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Laguna Hills buys its city manager a $60,000 car - in Tustin
October 30th, 2009, 5:00 am · 201 Comments · posted by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer
It’s not just that Laguna Hills bought its city manager a $60,000 car during a recession.
It’s that the beefy 2010 Toyota Sequoia (left) - a 16-or-so-miles-per-gallon guzzler, now driven by city manager Bruce Channing - was bought in Tustin that hurts.
City coffers are anemic these days thanks to plummeting sales tax revenues - and in this case, Laguna Hills paid nearly $5,000 in sales tax on the Sequoia at Tustin Toyota. The city of Tustin gets to keep a nice chunk of that.
A shoutout here to Laguna Hills watchdog Jean Bland, who ferreted out the sales contract for the Sequoia that made its way to us. The contract (which you can see for yourself here: sequoia-bill-page-1, sequoia-bill-2, sequoia-bill-3) shows that the total sales price for the Sequoia was $59,999.80, with a $10,000 trade-in on a 2004 Ch
evy Suburban with 109,000 miles (Channing, right, apparently likes big cars).
It may or may not be worth nothing that, under “primary use for which purchased,” the “personal, family or household” box is checked, not the “business or commercial” box.
We have called and emailed the city manager about the car, but didn’t hear back by deadline.
This car contract - and a volume of other interesting public records that we’ll be delving into in coming weeks - was brought to our attention by one Barbara Kogerman, who is running for a seat on the Laguna Hills city council next year and is amassing an impressive war chest of public documents.
“We have an excellent city manager who is well-regarded and does a good job,” Kogerman told us. “Of course he needs a car. But the economy is in dire condition. The city depends largely on revenue from retail from the Laguna Hills mall. We have 17 percent vacancy in City Hall itself. Income is down all around. We had to drop two county sheriffs because of economic conditions in the city.
“Given that, for the city manager to have been given the option to go out and purchase a car - I think that was not an astute move on the part of the city council to allow that to happen.”
If he had to have a car, she mused, perhaps one could have been bought locally.
To be fair, Laguna Hills is not exactly awash in new car dealerships. It does have Phillips Mazda, however - where the sturdy CX-9 (right) is listed for $31,305.
Clearly, the Laguna Hills city council race is going to be one for the books. Kogerman has been active in putting together the South Orange County Chambers of Commerce; her husband, Bill Kogerman, was a lead fighter against an El Toro airport, and is on the Great Park board of directors.
Kogerman’s beefs? The entire city council has essentially been in the driver’s seat since Laguna Hills incorporated in 1991, and she thinks things are long overdue for a shakeout. New blood. Not just the same old same old. She wants:
- Openness and transparency. Right now, meetings cannot be viewed online, agenda backup materials are not posted online, budgets are not presented in easily-digestible format.
- Greater citizen participation. The city should have commissions to bring up the new local leaders - planning, seniors, economic development and financial oversight are some of her ideas.
- Reasonable spending priorities, and
- Term limits, on which all the rest depends, she said. “Without that, we won’t have the turnover we need, the opportunity for new leaders to develop, fresh ideas. It all hinges on that.”
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Next thing you’ll report is he got a haircut in San Clemente! Yawn. Isn’t there anything productive for the watchmutt to do? This is really bottom of the barrel scraping news.
When MY money is being spent without care I want to know about it. Those who call this “scraping the barrel” likely are the ones who are getting these pork perks while MY taxes go up.
I hope the register keeps up the good work finding and reporting WASTEFUL use of MY money, as if they don’t who will?????
What taxes have gone up besides your state income tax possibly? My property taxes dropped dramatically this year. What the hell are you talking about - taxes going up? Your federal income tax has nothing to do with this. You pay no local income tax. Sales tax is fixed and would require voter approval to be raised. Your taxes haven’t risen one bit you idiot. If anything they’ve been lowered due to lower real estate values. Quit your bloviating.
ummm you might want to LOOK at YOUR RECEIPT the next time you go shopping.
Ok, I’m looking at a receipt. What went up recently as far as a tax? Nothing that the taxpayers didn’t authorize. Which is nothing. Do you own a home? Did it get reassessed downward this year? Mine did by $150,000. That’s about $2,000 less in property taxes. And unless you live in that City you have nothing to say taxwise about how it spends money. That’s between the citizens and who they vote for.
Apr 1, 2009 10:26 am US/Pacific California Sales Tax Rises By 1 PercentSACRAMENTO (CBS 5 / AP / BCN)
Californians began feeling the pain of the recently negotiated state budget fix Wednesday, when a 1-percent increase in the state sales tax forced consumers to pay more for goods such as cars, furniture, laptops and toys.
California’s sales tax rose to 6 percent, bringing the average local sales tax rate to almost 9 percent — one of the highest in the nation.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
Does that help?
Note: it WAS 7.75% in O.C.
As for your county property tax argument?/tax cut..are you really celebrating a reduction of 2k when the value of your home has dropped 300k? not I.
You attacked the previous poster without validity.
And these stories are for EVERY Taxpayer to be aware of.
That’s funny Hankster! I agree. Why should a city manager be told where to buy a car? That’s capitalism for you. I don’t think it matters what city the car was purchased in; but the fact that he didn’t have to pay for a car that he’s using for personal/family use.
Did YOU NOT READ the entire article??? The CITY PAID FOR IT! If a city employee needs a car; get a PC car, or hey, take the bus!
UNDERSTAND???
That’s is not all that is wrong with this cities leadership. They approved up to 10% bonuses for their department heads, but denied a cost of living increase for the other city employees. Department Heads rely on their employees to get their job done, but only they got the salary increases. Doesn’t seem right, does it?
COMON’ HANKSTER….YOU GET IT.
PARENTS HAVE TO BUY PAPER, PENCILS, CRAYONS AND CLASS SUPPLIES BECAUSE THE CITY HAS NO MONEY TO PROVIDE THESE THINGS, WE HAVE CUT TEACHERS, DEPUTIES, CITY MAINTENANCE AND ON AND ON….MONEY IS JUST TIGHT RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU RAN FOR OFFICE TO BE A PUBLIC “SERVANT” AND TAX DOLLARS WERE THE ONLY DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO KEEP YOUR CITY OPERATIONAL,
WOULD YOU BUY A $60,000.00 VEHICLE TO BE USED BY ONE PERSON (FOR PERSONAL USE!)?
Someone who makes over $200,000 a year to manage a city of 20,000 + people is well compensated and should be able to afford their own vehicle or transportation. It is his choice to live in Yorba Linda and commute.
Comparing that to a haircut in San Clemente is small-minded.
I think if more people in Laguna Hills knew what was going on with the City Council, we will have new members at the next election.
Also, it is hard to believe that no money has been contributed to support the Senior Center at Moulton Plaza even though many Laguna Hills residents use this facility regularly. An affluent community like ours should be ashamed of their priorities.
It is definitely time for a change in Laguna Hills leadership.
History repeats itself and this City Manager was mentored by another city manager who pillaged Yorba Linda until its citizens figured it out and finally got that guy out. When these city manager’s stay too long they think they own city hall and can do no wrong. It is wrong for any city manager to purchase a gas- guzzling, $60K SUV in this environment. The question is what else is going on in city hall? If this is in the light and this city manager cannot acknowledge that it looks bad can you imagine what is going on in the inside…remember his mentor (Simonian Sr.)…and what this guy learned when he spent all those years in Yorba Linda…history repeats itself.
are you kidding? taxpayers paid for this clowns car? no wonder we have the problems we do.
indeed. what, the city never heard of a lease?
