Hiring freezes in El Monte

I would be angry too if I knew that I could get axed from my job. Hasn't tha mayor and council noticed the price of gas, food and utilities. They are really not concerned about us one it. If they were they would of stop spending so much money. Money that was never there to spend inthe first time. God help the employees at the city.

Freeze Gutierrez's pay check and Emily.

this is the worst time to get laid off. we know we can't get another job at the rate that we are currently making. i have rent, car payments and insurance to pay. they don't take payments. we are really upset at mayor gutierrez. you would think that because he was from hicks camp that he would know what it would be like to be without. he is full of himself. what a idiot he has become. my friends, family and neighbors will work to get him out. he has become a bad no goog jerk. if he was not the mayor he would be the town drunk and have all kinds of women. his monthly check should be cut. let's see how he survives. he is single and has no oneto look after. except his bottle and women. both cheap...just like him.

That sign has been up for the last year. No quite sure how you observation really informs anyone of anything.

No wonder El Monte has a deficit. Who wants a book on the HIstory of the El Monte Police? It will cost about $12,000. What self serving ego trip is this for. Surely a city program is much more important than this idiodic booklet? Who even cares about this nonsense?
All Emily was concerened about was that her favorite eating place Albertos was had junk or trash behind it. But she stll eats there. It's open 24 hours just for her. She made sure that Barrios would take her to Tokyo Lobby, again to eat. All she thinks about is stuffing her face. It is always about food for her. How sad for her. Seems like she solves her issues by eating and over eating. That is where she bats a big fat zero as a councilmember.

Put a freeze on Ishigaki's constant talking. She says nothing of substance. All she wants is food, food, food. Alberto's and Tokyo Lobby for sure. Feed her before the council meeting, during and after, and any other event, meeting or gathering for that matter. Maybe she will shut up for a change.

It would be a shame if the only thing accomplished over the next year was alot of infighting between council members, city employees and residents. Getting rid of one person and replacing him or her with another WILL NOT SOLVE ANYTHING and will only WASTE TIME. The people who fill-in for any of the people who YOU THINK SHOULD BE REPLACED whether it is on the council, in management or on staff will have to make the SAME TOUGH DECISIONS that need to be made NOW. PEOPLE, WE CAN'T WASTE ANOTHER YEAR FIGHTING....WITH EACH OTHER. THE ONLY ONE WHO BENEFITS IS THE TRIBUNE WHO JUST LOVES TO COVER THIS KIND OF SELF-DESTRUCTIVE INFIGHTING - GREAT FOR PAPER AND BLOG SALES. There may be blame to go around, but lets keep the ship from sinking first. WE (ALL OF US) ARE BETTER THAN THAT.

It would be a shame if the only thing accomplished over the next few months and the next year was continued infighting between council members, city employees, management and residents. PEOPLE, any person who replaces the list of people who you believe should be replaced will only have to make the same TOUGHT decisions that we as a city are not confronting NOW. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WILL BE THAT WE WASTED ANOTHER VALUABLE YEAR (MORE TIME WE DON'T HAVE) FIGHTING WITH EACHOTHER. THE ONLY ONE WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS IS THIS NEWSPAPER WHO JUST LOVES TO WHAT A CITY LIKE OURS SELF-DESTRUCT SO THAT THERE READERS IN WEST COVINA AND ELSWHERE CAN LAUGH AT US. Is there blame to go around? MAYBE. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO FIGHT OURSELVES, HOWEVER. NOW IS THE TIME TO WORK TOGETHER AND GET THINGS BACK ON TRACK. WE ARE BETTER PEOPLE THAN THAT.

UNFORTUNETLY IN A BETTER WORLD THAT WOULD BE TRUE. BUT THE FACT STILL REMAINS YOU CAN NOT FIX A SITUATION, PROBLEM OR BUDGET WHEN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. MUSSENDEN HAS NO CLUE ABOUT THE CTIES FINANCIES. HE IS OUT TO LUNCH MOST OF THE TIME.HIS OWN CITY STAFF DON'T CARE FOR HIM. AS FAR AS MAYOR GUTIERREZ HE IS WORTHLESS. THE SHIP IS SINKING FAST THANKS TO THE COMMANDER,THAT BEING GUTIERREZ. WHEN THE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TRUST AND FAITH IN THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL (ISHIGAKI, GOMEZ, AND BARRIOS) THE SHIP IS DOOMED TO SINK. LIKE THE TITANIC. ERNIE WAS THE UNSEEN...ICEBIRD.

