Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 13, 2011

10

LEFT TURN/RIGHT TURN

 Mountain Views News Saturday, August 13, 2011 

HOWARD Hays As I See It

Curbing Bad Behavior/

 Enough With The Profanity


“When somebody says, 
‘We don’t have enough 
money for this space 
program’, I’m asking, no, 
it’s not that you don’t have 
enough money, it’s that the 
distribution of the money 
you’re spending is warped 
in some way that you are 
removing the only thing 
that gives people something 
to dream about tomorrow.

 “You remember the ‘60s and ‘70s? You 
didn’t have to go more than a week before 
there’s an article in LIFE Magazine; ‘The 
Home of Tomorrow’, ‘The City of Tomorrow’, 
‘Transportation of Tomorrow’. All that ended in 
the 1970s; after we stopped going to the moon, it 
all ended. We stopped dreaming.

“And so I worry the decisions Congress 
makes don’t factor in the consequences of those 
decisions on tomorrow. Tomorrow’s gone . . . 
They’re playing for the quarterly report, they’re 
playing for the next election cycle, and that is 
mortgaging the actual future of this nation. The 
rest of the world’s passing us by.”

 - Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

 

Dr. Tyson, astrophysicist and Director of the 
Hayden Planetarium, made those remarks last 
week on Bill Maher’s HBO show. Maher had 
asked Dr. Tyson for his reaction to Congress’s 
attempts to defund the James Webb Space 
Telescope, successor to the Hubble, which 
promises to show the very birth of our universe.

Maher pointed out the $6.8 billion cost 
of the Webb telescope is what we pay for a 
month’s involvement in Afghanistan. Dr. Tyson 
mentioned the $850 billion bank bailout from 
Fall 2008, and observed it’s an amount equal to 
the cost of our NASA space program - over its 
entire fifty-year history.

NASA was formed under Republican President 
Eisenhower, we embarked to the moon under 
Democratic Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, 
and the plaque astronauts left at Tranquility 
Base bore the signature of Republican President 
Nixon. This was not a triumph of a particular 
party or president, but of all Americans.

The flash cabin fire at the launch pad of Apollo 
1 under President Johnson and the Challenger 
explosion under President Reagan were not 
failures of a particular party or president, but 
were occasions of mourning and rededication 
for all Americans.

Whether regarding scientific challenges, wars, 
or economic calamities, robust political debate 
over goals, methods and priorities are part of 
our American tradition. Whatever side is taken, 
we’ve been united in hoping for the success of 
our country and the prosperity of our people. 

There have been times when we’ve been called 
to sacrifice, but that sacrifice would be shared 
among us all, as we’d all share in the benefits to 
follow. We remained “one nation, indivisible”.

 

That was then.

 

A decade ago, tens of thousands of the finest 
Americans were prepared to make the ultimate 
sacrifice for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
The rest of us got a tax cut.

As the wars dragged on, our soldiers 
complained of lack of armor in the field and lack 
of care once they got home. Patients at Walter 
Reed who spoke with the media were punished. 
The rest of us got another tax cut. 

Americans went further in debt so those with 
incomes over a million a year could average an 
extra $2,700 a week in tax cuts. Our soldiers 
scrounged Iraqi dumps for scrap metal to protect 
their vehicles from I.E.D.s.

Questions of such priorities should be the 
subject of vigorous debate. President Bush 
circumvented such questioning by keeping 
$150 billion a year in war expenses off budget as 
“emergency appropriations”. Arrangements were 
made so that the nearly-a-trillion spent bailing 
out the banksters who tanked our economy 
would show up on the budget later for the next 
guy to deal with.

The concern was not with the damage 
off-budget war expenses, bank bailouts and 
unfunded tax cuts could inflict on the nation’s 
economy, but that whatever such damage and 
deficits might be, they could be blamed on the 
successor administration of President Obama 
(as Greg Welborn did in his column last week).

An event such as Standard and Poor’s 
downgrading of America’s credit rating would 
normally be a universal embarrassment. When 
Republicans were accused of being at fault, they 
responded by noting that President Obama 
presided over the first downgrade in our history. 
When Democrats were accused, they pointed 
out that S&P specifically castigated Republicans 
for their refusal to consider revenue increases. 
When the Tea Party was accused, they cheered 
(as at a recent rally in Wisconsin).

It used to be that Americans realized the 
strength of our economy depended not on tax 
rates, but on how many of us were able to have 
jobs offering a middle-class income - providing 
spending money to pump back into the economy 
through local merchants. It wasn’t how much an 
individual paid, but how many individuals there 
were who through employment could join the 
tax base.

It used to be we honored our teachers, cops, 
firefighters and other civil servants. Now, we 
resent them - adamant that if we in the private 
sector can no longer enjoy the decent income, 
benefits and retirement security that used to be 
the norm, then neither should they.