Considering he put 109,000 on a five year old trade in, a lease might not be a good option. More than 20,000 a year would likely be beyond the range of most leases.
if they think that some GOV. fat cat needs are beyound a reg car the least they should have done is to have LEASED AN AMERICAN CAR written the right way would have been far less money. only 10k for a 04 suburban is a joke. That car was worth a minimum of 14k considering it was 45k new .I WHIS i could have gotten the commision on that i woujld still be on vacation what else would we expect; its not their . If your family and your fat ass needs an s.u.v. try paying with it with your$ 180k that you get for nothing……………SPEND ON FAT CAT………….
Why is he a clown? Do you know him? Or are all government employees clowns in your opinion? Let’s get right down to it. You don’t like the government telling you anything and you don’t like public employees. At one point probably you didn’t get your way in dealing with the government and now you’re perpetually po’d at anything having to do with a government employee or action. There’s nothing that would make you happy except to disband the government - well, you probably think we should keep a couple policemen and firemen. About right?
wrong pal with your extremist viewpoint. Obviously, you are a government employee. lol
nope..I was raised to be an accountable law abiding citizen. And if not, then expect the consequences.
That IS the PROBLEM…the PRIVATE sector is the only one left being held accountable in today’s society. This has gone to such an extreme YOU and your clowns think it is normal. I have friends and family who work for government. They will be the FIRST to tell you how LAZY most are. They will be the FIRST to tell you can’t get RID of them.
Taxpayers are tired of wasting money and PROVIDING salaries, automatic raises/pensions to those that don’t EARN it. And 60k vehicles while they abandon their taxpaying seniors. And what GALL to continue doing it during this economy while people are unemployed and homeless. GREED. I SUPPORT GOVERNMENT SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THOSE IN NEED. NOT FOLKS LIKE YOU WITH GIMME GIMME ATTITUDES.
You’re like the guy who’s not racist cause he has a good black friend. Yeah, all government employees are lazy. All private sector workers are wonderful. Right?
LMAO. you have to be one of the most ridiculous posters I have come across. For the record, lazy private sector employees get FIRED, Bubble BOY.
JR, how do they not earn it? Do your friends and family sit around and sponge off the taxpayers also? I’m not your pal.
who does he think he is? Tom Mauk?
Get over it. Bruce has had the opportunity to leave for larger cities many times over. He’s well-regarded and has shown long term loyalty to the City. That deserves something. Tustin got $600. Wow.
Then he should take those jobs.
That $600, buddy, pays for park benches, doggie do-do bags, etc. You must be super rich to not understand the vaule of $600.
why do the proponents of government waste always come up with the same silly argument? so-and-so could do this, or they could do that, this was the only way to make sure they don’t. blah, hogwash.
Blatant nonsense says:
Get over it. Bruce has had the opportunity to leave for larger cities many times over.
=================
Errr…sure he could, and I am sure he could have negotiated a million dollar contract with those other cites, or a multi million dollar ocntract in the private sector becase we ALL know how SMART our GED educated gov employees are-right.
Heck, he could be running Goldman Sachs if he wanted to, right??
You gov clowns just don’t know when to stop.
I have a masters degree and graduated phi beta kappa and high honors from UC. I was a government employee. Now I’ve got a great retirement and my private sector friends are all jealous. Who is the smart one?
Looks like you are so full of yourself that it becomes nauseating to read your remarks. If a City Manager should have vehicle it should only be for official business. He makes a good salary to afford a personal car. We also have Car dealers in Laguna Hills that could use the sale. Since you are retired and enjoying the good live maybe you could give some of your money to the Senoir Center in our city.
You dope. The car is part of his salary. Just like the bonus is part of a businessman’s salary. This is one guy at the city. Not everyone gets a $60,000 car. Your beef should be with the City Council of that city. You are so blind with envy that it colors your judgement. We start with different premises obviously. I don’t see anything wrong with public service. You do, obviously.
I reread your post and you are right that it should only be for official business. Good point. As a matter of fact, if you bothered to check I am sure the car is only for official business. He can’t take a trip across country. That’s the way these things are done. Would that make you happy? Or should he get a Kia for official business?
LMAO again. No one has a problem with PUBLIC SERVICE. Seriously, your crippled brain is worrisome. Why would anyone ENVY you?
I’m retired and should give money to your city? Why should I do that? Why don’t you give money to my city, San Clemente? Silly. Sorry to nauseate you but I think you just don’t like anything to do with public employees. Right? Tell that to the next cop or fireman that helps you or yours.
Frank are you hitting the bottle or the pipe?
LOL I mean Hank. I need to hit the coffee, obviously.
Then maybe Bruce should leave for larger city he may get a Mercedes G class there.
Channing is paid more than the City manager in Irvine a city much bigger than ours. He thinks that we will pay any price to keep him. But in an economy like this, we can do bette. The council and Channing are lounging in a comfortable hammock on auto-pilot. And if we don’t wake up well have overshot the airport by as many miles as those other pilots did. The councilmembers are never seen in public, won’t respond to e-mail or phone calls and are ignoring the tough issues we will be facing such as an aging population and infrastructure because it’s too hard for them to summon any enthusiasm or energy after 20 years of uncontested elections and lack of coverage in the news about issues like this. They have counted on us not paying any attention for years. Now we are. Thge only people who think this is a non-issue are those who are part of that comfy “don’t bother us” crowd like Blatant Nonsense and hankster81.
It’s called competition for services. A City Manager is not like a trash collector. These are leaders of very large “corporations” and cities compete for their services. People like you have no clue what goes into being a successful City Manager. It’s a 24 hour per day job. They are constantly on call and have to travel frequently through the City and elsewhere. I know you all think anyone could do this job, but seriously you have absolutely no clue what a difficult job this is. And how much competition there is for talented managers.
Hank,
you are on crack my friend. Do you know the talent pool out there right now in the OC and LA counties? There are probably hundreds of people qualified to do that job, including MBA’s, CPA’s, etc. who are out of work. CA ha one of the best education systems out there and I am sure that there are grads from some of the top public policy schools such as Claremont, Chapman, USC, UCLA, Pepperdine, etc. where they could find someone to replace him for probably half of what he gets paid. Further, why can’t he purchase an American car for far cheaper, like a Chevy Malibu or Impala, like normal public officials?
I think what is happening is that the sheeple are waking up and not liking the fact that they are jobless and people like this guy are getting pay raises and perks. Change is in the air and these politicians will hopefully soon be out (both Dems and Repubs).
If they’re qualified and unemployed then they should apply for the job. Fact is there are not hundreds qualified for such a job who are unemployed. It takes more than a CPA or MBA qualification to run a city. Is an MBA automatically a ticket to run a company with hundreds of employees? Obviously not. I don’t expect you to understand because you don’t care to understand.
I don’t care how good a city manager the guy is. Where is it written he is entitled to a $60,000 car at taxpayer expense?
Why can’t he buy his own car like everybody else and be reimbursed for mileage while on city business?
I bet he gets a city issue gas card too.
In OC city managers get great perks. Interest free or reduced interest home loans. SUV’s, gas cards all on top of a 6 figure salary.
That’s correct Einstein. If they don’t then they go elsewhere and you get a clown who can’t run a bridge club. Wake up you people.
Where is it written? Probably in his contract with the City. Ask the City Clerk for a copy and take a look. “Company Cars” are a common executive perk, in the public and private sectors. The IRS sets reimbursement rates, and they can get pricey. It’s currently $0.50-0.60 a mile. On the flip side, it may encourage him to get a more fuel efficient vehicle if he was paying for his own gas and getting reimbursed.
Another sucker!!! Nobody deserves anything. IT’S OUR TAX DOLLARS!!!! HELLO!!!
I am on the edge, 60k is a little much. What kills me is the idiot who made the decision to purchase the car outside the city. What a “NUMBSKULL”.
