The West Ranch Beacon - News & Commentary for the Santa Clarita Valley

Patricia Farrell Aidem, staff writer for the Daily News Santa Clarita edition writes that skyrocketing land prices in the Santa Clarita Valley are behind a plan to increase developer fees to pay for eight new fire stations.
The current fee of 38.77 cents per square foot of residential construction would more than double to 79.46 cents - $1,589 for a 2,000-square-foot home, according to a report from Los Angeles County Fire Chief Michael Freeman to the Board of Supervisors.
The issue will go before supervisors Tuesday for a vote. The board meets at 9:30 a.m. in the county Hall of Administration.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4722266

Eoin Callan and Demetri Sevastopulo of the Financial Times in Washington report that the Middle East is on the verge of three civil wars - in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories - King Abdullah of Jordan warned Sunday ahead of crisis talks with US President George W. Bush and the Iraqi prime minister.

The Jordanian king said that “something dramatic” needed to come out of the meeting between President Bush and Nourial-Maliki, prime minister,at the tripartite summit being hosted in Amman this week.

The warning of impending civil war adds to the intensifying pressure on the Bush administration to map out a fresh strategy for ending the war in Iraq, which today enters its 1,347th day.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b88fbee8-7dbf-11db-9fa2-0000779e2340.html

West Ranch Beacon columnist Mike Cruz flagged this op-ed piece at the Washington Post to us. We thought our readers would be interested in reading a thoughtful article that tries to find middle ground on a hot button issue.

E. J. Dionne Jr. writes an op-ed piece in the Washington Post stating that if both parties combine wisdom with shrewdness, the election of a new congressional majority should open the way for a better approach to the abortion question.

The bitter political brawling of the past three decades has created an unproductive stalemate that leaves abortion opponents frustrated, abortion rights supporters in a constant state of worry and the many Americans who hold middle-ground positions feeling that there is no one who speaks for them.

But the politics of abortion began to change even before this month’s elections. In September, a group of 23 pro-choice and pro-life Democratic House members introduced what they called the Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act.

Read the entire story at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/20/AR2006112000964.html?referrer=emailarticle

The election is over. The call, by some Democrat leaders, to get out of Iraq within a few months has already begun. The political jockeying for advantage in the next election is underway. The effort to corner President Bush was hinted at within days after the election results were in. Nancy Pelosi reminded us - “He’s the President of the United States. I respect the office. It’s his call.” She, of course, was talking about Iraq. In other words, Bush, and Republicans, will be set up to take the blame if we are not out of Iraq soon.

Here is how this will play out and why we, as voters, need to make every politician accountable in 2008.

The Democrats will propose a plan to get out of Iraq that President Bush will not accept. It will be based upon recommendations from the Independent Study Commission, a commission endorsed by President Bush. Democrats will try to force the President into a veto, a veto that Democrats do not have enough votes to over-ride. Thus, the President and the GOP will be to blame going into 2008 elections.

Democrats will continue to vote in favor of funds to continue the war in Iraq because they “support the troops but not the war”. Many Republicans will vote with them based on that mantra.

Democrats will propose a national hike in the minimum wage, taking away State’s Rights, trying to force another veto by the President.

Democrats will propose a change in tax law, punishing the so-called “rich” in favor of the so-called “middle class” in spite of the fact that the richest people pay 85% of the Federal Income Tax income that goes into the Federal Budget. “Take from the rich and give to the middle class” will be the Democrat mantra. This likely will be vetoed by the President as well. This is a twist on the John Edwards mantra.

Democrats will propose to strip big oil of federal tax breaks. This could pass and could be the one veto that is overridden because most Americans believe we are being gouged at the gas pumps. Of course, this ignores the need for big oil to invest in finding new sources of oil and building greater refinery capacity. One needs to be a CPA to figure this one out so Democrats will simply play to the emotional triggers in each of us.

Democrats will propose a rewrite of the Prescription Drug legislation that brought much cheaper drugs to Seniors. They will attempt to impose a “negotiation clause”, that is, negotiate with the Pharms over the cost of drugs. Sounds good. Plays to our emotions and personal budgets. Fact is, short of price controls, which never work (remember Nixon?), the Pharms are giving the current discounts voluntarily.

