No Smoke Detectors – No Fire Sprinklers – No 24 Hour Security Patrol to Detect Fires Early – No Technology – No Security Cameras – Not Even a Webcam – there's More Security at a 7-Eleven – No Nothin' – No One Will Buy Your House Now Either – "Remember there's Another Hangar Too"!
City leaders are pleading for more help from the state and federal government to support cleanup efforts in the fallout from the massive hangar fire that broke out almost a month ago at the closed Marine Corps Air Station Tustin.
“We need the Navy to not only step up in terms of funding, but in terms of actively leading the recovery effort,” Mayor Austin Lumbard said Tuesday. “The city has filled the void in the interim, but now that the fire is extinguished, we’re really looking for the Navy to take ownership of their property and their recovery leadership.”
Officials said the city has depleted what it could take from its reserves to fund asbestos testing and cleanup in the public and residential areas surrounding the burnt northern hangar and are counting on other government agencies to step up.
Cleanup costs are expected to be in the tens of millions for addressing in the surrounding neighborhoods. Lumbard called the $1 million the Navy committed early on “grossly insufficient.”
Navy officials on Wednesday said the service has been working with the city since day one of the fire and in no way is shirking its responsibilities or its share of funding.
“We are working on an amendment to an agreement to provide additional funding,” said Chris Dunne, a Navy spokesman. “We knew the $1 million wasn’t going to do it. The Navy fully intends to support what the city is doing and fund that to the fullest amount we can.”
Dunne acknowledged that setting up the funding agreement has taken weeks, but expects more money to make its way to the city in days. Officials are now figuring out the Navy’s financial responsibility and what will be covered, he said.
“It’s just one of those tedious processes of getting the language just right and trying to remember through this whole process that we’re talking about people and the community and taking care of people and not getting too bogged down in process at a time when the help is needed,” Dunne said.
The City Council on Tuesday asked to continue efforts to pressure local, state and federal officials for help with the response. City leaders are also asking for additional health guidance from the county health agency. Residents have peppered local leaders with questions about what is and isn’t safe to do in and around their homes, such as walking dogs or using outdoor barbecue pits.
All the councilmembers echoed the calls for help. Councilmember Letitia Clark implored the county public health director for clearer answers about “simple things.”
When asked Wednesday for comment, a representative of the OC Health Care Agency sent a link to Tustin’s North hangar fire community resource page.
Clark said the emergency is not over and the city still needs help from higher levels of government.
“There were a lot of promises made that we would have that support and it’s kind of dwindled as time has gone by,” Clark said.
Tustin declared a local emergency on Nov. 10 and the county followed up with its own on Nov. 13. Both times the city and county each asked the governor to declare a state of emergency.
“The governor has yet to act,” Lumbard said. “We are committed to getting that state help that we ultimately need to free up some resources for our recovery.”
Since the fire’s outbreak, the Navy has deferred to the city for what the next steps are, Dunne said, because “the Navy is not equipped to handle this type of response compared to what local officials can do.”
Regarding the hangar footprint, the Navy will lead the cleanup there and hire experts and contractors. While no exact timeline has been set for that, Dunne said he expects that to happen “in the next few weeks.”
“We’ll look at what needs to be deconstructed from the site and removed all the debris,” he said, adding that at present a product that seals the debris in place has been put over the site to “create a crust.”
Work is expected to begin Thursday, Dec. 7, to take down the 120-foot tall hangar doors that remain standing, officials said. Cranes and rigging have already been set up around the hangar and removing the doors will take about two weeks.
After the fire was confirmed completely extinguished on Dec. 1, the Orange County Fire Authority stepped down from leading the Incident Management Team and disaster recovery contractors from Innovative Emergency Management will now lead the team.
Colin Cummings, an official with IEM, said during a presentation to the City Council Tuesday that debris will not be removed from the site during door deconstruction.
“The Navy will be responsible for all debris removals from (the) incident site, and is working to assign a contractor at this time to perform that work,” Cummings said. “When the Navy is ready to start taking that material off the incident site, we will be increasing (air) monitoring just because of all the additional risks of breaking that material apart, and removing it into those containers and taking it off site.”
The Navy has yet to explain how it plans to address remediation on the entire site, Lumbard said. Air monitoring will remain active surrounding the hangar until the site has been completely cleaned by the Navy.