There are State laws requiring bids to minimize corruption. If they could have bought it cheaper in their own city, then they would have done so. This is such a stupid issue.
It isn’t surprising given the good ole boy network between the CIty Manager and elected City Officials. With the rest of the world that isn’t paid by tax dollars lose their jobs, our elected and appointed officials continue to fatten up at the feed trough.
Pigs get fat and Hogs get slaughtered!
The average length of employment for a City Manager is 5 years. They are fired quite frequently as they serve at the pleasure of the City Council. Ignorance is rampant here.
Oh, And a car with that gas mileage…Sure we’ll pay for the gas too, using our tax dollars to fill the sucker up!!!
Will this be a city owned loaner car for him for city business or a personal car paid as compensation?
I could be a good cashier at burger king and could probably find another job at mickie d’s but that doesn’t entitle me to a 60k car. Not to say a city planner is the same thing as a cashier but you get my point.
Are we paying market wages here or are we simply wasting taxpayer’s money again!!?
First, too much is being made of buying the car in Tustin and second, not enough emphasis is being placed on the slap in the face the city just handed out to it’s residents.
Even if they had bought a Prius, there is no Toyota dealer in LH.
But a $60K gas hog! Total insult! If the guy left his job ’cause he didn’t get his fancy car, good riddance!
As for the council, we now know who pulls their strings, and it isn’t the resident/tax payer/voter! Looks like they traded responsibility for arrogance.
Not to worry, we’ll remember this when it comes time to re-electing these clowns!
there are still problems with this. did they call around to different dealers or go through the dealer’s fleet dept. to make sure they got the best price? was there a cheaper alternative vehicle available than this particular model and trim?
could they possibly have saved even more by going through an auto broker to negotiate the best deal, or hello, a LEASE?
it seems like they probably just went out and paid full sticker price in a neighboring city. dumb (and lazy).
I am sorry but this is BS. I don’t give a darn who this guy is. Why is the city buying him a car? What his salary isn’t enough to buy his own car? This is the same concept as these celebrities who make millions getting treated like royalty and getting all kinds of free perks because of who they are, as if they can’t afford to pay. Now if you argue this is for business use, ok fine. Now we to two things, as mentioned above why did he mark it for family use, and two why a big SUV? A economical sedan not enough? Or heaven forbid is that not good enough for his “image”. Please. Just anther example of waste and entitlement.
And you wonder why the city, state has no money!!! It’s time for the state to work for it’s people NOT the people working for the state!!!!
That a way!
Just ANPTHER demonstration of how politicians and public servants lavish themselves while the taxpayers are being foreclosed.
Human nature = GREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lavishing themselves and taxpayers being forclosed are two different things.
Unless you lost your job and have been unable to find work, If you are being forclosed on it is most likely that you purchased a home you could not afford.
As far as lavishing themselves a Toyota is hardly lavishing. I agree that he may not deserve a new car at all but if he did at least he isn’t driving a Porsche Cayanne or Audi SUV or more.
ANY $60,000 car is lavish. You can buy a whole lot of very nice car for $30k-$40k.
What’s a Porsche Cayanne?
OH! Did you mean Cayenne?
$60,000 for a Toyota. got ripped off!
Just an FYI…but anytime a car does more than get you to your destination, it is lavish. Seriously, you should go and visit your local Toyota dealership and find out for yourself how humble and low rent a fully-loaded $60k Sequoia looks like.
By the way, an Audi Q7 (well equipped with the big V8 and cold weather package) can be had for about $62k and the Porsche Cayenne S (not a base model) starts at $60k. Hmmm…Maybe he actually wanted a Porsche or Audi and the loaded Sequoia was the compromise.
There’s so much going WRONG here. First of all, I don’t care how high up the government ladder you are, you are a PUBLIC SERVANT and should be setting an example with your executive priviledges. Buying a $60k car (when a $20k car will more than suffice) is a giant slap in the face to the tax payers of Laguna Hills. Also, the buyers and contract managers involved have FAILED the city’s taxpayers and need to grow a pair! Do what you’re paid for–manage the city’s purse by rejecting any attempt to abuse the procurement process. I suspect all the purchasers involved just folded when their boss said to “buy this.”
Perks are an essential incentive in order to retain top performing individuals, regardless if its in the private or public sector. Not quite sure if $60k for a car is reasonable or smart (given the times) so perhaps the guidelines should be revisited (or implemented if non-existant). As far as where its purchased, its a free trade world so whoever offers the best deal should get the business, be it LH, LN, Irvine, Tustin or Tim-buk-too.
I think the CEO of the multimillion dollar annual revenue company where I work is the only one who drives a car that cost more than $60,000, all other executives do not (think $40-50k tops). and they generally paid for them with their OWN money. so it still doesn’t pass the smell test
I’m getting so sick and tired of these ridiculous stories. This is “bottom of the barrel”, desperate reporting. Wonder what poor ‘ol Ms. Sforza is going to do when the OCR goes bye-bye.
BTW, Laguna Beach has their own police department. I don’t know where this “we lost two county sheriffs” came from. Maybe Ms. Kogerman needs to get better in touch with what services are really being provided by the city.
i think the article mentioned laguna hills not laguna beach…two different cities…
Well, I want a Ferrari, can I take the tax payer money to buy me one…..LOL!!
I have always felt the people in these cities that want a different vehicle than one made by GM just go get it elsewhere. L.N. has a GM dealer that now sells Kia. GM service in LN is very expensive. The people in SJC at least have a Toyota dealer where they can purchase a “real vehicle”. Yep, it hurts not to keep the money local, but that’s the way it goes….the money is much better spent on a Toyota!
I do wonder if it’s a personal car for him, or a car purchased for him to dive back & forth to work. The article doesn’t state the full fact.
Pay for my gas and insurance too!! LOL!!
Eliz::Wrote:::”. Yep, it hurts not to keep the money local, but that’s the way it goes
You give up so easy Eliz: That’s you’re money too!!
The real issue here is that the majority of the City Council seems to think this is OK. In fact, the purchase amount was listed under the “Consent Calendar” with no details as to what the funds were to go to, or why. This is standard operating procedure for this city–few or no details offered as to how taxpayers’ funds are being spent. The city should publish full agenda items with attachments for all to see how their money is being spent, instead of having to do a records search to uncover the facts. Then maybe spending priorities would change in favor of the needs of the citizens, not the staff.
Barbara, I am sure you have good intentions in you quest for a city council seat. Unfortunately, you will not be able to fix these problems single handedly and you yourself will eventualy fall “victim” to lobbying efforts and will find yourself on a family Hawaiian vacation paid for by a contributor that you now owe a favor to. The citizens and taxpayers will become second on your list, history always repeats.
Barbara, thanks for bringing this to the light of day! But you’re right. This is not just about Channing. It’s a systemic disease that has infected gobblement. And if you don’t dance to the same music as they dance to you get pushed out of the fold! It’s a big club - and you ain’t in it, dear! They view the taxpayer’s pockets as bottomless pits that they can reach into and grab loot for whatever their little hearts desire. Even a $60,000 car for a city manager of a town with little more than 30,000 residents! hah! What a joke! Good luck on your run for office. Watch out for the attack dogs.
The city council thought it was ok because in the back of their minds they were thinking, “hey I need a new car too”. So if so and so gets one, I should too. Even though I have a salary, but you know what, lets get the tax payers to pay for it.
I’m willing to bet he uses this for personal business as well and the city pays for it. Also, he traded in his 2004 car. Why? My car is a 1999 and is runs awesome. Toyotas are incredible cars and this thing should run forever. I certainly hope in two year’s he doesn’t get rid of this one too.
