Rep. Baca response to Esther Estrada allegations against Telacu
This statement just came in from the office of Rep. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino:
"I write to add additional comments to the article "San Bernardino Councilwoman Alleges Bribery Attempt," that appeared in the October 30th edition of the San Bernardino Sun.
"To reiterate, I believe Esther Estrada's claims that Telacu officials attempted to bribe her are completely false, and politically motivated. I support the Telacu senior housing proposal because it is an important way to provide affordable housing to one of our most vulnerable populations - elderly, low-income seniors. The project will also help to redevelop an area of the city that has suffered from tremendous economic blight over recent years, and can be a source of steady revenue for the local economy.
"In my time in Congress, I have always had the best interest of San Bernardino at heart. Since first coming to office in 1999, I have secured over $39 million for the City of San Bernardino in appropriation funding. In fact, for fiscal year 2010, I was able to secure over $32 million in funding for the E Street Corridor, sbX bus line construction, and another $1 million for the San Bernardino Municipal Water District. I have also been effective in advocating for federal stimulus dollars to be put to use in San Bernardino. The Economic Recovery package has already brought in $17.6 million in new municipal bond funding for the City to encourage greater development, $5.4 million to hire new police officers in San Bernardino, and over $100 million to widen the I-215 freeway. The hard work of my district staff has been a critical part of my success in securing these federal dollars, and Virginia Marquez has been an effective, team player in this process.
"As I work to secure federal funding to improve the quality of life for our area, it is important to have an effective partnership with local officials - that can ensure these federal dollars are put to best use. Done effectively, this will lead to the creation of new jobs and help in the economic redevelopment of San Bernardino. It strikes me as quite odd that Councilwoman Estrada would oppose this type of economic boon to our area. I wonder if her decision to oppose the Telacu project is at all swayed by her connections to other area developers, and their fears of greater competition for housing in the Inland area?
"I will continue to work to bring federal assistance to San Bernardino, and hope that all of us - local, state, and federal officials, can partner together to create new economic growth and improve the lives of all our Inland residents."
8 Comments
Leave a comment
About SB Now Blog
Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
great response......now be very quiet....dont want to wake Mr Estrada....err...i mean ....Mrs...whatever...maybe a Morris transient will come up with a clever response....or not....rattle off a list of Estradas lack of accomplishments...just what has sh done in twenty years....wow....thats a lot of time to do nothing.....and look at how good the mt vernon corridor looks.....fantastic....like beiing transported right smack dab into Tijuana Mexico.....
Not for or against Ms. Estrada as she seeks re-election. However, reading the message from Rep Baca, you would think HE was running for re-election on the City Council.
Impressive list of accomplishments you have massed Sir during your time in office. Congrats from all citizens of SB.
However, please tell me just what your accomplishments has to do with Ms. Estrada receiving an offered bribe from Telacu? Could you Sir be offering a smoke screen to cloud the issue or distract the charges that should be investigated by your office or the DA instead of sharing with us your esteemed accomplishments?
If this long-term Public Official has stated she has received an offer of a bribe, then it should be taken at face value unless you can PROVE differently. We the voters are not interested in what you believe is the truth Mr. Baca, we are only interested what IS the truth. I personally believe most politicians are un-trust worthy after their first term in office and that is why we need term limits for all. However, I can not prove my beliefs so I do not press the issue. We need the facts that surround these allegations and they need to be investigated and, based on the findings, acted upon. Without personal opinions.
just read the comments from Congressman Joe Baca and would agree that his rebutal was needed because Ms. Estrada chose to verbally accuse & discredit the Congressman at a public forum intended for the two candidates running for the First Ward.......namely Estrada and Marquez...talk about being so desperate for votes that she had to stoop to a level of political bashing instead of answering the great questions that the community raised to better educate themselves on the pressing issues on the westside of the first ward.Estrada could not intelligently explain why so many issues have yet to be resolved or addressed, like redevelopment of Mt. Vernon corridor, the disgusting neglect of safety issues at our parks and the purposeful postponement of economic revitalization that has made this part of SB an eyesore.We have lacked leadership from her on so many levels that keep us hostage & stagnant. The hope of this new, passionate candidate, Marquez who isn't putting up smoke screens, has offered creative and positive possibilities to help us trust her leadership committment despite the current plight of budget cuts. She is by far the better choice and deserves our respect and vote!