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, who represents Tustin, sent a letter on Tuesday to the Navy asking for an update on its efforts and if it would commit to expanding debris cleanup and reimbursing people who have paid for asbestos remediation out of pocket.
The city on Wednesday hosted its first community Zoom meeting to provide updates on recovery efforts. OCFA Division Chief Scott Wiedensohler said in the meeting that more than 60% of the surrounding community has been cleaned up as of Dec. 1.
Future community meetings will be 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. Residents are asked to send new questions and requests regarding the hangar fire to [email protected].
Dear Friend – Neighbor – and Tustin California Water Customer,
“Pretty soon your Water Bill is Gonna Look Like a Car Payment!”
Yes you can send in a protest letter and attend the Public Hearing on Water Rate Increases but here’s a Reality Check – the City of Tustin Does Not Want to Hear from You – and Does Not Care what You think about this Water Rate Increase.
They’re Increasing Water Rates whether You Like it or Not!
So why the Public Hearing? Well – that’s the only way that the City of Tustin Water Works can Legally Pick-Your-Pocket with this Rate Increase.
During a Drought the City and other Water Departments will Tell You to “Cut Back” on your water usage – because like talking about “Climate Change” – it’s “Politically Correct” – but the “Reality” is that they want you to use as much water as possible – so they can support their “Lavish Salaries” – “Luxurious Benefits” and “Sweetheart Retirement Packages” – “things that “you” won’t get.”
Go ahead and send in your Letter of Protest – and watch the City Clerk Open Your Letter – Roll their Eyes – “Laugh” – and promptly throw it over to a Corner of their desk – or maybe in the trash can – a successful protest requires 51% of water customers to mail a formal protest and for it to be counted as valid.
I don’t have lots of Time to Fight this for “You” – so – You need to “Fight for Yourself”.
There are only a few ways you can negate and Stop this Water Rate Increase.
First and the “easiest” is to conduct a thorough Water use Audit at Your Home or Business – and make a Plan to Cut Your Water Use by at least Half – and even more if possible.
Second and won’t be as easy – is to use a Law Firm to fight and eliminate the Fixed Meter Charge – “around $24.00 a month residential “now” – even if you never use a single drop of water” – this”Penalizes Water Savers” and may be patently “Illegal”.
You can fight this Now – or – you can wait until your Water Bill is $1,000.00 a month – and you and your Family can’t afford to Bathe – because that’s where the Pickpockets are Going with Water!
That’s why I have copied this letter to the Governor of California and other State of California and County of Orange Officials.
You and I have just begun the “Water Fight of Our Lives” and we need to beckon the State of California to “Step In and Take Over City of Tustin Water” and “Stop the Mismanagement and Pimping” of our “Life and Health Sustaining Water Resources”.
This is a Game of “Water Chicken” – that must be Stopped – “Right Now” – You and I Cut Back on Our Water Usage – the City and Water Departments then Raise Rates Again – Cut and Raise – Cut and Raise – and Cut and Raise – when “Finally” You and I reach a “Cut Back Dead End” – where we can “No Longer Cut Back on Our Water Usage” – there’s nowhere left to Cut – without Sacrificing Our Health and Safety – and the Health and Safety of Our Families and Children.
Talking Points and Issues
1. Instead of spending millions building a filtering system for the “polluted wells” – “Water Employee Job Security” – we should just close the wells and buy all water from Colorado River Sources – as is occurring now – closing the Wells and eliminating employees and other expenses will go a long way towards a “Water Rate Reduction”.
2. The Fixed Meter Charge – “around $24.00 a month residential “now” – even if you never use a single drop of water” – “Penalizes Water Savers” and may be patently “Illegal”.
3. We need to hire a Law Firm and “Force” an independent Audit of both the Water Department and City Hall – looking for expenses and people we can “Cut” – and Possibly effect a “Water Rate “Reduction” not Increase.
4. City Hall and Water Employees “Pickpockets and Water Pimps” – live in a “Perpetual Pay Raises” – “Lavish Benefits” – and “Lush Retirement Packages” – “La La Land” – while the rest of us suffer with never ending and outrageous expense increases.