My list is getting too long, isn’t it? You already have figured out much of this, haven’t you? Am I a Republican? Democrat? Independent? My answer is - I am a voter. I vote on a candidate-by-candidate basis, regardless of party affiliation.

Election 2006 was about voter disenchantment with Congress. For me, and a huge majority of Americans, Election 2006 was not just about Iraq or Immigration or Energy, etc. Pollsters, across the board, in every poll, found that Congress had a less-than-30% approval rating. This is 10-to-15 points below the President’s rating.

Where did this leave us? As pointed out in an article on my blog, we had to choose between the “Lesser of Two Evils”. It’s unfortunate that the political process is rigged to favor two political parties.

We need an Independent Party of equal power in both Primary and General Elections. Perhaps, as Joe Lieberman proved, a person with a true desire to be a “public servant” can be elected as an Independent candidate.

I am hopeful that young voters reading this will be energized into action and help form a true Independent Party. That they will bring about a change in our antiquated political process. That they will weed out the “politicians” and elect “public servants” in the future. That some of them will pursue a career in government or politics to create a government that is truly - “by the people and for the people” as our Constitution promises.

By Jim DeSantis

Jim DeSantis is a journalist with 15 years in investigative reporting and writing. For writing tips see “Self Help Resources” at Jim’s blog at OnLine Tribune Front Page. This article is from articlecube.com.

Judy O’Rourke of the Daily News Santa Clarita edition writes that Councilwoman Marsha McLean, who was passed over for the role of mayor in 2004, likely will be named to the post by fellow council members next month.
“I think Marsha’s done a good job, the voters agree,” said outgoing Councilman Cameron Smyth, who was elected to the state Assembly and will resign from the council effective Dec. 4. “I fully expect Marsha will be elected mayor and if I were still on the council I would vote for her as well.”

Read the entire story at the Daily News web site at: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/cl_4717920

Guy Dinmore of the Financial Times writes an interesting piece about Fred Iklé, a Nixon-era arms control veteran and mentor to the current generation of nuclear “hawks”, has an apocalyptic vision of the future.

However, as a contrarian who confounds his neo-conservative admirers, he is also highly critical of the Bush administration’s handling of threats to the US, and calls the “global war on terror” a serious mistake.

Hopefully for mankind, Annihilation from Within: The Ultimate Threat to Nations, his latest book, will not become another classic to follow his 1971 Every War Must End, credited in 1991 by General Colin Powell, then chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, with inspiring him to bring to closure the first Gulf war. What he calls the “sad message” of his latest work is that the accelerating advance of technology far outpaces the zig-zag development of social and political frameworks that act as controls and brakes.

Read the rest of the story at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/42f85512-7b23-11db-bf9b-0000779e2340.html

Holly Yeager of the Financial Times reports from Washington that when Democrats were in the minority on Capitol Hill, Nancy Pelosi, the party’s leader in the House of Representatives, liked to boast about how united they were.

But in the two weeks since capturing the House in the mid-term elections, Democrats are showing that unity may be easier in opposition.

The first sign of trouble came last week, when House Democrats met to select the leadership team to take over in January. Mrs. Pelosi was easily elected Speaker, but there was a bruising battle for the number two job.

Read the rest of the story at the Financial Times web site at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/862da5ba-7a5d-11db-8838-0000779e2340.html 

Judy O’Rourke of the Daily News Santa Clarita edition writes that former Santa Clarita Mayor Carl Boyer said Tuesday that he is seeking the appointment to fill the City Council seat being vacated by Assemblyman-elect Cameron Smyth.

Monday is the deadline to apply to complete Smyth’s term - an appointment that could give the winner the advantage in the April 2008 election. Boyer likely is an exception, as he said he probably would not run to maintain the seat.

“Whoever we choose has the right ultimately to decide to run,” said Councilman Frank Ferry. “You can’t expect someone not to run - they have the legal and democratic right to run for office. I know whoever I choose will ultimately have the advantage of being an incumbent holding office.”

Read the entire story at the Daily News web site at: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4702852

From all of us at the West Ranch Beacon, we wish all our readers and their families a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving. We’ll be back tomorrow with more news and commentary!

