So continues the ROYAL HMS PONZIE......... it is very apparent that the FEDERAL GOVERMENENT OF CANADA AND "it's" CROWN MINISTERS have no desire to prosecute their own LEGAL society insiders for this 40 year WEST COAST OF BC drug and PONZIE illegal monies laundering MARINE ENTERPRISE CROWN HMS PONZIE CRIMES STILL IN PROGRESS IN CANADA AND THE US
FORGED British Subject- QUEEN ELIZABETH 2
FORGED British Subject- QUEEN ELIZABETH 2
Department of Justice PIRACY wrongdoers
LEGAL AID
CANADA CUSTOMS AND REVENUE AGENCY inhouse GROUP INVESTOR corruption
I'm sensing another cabinet shuffle in the works after this inquiry.
Creation of ROYAL CROWN COMMONWEALTH DEBT SLAVES
Crown Corp's Bogus Bookkeeping
As part of the RESTITUTION sentence, the ponzie estate victims ask the SUPREME COURT OF CANADA to direct THE Queen CROWN AGENTS
INSERT BLANK CORPORATION OR BANK to put % $0/000,000 of the fine into a trust account operated by the Canadian Association of VICTIMS HMS CROWN PONZIE -DEBT SLAVES----------------to create an online training site for sharing best =================practices with other==============companies.
errors or defects in the administration of justice in Canada;
(i) the government or constitution of Canada or a province,
(ii) Parliament or the legislature of a province, or
(iii) the administration of justice in Canada;
Crown Corp's Bogus Bookkeeping
As part of the RESTITUTION sentence, the ponzie estate victims ask the SUPREME COURT OF CANADA to direct THE Queen CROWN AGENTS
INSERT BLANK CORPORATION OR BANK to put % $0/000,000 of the fine into a trust account operated by the Canadian Association of VICTIMS HMS CROWN PONZIE -DEBT SLAVES----------------to create an online training site for sharing best =================practices with other==============companies.
errors or defects in the administration of justice in Canada;
(i) the government or constitution of Canada or a province,
(ii) Parliament or the legislature of a province, or
(iii) the administration of justice in Canada;
Criminal Code of Canada - Part II Offences Against Public Order
THE Queen CROWN AGENTS .
Offences Against the administration of justice in Canada;
HER MAGESTY"S "ROYAL SHIP "HMS " IS SINKING "
The Queen must stop her ROYAL HMS PIRATE AGENTS from attaching more fraud to TARGETED ESTATE VICTIMS personal property!
SECRET SLUSH FUND BUSTED
piracy “in or out of Canada” is an indictable offence subject to a sentence of life imprisonment.
1973
BOB WILSON FRAMED SITTING MLA WAS 100% RIGHT!- CROWN PERJURY/FRAUD
DOUG FLYNN FRAMED founding DFO NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION DIRECTOR was 100% RIGHT PERJURY/FRAUD
1979, the former Winnipeger was the key player in a Florida-based marijuana smuggling operation that also included, prosecutors say, then-Manitoba MLA Bob Wilson. Winnipeg police and RCMP formed a task force, called Operation Enterprise, targeting the group's activities. Macdonald was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1980 on a warrant issued from Winnipeg. He escaped custody after feigning a heart attack and being taken to hospital. Florida police finally rearrested him last year.
Exception
60. Notwithstanding subsection 59(4), no person shall be deemed to have a seditious intention by reason only that he intends, in good faith,
(a) to show that Her Majesty has been misledor mistaken in her measures;
(b) to point out errors or defects in
(i) the government or constitution of Canada or a province,
(ii) Parliament or the legislature of a province, or
(iii) the administration of justice in Canada;
(c) to procure, by lawful means, the alteration of any matter of government in Canada; or
(d) to point out, for the purpose of removal, matters that produce or tend to produce feelings of hostility and ill-will between different classes of persons in Canada.