5. Our first line of defense against the “Pickpockets and Water Pimps” is to Immediately audit your household and business water usage – with the goal of reducing your consumption by – fully 50% – as I mentioned – “the System is Rigged” and the Fixed Meter Charge of around $24.00 a month residential “Penalizes Water Savers” – so we must pursue a Legal Remedy to eliminate the Fixed Meter Charge – altogether – this Way Water Savers – Save – and Water Users – Pay.
Best regards, good luck and good health to everybody,
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $129.60 Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $46.03 Total Charges: **** $175.63
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2024
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $142.80 Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $49.73 Total Charges: *****$192.53
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2025
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $156.00 Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $54.21 Total Charges: *****$210.21
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2026
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $170.40 Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $59.09 Total Charges: *****$229.49
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2027
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $186.00 Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $64.41 Total Charges: *****$250.41
New Rates Applied to Same Usage Beginning in 2028
Water: Water Consumption Consumption 40 Units $202.80 Fixed Meter Charge 5/8″ $70.21 Total Charges: *****$273.01
These New Water Rates represent – a $50.00 “per month” Water Rate “Increase” by 2028 – but – Way – Way – More – than that – if You have a Large Family – or – Operate a Business.
And – It’s Never Ending!
Here’s the last Tustin Water Rate Increase – other Water Companies were Sued and the Tiered Rate System was deemed Illegal.
As of February 1, 2020, the City of Tustin moved to a fixed-rate fee system from a tiered-rate system. This means all customers will be charged the same flat fee of $2.79 for each unit of water (748 gallons) used regardless of how much water is consumed. Since 2014, Tustin’s unit cost has ranged from $0.84 to $4.05 per unit depending on amount of usage (i.e. tiered system). On each January 1 over the next four years (2021-2024), the new unit cost of $2.79 will increase by 5 percent as part of this five-year rate plan.
In 1958 the Privately Owned Tustin Water Works Installed No Residential Water Meters – and Households Paid a Flat Total Fee for Water Use of just $5.00 per month.
TO PROTEST WATER RATE INCREASES:
Get involved!
Attend a public meeting December 5th, 2023 7 PM – Tustin California City Council Chamber about the water rate adjustment to hear from the City about the proposed water rates and why the increase is needed. Call the hotline for more information at (714) 573-3099 Email Customer Service on Water Rates [email protected]
Attend the Public Hearing and or:
Address your letter as follows and Postmark Prior to Public Hearing December 5th, 2023 7 PM – Tustin California City Council Chamber.
“I Protest any and All Proposed Water Rate Increases”
In California, Proposition 218 allows customers to comment on the proposed water rates prior to or during a public hearing. Consistent with the provisions of Proposition 218, and California Government Code § 53755, this notice has been mailed to all customers whose names and addresses appear in the current customer database of the City of Tustin and property owners within the service area based on the most current information published by the Orange County Assessor. If you object to the proposed fees as described in this Notice, you may file a written protest with the City Clerk prior to the close of the public hearing.
Written protests can be mailed or personally delivered to:
City of Tustin – City Clerk’s Office 300 Centennial Way Tustin, CA 92780-3767
A valid protest must include all of the following information:
1. Customer name and account number or name of property owner; 2. Service address; 3. Assessor parcel number; 4. A statement of protest (“I protest” will suffice); and 5. The original signature of the protesting customer/property owner (photocopies will not be accepted). The City Clerk will accept only one protest per parcel served by Tustin Water. The City Clerk will determine the validity of all protests submitted and exclude any invalid protests from the final tabulation. The City Clerk may confer with the City Attorney in determining the validity of written protests. As part of this process, the City Attorney may review contested or suspect protest forms. The City Clerk’s decisions shall be final and binding. In the preliminary determination of validity, the City Clerk will disregard as invalid all protests in the following categories:
1. The purported protest is a photocopy and does not contain an original authorized signature;and/or 2. The purported protest does not identify the customer/property owner by name; and/or 3. The customer/property owner has not signed the purported protest; and/or 4. The purported protest does not have an identifiable statement of protest; and/or 5. The purported protest is one of multiple protests returned for a single service address; and/or 6. The purported protest’s appearance or method of delivery reflects any other circumstances which reasonably demonstrate that the protest has been tampered with or is otherwise invalid. 7. The purported protest is received later than close of the public hearing on December 5th 2023 7 PM For questions regarding this Notice or protest procedures, contact the City Clerk’s Office at (714) 573-3000
If you or your Law Firm has received this message and is interested in representing Tustin California Water Ratepayers – a Retainer Payment of $5000.00 may be available – immediately – inquire.