What exactly was wrong with the 2004 Suburban with 109,000 miles on it? That thing probably looked and ran great!
Considering it’s an American-made car, I’m surprised it even made it that far!
I agree Mike, these people forgot why the Am. car industry started tanking many years prior to their bankruptcies. American cars were NEVER worth the money & then the grief the car owner lived with. I’m so happy some of these cities are steping out of their box to spend their money wisely to get what they really want & need.
just another poorly informed individual thinking Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans are made of gold or something.
check this out then get back to me,
http://auto.freedomblogging.com/2009/10/28/ford-has-world-class-reliability-consumer-reports-says/
how’s about that gas pedal recall Toyota has going?? your gas pedal can get stuck all the way down with no way to brake the car to a stop or unstick it. very scary, and people thought the Pinto might be dangerous. that was nothing.
also Google: Toyota Sludge for another infamous issue which was ominously mishandled and swept under the rug (no pun intended).
Barbara Kogerman I like you’re idea. If that happens we will all benifit!!
This is another OCR class envy non-news. Any city manager that has to run a city and deal with the clowns on the city council deserves whatever perks he/she can get including a new suv. I’d rather drive a big Toyota over a car based Mazda crossover any day as well.
how is a Toyota (non-Lexus) even allowed to cost $60,000? that’s what I’d really like to know. and the Mazda is a more than adequate vehicle which will hold several passengers and their “stuff”. Toyotas may be known for reliability, but judging by this article he’s not going to keep it for more than 5 years anyway. yes if you put them side by side, the Mazda is a much better value, and uses much less gas, that’s for sure. 16 highway? is the city government kidding?
City manager should be eliminated and replaced with an elected full time mayor making $40K max.
thatchmo::::you probably work for the clown that got the SUV. I have to deal with people and crap all day…but I don’t take other peoples money to buy my stuff! And I make enough to by 3 of those SUV’s every year!!!
If he wants a new car, he should use his own money like everyone else. The ego and big-car/little-man complex add to this being more disgusting.
Man oh man. If I lived in LH I would through the roof on this one. These trough feeders really have a surreal sense of entitlement. For $30,000 you can get a fantastic new vehicle with all the bells and whistles which would be too good for these greedy gobblement hogs. That’s not good enough for Bruce. Nope! Hogman needs a $60,000 ride! hah! This is not even appropriate for a city manager from a major urban center like Los Angeles or San Diego, let alone for a city manager from a hole in the wall like Laguna Hills!! The citizens should be outraged and demand a recall of whomever appointed this trough feeder!!! Isn’t Channing the same guy who got a huge pay hike and other benefits no long ago?? Who does this fella think he is?? Rudy Guiliani??? hah! What an inflated ego!! Time to let some of the air out!!!
they probably didn’t spend much time researching the residual value of the Suburban or negotiating it either. a 5-year old full sized SUV (same kind of vehicle being purchased for $60K) … $10,000 seems highly arbitrary.
hey observer, this is laguna hills we are talking about here and not el monte or el cajon! yes it’s a town with about 30k residents,but 30k residents in multi million dollar homes!! i’m sure the economic slow down does not affect that cities residents much…in fact i see no problem with the city manager driving a 60k vehicle. actually he should have went for an escalade or benz,it would have fit in better. i could see this mabye a problem in a place like compton or el monte but nowhere in south county… congrats to bruce on a job well done and a well deserved vehicle,enjoy!
I wouldn’t expect any less from a brother trough feeder. hah.
You should run for the LH city council. They would welcome you with open arms.
So if it makes you feel better to rob from the rich than from the poor I guess that makes you are real moral human being, ntheoc. You should wear a little pointed hat with a feather in it and call yourself ‘Robin Hood’. hah!
A very tiny fraction of the people in Laguna Hills live in $1,000,000+ houses. Nellie Gail Ranch has around 1,400 homes and Moulton Ranch has relatively few $1,000,000 homes (it had a lot more a couple of years ago lol).
Maybe he should have went with a lowered Civic to better fit in on Via Lomas?
El monte and El Cajon are both larger geographically than Laguna Hills. Laguna Hills is small! Tiny. If you blink while travelling westbound alicia parkway you will miss it.
Only a very samll part of Laguna Hills has multimillion dollar homes - Nellie Gale. Most of the city is not like this and perhaps your reality is different than most of the residents living here. I live in Laguna Hills, a lovely small condo and we’re just like any other city. He shouldn’t be driving an expensive car when he had a good enough 2004 model that there was nothing wrong with it. If cities would be financially responsible like we are required to be in our own personal lives I think much of the wasteful spending debt would never be an issue.
Don’t pay any attention to ntheoc. He rides on the gravy train too. A red gravy train. He tries to justify it by waving his little flag and trying to make everyone think he’s a hero. He would defend Brucey if the city of LH bought him a Rolls Royce. The trough feeders are a tight bunch.
didn’t you read the article…laguna hills has financial problems…they even have to let go of two deputies…if the money came directly from the residents, not as a tax, then that’s fine…but the city is the one that bought the car…and to consider that they bought a gas guzzler…why not a hybrid or an electric car…i hope he uses this vehicle on official business for the city and not for bringing the family to disney on a weekend…
One more thing
Example: Bruce Channing x 1000 other city and state leaders etc…
New car + gas + insurance
60K x Gas x Insurance = 40,000,000.00 Thats not including Insurance!!!
Thanks for the tax dollars spent in my town…BUT $60K for a City Manager’s auto? Gas Guzzler. What about buying an AMERICAN car? Agree with prior comments - what’s wrong with a 5-yr old car with 100K miles. Corruption at it’s best - Channing is part of the problem and clearly not the solution.
10K trade-in credit for crap SUV with over 100K miles? Deal.
Honestly, all we as the public do in these type of events is bitch and moan…do something about it.
Phills in 6
It seems that a more economical vehicle could have been purchased, but that’s just the viewpoint of a stupid, lowly tax payer like myself. Does he receive a monthly car allowance? Who pays the insurance on this vehicle? Who will pay the newly doubled car registration? Who pays the maintenance costs? Who takes the tax deduction on the registration? Since the ‘personal, family, household’ box was checked is he the only driver that will be insured to drive it or will family members be on the insurance policy also?
If he really wants to work the system, he’d take a car allowance, which becomes a pensionable item. That would increase his Final Average Salary (FAS), which is part of the calculation of his future retirement pension.
Example: let say his current pay is 15,000 a month, if he retires at age 57 with 30 years of public service(CalPERS) he would get 60% of his FAS or $9,000 (not including future COLAs) a month as a retirement pension. If he took a car allowance of $700 a month, it would increase his retirement pension by $420 a month or $5,040 a year. Chances are he knows this and will start receiving a car allowance, as he gets closer to retirement.
What bothers me the most is that a City in the US isn’t buying a Ford, GM or Chrysler.
Get your facts straight. A car allowance is not qualified income for a Calpers pension. It’s specifically excluded.
Just another example how these trough feeders live in a completely different world…it’s not their money so who cares how much it costs.
With this nasty recession you would think that our “leaders” would set an example of financial accountability and responsibility. Any car funded by tax payer money should be the run of the mill fleet car…Ford Taurus, Chevy Impala, etc. These cars can be had in the low 20K range.
It just boggles my mind that this still goes on.
They don’t have consciences, WTB. That’s what happens when you give them public money with virtually zero financial accountability. Ever play grab bag when you were a kid??? They let you stick you arm inside a bag and grab a gift??? It’s basic human nature to grab for the biggest one. And when you or your company does not have to pay for the gift you grab for the gusto. That’s what happened here. And they don’t even give it a second thought. After working in the gobblement for a few years it becomes second nature.
he can buy his own car and report mileage
Way to go idiots. If Bruce was an honest man he would not accept the car.