R.S., c. C-34, s. 61.
special white collar fraud provisions for Queen"s " prosecutor agents " MASTERMINDS BEHIND THE ATTORNEY generals ministry crown HMS ponzie
procure, by unlawful means, the alteration of any matter of government in Canada
DEPUTY REGISTAR GENERAL OF CANADA APPEARS TO BE CRA INSIDER WEFARE QUEEN CRIMINAL ATTACHED TO THE CROWN DFO/family court PROSECUTORS CRIMINAL INTERNATIONAL GOLD PONZIE NETWORKINDUSTRY CANADA FORGED CORPORATIONS 1997
DFO/HMS PONZIE HEDGE FUND
TAX FREE VENTURE CAPITAL RAISING /CASHFLOW/PENSION FUNDS
TARGETED OVER INSURED DEAD PEASANT ESTATE VICTIMS
GREEDY, UNETHICAL WESTCOAT ESTATE LAWYERS,AUDITORS /ACCOUNTANTS/MINISTERS OF THE CROWN,JUDICAL BANKRUPTCY JUDGES,JUDICIAL TRUSTEES IN COLLUSION WITH BC CRIMINAL WELFARE QUEENS .
60. Notwithstanding subsection 59(4), no person shall be deemed to have a seditious intention by reason only that he intends, in good faith,
(a) to show that Her Majesty has been misledor mistaken in her measures;
(b) to point out errors or defects in
(i) the government or constitution of Canada or a province,
(ii) Parliament or the legislature of a province, or
(iii) the administration of justice in Canada;
(c) to procure, by lawful means, the alteration of any matter of government in Canada; or
(d) to point out, for the purpose of removal, matters that produce or tend to produce feelings of hostility and ill-will between different classes of persons in Canada.
R.S., c. C-34, s. 61.
special white collar fraud provisions for Queen"s " prosecutor agents " MASTERMINDS BEHIND THE ATTORNEY generals ministry crown HMS ponzie
procure, by unlawful means, the alteration of any matter of government in Canada
DEPUTY REGISTAR GENERAL OF CANADA APPEARS TO BE CRA INSIDER WEFARE QUEEN CRIMINAL ATTACHED TO THE CROWN DFO/family court PROSECUTORS CRIMINAL INTERNATIONAL GOLD PONZIE NETWORKINDUSTRY CANADA FORGED CORPORATIONS 1997
DFO/HMS PONZIE HEDGE FUND
TAX FREE VENTURE CAPITAL RAISING /CASHFLOW/PENSION FUNDS
TARGETED OVER INSURED DEAD PEASANT ESTATE VICTIMS
GREEDY, UNETHICAL WESTCOAT ESTATE LAWYERS,AUDITORS /ACCOUNTANTS/MINISTERS OF THE CROWN,JUDICAL BANKRUPTCY JUDGES,JUDICIAL TRUSTEES IN COLLUSION WITH BC CRIMINAL WELFARE QUEENS .
Targeted Estate victims ,heirs, successors and assigns railroaded into POVERTY
SPOUSE ESTATE HEIR/EXECUTOR OF A)PROPERTY/DEBT/FUTURE INCOME OF A WESTCOAST LIVING DEADMAN INCORPORATED COMPANIES- COMPANY LIFE INSURED THROUGH A SUNLIFE ACCOUNT IN FLORIDA
SPOUSE ESTATE HEIR/EXECUTOR OF B)PERSONAL/DEBT/FUTURE INCOME PROPERTY OF A WESTCOAST NORWEGIAN BASED COMPANY EMPLOYEE , INCLUDING :SUN LIFE PENSION,RRSPS,MUTUAL FUNDS,
FATHERS ESTATE HEIR/EXECUTOR of C) PROPERTY OF A WESTCOST DECEASED NOT FOR PROFIT FOUNDING CORPORATION DIRECTOR,
Targeted Estate victims ,heirs, successors and assigns railroaded
Targeted Estate victims ,heirs, successors and assigns railroaded into POVERTY using the QUEENS NAME to commit forged debt,LIENS,OBLIGATION owed to the Queen .
SATISFACTION OF DEBT
RULES OF QUEEN ACCOUNTABILTY
FAIR GAME - Commonwealth Heads of Government
SATISFACTION OF DEBT
RULES OF QUEEN ACCOUNTABILTY
FAIR GAME - Commonwealth Heads of Government
Targeted Estate victims Pensions the latest political COMMONWEALTH risk
COMPANY PENSION PLAN
Don Stewart,outgoing chief executive officer who retires next month after 13 years at the helm.