Alex Dobuzinskis of the Daily News Santa Clarita Edition writes that providing an escape from the cold, the Santa Clarita homeless shelter opens for the winter on Dec. 1 at a county public works yard.

With two rented modular buildings and a portable shower unit, the shelter will have room for 40 individuals.

“This will be our 10th winter, and historically much more than half the people that we serve are born and raised in Santa Clarita,” said Tim Davis, executive director of the nonprofit Santa Clarita Community Development Corp., which runs the shelter.

“You do have people that are passing through, but the large, large majority are born and raised in Santa Clarita.”

The shelter, at 21190 Center Pointe Parkway, receives $212,000 from county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich’s discretionary budget, and $90,000 from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. The shelter is on county-owned land in the heart of the city of Santa Clarita.

Read the entire story at the Daily News web site at: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4690015 

At the recent Stevenson Ranch Community Association (HOA) meeting one of the delegates was Jim Hicken the former president of the HOA and now CEO of the Bank of Santa Clarita (http://www.bankofsantaclarita.com/). He exposed himself to criticism once again by voluntarily speaking before apparently actually thinking.

You see, several years ago Jim Hicken was up for re-election for a board seat on the HOA. He convinced a friend of his, Laurie Baldwin, to run with the idea of bumping Lynette Finley off the Board of Directors. Ms. Finley was the delegate for her own delegate district and had the votes to be re-elected to the board. As it turned out Jim lost in the election! His friend Laurie got a seat and so did Lynette but Mr. Hicken was left with egg on his face.

At the very next HOA meeting Laurie Baldwin offered to resign only if Mr. Hicken was appointed as her replacement. That is what ultimately happened and Hicken became a board member again. It was obvious to most residents in attendance that there had been a lot of closed door politics going on in order to get Laurie off the board and Jim back on.

Now realize that Mr. Hicken had presided over the ever present fence problems in Stevenson Ranch. During his tenure on the HOA Board the 10 miles of rusting fences continued to be a major problem and a financial drain with no manageable solution on the part of Mr. Hicken or the board. It was and is a glaring example of incompetence!

Fast forward to the HOA annual meeting last week; Jim Hicken stands up and speaks out against one delegate representing many delegate districts. He goes on to say that this was against the “spirit” of the delegate/election process. The question then must be asked; why didn’t Mr. Hicken move to change the delegate/election process at the time he was Board President or a Board member?

Aside from exposing himself as a hypocrite, Hicken also made an ass of himself in front of members of the community. Let’s face it, James D. Hicken is the CEO of a publicly traded company and truly should not be exposing himself to public ridicule by speaking at local community meetings; especially if he doesn’t want his dirty laundry hung out in public. Somebody may want to tell Jim how a CEO of a public company should act because he apparently could use some coaching.

The West Ranch Town Council voted unanimously at the regular monthly council meeting in November to oppose the CEMEX mine operation in Soledad Canyon. Don Fleming, the newest council member, asked that the council send a letter to the Santa Clarita City Council and City manager. The following is a copy of the letter recently sent to the City

Dear City Council and Mr. Pulskamp,
 

On Wednesday, November 1st, 2006 the West Ranch Town Council held its regular monthly meeting. As you know we are an advisory group to Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. One of the issues discussed was the CEMEX mega mining operation in Soledad Canyon.
 

Our council voted unanimously to support every effort to fight the proposed activities at the CEMEX operations in our community.  CEMEX appears to have a history of violating state and federal regulations throughout the United States. The mining of 69 million tons of sand and gravel over the next twenty years, including blasting on a weekly basis, will have a serious impact on the quality of life in our Valley.
 

On behalf of the entire West Ranch Town Council, we are committed to work with our neighbors in the City of Santa Clarita to stop and/or reduce the planned activities at the Soledad Canyon CEMEX facility. We will send a letter to Supervisor Antonovich as well to let him know that our community opposes this mining operation.
 

 Please let us know how we can be of any assistance to the City in these efforts and add us to the list of Valley organizations that are opposing the CEMEX operation.

The letter was copied to Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and several of his Senior Deputies. The West Ranch Town Council is committed to working with their various neighbors on issues that are of importance to the residents of the entire Santa Clarita Valley.