Per tax records there is only one Bruce Channing who owns a house in Orange County and that house is in northeast Orange County about 25 miles from Laguna Hills.
So if it’s the same Bruce Channing, I wonder if he pays his commute cost to and from work or does the city pay?? It’s about 25 miles one way and most likely includes the 241 Toll Road fees. The tall station wagon the city bought for him would suck up alot of gas 5 days a week with a commute that far, especially a $3+ per gallon.
As far as the toll charges, I wonder if he has one of those license plates that hides hides the owners ibilling nformation and gets the toll road use for free?? (as exposed in the OC Register about a year ago).
se, nope. It’s all free. Compliments of the taxpayer who, in most cases, is kept completely in the dark, like a mushroom. 99% chance Bruce doesn’t even pay to get it washed. If you live in LH, you do. Bruce should send you a thank-you card. Did you get yours yet???
Yes, he does live in Yorba Linda so it is a good drive to work.
Just good old typical politics. Screw the taxpayers, it’s their money, why should we politicians care??????
Sales tax revenue on vehicle purchases are determined by the address of where the car is registered, not where it’s purchased.
Wrong. Sales tax rate is determined by where it is registered. The money goes to Tustin.
You get what you vote for.
Nowaday they make hybrids in that class of vehicle. Rich town or poor town aside, responsible government should lead the citizenry to burn less gas for less dependence on foreign oil and for conservation of the environment (air quality, global warming, etc) Looks like Laguna Hills officially doesn’t support those values. Who is surprised?
The sense of entitlement and lack of leadership is inherent in government. This doesn’t surprise me though I certainly shake my head in disgust. I’m certain his salary would allow him to pay for the truck on his own. Any true leader would have refused the truck or at the very least insisted the car come from the very city for which he worked AND that the car be leased. These people forget they work for us. The ME FIRST mentality is a pandemic that needs to be reversed. Time to fire, recall, vote out of office all those incumbents who have betrayed the trust of the people. I for one am glad that Harry Reid is in trouble in his re-election bid. The fruitcakes in San Francisco will all but ensure Pelosi is re-elected. Has anyone sitting Speaker of the House ever lost a re-election?
A Suburban with 109,000 miles is about 1/3 used up. That engine with proper service is good for at least 300,000. What a total waste of taxpayer’s money! I always say, “Easy come, easy go”! This exemplifies complete irresponsibility with everyone concerned.
i hope he includes this in his tax return…
What’s wrong with this guy driving his own car, like the rest of us have to do when we go to work? Pay him mileage for job related travel. The city buys the car and pays all the maintenance, fuel and insurance costs as well. And of course the bonus of free personal use at city cost is a real plus! This isn’t a very smart move for the city fathers, especially in light of today’s economy. Are the Laguna Hills taxpayers in a coma?
If the guy needs a car supplied by the city. Why not get him a $9,000 Kia? They come with a 100,000 mile warranty to boot!
Stupidity and arrogance. Amazing.
Is Channing lacking funds to purchase a vehicle? I doubt so. I’m sure he has a cushy salary.
Why are taxpayers paying for these ridiculous vehicles? He does not need an SUV to properly serve his city. He can deduct the business portion of mileage and other vehicle costs on his tax return for goodness sakes!!!
Another disgusting example of politicians taking advantage of their position and taking freebies left and right all because….they can and WE allow it by not trying to get measures on the ballot to control issues like this!
Laguna Hills wastes 60K plus for a new vehicle
Laguna Nigel wastes 100’s of thousands for massive police deployment for the Amtrak Mooning event
How much will Laguna Beach waste?
Vagitarian LOL. Im one too.
Seriously, is Laguna Hills one of those cities that files the flag and has “IN god We trust” as the official city motto because that motto is so “American?” Then why did the city council by the manager a $60k Foreign car. To justify our presence in Iraq?
I’m glad this was brought to light by the watchdog and the register. At the very least, the residents of Laguna Hills should know about it. My feeling is, if all those dealerships on Rockfield were in Laguna Hills, the fact that they went to Tustin would be a big deal. Since they are in Irvine actually, I believe, or possibly Lake Forest, it really doesn’t matter. Buying at the Mazda would have been nice but since there was only one choice it’s not a big deal.
I think the way they should handle the purchase is to either pick a modest priced car or allow the guy to take a car allowance - I’m thinking something in the neighborhood of $25,000. Then, if he wants a $60,000 car, he can put up the rest of the money himself. I don’t think the guy should have to drive around in a Camry or Accord if that’s not what he wants, but there is no way the taxpayers need to be buying him a $60,000 car.
Amazing, this Orange County bastion of cheap-a$$es. You will not be happy unless government employees show up in tattered coveralls and get a cup of gruel to eat. You would complain that its just far more gruel than one person could need. Don’t take the term “public servants” too literally. He runs the day-to-day operations of a large municipal corporation and has some 30 years experience, most of it in Laguna Nigel and is highly respected in the community. Do you want to turn your city over to someone who makes lets say $80,000 year and give then an extra hundred bucks a month for a car, or is that too much too? See how well your City is run then. Any site that references public compensation is just chock full of losers who are ready to gripe about hard-working, successful public employees who make our cities run well. And I assure you, working for five elected officials who turn-over every few years is not a simple task. Its a very hard job, the compensation is commensurate, sorry for the big word. Its what the market is.
And that why he gets a salary!!! He works for the people in LH not the people working for him!!! Isn’t that what they preach when they want to get elected…Scumbags!!!
We could outsource LH government to Tijuana and get the same quality politician for a lot less money. You people in gobblement don’t generate a dime of GNP. Yet you expect the best of everything. You’re just a bunch of spoiled parasites who live off recycled tax money. And you the moral compass of Simon Legree on top of it all! I’ve never witnessed a group of more non-productive leeches who think they’re entitled to the ripest fruit in the tree in my life! If Channing could make it in private industry he would have gone there a long time ago. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to manage a city of 30,000! hah. If you don’t want the scrutiny get your nose out of the feeding trough, blatant.
Last time I checked, the politicians and drug deals in Tijuana are one in the same. Pass.
Right on!!!
there’s that we’re “untouchable elitist irreplaceable worth more” mentality again. obnoxious.
arrogant.
ALERT—public servant poster
To Blatant nonsense
Bruce Channing has 20 years experience with the City of Laguna Hills, not Laguna Niguel which is a much larger city and in Laguna Hills the city council members never change so that is not a problem for Channing at all. It is 20 year City Council Member Craig Scott who negotiates the City Manager Channing’s Salary and Benefits and he is up for re-election in 2010.
City manager should be replaced by an elected full time Mayor. Mayor and part time city counsel can run the city.
What’s really amazing about this is that the federal government (we the people) just paid the equivalent of $24,000 per gas guzzling SUV/big car to get them off the road in the Cash For Clunkers fiasco where the majority of sales went to foreign car manufacturers (just like this transaction).
It’s all a smokescreen for the Gov. They still play in their dirty pen!
Heads up to the Register for reporting these excesses. I agree that the CIty has to honor any employment contract with the manager for a car. But downsizing the car would have been a more prudent move, given today’s tough economic times. And purchasing it locally would have made far more sense. American? Yes, if its possible.
Gotta love the hypocrite white politicians. They have run our country into the ground. We’ve got politicians getting kickbacks, bribes, hush money, lobbyist money and assorted other types of extra income and “perks” for being a representative of the people and its welfare. Most of these politicians couldn’t handle working in the real world, so they bloviate their way into public office, looking for ways to expand their bank account. Most of these hoodlums are no different than the common street grifter. Our country has lost personal responsibility and its moral compass.
