Citizen Around Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

E-mail: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

Fax: 626-307-9081

The Monterey Park firefighters with the help of the Los Angeles Firefighters Union and their supporters are trying to persuade the residents that they know what is best. They have been lying to the voters since the day that former Councilmember Betty Tom Chu tried to get three votes to overturn our Measure J that prevents the Council have giving away our fire and police departments without voter approval.

She failed to get her three votes to gut the language of the measure to delete the fire department so she could sign us over to the County Fire Service.

Then their union members threatened to sue the city if we did not allow a special study to be done at their expense highlighting the benefits of contracting with the county.

This so-called impartial report favored the firefighters at the expense of the residents.

If we contract with the county we will lose local control, our Advanced Life Support Paramedic Ambulance Service, our fire trucks, our 4-minute response times, 15 firefighters and all of our equipment.

We will pay $924,000 for conversion costs, pay $1.8 million dollars for accumulated fire payroll overtime, holiday and vacation time, pay an indeterminate annual contract with the county that will increase 5.5% per year for 10 years. We will also have to contract for private ambulance service that may cost up to $700,000 a year as well as many hidden fees and the costs to keep our three fire stations in repair.

During the May 15 Council Meeting I went on the record to warn the City Council, City Attorney and City Manager that former Councilmember Betty Tom Chu was campaigning at Langley Senior Citizens Center in favor of the firefighters.  According to our city attorney no one is allow to campaign on city property on a measure that is already on the ballot.

I hope they have reprimanded Betty Tom Chu since she owes her Council seat to the firefighters who supported her.  Mrs. Chu wants to go with the county since they could transport her husband to Kaiser in Baldwin Park in the private ambulance service. She fails to mention that her husband would be taken to one of our local hospitals if he were in a life-threatening situation.

During the June 5 Council Meeting I was not allowed to speak during Oral Communication so I handed my statement to the city clerk to warn the City Council, City Attorney and City Manager that some of our Monterey Park firefighters are targeting well-known residents Councilmember Peter Chan, Alhambra School Boardmember Bob Gin, members of the Concerned Citizens of Monterey Park and myself in their campaign. I provided proof to the Council of their sign calling us liars is mounted on Gene Fowler’s truck complete with his license number. This truck was parked at Station #3 on May 31. It was also parked in front of Anthony Wong’s business on June 5.

As for their sound-bite campaign that is usually reserved for candidates they have taken my speech about English on the business signs out of context. I am not a candidate in this election.

One of our firefighters has already been reprimanded for passing out small business size cards to the residents asking them to support their cause in the July election during the Play Days Parade.

Now our firefighters are confronting our police officers over this election because of their difference of opinions on what is best for our hometown.

Residents are reporting that campaign materials are being handed out at our library; the firefighters are trying to intimidate residents with NO signs in their yards and firefighters have been campaigning door to door in their uniforms.

The Council’s job is to govern our city and protect her from harm.

Our City Manager Paul Talbot said the firefighters are not doing anything illegal in this campaign as long as they do not put their signs on city property.

Our City Attorney Mark Hensley has decided that the people cannot speak about this election during Council Meetings.  We question his ruling to prevent our right to free speech at City Hall.

Monterey Park residents please vote NO on Measure FF to keep our hometown ambulance and fire department.

We already have mutual aid agreements with the county and 11 other neighboring cities for additional resources.

Do not believe the firefighters and their supporters that only want to contract with the county for more money and better retirement benefits. This measure only benefits them but will cost our residents city dearly.

This is a matter of life and death. No amount of money can buy back the life of your loved ones who may die because the county fire service was not able to provide them with life saving support within the golden minutes.

Please vote NO on Measure FF on July 2.