AeroVironment introduces Shrike "quadcopter" vertical take-off drone. http://goo.gl/pHs8G
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's Green Dot Hires General Manager
Green Dot Corporation, a Monrovia-based prepaid financial services company, has hired marketing and branding expert Eric Duehring as general manager of the Green Dot-branded card business unit. http://goo.gl/Qf3JN
- Brad Haugaard
Comment Time for Monrovia Hillsides | Welcoming Baby Monrovians | Happy Birthday
~ Monrovia seeks comment on Hillside plan. http://goo.gl/Pz8aq ~ City Council welcomes the newest Monrovians. http://goo.gl/TF47I ~ MonroviaNow.com is a bit over a year old. Here's a link to our first posting, on July 31, 2010. On bears. What else. http://goo.gl/8cPbN - Brad Haugaard
Stanford Report: Numbers Used Against Portantino 'Suspicious'
A Stanford University non-profit research group, California Common Sense (CACS), says Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, is not the top spender in the Assembly - he's 18th - and that the figures released by the Assembly that show him to be the top spender are "suspicious."
From the CACS press release: "Given everything we know right now, it appears that the Rules Committee under-reported other Assemblymembers’ spending on staff and over-reported Portantino’s spending on staff. If this turns out to be the case, it is a sad day for California. It is a problem if elected officials such as Portantino who seek more transparent and accountable governance are being punished."
In his own press release, Portantino writes that the Stanford researchers "have completely exposed the clumsy attempt to falsely portray me in a bad light and exposed petty politics at its worst. The actions of the Assembly leaders not only undermine the public’s trust, they raise serious constitutional questions."
He adds: "I am asking the legislature to join me in requesting a complete and thorough audit of the State Assembly’s budget and expenditures."
Sources: CACS press release ( http://goo.gl/hKhWG ), CACS executive summary ( http://goo.gl/hjk1X ), CACS Policymaker Report ( http://goo.gl/G0XR5 )
UPDATE: Commenting on the Portantino affair, the Star-News accuses Assembly Speaker John Perez of "cooking" the Assembly's books and says he should resign. http://goo.gl/W8gh9
- Brad Haugaard
Back to School, Monrovia! | Profile of Ellis McCarthy
~ Back to school day. Drive carefully! And here's a picture: http://goo.gl/jhz0I ~ LA Times column on Monrovia football player, lineman Ellis McCarthy: http://goo.gl/BPV52 - Brad Haugaard
Hurray for the Frugal Ones!
Opinion: It is disappointing to find Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, has been spending more than any other Assembly member on office staff ($213,263.28) so far this year -- unless, of course, as Portantino maintains, that this isn't the full picture.
Still, I very much appreciate him forcing this information out into the open. But anyway what REALLY strikes me is the following five Assembly members, who all managed to squeak by spending less than $100 grand on their office staffs: Jose Solorio (D), $98,134.27Mariko Yamada (D), $96,990.86
Mike Morrell (R), $86,610.09
Bob Blumenfield (D), $81,036.50
Mary Hayashi (D), $62,457.60 I don't know how they vote on the bigger issues of spending, but good for them for keeping their office expenses under control. Maybe the rest of the Assembly could take lessons.
- Brad Haugaard
Released Records: Portantino Had Highest Spending | Ellis McCarthy Pictures | Accident Pictures | School Summer Music | Four Burglary Arrests
~ According to this article ( http://goo.gl/ahMR8 ), recently released Assembly records show that Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, spent more than any other Assembly member. Portantion has called this the equivalent to an April Fools joke: http://goo.gl/Dk80d
~ Pictures of Monrovia's Ellis McCarthy. "Intimidating." http://goo.gl/cxhUo
~ Photos of Friday accident at Huntington and Mayflower. http://goo.gl/GzJ3a
~ Summer music at Monrovia schools. http://goo.gl/X7xfb
~ Four Monrovians arrested on suspicion of burglary in Pasadena. http://goo.gl/xv1xM
- Brad Haugaard
Next Monrovia School Board Meeting
Back to school night schedule
At the next School Board meeting - Aug. 31, 7 p.m. in the board room (agenda: http://goo.gl/26MIS ) - the board will, among other things:
~ Consider ratifying an agreement with the various school employee unions. Big items: in 2013 employees will take a 3 percent salary cut, but will work six fewer days. Also, annual health insurance cost for employees will rise from $300 to $800. http://goo.gl/EizzZ
~ Hear a report on the STAR test results. http://goo.gl/2VIQt
~ Decide whether to fill Clare Chesley's seat (she moved out of town) or just leave it vacant until the November 8 election. http://goo.gl/1HsjC
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Schools Could Take Another Financial Hit
The likelihood of state cuts to K-12 education is "quite real," according to an analysis by David Conway, Monrovia Schools' Director of Fiscal Services.
In his preamble to a proposed revised budget ( http://goo.gl/wRhlP ) that the school board will consider at its August 31 meeting, Conway slammed the state and warned of possible cuts to come. Here's some of his analysis:
"As has become standard practice in recent years, the State Budget is balanced using some accounting gimmicks, funding shifts and an increase in the deferral of state apportionments into the next fiscal year. Even more troublesome, this budget assumes an additional $4 billion dollar increase in State revenue above the already optimistic assumptions used in the May Revised budget.
"To reassure financial markets and others that this budget was in fact balanced despite its rosy revenue assumptions and projections, the legislature included a 'trigger' that will be implemented after December 15th if revenue collections do not meet the projections at that time.
"Should these revenues not be realized, mid-year cuts - including cuts to K-12 education - will be implemented, unless subsequent legislation offering a different solution is passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor. July State tax collections were well under projection. The probability of mid-year and/or out-year cuts to K-12 education funding is quite real."
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Assemblyman Portantino Says Perez Insults Public
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, responded today to the release of Assembly documents, saying:
"If these documents were not posted on the Assembly's web page, I would think they were an April fool's joke. Today, Assembly Speaker John Perez released 8 month expenditures that continue to mislead the public on how the Assembly operates. The documents released hide true and accurate accounting of staff budgets and complete staff expenditures. I once again implore Assembly leaders to come clean and open the Assembly to true transparency. The documents released today are an insult to the public."
- Brad Haugaard (from press release from Portantino's office)
Monrovia's Clifton Middle School Gets New Principal
Monrovia High Assistant Principal Jennifer Gates will be moving over from Monrovia High School to take over the job of principal at Clifton Middle School, according to Monrovia School Board member Alex Zucco.
- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at Kiku Sushi
- Brad Haugaard
World Vision vs. Famine
Monrovia's World Vision challenges African Union to show leadership in Horn of Africa famine. http://goo.gl/tWyae - Brad Haugaard
Monrovia #1 | PetSmart Coming | Slow from Pasadena Tonight | Mayor Wins Civic Award | Cabaret Night
~ Monrovia No. 1 in Mid-Valley Division Top 10 poll. http://goo.gl/YfBy2
~ The old Circuit City on Huntington will be a new PetSmart. http://goo.gl/d1YpR
~ Two 210 Eastbound lanes will be closed tonight for bridge construction. Between Rosemead and Santa Anita, 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. http://goo.gl/h90kV
~ Mayor Mary Ann Lutz has won the Civic Award from the NAACP and will be receiving it September 8. http://goo.gl/19RWe
~ San Gabriel Valley Choral Company will present "Cabaret Night" at First Presbyterian Church on Sept. 24. http://goo.gl/SVeY9
- Brad Haugaard
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