 It used to be we had a government of We the 
People. Now, thanks to recent Supreme Court 
decisions, we have a government of corporate 
interests. Unlike individuals, corporations 
purchase government influence in the interest of 
profit, not patriotism.

American corporations are shifting operations 
to take advantage of expanding middle-class 
markets in China, India and Brazil. At the 
same time, they’re making record profits by 
devolving America into a third-world supplier of 
cheap labor - and investing in politicians who’ll 
facilitate that change.

 At the same time, many of those politicians 
along with corporate media voices are rooting 
for America to fail.

By contrast, Dr. Tyson looked back on the time 
before we stopped dreaming, and reflected, “This 
is the America I grew up in, and it’s the America 
I want to hand to my kids”.


As a public relations 
consultant, I pride 
myself on knowing a 
little bit about the concept 
of image. I attend 
workshops, read blogs, 
books, newspapers and 
magazines, participate 
on webinars, engage 
with my colleagues and attend professional 
development conferences all with the intention 
of becoming a knowledgeable and 
skilled public relations practitioner. So this 
past weekend, when I learned from several 
high-placed sources that an Academy Award 
winning actor and his colleague, a popular 
TV actor, disgraced themselves by using 
profanity at an awards celebration filled 
with hundreds of journalists, I asked myself 
where was their media training? Or are these 
gentlemen so full of themselves to believe 
they can address a “certain” audience with a 
disrespectfully tone? As they were using profane 
language in the presence of the stunned 
audience, several tweets, Facebook posts and 
texts were being shared with hundreds of 
social media participants. Their bad behavior 
became a hot topic during the evening’s 
festivities.

Is it ever appropriate to use profanity? I say 
no, especially, public figures should refrain 
from this behavior. Didn’t these gentlemen 
realized their ill-considered act was going to 
be reported to millions of individuals over 
the worldwide web? Where was their public 
relations representative? Someone should 
have told these gentlemen they were addressing 
hundreds of “reporters.” This is so 
regretful, I can’t even make sense of it. Hopefully, 
someone had a private conversation 
with these two talented gentlemen and imparted 
to them an apology to the prestigious 
journalists organization is in order. It’s not 
too late to say, “we’re sorry.”

Here is my tip for the day: please know your 
audience, it’s the first rule of communications. 
And, by the way, “Enough with the 
profanity.” It is not cool.

Ron Carter


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ORDINANCE NO. 1320

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIERRA MADRE, CALIFORNIA, DETERMINING IT 
WILL COMPLY WITH THE VOLUNTARY ALTERNATIVE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PURSUANT TO PART 1.9 
OF DIVISION 24 OF THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE CONTINUED 
EXISTENCE AND OPERATION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SIERRA MADRE

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Sierra Madre (“City”) approved and adopted the Redevelopment Plan for the Sierra 
Madre Redevelopment Project (“Redevelopment Plan”) covering certain properties within the City (the “Project Area”); and 

WHEREAS, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Sierra Madre (“Agency”) is engaged in activities to execute and implement 
the Redevelopment Plan pursuant to the provisions of the California Community Redevelopment Law (Health and 
Safety Code § 33000, et seq.) (“CRL”); and

WHEREAS, since adoption of the Redevelopment Plan, the Agency has undertaken redevelopment projects in the Project 
Area to eliminate blight, to improve public facilities and infrastructure, to renovate and construct affordable housing, and to 
enter into partnerships with private industries to create jobs and expand the local economy; and

WHEREAS, over the next few years, the Agency hopes to implement a variety of redevelopment projects and programs to 
continue to eliminate and prevent blight, stimulate and expand the Project Area’s economic growth, create and develop local 
job opportunities and alleviate deficiencies in public infrastructure, to name a few; and

WHEREAS, as part of the 2011-12 State budget bill, the California Legislature has recently enacted and the Governor has 
signed, companion bills AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27, requiring that each redevelopment agency be dissolved unless the community 
that created it enacts an ordinance committing it to making certain payments; and 

WHEREAS, specifically, AB 1X 26 prohibits agencies from taking numerous actions, effective immediately and purportedly 
retroactively, and additionally provides that agencies are deemed to be dissolved as of October 1, 2011; and

WHEREAS, AB 1X 27 provides that a community may participate in an “Alternative Voluntary Redevelopment Program,” in 
order to enable a redevelopment agency within that community to remain in existence and carry out the provisions of the CRL, 
by enacting an ordinance agreeing to comply with Part 1.9 of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code; and

WHEREAS, the Alternative Voluntary Redevelopment Program requires that the community agree by ordinance to remit 
specified annual amounts to the county auditor-controller; and 

WHEREAS, under the threat of dissolution pursuant to AB 1X 26, and upon the contingencies and reservations set forth 
herein, the City shall make the Fiscal Year 2011-2012 community remittance, currently estimated to be $676,000 Dollars; as 
well as the subsequent annual community remittances as set forth in the CRL; and