OCT 18 2002-interoffice memorandum
stolt sea farm inc
sun life pension plan coverage
company start date
Sun Life surprises with warning of big loss tara perkins — FINANCIAL SERVICES REPORTER From Tuesday's Globe and Mail Published Monday, Oct. 17, 2011 7:50AM EDT Last updated Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 7:28PM EDT128 comments
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s drive to push down interest rates is taking a dramatic toll on Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF-T22.85-1.15-4.79%), forcing one of Canada’s biggest life insurers to warn of its first quarterly loss in two years.
Sun Life said it expects to post a $621-million loss for the July-to-September period when it officially reports its financial results on Nov. 2. That will be the final set of full financial results for outgoing chief executive officer Don Stewart, who retires next month after 13 years at the helm.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s drive to push down interest rates is taking a dramatic toll on Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF-T22.85-1.15-4.79%), forcing one of Canada’s biggest life insurers to warn of its first quarterly loss in two years.
Sun Life said it expects to post a $621-million loss for the July-to-September period when it officially reports its financial results on Nov. 2. That will be the final set of full financial results for outgoing chief executive officer Don Stewart, who retires next month after 13 years at the helm.
The Effects of Rate-Regulated Accounting
The Canadian.org
BC Hydro Does an Enron: What Crown Corp's Bogus Bookkeeping Means for BC Citizenry
written by Erik Andersen
Kicking the Can Down the Road, BC Hydro Style -
Billions in Bogus Accounting Revealed
by Erik Andersen l This month (October 2011)
The Auditor General of British Columbia presented his report to Government titled “BC Hydro: The Effects of Rate-Regulated Accounting”. For most folks this is not be a gripping story they will want to master. That of course is exactly what your Government is counting on.
To get everyone’s attention here are in his words the financial dimensions of the issue.
"As of March 31, 2011, a net total of $2.2 billion in expenses had been deferred and, by government’s own estimate, the balance is predicted to grow to nearly $5 billion by 2017".
Since this is a total of deferred expenses one could add current total liabilities and get per capita liability for everyone in BC in 2017 of $4,600 at a minimum. That is for BC Hydro liabilities alone.
The Auditor General’s Report describes what the "Regulatory Asset Account" is about. Theoretically it is about smoothing large incomes and expenses across several years. As used by BC Hydro it has been about exaggerated use of credit to fund questionable expenditures.
Perhaps a personal analogy might help.
Let’s say that in 2006 your house was assessed at $124,840
and you were carrying a mortgage of $65,420 plus credit card/overdraft debt of $42,350.
Your real job produced $27,270 before income tax and HST.
Your creditors knew that your dad was a good credit risk and in fact had co-signed your mortgage and credit lines.
Now fast forward to 2011
Your house has an assessed value of $194,790 and you have used your new equity and your dad’s credit standing to re-mortgage to $106,320 plus you now have $59,000 of short term debt.
In that 5 years you have managed increase your income from your day job to $34,380.
Over the five years you have also managed to run up extra expenses of $22,000 which your dad is on the hook for and you have to tell him the amount will increase for certain by $30,000 more 5 years out.
Your creditors are okay with this because you have convinced them that the $22,000 and extra $30,000 of future income will materialize because you own a business that is in fact a monopoly.
The above values are taken from BC Hydro’s Annual Reports, only the decimals are moved.
The guarantor (AKA dad) in BC Hydro’s case is every citizen of BC.
Since 2005 when the “Regulatory Asset Account” was zero, about $4.4 billion of expenses have been designated as accounts receivable from rate payers in BC.
As the Auditor General mentioned about $2.2 billion remains today. Brace yourselves for higher rates needed to pay this off and more.
case law
Statoil fined $190,000 for water license violation CBC News Posted: Oct 31, 2011 8:43 PM MT Last Updated: Oct 31, 2011 8:37 PM MT Facebook 0 Twitter 4 Share 4 Email Statoil Canada has been fined $190,000 by a provincial court judge for breaking the terms of its temporary water licence.
The oil company pleaded guilty Monday to diverting water near Conklin, Alta., between Dec. 15, 2008 and May 29, 2009 in a manner not covered by the licence.
According to a statement of facts, Statoil under-reported the volume of water that was diverted from a lake.
The company also did not have permission under the license to divert water from two sources known as Waterhole 1 and Waterhole 2.
