Recently in Random McLain thoughts Category

Today marks my last day with the San Gabriel Valley Tribune after working here for three years and a month. My time as a reporter here has been extremely rewarding and what I always hoped it would be. After all, the San Gabriel Valley is heavy on crime and has its share of political controversy. What's not to love?

My time as a blogger, on the other hand, has been extremely humbling. After 933 blog posts and the 4,696 comments that followed since we started the Leftovers from City Hall blog, I had to swallow my pride many a time, whether because I was a little too honest or had a post with one too many errors or, well, you get the picture.

Readers, thank you for your patience and your attention. It is my experience at the Tribune, the government accountability stories and the many contacts I've interviewed through the years that have inspired me to pursue a career in public service. Beginning Aug. 24, I will attend USC to pursue a master's degree in public administration. Thanks for dealing with me through the years.

Sincerely,

Jennifer McLain

It's clear from some of the responses about Irwindale Police Department that either:

a.) You support the Irwindale Police Department and feel that they have sacrificed enough, or

 b.) You think the Irwindale officers should suck it up and forgo their cost of living adjustment this year.

But whether you're a police officer, a public employee or work in the private sector, it seems that every household is suffering somehow as a result of the recession.

Open Forum: How has the bad economy affected your take home income?

For example, have you had to take furloughs, a reduction in hours, suspension of holiday pay?

A survey performed by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence shows that public sector employees are delaying retirement as a result of the sagging economy:

WASHINGTON, DC -- The slumping economy is holding back retirements among state and local government employees, according to a new survey of government managers, sponsored by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence.

A Tidal Wave Postponed: The Economy and Public Sector Retirements finds that almost half (49 percent) of the respondents to the membership survey said 20 percent or more of their workers are eligible to retire in the next five years. And an overwhelming majority (80 percent) said the economy is affecting the timing of retirements.

Of those, 85 percent said employees are delaying retirements, while only 9 percent said they are accelerating their retirements to avoid changes that will reduce benefits, and 7 percent said employees are taking incentives for early retirement.

"There is a silver lining to the delayed retirements," said Elizabeth Kellar, executive director of the Center for State and Local Government Excellence. "Governments have a lot of older workers who work in specialized fields and are hard to replace. Retaining these individuals a little longer gives us more time to help new employees prepare to fill their shoes." Read more.

While the survey goes into the effects that losing qualified employees has on a public agency and the importance in developing plans to replace these workers when they leave, it does not discuss the fiscal impacts postponing retirement has on taxpayers' coffers.

This week, I'm working on a story about pension costs among our local cities. During an interivew with Edward Fong of the California Public Employees' Retirement System, he mentioned that fire fighters and police officers up and down the state don't contribute, and therefore aren't eligible, to receive Social Security.

This explains why pension plans are typically more generous for fire fighters and police officers than non-sworn employees, Fong said. Another group of public employees exempt from Social Security is teachers, Fong said.

Here's a spreadsheet I developed by requesting retiree medical costs, annual pension costs, unfunded pension liabilities and unfunded medical liabilities from 24 public agencies in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier areas:    

  Retiree costs city by city.sxc  

Depending on space issues, we will print my story this weekend that details how much 24 area cities spent on retiree medical costs, and of those cities, how many have started planning for the future retiree medical costs -- which will only increase due to rising health care premiums, increasing life expectancy rates and a growing retiree base.

Santa Fe Springs shows us a slide, Santa Fe Springs.ppt,  of what will happen if it starts paying for these long term costs, estimated at nearly $55 million, today versus what will happen if it continues on a pay-as-you go approach. That is, pay for the expenses as they come year-by-year. Problem with the pay as you go approach is that eventually these costs could overwhelm some city budgets.

These costs will vary from city to city for several reasons: number of retirees, number of employees, services offered by the city, such as having its own police or fire departments, and types of benefit plans offered.

The spread sheet is still a work in process...I'm now collecting the number of current employees to get a better understanding of why some cities have the pension costs they do. The pension story will come later.