City of Laguna Hills - City Council Meeting Minutes January 8, 2008
10.CONSIDERATION OF COMPENSATION FOR CITY MANAGER
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILMAN SCOTT, SECONDED BY MAYOR SONGSTAD, TO 1) APPROVE AN INCREASE IN THE CITY MANAGER’S BASE SALARY COMPENSATION TO $226,565 PER YEAR, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2008; AND, 2) APPROVE AND AWARD THE CITY MANAGER THE MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE BONUS FOR 2007 UNDER HIS EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT.
The motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members Bressette, Carruth, Scott, Mayor Pro Tempor Lautenschleger, and Mayor Songstad
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
Thanks for this. Apparently no one on the council had the sense to vote no. I wonder how I’m voting next election.
So if he’s making at least $226,565 ($18,660 per month) + Car (if the city paid for the car, does Bruce get taxed on it as a job benefit?) + health insurance (also a nontaxed employee benefit.
Plus when he retires after 30 years, if he gets 60% of his salary that would be $135,939 or 11.328 per month.
Sweet Deal!
$226K
Wow!
Thank you again Teri Sforza and the OC Register for bringing important taxpayer information to the attention of the citizens. We also learned, through requesting records from the Laguna Hills City Clerk, that in addition to the $60,000 car for the Laguna Hills City Manager, the tax payers are also paying for all Operating Costs of the City Manager’s Automobile such as Insurance, Maintenance and Repair, and Gasoline plus the City Manager has unrestricted personal use of the car when not engaged in city business. The is all in addition to the $28,000 bonus plus 10 additional vacation days that can be exchanged for additional money that he received for 2008. The citizens were told the City Manager met 8 specific goals to qualify for his bonus but the city has repeatedly declined to reveal any of those 8 goals. The saga continues endlessly with a hefty salary and many other benefits for the City Manager including the city paying for his employee contribution as well as their employer contribution to his CALPERS retirement benefit plan. All of this is for just one Laguna Hills employee in a city of only about 34,000 residents, one of the smallest cities in Orange County. There are other employees who receive hefty salaries and benefits as well and the City Manager has the authority to give staff raises without consulting the city council members.
Jean: kudos to you for getting this information out. Outrageous behavior on the part of greedy politicians.
Multiply the above by every city and county in Califorina as well as the whole United States and it’s easy to see why taxpayers are so screwed.
Thanks for the update, Jean. Not a surprise. There must be a story behind the story of why Channing is being gifted like an emperor in a town of 34,000. No city manager in a town of 34,000 is that good. And it just gives other city managers in the County an excuse to rachet up their salaries and benefits. Now they point to Channing and say “gee, look what Brucie gets paid. He even gets a $60,000 car with all expenses paid. I deserve one too.”
Gobblement out of control. Tail wagging the dog. Legal theft. No other way to explain it!
So OK all of you who are citizens of Laguna Hills , YOU now see how we need to replace our council people, get out and vote at the next election. Stop your complaining about the council and vote them out.
I live in Laguna Hills. This was very interesting indeed. I had no idea and admit that I have not ever gotten involved in local city politics but perhaps this has inspired me to start attending a few city council meetings. I’m appalled by this total waste of city money.
I vote everyone election. Unfortunately, I voted wrong last election, I will correct this on the next election.
I’m disappointed by this, but not surprised, LH is just an example of waste in government. Unlike corporations that go bankrupt (with the exception of our bankers, of course) when they mismanage, government just simply taxes more and cry about how they’ll have to cut services if they don’t get their payoff.
I……Vote them out… Will be there for sure on the next election. Hopefully another scumbag won’t replace the other!!!
Channing: there is no excuse for this. Another case of sticking it to the taxpayers - geez it’s so easy spend other people’s money isnt??
And it is not even an American made vehicle.
I love that we can publish our thoughts on the same page as the news. Seems that there are lots of people (myself included) who do not approve of what the city did. So my question is, other than voicing our opinions and expressing our displeasure, and other than threatening to vote people out of office at the next election, what else can we do about this? Seriously, politicians take an oath. If we see they are not upholding that oath, shouldn’t we be able to do something about that — quickly? Aren’t they breaking their contract with the public when they fail their oath?
No, Demetrius.
These are the rules they created. They can lie to you during the campaign and purport to be fiscal conservatives and while promoting responsible government. So based on those lies you give them your vote. Once in office they vote to give their city manager of town with 34,000 people a big pay raise, added bennies and a brand spanking new $60,000 vehicle w/ all expenses paid. Now you can’t just take back your vote based on those lies. No, you have to formally recall them at considerable expense and effort. So it’s extremely easy for them to lie to you but difficult for you to punish them for those lies. Most of the time you have to wait until they come up for re-election. Perhaps we should make them all submit to lie detector tests during campaign debates and interviews. Otherwise it’s just a guessing game. You have to try and guess who’s not lying to you. Either that or get the politicians to pass a state law making it a crime for a politician to lie while running for office. Similar to perjury in a courtroom. I think that would be a splendid idea but try to get a majority vote on that up in Sacramento. hah. Good luck with that. They hold most of the cards, Demitrius. That’s just the way they’ve designed the system. It’s a big club, friend. And you ain’t in it!
Everyone,
If more politicians were recalled when they lied to the public, or were held accountable for their votes, they would think twice about what they do. The reason this occurs is becuase we, the votes, don’t hold them accontable. They are supposed to me mindful of public funds, but they aren’t. And they get away with it.
I don’t live in the area, but i’d encourage a recall petition to start on a few members of the council. It doesn’t take a lot of know how, and can be done at a grass roots effort Even if it doesn’t qualify with enough signatures, it will certainly make an impression on those sitting.
Politicans and counsels and boards of directors are sensitive not only to the press, but to how they look. This kind of behavior is in most agencies, water districts and special districts. I see it all the time. Mangers drive cars to and from work as a perk, not becuase it’s necessary. They can use pool cars for work related business. If they public only knew just how much of their money is spent on perks such as cars for communitng to and from work, the insurance that they get for free for those cars, and the gas and upkeep of the vehicles, there would be an outcry. But as you’ve seen in these posts, these things get voted on and real money is spent becuase its flying under the radar of the voters.
Recall the idots! Change what is bad in public government!
From the CIty of LA says:….. wrote…..Recall the idots! Change what is bad in public government!
AMEN!!!
Totally agree. I wonder if this guy bought the vehicle in another town so it wouldn’t be noticed? It’s disgraceful all the way around and trying to justify it only makes it worse.
This is one more reason that Term Limits and Open government are so important. Laguna Hills City Hall thinks they can do anything they want, and they are right. They have time and time again, and since noone knows about it, folks stay in office for 20+ years because everyone likes things the way they think they are. That’s why its time for some big change. We need a city hall that will keep its constituents in mind and not just paintings on a city hall wall. I support Barbara Kogerman as I think she represents positive change. After all she is the only serious candidate for Laguna Hills City Council. She has an upcoming fundraiser on November 19th. For info I found this phone number: Robyn Gellis at (949) 713-3716
The sad thing is I live in L.F. and the same thing goes on here as long as we keep electing these people, without holding them responsible we are the Guilty ones and we should not complain. At least in L..H. gets regular street sweeping . In Lake Forest we pay for weekly street sweeping but we cant expect that service and don’t expect city employees to hold the contractor responsible. I bet you the contractor can afford a new car, for all the money he saves not sweeping our streets. Only In America, only In L.F. and L.H.
Bruce Channing … nicely done, you just punked your community.
Maybe you should have your SUV repainted yellow and drive some students to school since the busses are not running due to economic reductions…..
This is just a little example of how our government works at all levels…city, county, state, federal. The tax payers bought this guy a 60K car. That is definitely not right, especially in these turbulent economic times.