Waterhole 2, an unnamed stream in the area, was rejected as a water diversion source by Alberta Environment in Dec. 2008. However, diversions continued until Feb. 18, 2009, the court document said.
Commonwealth leaders have ignored warnings that their decaying association will die without urgent reforms
PERTH, Australia - Commonwealth leaders have ignored warnings that their decaying association will die without urgent reforms and have failed to reach significant agreement on how to ensure its member nations abide by human rights principles and the rule of law.
But instead of endorsing the report, the leaders Commonwealth Heads of Government adopted a distrustful view about its contents - even deciding that it should be kept secret and not be published.
CERTAIN Commonwealth Heads of Government are covering up a massive ,criminal network of fraud,allowing murders ,pedophiles,and PONZIE INDUSTRY MASTERMINDS who's wealth far exceed 1000 BERNIE MADOFFS .
http://www.canada.com/life/Commonwealth+
leaders+refuse+publish+report+findings/5628156/story.html#ixzz1cDmXWTbo
But instead of endorsing the report, the leaders Commonwealth Heads of Government adopted a distrustful view about its contents - even deciding that it should be kept secret and not be published.
CERTAIN Commonwealth Heads of Government are covering up a massive ,criminal network of fraud,allowing murders ,pedophiles,and PONZIE INDUSTRY MASTERMINDS who's wealth far exceed 1000 BERNIE MADOFFS .
http://www.canada.com/life/Commonwealth+
leaders+refuse+publish+report+findings/5628156/story.html#ixzz1cDmXWTbo
Hammer falls on top corruption cop Not our call, government says
.
Hammer falls on top corruption cop Not our call, government says; UPAC says criticism of unit's boss made it 'impossible' for him to stay
By KEVIN DOUGHERTY, The Gazette October 29,2011Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Hammer+falls+corruption/5626062/story.html#ixzz1cC6EcBuq
By KEVIN DOUGHERTY, The Gazette October 29,2011Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Hammer+falls+corruption/5626062/story.html#ixzz1cC6EcBuq
The Commonwealth Heads of Government is EXSPOSING its international credibility as the decades old ROYAL Imperial PONZIE GREED GRAB by the Queens "officers of her court " are rising to the surface on a global level.
These CROWN MADOFFS and their cronies are being protected from jail by their CERTAIN Commonwealth Heads of Governments BROTHERHOOD INVESTORS GROUP.
CERTAIN Commonwealth Heads of Governments are allowing the courts to manipulate courts ,criminal laws, by ignoring the RULE OF LAW .
QUEENS ROYAL HMS IMPERIAL PONZIE victims.
d.o.a.
NO chance of witnesses/whistleblowers loose lips knowingly or unknowingly bringing down the ponzie BROTHERHOOD INVESTORS GROUP.
Stonewalling court cases is just one way to cover up forgery ,corruption
a forged whistleblowers coroners report is another .
T falls deeper and deeper in to a state of tryanny because the judicial system has completely with no remorse committed fraud by continously PIMPING the QUEENS name and authority for personal illegal wealth.
I believe 49.78% of Canadians would demand the Queen explain how the Canadian FEDERAL Goverment was able to attach so many QUEEN CAVEATS(costs for lawyers ) to one piece of land LOADED WITH mortgage fraud when in fact in 1973 the property had clear title.
Mortgage fraud was refinanced over and over from 1973 and continues to this day all under ASSIGNMENT to the QUEEN IN THE RIGHT OF BC,ALBERTA,ONTARIO,CANADA.
"Canadian Royal JUDICIAL criminal oligarchy PONZIE", decades old lawyer fraud, has destroyed the "RULE OF LAW " leaving a Generation robbed of land ,health,pensions ,estate assets , and family.
"remedial action."
Stop the CROWNS SLATE by basically putting a condom on CORRUPTION AT CITY HALL
A MUNICAPLITY Commissioner with a DIRECT LINE TO THE GOVENOR GENERAL OF CANADA to immediately launch an internal JUDICIAL criminal oligarchy investigation to rid the system of corruption at the local level, as well as instant e-alerts for
'officials to deal with corruption according to INTERNATIONAL RULE OF LAWS.
A FEDERAL MUNICAPLITY Commissioner with a DIRECT LINE TO THE GOVENOR GENERAL OF CANADA would protect whistleblowers from having the information being filtered through an obviously dangerous cartel.