(City administrators: If you see any figures that are incorrect, please shoot me an email so we can correct them. Thanks!)

It's Square Root Day. Yay!

The last time we had this was a year ago, on 2/2/04*, according to this news report.

Amazing, huh.

*Previously, I erroneously put 2/2/08. Thanks to the reader who pointed it out. Oops.

It only took three weeks, but I am finally through serving my civic duty as a juror on a case that made me think: 1.) What a waste of tax-payers money, and 2.) It's great we live in a country where everyone has the right to a fair trial.

In case you were wondering, it was a forgery and burglary case. The defandant, who we found guilty, stole a check from his relative. The amount: $240.

I know that I missed some stories while I was out and will be playing catch up for the next few days. Please let me know of any news tips in and around Covina, West Covina, Irwindale and the rest of the SGV.

Again, I apologize for the lack of posts. Not only was I called for jury duty, I actually got selected to serve on the jury. I'll be playing catch up today.

I apologize for the lag in posts. I've been at jury duty the past two days. The highlight of the experience so far has been listening to the different excuses people give to try to get out of serving -- even before they step foot in the courtroom.

No, no one has pulled a Larry David. Yet.

So far, my favorites the past couple of days was when one man told the clerk, "My English is not that good," to which the clerk responded, "Sir, you've been living here since you were 21 and worked at a restaurant that serves mostly English speakers." And, "I have a medical condition: I am old," to which the clerk replied, "Ma'am, being old is not a medical condition." Neither were excused.

Another point of interest is what people do to kill time when not in court. At the Alhambra Courthouse, the jurors have a sweet set up. There are a few TVs, lots of puzzles, games like Yahtzee (I'm still working up the nerve to ask people if they want to play a game with me), five computers with Internet access, lots of books, plenty of couches and a couple of vending machines.

One observation: I have never seen so many adults eat bags of Cheetos before noon.

Is equestrian life fading into the sunset? Well, that's what an LA Times article concludes. Among the equestrian centers referenced is one out of the city of Industry.

In December, a collection of ramshackle stalls near the city of Industry abruptly shut down, forcing out a small group of Mexican immigrants who had boarded their horses there at low cost.

The stables had been a gathering place for vaqueros from Zacatecas and Guerrero, and the closure prompted some of the families to give up their horses altogether. The loss follows the disappearance of many other stables along the San Gabriel River watershed.

For the horse lovers out there, where do you ride?

Potlucks, mimosas, parties?

Many of us will be at work, but how will you be celebrating history tomorrow?

With president elect Barack Obama's inauguration coming up on Jan. 20, how do you plan to celebrate - or mourn, depending on your perspective about his election? Any parties? Here's how Beyonce and U2 are honoring the president.

Did you feel it? A 5.0 earthquake hit San Bernardino at 7:49 p.m. Thursday.

*It was later reported only as a 4.5 magnitude earthquake.

OMG. No more texting while driving come Jan.1.

BTW: I wonder how the cops are doing with enforcing the cell phone talking drivers? Steve Hymon from the Los Angeles Times breaks it down.

Well, it's news to us. While making a call for the Herfert and Hernandez story last week, I noticed that former Fair Political Practices Commission spokesman Roman Porter has been promoted as the agency's executive director. Porter said he was promoted in July.

Ever hear someone pray to Jesus during a council meeting? I do, and quite often. The most recent meeting was at the West Covina City Council. Turns out, praying is OK, but sectarian prayer is banned in setting like City Council meetings.

But is it worth a story? Every meeting I'm at no one seems to mind it.

Prayer Ban for Public Meetings Upheld
By Jean Guccione
September 10, 2002 in print edition B-4

California city councils that begin meetings with an invocation will have to reassess that practice after a state appellate court on Monday upheld a ban on sectarian prayer in such settings.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the city of Burbank's argument that the ban violates the free-speech rights of the ministers who lead the invocation at each Tuesday's City Council meeting.