Great. Here you've vented. What has changed? NOTHING. We need to focus on what we need to do as a city not who we hate, who we mistrust etc. That is what elections are for. HAVE AT IT .... THEN. RIGHT NOW, WE NEED PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER. WE NEED PEOPLE TO STOP POINT FINGERS AND COME UP WITH REAL SOLUTIONS. BLAME IS NOT A SOLUTION.

Great. Here you've vented. What has changed? NOTHING. We need to focus on what we need to do as a city not who we hate, who we mistrust etc. That is what elections are for. HAVE AT IT .... THEN. RIGHT NOW, WE NEED PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER. WE NEED PEOPLE TO STOP POINT FINGERS AND COME UP WITH REAL SOLUTIONS. BLAME IS NOT A SOLUTION.

BLAME HAS NEVER BEEN THE SOLUTION IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION. I REALLY HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. BUT AFTER WATCHING THE MEETINGS I CAN'T HELP BUT TO NOTICE HOW RUDE THEYA ARE TO EACH OTHER. ESPECIALLY GUTIERREZ AND BARRIOS. THET TREAT SPEAKERS, THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF WITH NO RESPECT. THEIR TONE OF VOICE IS ANGRY AND LOUD. JUST WATCH THE JULY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING. ERNIE CAN NOT CALL ON THE COUNCIL IN A PROPER MANNER. THEY ARE TO BE REFERRED AS COUNCILMEMBER SO AND SO. HE IS RUDE TO ALL. ESPECIALLY BARRIOS. WHAT A ASS. HE TALKS DOWN TO PEOPLE. HE SEEMS TO BE UNEASY AT THE MEETINGS. HE BARKS AT PEOPLE ALOT. SHE NEEDS TO TAKE CLASSES IN HOW TO BE RESPECTFUL TO THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY. NOW YOU SEE WHY IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE IN THEM AT ALL. THEY HATE BEING THERE AND HATE EACH OTHER. WHAT A SHAME FOR OUR CITY. IT WILL STAY THE SAME AS ALWAYS. SAME OLD CRAP. WITH GUTIERREZ AT THE HELM.

UNFORTUNETLY FINGERS WILL ALWAYS BE POINTED NO MATTER WHAT. BLAME GOES TO THOSE WHO PUT THE CITY IN A DEFICIT. IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. THE CITY MANAGER SAW IT COMING. BUT HE JUST WENT ALONG WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO FULLFILL THEIR WHIMS. NOW WE HAVE TO PAY THROUGH THE NOSE BY PAYING UTLITY TAXES OR WHAT EVEN THEY COME UP WITH.
WE ALWAYS PAY FOR IT IN THE END.
LITERALLY AND FINANCIALLY.
SO TELL ME SOMETHING NEW.
ENLIGHTEND ME...PLEASE.

YOU ARE RIGHT BLAME HAS NEVER BEEN A SOLUTION. I AGREE

The utility users tax has existed for the last 10 years and in the last election the VOTERS voted to have the rate of the tax reduced. So I am not sure what you are talking about whe you say we are "paying through the nose". It also doesn't make sense that anyone now should be blamed for it since it goes back to the 1990's. I don't think anyone on the council now was on the council then. I appreciate that there is much to be upset with but we (WE BEING POLITICIANS, EMPLOYEES..AND RESIDENTS) have an obligation to speak truthfully.

To Anonymous:
Did you really vote to "reduce" the utility tax? You should've done some research rather than believing what the council spoon fed you. You voted to keep at tax at a reduced rate and allow the city to keep what had already been collected for telephone service tax. There have been court cases on the tax for phone service. Without that vote to maintain the phone tax at a reduced rate, the city most probably would have had to refund what they collected on the phone tax and would not have been able to continue taxing us for it. Reducing the rate was the way to get the "gullible" to vote "yes". Didn't you ever wonder why the tax for electricity and gas had not been reduced? Hang in there....Ernie will probably put the Valley blvd bridge up for sale...maybe you can buy it with your tax "reduction".

What court case has said this? There are lots of lawsuits but is there a court case that says what you say?

Sorry about that, I mis-spoke..."lawsuits" and many cities (El Monte included) hire consultants to find out how to keep the money coming in. The consultant recommended to put out a ballot measure "reducing" and retaining the tax, because it looked as if the cities were losing in court. The tax was reduced on phone service only...we still pay the same rate for the rest of our utilities.

So if someone files a law suit that automatically means that they are correct on a legal issue? Interesting. The filing of a lawsuit (not actually winning the suit) is all that matters. You are a true legal scholar.