Compared to the state and federal level, what he did was steal a piece of candy from the convenience store. The policiticans in Sacramento and Washington literally walk right into the bank vault and load up their suitcases with tax payer loot. This can’t keep up for much longer, the people of this country won’t tolerate it.
Good job Teri for exposing these frauds.
In the Laguna Hills Agenda Minutes for December 9th, 2008 it was reported that the Senior Center in Laguna Hills was in financial straights. The center needed $30,000 or would need to reduce many of their programs. “The seniors were very confused as to why the City of Laguna Hills and the City Council had not felt that the seniors were important enough to support them in anyway, up to this point in time.”
Instead of giving any money to help our seniors, the city manager was voted a bonus that very night. In addition to his $23,000 bonus, he also received additional two weeks of vacation time. Melody Carruth was the only city council member who opposed this.
Conclusion: vote for Melody next November and vote the others out.
Wow. If what you say is true I consider that borderline criminal, Valerie. Throwing the seniors in LH under the bus while giving hogman city manager a whopping bonus, pay raise and $60000 vehicle for personal and business use. The seniors should be storming the doors of city hall. Repulsive!!!
omg big friggin deal. The guy bought a 60K car and traded in his old one for it. I think it’s nice of Laguna Hills (where I’ve lived for over 20 years) to do to its sister city. Wow, they gave almost 5K in taxes (not bribes or illegal contributions) to Tustin. I don’t like this Barbara, she is bringing a smear campaign to Laguna Hills by ruining this great man’s reputation, or at least trying to. Please don’t vote for her, I hate dirty politics, if she isn’t worthy of winning on her own merits let her dig through trash not people’s business.
Channing is a ‘great man’?
HAH!
According to this article he’s a scoundrel who should be run out of office at the next opportunity.
He’s not serving the people.
He’s serving his own selfish, greedy desires.
Roust him and let him try to find employment in the private sector if he thinks he so good! hah!
ms t, i agree with you 100%!!! this barbara gal is really starting to smear a person who has done nothing wrong..oh big deal he got a 60k vehicle!!! if you people can afford to live in laguna hills then you can afford to let your city manager drive a nice car. btw barbara would do the same thing and she knows it!!!!!!!
Channing isnt the problem. Its the elected officials that make the decisions that are the problem. Channing is doing what anyone would do. Take the money and be quiet. Our elected officials are making the decision to hook this guy up with very unrealistic packages as well as his assistant. Its bad politics and bad politicians. Thats who we need to get rid of. I hope we keep Channing. Of course I hope he concedes some of his $400k package, that would show integrity.
THIS GUY WILL FIT IN VERY WELL IN WASHINGTO….HE AND THE CITY COUNCIL DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THE MONEY TAKEN IN FROM THE TAXPAYERS. THESE POLITICIANS NEED TO GO…..!
WHO GAVE THE CITY COUNCIL THE RIGHT TO SPEND $60,000.00 OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON A VEHICLE FOR THIS GUY!
HE’S IN OFFICE FOR THE PERKS!……SOMEONE NEEDS TO PULL THIS GUYS TAX RECORDS!!!!
Bruce Channing has failed to respond to questions about his salary increases, big bonus for 2008 and his $60,000 car bought in Tustin in addition to all his other perks in the midst of a recession, but he did have this to say in an April 25, 2005 story in the Orange County Register Newspaper by Blythe Bernhard and Tony Saavedra entitled - Perks fill out city managers’ compensation Running a town earns officials home loans, SUVs and free gas…….
On the other side is Laguna Hills City Manager Bruce Channing, who commands the seventh-smallest city and is the seventh-highest paid city manager in the county….
Channing said there are other factors to consider, such as experience, performance and how much councils are willing to pay to keep their chief executives from taking other jobs. Channing has been in Laguna Hills since 1991. “Performance is the key factor,” he said. “If the City Council didn’t think I was providing a valuable service, they would have decided long ago I wasn’t worth the compensation I receive.”
This is just a smear job by a few people; to bad they are trying to get their name out there by low blow punches. They should ask themselves why it’s a great place to live and it’s because of the great management! To bad such a nice environment is getting ruined by a few!
Yes, OCOBSERVER, sometimes local politics are stranger than fiction.
It is so hard to believe that the very night the representative from the senior center was pleading for funds to keep the programs going, the city council voted to give the city manager a $23,000 bonus and additional vacation time worth $9,000. You can read the plea for help for the senior center in the minutes for December 9th, 2008 under Public Comments 2.1. Hidden in item 4.12 under Changes in Compensation are the new perks for the city manager. Only because of the article in the Register the next day were the “changes” made public.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bonus-council-channing-2253011-scott-city
This will only be worthy news when Sforza produces the gun the Mr. Channing used on the City Council to make them pay for the vehicle.
Mr. Channing wasn’t obligated to accept a $60000 vehicle, was he???
And do you think he was consulted prior to the purchase to determine what make and model of vehicle he preferred???
Don’t be naive. Art.
Diana says:
November 1, 2009 at 2:39 pmThis is just a smear job by a few people; to bad they are trying to get their name out there by low blow punches. They should ask themselves why it’s a great place to live and it’s because of the great management! To bad such a nice environment is getting ruined by a few!
Seriously, I’ve lived in Laguna Hills since 72, more than likely, far longer than you’ve been around here. What exactely is it that you think it is that 200K per annun has really done for this community? With the exception of community growth, this city is pretty much unchanged. I’m sure city council has changed things for the city over the years, but for the betterment for who exactely? You really don’t see this as an issue in the current econimic turmoil? Are you related to Bruce? Oh, and BTW, I could GUARANTEE you that I and many others could do this job of CM for half that pay. GUARANTEE IT.
Ask those city employees who lost their jobs due to the econ slowdown or those seniors who lost funding for their senior center if LH is a great place to live or work for.
All the while Bruce gets nice bumps in salary and bonus and a brand spanking new $60000 ride. hmmm.
Something stinks.
Your e-mail is unclear; Why have you live in Laguna Hills since 1972 if you don’t like it, leave? Your answer of “with the exception of community growth, this city is pretty much unchanged.” Not sure what that means? Let see increased tax income from new Nordstorms Rack, new Community Center, new City Hall, which generates income, new field to play sports, new restaurants, renovations of centers????? Are you sure live in Laguna Hills. The City Council and Management facilitated these improvements and it is for the betterment of the community. These are very important issues and they keep up property values and increase tax revenue. I think you must understand the economics to keep a City running. Rather than just rant and rave at issues that you have no idea about.
Naive??
This is clearly a political hit piece generated by an aspiring city council member and a willing accomplice in the press. This issue has nothing to do with Mr. Channing…he just happened to be there.
Art I agree. It looks like there are 3 people who have put this “Political Hit” out and hope to get their names out there. You can see who they are from this blog. One has her own agenda about Animals.
If the City of Laguna Hills had kept there side of the street clean, by providing open government and passing term limits, Bruce would not be getting paid what he is getting paid and getting a $60,000 car during an economic recession. Who cares how the information got out. You folks have been keeping secrets for 20+ years. If the information got out to your competition, and they are using it against you, so be it.
Thanks OC Register for bringing this to our attention. I am a resident of Laguna Hills and I think LH residents need to change some city leadership.
Channing hasn’t done anything above and beyond the call of duty. If he was as good as some of you people claim he was the city of LH wouldn’t have had to lay off city workers. I haven’t heard of any neighboring cities laying off personnel. Sounds as if LH gobblement is living on a shoestring and not by choice. Yet the good ‘ol boys and women on the city council can somehow afford to buy Brucie a nice $60000 ride. Why don’t the dots here connect????
