Why does it take 54 days, more than 30 emails, 25 phone calls, 3 faxes, and 2 trips to the city of West Covina to obtain records available to the public? The short answer is that some local government officials don’t believe they have to make the public records available to the public.

A group of graduate students working to achieve a Masters Degree from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy were assigned with obtaining all official campaign contribution forms 410, 460, and 700 for elected… Read More

Recently at a forum in Yorba Linda, I was asked to present the statewide initiatives in my customary non-biased informational way and answer any questions.

Representatives of some initiatives did show up and received a few minutes to present their case. One representative from the local teachers union explained why in her view Proposition 32 was flawed. She then said anybody that wants to exempt themselves from political dues can. It is easy.

Really?

The West Covina School Board of which I am a member unanimously changed some of our policies.

The Classified Service Employees Association (CSEA) recently filed a charge of us committing “unfair labor practices”. I know, like I would be unfair to a union? They already are so disadvantaged with having state law mandate that they represent all employees and forcing employees to pay whether they likeit or not. Add in the disadvantages suffered from the special laws protecting unions and mandating rules and benefits passed in Sacramento and the factunions being the top political spenders. One would never want to be “unfair”.

The “charges” contained a lot of… Read More

On May 12, 2011, as a member of the West Covina Unified School District Board of Education I voted to terminate the contract of the Superintendent. As these things go it was a tumultuous affair. I left the meeting after the announcement hoping that the angry supporters of the Superintendent would just let me get to my car. On the way out a West Covina Planning Commissioner, resident of Rowland Unified School District and candidate for West Covina City Council HERB REDHOLTZ told me, “Your political career is over”. I quipped that maybe I would run for council. Of course I didn’t run for council, I sought re-election.

Fast forward to November 8, 2011 results.

The results for THREE seats in West Covina Unified

Votes

2152 STEVE COX 2107 MIKE SPENCE 1979 CAMIE POULOS 1440 IAN JONES 1130 DAVID BARRILE 944 STEPHANI J BROVIAK

The results for TWO Seats on the West Covina City Council

3473 STEVE HERFERT 3154 FREDRICK SYKES 2880 KARIN ARMBRUST 2203 HERB REDHOLTZ

Not gloating, I’m just… Read More