A MUNICAPLITY Commissioner for TAXPAYER Democracy, the TAXPAYER Rule of Law and TAXPAYER Human Rights to keep track of whether the members of THE CROWN, WALLSTREET , CITY HALL JUDICICIARY,LAW SOCIETYS are persistently violating human rights, http://www.canada.com/life/Commonwealth+leaders+refuse+publish+
report+findings/5628149/story.html#ixzz1cCTCmjYw
Mortgage fraud was refinanced over and over from 1973 and continues to this day all under ASSIGNMENT to the QUEEN IN THE RIGHT OF BC,ALBERTA,ONTARIO,CANADA.
"Canadian Royal JUDICIAL criminal oligarchy PONZIE", decades old lawyer fraud, has destroyed the "RULE OF LAW " leaving a Generation robbed of land ,health,pensions ,estate assets , and family.
"remedial action."
Stop the CROWNS SLATE by basically putting a condom on CORRUPTION AT CITY HALL
A MUNICAPLITY Commissioner with a DIRECT LINE TO THE GOVENOR GENERAL OF CANADA to immediately launch an internal JUDICIAL criminal oligarchy investigation to rid the system of corruption at the local level, as well as instant e-alerts for
'officials to deal with corruption according to INTERNATIONAL RULE OF LAWS.
A FEDERAL MUNICAPLITY Commissioner with a DIRECT LINE TO THE GOVENOR GENERAL OF CANADA would protect whistleblowers from having the information being filtered through an obviously dangerous cartel.
A MUNICAPLITY Commissioner for TAXPAYER Democracy, the TAXPAYER Rule of Law and TAXPAYER Human Rights to keep track of whether the members of THE CROWN, WALLSTREET , CITY HALL JUDICICIARY,LAW SOCIETYS are persistently violating human rights, http://www.canada.com/life/Commonwealth+leaders+refuse+publish+
report+findings/5628149/story.html#ixzz1cCTCmjYw
Canadian senator Hugh Segal called for major reforms
The report by a panel of "eminent persons" which includes Canadian senator Hugh Segal called for major reforms to ensure the Commonwealth - which is quickly losing its international credibility - becomes relevant and avoids a slow slide to death.
Read more: http://www.canada.com/life/Commonwealth+leaders+refuse+publish+report+
findings/5628149/story.html#ixzz1cCG7f0zO
Read more: http://www.canada.com/life/Commonwealth+leaders+refuse+publish+report+
findings/5628149/story.html#ixzz1cCG7f0zO
Receivership Logical Cure For Ill-Fated “Cities” Rick Cole / Aug 26 2010
For Release Sunday, August 29, 2010
Citiwire.net
The scandal of grossly inflated city council and top manager salaries in Bell, Calif. — and a similar story about its neighbor Vernon, Calif. — has touched a nerve. It’s being used as the poster child for public sector excess and arrogance.
What’s missing from the outrage, though, is a focus on the underlying causes — or the real cost. We’ve always known that unchecked power is prone to abuse, whether in the private or public sector — even in sacred institutions of faith. But why was such blatant abuse allowed to bloom — and why was it so long ignored? Who really pays the price for official corruption? Most urgently of all, what sensible steps should be take to ensure it is not repeated?
Without that, we may see misguided “reforms” duck the specific solutions to the real problem. Corruption is like cancer — it comes in different forms and is best curbed with specific treatments. Arbitrary new rules aimed at “reforming” every city government would be a ridiculous over-reaction. It would only further hamstring the effectiveness of local government at a time when we need more efficiency, not less. The same goes for generic and toothless reforms that simply sound good.
Lots of causes have been pinpointed. There was a genuine failure of essentially all of the gatekeepers of public integrity. The professional managers, meant to be insulated from political corruption, were instead the source of it. The elected officials, meant to keep an eye on the administrators, co-conspired with them so everyone could participate in the plunder. The city attorney, sworn to uphold the law, signed off on its evasion. Local law enforcement was part of the game. The media, the county grand jury, the district attorney and community leaders and residents were asleep at the wheel.
There are specific, clear-cut and fixable causes for the why these gatekeepers failed — and these risk being lost in the babble and finger pointing.