From over here in Ward 2, but more active than most in Ward 1 (or in Ward 2 for that matter - apathy's IS rampant...), Estrada is A-OK and I'd KEEP HER. She's FORGOTTEN more stuff in her little pinkie than the newcomer will be able to learn in TWO TERMS IN OFFICE - Don't discredit the VALUE of EXPERIENCE. Estrada knows the game and she plays it well. SHE isn't in the hot seat. Merece Su RESPETO por todo lo que les ha dada durante los ultimos 20 - The people of Ward 1 shouldn't go off changing horses mid-stream. Ester knows what to do, who to do it with, and HOW to do it. Her opponent will be asking "Where's the bathroom" - Please.
Go take another look at your train station & the old El Tigre/new Superior (Visit Ester's campaign HQ while you're there!) - look around and REALLY LOOK this time - Ester's not asleep at the wheel - She's getting you people in Ward 1 all she can from The White Man's Vote up on the council - Remember, Wendy MacCammack doesn't think Ward 1 should have ANY MONEY - Wendy wants it all for SOCCER MOMS IN HER WARD! Do you think Wendy's about to invite Ward 1 over to exclusive Valancia Ave. to play soccer with "the maid's kids"? I don't think so either!
Give Ester credit for all she's accomplished and accomplishING _RIGHT NOW_!
Merece mas que eso, de verdad!
If she's willing to run, por Dios, consider yourselves bendecidos and VOTE FOR HER, while you've still got the chance!
When the time comes, the chair will pass to the next person down the line, come debe hacerse, BUT NOT THIS TIME!
ESTER ESTRADA ALL THE WAY! QUE VIVA! QUE VIVA!
Mil Gracias POR TODO, Ester!
It's very funny how the previous person believes that there are no connections between McCammack and Estrada. McCammack along with Penman has supported Estrada during this election and together been seen in the 1st Ward. Further more the Estrada campaign headquarter located near Superior has been seen with very little activity if any. The Marquez Headquarter is always open 7 days from early morning to late night. Marquez is running a clean campaign, her volunteers are constantly going door to door and greeting the community everyday. It's too late for Estrada to turn the ship...iceberg ahead. Estrada completely lost control of herself during the forum this week and we must ask ourselves if we truly want a person who is not able to control her own behavior leading part of our city. I'll do you a favor Esther, this is the phone number for the Department of Behavioral Health(909)421-9342. Personally I believe she should just concentrate on the Casa Ramona and perhaps educate individuals such as the previous blogger on how to correctly write in Spanish.
Juntos podemos hacer la diferencia. El tiempo para hacer un cambio a lo positivo es hoy. Su voz es su voto - no lo haga perder.
Marquez wasn't running a clean campaign. She was a naive pawn set up by Baca and Morris for the purpose of eliminating Esther's knowledgeable and independent voice/vote at city council. In her campaign speeches marquez could only muster basic generalities. It was obvious that she knows nothing about issues or how to get things done using the political process. I am sorry, but there was nothing substantial in marquez' thought process. All she could say was that she was for all things Morris and that Baca was a mentor---please!...yuck! At the forum at the Home of Neighborly service Esther had many supporters and clearly demonstrated she knew what she was talking about. As for working Joe Baca what a creep. The previous blogger should make an appointment for the both of them at Behavioral health. If it takes voting republican at the next congressional election to get him out of office ---so be it! I am tired of he and his sons only promoting their egos.
I was watching both campains. Esthers people were calling Virginias campain people hoolagans and hoodlams what i saw was Esthers people being the hoodlams and hoolagans going by Virginias campain head quarters giving the middle finger and cursing at any body that was standing out side of Virginias head quarters and going back to Esthers head quarters and braging about it. they actully thought it was funny but from what i saw these people did not even live in the first ward or to young to vote. The first ward spoke and the rest is history. BYE BYE ESTHER ESTRADA. [I have lived in the First for ward 44 years]
Esther made two mistakes in her campaign. One, she did not have the time to walk her district. She probably forgot where it was. Secondly, she campaigned against the wrong person, Congressman Baca.