Where does the OC Register claim any staff members were laid off????? I never saw that article??? You don’t have the correct information. Please before you start stating facts have the correct information!
Actually there were 2 sherrifs laid off. I am not sure if the article speaks about that, but you can always check for yourself with the city of laguna hills freedom of information, or Jean Bland who voluntarily records all the meetings since the city itself in 20+ years has never decided to record the meetings themselves.
These are not City employees; the response stated City employees were laid off. Again, the facts are not correct. In addition, other Cities have made budget cuts which included staff. So both of these facts present are not correct.
Jean Bland who voluntarily records all the meetings since the city itself in 20+ years has never decided to record the meetings themselves.
——————————————————————————————————————–
Isn’t it against the law not to record the minutes at Council meetings?
diana,
the contracted deputies were funded by the city of LH. so they were, in effect, working on behalf of and at the direction of the city of LH….city employees, if you will. so you are spouting misinformation. the city of LH had to let 2 deputies go but seemed to find enough cash laying around to buy the city manager a shiny, brand new $60000 car for business and personal use. what a deal, eh????
Diana, what do you mean the Sheriff’s aren’t city employees? They get paid by the city and the taxpayer’s pay the city.
JR-
She doesn’t have a clue. She spouts misinformation yet has the nerve of accusing others doing the same. hah. Must be a gobblement worker!!!
talk about twisting and stretching. She must be a council member. LOL
They are not city employees; it’s a fact. They are employed by the County, their retirement is paid by the County. This is a true fact. Your misinformed on this. Also, it’s true that other Cities (locally) have laid off staff. Contract employees are not City employees. Too bad the truth cannot be understood by some people. You can paint the picture any way you want; however, your facts are not correct.
Obviously splitting hairs on definition of City employee while ignoring the fact that we are to policeman short, while spending $60,000 unnecessarily. It comes down to which is a better investment. A Cop or a car?
Ocobserver understands how these city kingdoms work.
The city manager is the king, surrounded by his entourage of union workers being given taxpayer funded hand outs by the king to remain loyal to his kingdom.
Most city counsels are nothing more than rubberstamps for the king because they are not versed in the copious number of rules, laws, MOU’s and do nothing regulations that the government labrinyth has constructed to conceal their treachery.
Folks these kingdoms have become so corrupt and inbreed that the only way to renew them is to distroy their castles and build new ones from the ground up.
It is not going to be pretty, but the thieves of government have awakened the sleeping citizens over the last few years and the walls are about to fall.
bingo!
Yep…Jean with all the perks you have described it sounds just like that Yorba Linda City Manager that taught the LH’s manager all of the tricks and according to an OC Register article from May 2009 that YL Simonian manager guy is now making $180K in retirement! I had to check out the LH city website and saw that Simonian is the city attorney-WOW-isn’t anyone in that city paying attention?
Why doesn’t he buy his own bloody car ??!!!
Related to Diana who says:
Where does the OC Register claim any staff members were laid off????? I never saw that article??? You don’t have the correct information. Please before you start stating facts have the correct information!
Diana, You are the one who doesn’t have the correct information. There was an 8% reduction in the City of Laguna Hills Workforce in 2009 and the city workforce does consist of city employees. Look in the Laguna Hills City Council Minutes for June 23, 2009 under 2009-11 Salary and Benefits Resolution and you will find the following statement:
Benefits Resolution: This year, the Salary and Benefits Resolution made no adjustments to the salaries based on an across the board cost of living adjustment (COLA) and no position specific adjustments based on a salary benchmark study. The Resolution memorialized the City’s recent personnel reorganization, which resulted in an 8% reduction in the workforce and savings of about $500,000.
So you can see here that 8% of the city’s workforce was reduced, most city employees other than Bruce Channing, City Manager, received no salary adjustments, etc. but Channing still got a raise, a bonus and the $60,000 car plus multiple other benefits.
Jean
No City employee’s were laid off; you need to do your research. That was what was in my post and IT WAS CORRECT. What are the positions that were laid off? The reduction was due to retirements…it stated it was a reorganization! NO ONE WAS LAID OFF! No one said any thing about salary adjustments in this blog.
My facts are correct and I think you need to get your facts correct (i.e. county employees are NOT city employee; reorganization is NOT employee’s being laid off). AGAIN,let me repeat my self the term REDUCTION does not mean employee’s of the city were laid off. Ugh!
What don’t you understand about an 8% reduction in workforce???
That means those jobs are GONE and no one can replace the workers let go!!!
And salaries are FROZEN for all city workers.
Yet Brucie gets a nice shiny $60,000 ride, big bonuses and a salary increase!!!
HAH!
How disingenuous can you get Diana. Why not just admit that you’re WRONG and that the city council is forking loads of cash and benefits over to Brucie while telling everyone else to take a hike!
HAH!
My facts are not wrong.The sad part is certian people want to twist information for their political gain. Those types like to generalize information and not report the turn facts. Name the postions that were laid off? You cannot! Thus,
Jean’s statement that employees were laid off is NOT TRUE. If someone retires that person is not laid off. Laid off employees don’t retire. See you can tell her facts are not correct due to the fact that Jean would have posted the names of the postions lost, but she has not. The reason is because there are none.
E-N-V-I-O-U-S
There seems to be some confusion in the blog regarding Arthur C. Simonian who was a long time City Manager for Yorba Linda who was apparently fired in the year 2000. The City Attorney for Laguna Hills is Greg Simonian a different person.
See no reply! Told you.
Obviously you are not too bright.
It is pretty common in gobblement for employees to be ‘encouraged’ to retire sooner than anticipated in bad economic times to do away with their position so the city or county can save money. Read the notes of the council meeting for yourself. It confirmed a 8% cut in city jobs. Read it!!! It’s in black and white. So they do away with city jobs but find enough cash lying around to give Brucie a nice fat pay raise, big bonuses and a brand new shiny $60000 ride!!! hah! You just have a terrible time admitting the truth. 2 deputies were laid off too so city money was saved. Probably the same money that went to Brucie!!! hah! So LH puts the safety of the citizens at risk by laying off cops while Brucie lines his pockets!! hah!
Diana,
You have left the realm of opinion and entered into fact finding, so if you have documentation supporting your belief that all 8% of the City of Laguna Hills work force that was reduced actually retired, you need to provide that. If we see that we will believe you. Jean provided information directly from the Laguna Hills City Council Minutes where is yours?
Check the staff list of employees. Read the staff report! Why has Jean not posted the postions that were laid off? Too bad the goals of political hacks blind those of seeing the real facts. Please post the staff classifications that were laid….there not noted in the staff report because there were NONE!!!!!!!
• Diana, Jean did state she acquired this information directly from the City Council Minutes and re-stated what was in the minutes. We all don’t need to know exactly what personnel was reduced in the reorganization, just the fact that there was a 8% reduction and Channing still received a raise, a bonus and the $60,000 car!
• Jean’s comments:
Diana, You are the one who doesn’t have the correct information. There was an 8% reduction in the City of Laguna Hills Workforce in 2009 and the city workforce does consist of city employees. Look in the Laguna Hills City Council Minutes for June 23, 2009 under 2009-11 Salary and Benefits Resolution and you will find the following statement:
Benefits Resolution: This year, the Salary and Benefits Resolution made no adjustments to the salaries based on an across the board cost of living adjustment (COLA) and no position specific adjustments based on a salary benchmark study. The Resolution memorialized the City’s recent personnel reorganization, which resulted in an 8% reduction in the workforce and savings of about $500,000.
So you can see here that 8% of the city’s workforce was reduced, most city employees other than Bruce Channing, City Manager, received no salary adjustments, etc. but Channing still got a raise, a bonus and the $60,000 car plus multiple other benefits.