 ballot.
I will be voting NO because I believe the California Voters should have a legal and moral right to decide the future of their hometown.
May God continue to Bless Us and Guide Us now and in the future!