Bell is one of a dozen inner ring suburbs that prospered on Southern California’s great post-war industrial boom. When others think of Los Angeles, the images evoked are beaches, palm trees, freeways and movies, with perhaps some dark urban dystopia thrown in. Forgotten is that beginning with the shipyards of World War II, the vast tract of flat land between the port and downtown became the second largest industrial concentration in the world, behind the bombed-out German Ruhr. Aerospace, tires, steel, cars, industrial tools, electronics and the other booming industries of postwar America provided opportunity and jobs to the children of the Oakies and Arkies that had streamed into California during the Depression.
Fifty years later, the big plants are closed. The white working class has moved up and on. What remains is a landscape of struggling industries and a half million largely immigrant workers in the remaining manufacturing and service industries at the heart of Southern California, divided up into a dozen municipal jurisdictions that are ripe for corruption.
Three adjacent towns illustrate the problem. Vernon is a 2.5 square mile commercial powerhouse of factories and warehouses. It has a population of just 96 residents. There are no houses or apartments to buy or rent — all the residential real estate is occupied by members of the city council or city employees and their families. It is essentially a financial printing press disguised as a municipality. It’s gusher of tax and utility revenue allows it to support a police force of 54 officers for 96 residents, while it’s next door neighbor struggles with just 38 officers for a population of 40,000. Vernon’s tax base allowed it to pay Bruce Malkenhorst Sr. the highest salary for a city manager in California. But it didn’t keep him from stealing at least another $60,000 to pay for personal massages, golf trips and lavish meals, for which he was eventually indicted. Unconvicted, to this day he collects the highest public pension in the state — more than half a million dollars a year.
On the other side of Bell is Maywood, which is virtually bereft of industry or commerce. Thirty thousand people live there. After years of scandal and political wrangling, It recently found itself in such a fiscal hole that it took the unprecedented step of firing its entire workforce, including disbanding its police force. The county sheriffs took over policing the city (and the adjacent community of Cudahy) and City Hall and other municipal functions were turned over to … Bell.
Three cities. All systematically victimized by corruption. But its not the water, its not the dark side of human nature — it’s the artificial boundaries that determine their common fate.
None of the three cities should be organized as a separate city. The only sensible solution is to consolidate them through receivership, probably as part of a larger redrawing of lines of the dozen cities in the area. New borders should reflect today’s economic and demographic realities, not arbitrary lines drawn by real estate speculators a century ago. A half a million low-income residents are systematically short-changed from getting honest, effective local government and the services it provides because they live in a patchwork of artificial “cities” that hamstring effective governance.
Receivership and re-organization are systematic solutions to the problems in Southeast Los Angeles. “Feel good” statewide legislation is just knee-jerk reaction. Yes, posting city salaries on websites is good for every town in California — or America. But it won’t fix the problem in Bell, Vernon, Maywood and the nearby communities. Having the California state legislature turn its attention from passing a budget to establishing formulas for management pay in every California town is problematic — and also won’t solve the problem in Bell, Vernon, Maywood and the nearby communities.
Tip O’Neill famously observed: “All politics is local.” In this case, the problem in Southeast Los Angeles is also local. It is not confined to a single city, but its cure lies in redrawing lines to create cities that make sense. Then the people there can have a shot at ensuring they get the government they deserve — and the shot at the American dream they strive for.
Rick Cole is City Manager of Ventura, Calif.
Citiwire.net columns are not copyrighted and may be reproduced in print or electronically; please show authorship, credit Citiwire.net and send an electronic copy of usage to [email protected].
For Release Sunday, August 29, 2010
Citiwire.net
The scandal of grossly inflated city council and top manager salaries in Bell, Calif. — and a similar story about its neighbor Vernon, Calif. — has touched a nerve. It’s being used as the poster child for public sector excess and arrogance.
What’s missing from the outrage, though, is a focus on the underlying causes — or the real cost. We’ve always known that unchecked power is prone to abuse, whether in the private or public sector — even in sacred institutions of faith. But why was such blatant abuse allowed to bloom — and why was it so long ignored? Who really pays the price for official corruption? Most urgently of all, what sensible steps should be take to ensure it is not repeated?
Without that, we may see misguided “reforms” duck the specific solutions to the real problem. Corruption is like cancer — it comes in different forms and is best curbed with specific treatments. Arbitrary new rules aimed at “reforming” every city government would be a ridiculous over-reaction. It would only further hamstring the effectiveness of local government at a time when we need more efficiency, not less. The same goes for generic and toothless reforms that simply sound good.