To Anonymous
Why did the cities hire a consultant? Why were they willing to give up 1/2 percent when their budgets were in such trouble? They could have reduced the rate without going to the voters. Why do you think they didn't? Comeon legal genius....tell us.

Did the city hire a consultant just for that? You know this for a fact because? And it was unfair to send this to the voters because? and if the voters approve something you personally do not like then it must mean someone lied to them?

To Anonymous
Go visit the El Monte city website and read the city council agenda from February 6, 2007, beginning with page 68. The city didn't lie, and no one said they did....Misled....yes, but they were in good company, the City of Los Angeles did the same thing.

If this city put it on the agenda how did they mislead anyone? it looks like they were pretty upfront about things? It also says on the agenda item that the lawsuits could "potentially" be a problem if they were decided unfavorably. Have they been decided unfavorably since the election? It seems like the city was trying to be responsible in dealing with legal developments that could not have been foresee by anyone including people with impecable foresight like youself back when the tax was originally APPROVED....BY THE VOTERS.

Why didn't you just reduce the tax, instead of spending all that money to put it on the ballot?

without an election any reduction would not have become permanent. the election preserves the reduction.

Why did you choose to reduce the telecommunications tax and not the gas or electric? With the state of the city's finances, why did you pay all that money to put a tax reduction on the ballot? Isn't the city now looking for new sources of revenue?

because that would have been fiscally stupid. frankly I am glad you don't run our city. El Monte Resident if you don't like the things other residents have voted for why don't you just leave El Monte. You can live in Colten where they probably don't have any tax and where you can live in a double wide trailer. That would probably suit you.

P.S. Get a life. Is this all you do. Hang out at this website all day to trash El Monte. You sound pretty pathetic.

We have lots of problems in El Monte. Some of our elected officials are running wild. Our city spending has been exceeding the revenues. Again today the front page story is about budget woes. I think it is important to face these things and the tribune would be failing if they didn't report them. But why can't the tribune recognize some of the good things. They do happen here, that is why despite the problems we stay in El Monte. Yesterday the citizens, city staff, and elected officials came together at a pancake breakfast. One of our own, Arthur Lopez III, was honored by Cong. Hilda Solis. He received medals for his service to our country 30 years ago. Mr. Lopez is a hero and a fine example for the youth of our city. Where was the tribune? Channel 2 managed to make it. It was important enough for them to report on their news and website. Where was our local paper?

Cut Emily Ishigaki's daughter's hours of work. See if Emily can think of Some One Else for a change. Is this not a conflict on interest? Voting on pay raises and promotions for her daughter? Can the Tribune check on this before the next buget gets approved.

The employees who are giong to get hous cut or loose their jobs should protest. Rally and pickei city hall, the mayor and city council. Make sure your UNIONS show up and help out. Let them know that YOU ABSOLUETLY MATTER. Make your voices and concern heard loud and clear. Don't let Ernie, Jay, Art and Emily do this to you all. Stand up and fight for what is yours. You have earned it. As one group, one voice YOU WILL WIN.

I couldn't agree more. All the employees need to stick together on this. You have your mayor and city manager and the three amigos on a vacation to Rancho Bernardo. What nerve they have. Now you see how they can care less about us. They travel, have a great time and could give a heck about our city going broke.

I can't believe what I am reading. Is this true? Are they really doing this travel expense knowing where OUR CITY is at financially? Wow. They have a lot of nerve. Especially knowing that El Monte's budget is negative. Are we going to pay for their fun, liquor, food, and gas? Not to mention their fancy rooms and room service? That really pisses me off. Dame them.

It does not matter what we say to them. They will run a muck when it dame well pleases them. They run our city into the ground and could care less.

If you are so truly outraged why don't you show up at a meeting and tell the council what's on your mind. There were hardly any residents at the last meeting. I agree these are pretty bad times and that responsible priorities need to be set but it is astounding how all of you who claim to be so outraged (and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that there are ALOT of you and not just 4 or 5 serial commentors) do not seem to be outraged enough to show up at a meeting and say this. Are you SHY or somemthing. Or maybe you'll give some b.s. excuse about how somebody might try to have killed if you do. COME ON. Put up and SHOW UP. IT'S YOUR RIGHT. CLAIM IT.

Council meetings start at 6:30 PM, the budget meeting starts at 5:30 PM. Why would they do that? Most people are enroute from their jobs at that time. It makes it very difficult for the average working person to make the meetings. Maybe they don't want the average working person there.

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