The court ruled that a prayer that invoked the name of Jesus Christ "conveyed the message that Christianity was being advanced over other religions," in violation of the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment, which requires the separation of church and state.

Santa Monica attorney Roger Jon Diamond, who represented the plaintiffs, was pleased with the ruling.

"Now, as of today, it becomes a precedent throughout the state of California," he said. Local city officials "would be violating their oaths of office if they allow sectarian prayers to go on."

Burbank Chief Assistant City Atty. Juli C. Scott was disappointed with the ruling, but said the city has not yet decided whether to appeal.

"It's too bad," she said. "I think the court missed the whole point. We shouldn't be in the business to tell people how to pray."

The case arose after Irv Rubin, chairman of the Jewish Defense League, attended a Burbank City Council meeting In November 1999 that began with a Christian prayer led by David King, a Mormon bishop, who ended with "in the name of Jesus Christ."

Subsequently Rubin, along with Roberto Alejandro Gandara, a Christian, sued the city.

A month later, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Alexander Williams III issued an injunction banning sectarian prayer at council meetings. Ever since, the City Council has asked local ministers to offer nonsectarian prayers at its meetings.

Diamond said Monday that he would not be able to tell Rubin about the decision until today, when he plans to visit his client at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, where Rubin awaits trial on unrelated charges that he plotted to bomb a Culver City mosque and a congressman's office.

In the 15-page opinion, written by Justice Kathryn Doi Todd, the court contended that "to demand neutrality when the interests of religion and government intersect is increasingly more important as our nation becomes more pluralistic."

The court also rejected Burbank's argument that the invocation is "private speech" and found "that any legislative prayer that proselytizes or advances one religious belief or faith or disparages another" is unconstitutional.

"By directing the prayer to 'Our Father in Heaven

Los Angeles attorney T. Peter Pierce filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of 34 California cities that begin their meetings with prayer.

Pierce said he would advise city attorneys, but warned of potential problems. "I think it is very difficult to determine what is [sectarian] and what is [nonsectarian]," he said.

The appellate court, however, declined to consider his argument that the ban is ambiguous and unenforceable

And people wonder why there is distrust of politicians...

Feds arrest Illinois governor for corruption
Blagojevich 'corruptly used his office,' US says after a wiretap probe.

By Amanda Paulson | Staff writer / December 9, 2008 edition
Christian Science Monitor

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on federal corruption charges, including that he conspired "to sell or trade" an appointment to the US Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Obama.

The arrest makes Governor Blagojevich, a Democrat, the second Illinois chief executive in a row to face charges of pay-to-play politics, a dispiriting event for residents weary of the state's reputation for seamy politics. His predecessor, Republican George Ryan, is serving a 6-1/2-year sentence for a corruption conviction two years ago.

"The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said Tuesday in a statement. "They allege that Blagojevich put a 'for sale' sign on the naming of a United States senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism."

Blagojevich was arrested along with his chief of staff, John Harris. Each was charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and solicitation of bribery. At a press conference, Mr. Fitzgerald characterized the governor's actions as "a political corruption crime spree."

Blagojevich appeared before US Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan Tuesday afternoon and was released on his own recognizance and a $4,500 bond, without making a statement.

Included in the FBI affidavit are charges that Blagojevich was caught on wiretaps conspiring to sell or trade Mr. Obama's vacated US Senate seat. On the wiretaps, the affidavit asserts, the governor speculated about trading the Senate appointment for perks such as a large salary for himself, once he leaves office, at an organization affiliated with labor unions; an appointment for his wife on corporate boards, where she might be paid as much as $150,000 a year; promises of campaign funds; and a cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.

In one conversation about the Senate seat, Blagojevich allegedly told Mr. Harris and an adviser he needed to consider his family and that he is "financially" hurting. Harris responded that he and the adviser were weighing what would help the Blagojevich family's "financial security."