If you received this message and aren’t sure if your neighbor or other Tustin Water Customer did – Please Share the Love – and Forward this Message as You See Fit.
“Doing nothing is always “easier” – but – doing “something” – is better!”
GET PAID TO REMOVE YOUR LAWNS AND SAVE BIG ON WATER!
The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and your local water agency are proud to offer the Turf Removal Program to qualifying residents and businesses across Orange County.
Use 50-70% less water outdoors by replacing thirsty turf grass with beautiful, climate-appropriate landscape!
Rebates start at $3 per square foot of turf grass removed – the savings really adds up! Get paid to transform your landscape and upgrade your outdated irrigation system.
FREE customized *Design Assistance and **Maintenance programs also available to Turf Removal Program participants!
Save water, save money, and save time on maintenance! Attractive landscaping increases property values by 6-13%! Rebates are limited. Apply today to take advantage of these significant benefits and more! Artificial or Synthetic Turf is not eligible for a rebate.
Please do not remove your grass until your application is approved. Projects that are underway or already completed prior to the receipt of the “Notice to Proceed” email are not eligible to participate.
For questions about the program, please call (714) 593-5036 or email [email protected].
Remember you can also protest Water Rate Increases by Buying Your Next Car – TV – Refrigerator and Other Larger Purchases – Inside a City – that is “Outside” the City of Tustin California!
If you operate a Business in Tustin California – You already Know – that these could be the Water Rate Increases – that – Put-You-“Out”-of-Business!
We Love You Howard Jarvis – RIP – and Thank You for Everything!
After years of work by tax revolt leaders Howard and Estelle Jarvis, Proposition 13 was overwhelmingly approved by voters on June 6, 1978. But Howard and Estelle knew that taxpayers’ gains would be temporary without a permanent citizens organization to protect Proposition 13 and to continue the movement against higher taxes. To meet this need, they founded the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (originally called the California Tax Reduction Movement).
Although Howard Jarvis passed away in 1986 and his wife Estelle in 2006, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association continues their important work.
And with the constant pressure from government for higher taxes, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s role as the legal and political watchdog of Proposition 13 is more important than ever.
Voters reject Statutory Measure 2, which would have legalized cannabis for adults in North Dakota.
Addicted? 1-800-662-HELP
Voters Tuesday rejected Statutory Measure 2, which would have created a new chapter of the North Dakota Century Code legalizing the production, processing, and sale of cannabis. It would have also legalized the possession and use of various forms of cannabis by anyone 21 years of age or older.
Statutory Measure 2 was one of only two voter initiatives on the ballot in North Dakota. The other bill, Statutory Measure 1, would have implemented term limits for the governor and legislators.
It would have also tasked the state health department with setting up industry regulations by Oct. 1, 2023, and cap the number of cultivation facilities at seven and the number of retail dispensaries at no more than 18. Other details like taxation would be left to the state’s Legislature.
Under the bill, adults 21 and older would have been able to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis, four grams of concentrate and flower produced from up to three plants grown at home for personal use.
The bill would have allowed for only a maximum of seven cultivation facilities and 18 cannabis retailers.
North Dakotans rejected an adult-use cannabis legalization measure also in 2018 by a vote of nearly 60%.
The measure was heavily based on language from a legislative cannabis proposal, House Bill 1420, which was approved by the North Dakota House of Representatives in 2021.
Last July, New Approach ND turned in enough signatures for the legalization measure to qualify, and Secretary of State Al Jaeger certified the initiative the next month.
North Dakota voted against legalization in the 2018 midterm elections, and the legislation ended up with the same fate this year.
Hangar Fire - "Without Litigation" - City of Tustin Already On the Hook for $90 Million in Clean-Up Costs - "Not Including the Actual Hangar Property" - and Heading for a Billion Dollars - Developers Likely Not Off the Hook Either - Property Value Assessments Undergoing Official Review - Ask Yourself - Would You Buy or Rent at the Tustin Legacy - Remember there's "Another" Hangar Too Addicted? 1-800-662-HELP URGENT REMINDER - if You're on Southern California Edison's - "Time to Fuck You" - "Electricity Rate Plan" - "Opt Out Now" - Call Today or Visit the Website - 1-800-810-2369