Lots of causes have been pinpointed. There was a genuine failure of essentially all of the gatekeepers of public integrity. The professional managers, meant to be insulated from political corruption, were instead the source of it. The elected officials, meant to keep an eye on the administrators, co-conspired with them so everyone could participate in the plunder. The city attorney, sworn to uphold the law, signed off on its evasion. Local law enforcement was part of the game. The media, the county grand jury, the district attorney and community leaders and residents were asleep at the wheel.
There are specific, clear-cut and fixable causes for the why these gatekeepers failed — and these risk being lost in the babble and finger pointing.
Bell is one of a dozen inner ring suburbs that prospered on Southern California’s great post-war industrial boom. When others think of Los Angeles, the images evoked are beaches, palm trees, freeways and movies, with perhaps some dark urban dystopia thrown in. Forgotten is that beginning with the shipyards of World War II, the vast tract of flat land between the port and downtown became the second largest industrial concentration in the world, behind the bombed-out German Ruhr. Aerospace, tires, steel, cars, industrial tools, electronics and the other booming industries of postwar America provided opportunity and jobs to the children of the Oakies and Arkies that had streamed into California during the Depression.
Fifty years later, the big plants are closed. The white working class has moved up and on. What remains is a landscape of struggling industries and a half million largely immigrant workers in the remaining manufacturing and service industries at the heart of Southern California, divided up into a dozen municipal jurisdictions that are ripe for corruption.
Three adjacent towns illustrate the problem. Vernon is a 2.5 square mile commercial powerhouse of factories and warehouses. It has a population of just 96 residents. There are no houses or apartments to buy or rent — all the residential real estate is occupied by members of the city council or city employees and their families. It is essentially a financial printing press disguised as a municipality. It’s gusher of tax and utility revenue allows it to support a police force of 54 officers for 96 residents, while it’s next door neighbor struggles with just 38 officers for a population of 40,000. Vernon’s tax base allowed it to pay Bruce Malkenhorst Sr. the highest salary for a city manager in California. But it didn’t keep him from stealing at least another $60,000 to pay for personal massages, golf trips and lavish meals, for which he was eventually indicted. Unconvicted, to this day he collects the highest public pension in the state — more than half a million dollars a year.
On the other side of Bell is Maywood, which is virtually bereft of industry or commerce. Thirty thousand people live there. After years of scandal and political wrangling, It recently found itself in such a fiscal hole that it took the unprecedented step of firing its entire workforce, including disbanding its police force. The county sheriffs took over policing the city (and the adjacent community of Cudahy) and City Hall and other municipal functions were turned over to … Bell.
Three cities. All systematically victimized by corruption. But its not the water, its not the dark side of human nature — it’s the artificial boundaries that determine their common fate.
None of the three cities should be organized as a separate city. The only sensible solution is to consolidate them through receivership, probably as part of a larger redrawing of lines of the dozen cities in the area. New borders should reflect today’s economic and demographic realities, not arbitrary lines drawn by real estate speculators a century ago. A half a million low-income residents are systematically short-changed from getting honest, effective local government and the services it provides because they live in a patchwork of artificial “cities” that hamstring effective governance.
Receivership and re-organization are systematic solutions to the problems in Southeast Los Angeles. “Feel good” statewide legislation is just knee-jerk reaction. Yes, posting city salaries on websites is good for every town in California — or America. But it won’t fix the problem in Bell, Vernon, Maywood and the nearby communities. Having the California state legislature turn its attention from passing a budget to establishing formulas for management pay in every California town is problematic — and also won’t solve the problem in Bell, Vernon, Maywood and the nearby communities.
Tip O’Neill famously observed: “All politics is local.” In this case, the problem in Southeast Los Angeles is also local. It is not confined to a single city, but its cure lies in redrawing lines to create cities that make sense. Then the people there can have a shot at ensuring they get the government they deserve — and the shot at the American dream they strive for.
Rick Cole is City Manager of Ventura, Calif.
Citiwire.net columns are not copyrighted and may be reproduced in print or electronically; please show authorship, credit Citiwire.net and send an electronic copy of usage to [email protected].