WHEREAS, the City reserves the right to appeal the California Director of Finance’s determination of the Fiscal Year 2011-12 
community remittance, as provided in Health and Safety Code Section 34194; and 

WHEREAS, City understands and believes that an action challenging the constitutionality of AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27 will be 
filed on behalf of cities, counties and redevelopment agencies; and

WHEREAS, while the City currently intends to make these community remittances, they shall be made under protest and 
without prejudice to the City’s right to recover such amounts and interest thereon, to the extent there is a final determination 
that AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27 are unconstitutional; and

WHEREAS, the City reserves the right, regardless of any community remittance made pursuant to this Ordinance, to challenge 
the legality of AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27; and

WHEREAS, to the extent a court of competent jurisdiction enjoins, restrains, or grants a stay on the effectiveness of the Alternative 
Voluntary Redevelopment Program’s payment obligation of AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27, the City shall not be obligated to 
make any community remittance for the duration of such injunction, restraint, or stay; and 

WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Ordinance have occurred.

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIERRA MADRE, CALIFORNIA, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Recitals. The Recitals set forth above are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference.

Section 2. Participation in the Alternative Voluntary Redevelopment Program. In accordance with Health and Safety Code 

Section 34193, and based on the Recitals set forth above, the City Council hereby determines that the City shall comply with 
the provisions of Part 1.9 of Division 24 of the Health and Safety Code, as enacted by AB 1X 27.

Section 3. Payment Under Protest. Except as set forth in Section 4, below, the City Council hereby determines that the City 
shall make the community remittances set forth in Health and Safety Code section 34194 et seq. 

Section 4. Effect of Stay or Determination of Invalidity. City shall not make any community remittance in the event a court of 
competent jurisdiction either grants a stay on the enforcement of AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27 or determines that AB 1X 26 and 
AB 1X 27 are unconstitutional and therefore invalid, and all appeals therefrom are exhausted or unsuccessful, or time for filing 
an appeal therefrom has lapsed. Any community remittance shall be made under protest and without prejudice to the City’s 
right to recover such amount and interest thereon in the event that there is a final determination that AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27 
are unconstitutional. If there is a final determination that AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27 are invalid, this Ordinance shall be deemed 
to be null and void and of no further force or effect.

Section 5. Implementation. The City Council hereby authorizes and directs the City Manager to take any action 
and execute any documents necessary to implement this Ordinance, including but not limited to notifying the Los Angeles 
County Auditor-Controller, the Controller of the State of California, and the California Department of Finance of the adoption 
of this Ordinance and the City’s agreement to comply with the provisions of Part 1.9 of Division 24 of the Health and Safety 
Code, as set forth in AB 1X 27. 

Section 6. Additional Understandings and Intent. It is the understanding and intent of the City Council that, once the Agency 
is again authorized to enter into agreements under the CRL, the City will enter into an agreement with the Agency as authorized 
pursuant to Section 34194.2, whereby the Agency will transfer annual portions of its tax increment to the City in 
amounts not to exceed the annual community remittance payments to enable the City, directly or indirectly, to make the annual 
remittance payments. The City Council does not intend, by enactment of this Ordinance, to pledge any of its general fund 
revenues or assets to make the remittance payments.

Section 7. CEQA. The City Council finds, under Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 15378(b)(4), that this 
Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) in that it is not a “project,” 
but instead consists of the creation and continuation of a governmental funding mechanism for potential future projects and 
programs, and does not commit funds to any specific project or program. The City Council, therefore, directs that a Notice of 
Exemption be filed with the County Clerk of the County of Los Angeles in accordance with CEQA Guidelines.

Section 8. Custodian of Records. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which these findings 
are based are located at the City Hall located at 232 W Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre CA 91024. The custodian for these 
records is City of Sierra Madre.

Section 9. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held 
invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Ordinance which can be given effect without 
the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Ordinance are severable. The City Council hereby 
declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance irrespective of the invalidity of any particular portion thereof.

Section 10. Certification; Publication. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause it, or 
a summary of it, to be published once within 15 days of adoption in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published 
within the City of Sierra Madre, and shall post a certified copy of this Ordinance, including the vote for and against the same, 
in the Office of the City Clerk in accordance with Government Code § 36933.

Section 11. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days from its adoption. 

Section 12. Effective Date. The City Council hereby declares, on the basis of the findings set forth above, that an emergency 
exists and that this Ordinance is necessary to preserve the public peace, health and safety. Accordingly, this Ordinance is adopted 
as an emergency ordinance and shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its adoption.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council on Tuesday day of August 9, 2011, by the following vote:

AYES: Buchanan, Moran, MacGillivray, Mosca, Walsh NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None


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