The affidavit also details discussions from last week in which Blagojevich is alleged to have said he might "get some [money] up front, maybe" from an individual the government identifies only as "Senate Candidate 5."

Earlier, he was recorded claiming to have been approached by an emissary from that candidate, who said he would raise $500,000 for Blagojevich in exchange for the seat.

The charges, too, include allegations that Blagojevich and Harris schemed with others since the governor took office in 2003 to obtain benefits for himself, his family, and his campaign committee, repeating, in some cases the testimony of witnesses at the federal trial earlier this year of Antoin "Tony" Rezko. Mr. Rezko, a donor to Blagojevich's campaign, was convicted for using his connections to state board appointees to demand kickbacks from businesses that wanted to do business with the state.

But the charges focus primarily on events of the past two months, when Blagojevich allegedly sped up corrupt fundraising activities before a new state ethics law took effect, hindering any ability to accept financial contributions from anyone with a state contract. The allegations include documented instances in which the governor told individuals that he expected contributions ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 in exchange for state help and contracts. In one case, when the expected contribution from an executive of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago didn't come, Blagojevich discussed rescinding $8 million in state funds committed to the hospital, the affidavit says.

It also alleges that Blagojevich sought the firing of Chicago Tribune editors responsible for negative editorials about him, in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs and owned by the Tribune Co.

Blagojevich was the first Democratic governor elected in the state in 30 years, winning in part because of a backlash against former Governor Ryan, who faced corruption scandals at the end of his term. Blagojevich campaigned with a reformist message, promising to change politics as usual in Illinois.

"He's done everything possible contrary to that pledge," says Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association, a nonpartisan Chicago watchdog group. "The governor hasn't been convicted yet, but the court of public opinion and common sense tells you that something is deeply, deeply wrong with Illinois government."

Besides dealing a blow to the state's psyche and national image, Blagojevich's arrest casts a shadow over the appointment of Obama's successor to the Senate. Any Blagojevich appointment will appear tainted, Mr. Stewart says.

On Tuesday, several Illinois politicians called for ways in which the open Senate seat could be filled without Blagojevich's involvement. Illinois Senate President Emil Jones promised to call lawmakers back into session to consider a bill for a special election to fill the seat.

The charges also come at a terrible time for a state facing a severe budget shortfall.

"Our financial crisis is now," Stewart says, noting that, until convicted, Blagojevich is still governor. "This governor had difficulty getting things done in a less difficult environment."

Rumors about Blagojevich's involvement in pay-to-play schemes and inflammatory evidence from the Rezko trial have persisted for at least a year. His approval ratings have been hovering at a paltry 13 percent.

The arrest was "the whole notion of not whether, but when," says Paul Green, a political scientist at Roosevelt University in Chicago. "You expect it, it's still shocking, but it's not a huge surprise."

If Blagojevich is convicted, Illinois faces the prospect of having two former governors in jail, and future officeholders can expect heavy pressure to enact ethics reforms. One issue, says Professor Green, is the large amount of money required to run for statewide office in Illinois.

"We need to deal with the specific instances that led to this, and then we need to look at systemic issues that lead to this kind of conduct," says Stewart. "If this isn't evidence that our system is fundamentally corrupt, then I don't know what is."

I am working on a story about Medicare, including the things seniors will need to know if they are changing their plans since open enrollment extends to Dec. 31.

OPEN FORUM: What Medicare problems, concerns and questions do you have?

Few stories of interest spotted here and there:

Rowland Heights efforts for cityhood failed, for now. Read here.

El Monte hopes that its more than $43 million transit village will come to fruition. Read more.

Three Valleys Water Board Director Xavier Alvarez is facing three felony charges. His arraignment was postponed on Thursday. Read more.

After a year hiatus, the Covina Christmas parade returns tonight beginning at 6:30 p.m. Read more.

Moe still missing. Read more.

Well, well, well. Look who's back: Our old friends at Foothill Cities Blog.

And another blog personality is back to blogging, too. The artist formerly known as the Proc.