Pat Furey for City Council Campaign Sign on Crenshaw and Del Amo Blvd.
From the Torrance Daily Breeze: The most visible and literal sign of the special interest money flowing in the Torrance City Council campaign is a Crenshaw Boulevard billboard advertising the candidacy of mayoral candidate and current Councilman Pat Furey.
Public sector union-backed candidates get so much money. Any candidates getting lavished so much cash do not get my vote.
Mike Robbins, activist in El Segundo, argues that it is the kiss of death for any candidate to take money from unions.
Pat Furey slammed voters with "pension envy" regarding outrage over the massive entitlement liabilities pressing on the city of Torrance. That's not envy, that's righteousness indignation, outrageous, plus a mature recognition that future generations should not be paying the bills for present and past employees.
In Torrance, 270 employees are getting more than $200k a year in total compensation, then add to that nearly 400 more who are getting $100k plus a year, and the city is facing some rough financial times ahead.
Unless the next city administration deals with the pension issues, along with spending necessary funds to fix the roads and repair the city infrastructure.
The only mayoral candidate who has any plan to deal with the pension problems, Tom Brewer, just released a mailer last week outlining the growing liabilities hitting the city of Torrance. The other two candidates want to raise taxes (Sutherland) or ignore the problem entirely (Pat Furey).
No one has to wonder why Furey is in a fury to ignore the pension issue - he is getting big money from the public sector unions in the city of Torrance. This conflict of interest simply cannot be ignored.
Furey's sign in the middle of Crenshaw and Del Amo is not just a black eye for the city, but will be a red mark for years to come, as unsustainable city debt eats away at the remaining revenue of a city struggling to maintain key services while inviting businesses to move in and thrive.
Mayor Frank Scotto remarked:
“It’s a difficult thing to take money like that and say out loud it won’t influence my vote."
Furey for mayor? More like "Furey for Protector of the Protectors (and their Pensions)".
Plus the fact that Furey's signs remain standing while other signs get taken away -- I have more reasons to oppose his candidacy for mayor, as should every other voter in the city of Torrance!
The sign was purchased by an independent expenditure. That means that Councilman Furey had no knowledge of it going up until he saw it like you did. And btw, Furey is well-known for his ethics in government, helping to topple Dan Walker and a founding member of the Commission on Ethics and Integrity. If something came up where the funders of the IE were looking for a contract, it is likely he would recuse himself. He has done so in the past whenever there was even a hint that it might be a conflict, even when it wasn't actually one.
The reason you think he might do otherwise is that Tom Brewer and Bill Sutherland did just that when Gerber Ambulance wanted the contract. They had taken money from him and they voted for him even though he was ranked #5 by staff. And they called him their friend multiple times and never asked him the same questions they asked the other 4 companies.
Word of advice, just because Tom Brewer does something unethical or wrong does not mean his opponents will act similarly.
Oh and I see above that you have referenced Tom Brewer's "plan" again. What exactly is that plan? To continue voting as he has for the last 8 years??? If that's his "plan," then we can just expect more of the same. Fact: Tom lies about everything just to get a vote. You should be a little smarter, Arthur...
Tough to take a billboard away, sport.
ReplyDeleteNo one has to take anything away. The brazen, union-backed endorsements in and of themselves advertise precisely who NOT to vote for. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the matter, scab? Teacher's union throw you out before you got fired or something?
ReplyDeleteThis is as stupid a post as I've seen. Not voting for a man because his billboards remail up. Astounding;y stupid.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYou spelled "Astonishingly" wrong, and you didn't read the whole post, apparently, since the money behind the billboard is the major problem.
ReplyDeleteThe sign was purchased by an independent expenditure. That means that Councilman Furey had no knowledge of it going up until he saw it like you did. And btw, Furey is well-known for his ethics in government, helping to topple Dan Walker and a founding member of the Commission on Ethics and Integrity. If something came up where the funders of the IE were looking for a contract, it is likely he would recuse himself. He has done so in the past whenever there was even a hint that it might be a conflict, even when it wasn't actually one.
ReplyDeleteThe reason you think he might do otherwise is that Tom Brewer and Bill Sutherland did just that when Gerber Ambulance wanted the contract. They had taken money from him and they voted for him even though he was ranked #5 by staff. And they called him their friend multiple times and never asked him the same questions they asked the other 4 companies.
Word of advice, just because Tom Brewer does something unethical or wrong does not mean his opponents will act similarly.
Oh and I see above that you have referenced Tom Brewer's "plan" again. What exactly is that plan? To continue voting as he has for the last 8 years??? If that's his "plan," then we can just expect more of the same. Fact: Tom lies about everything just to get a vote. You should be a little smarter, Arthur...