Clarification:
The Oct. 27 Sun News story, “City Asked to Give $2 Mill for LW Grant,” contained paraphrased statements from Councilman Miller that may be unclear.
During the meeting, Miller said: “When you talk about staff time, the staff time is way behind now. I mean, I have outstanding issues for the staff, and this tragedy we have just had has really taken our staff time. I don’t think there is any staff time available in my opinion, but I am not staff.”
About Supervisor John Moorlach’s opinion piece:
John Moorlach just doesn’t get it. Of course our lawsuit seeks to overturn the forcible annexation of Sunset Beach by Huntington Beach. He seems to think that Sunset Beach residents who oppose the takeover by Huntington Beach and the imposition of taxes, all without the consent of voters and taxpayers in Sunset Beach, are merely dupes of the Association of Orange County Sheriffs (AOCSD), who want to continue to serve our area.
He implies that our lawsuit against Huntington Beach/LAFCO is really a project of AOCSD; that we are being led and financed by that organization.
Untrue.
Taxation and annexation are linked; a city cannot operate if some of its residents don’t pay city taxes.
But if taxation inevitably follows annexation and our California Constitution, by means of section 218, forbids coerced taxation, then annexation cannot be forced on a community. It must accept the annexation before taxes can be imposed.
Moorlach is the current chairman of LAFCO; but he has ignored the advice of LAFCO’s legal staff.
Here is a quotation from the annexation report that Ralph Anderson and Associates prepared for LAFCO in connection with our annexation:
“It should be noted, however, that in the view of LAFCO legal staff the Utility Users Tax could be imposed only if the annexation were processed as a normal inhabited unincorporated area requiring a vote of the Sunset Beach electorate. Since it is being pursued as an ‘island’ annexation, not involving a vote of those being annexed, Proposition 218 would bar the imposition of this tax to this area according to LAFCO.”
The solution is so simple that even John Moorlach should be able to understand: just give residents of Sunset Beach a voice in their future governance.
Let us vote to accept Huntington Beach or not.
If annexation is accepted by a majority of our community, we will go along willingly with the increased taxes that follow.
But as Americans, we do not like to be told what to do, and will continue on our journey through the court system, with the help of the Howard Jarvis Organization.
Gretchen Hoad
Sunset Beach
Memorial
We would like to expand upon Jan Jones idea, given in the Sun’s Sidewalk Talk (Oct. 20), regarding “should there be a permanent monument for the shooting victims of 10/12/11.”
Jan suggested “something like a living rose garden or a tree.”
We would like to suggest a memorial on the existing city property at the corner of Fifth Street and Marina.
It is a beautiful location, already zoned as parkland, and appropriate for this use. The memorial could contain benches, bushes, perhaps a fountain—all of which can be discussed at a later time. We just wanted to put forth the idea, an idea that was initiated by our neighbors, families and friends.
With this note, we are asking for the community to join us in this effort. Please contact your council representative to help move this project forward.
Ron and Patty Sesler
Seal Beach
Kudos for the Sun staff
I just wanted to compliment you and the Sun Newspaper on the beautiful front page cover in the Thursday, Oct. 20 edition of the Sun Newspapers.
I think it’s a fitting tribute to those who have been lost in the salon tragedy and to those left behind. My heart goes out to the entire Seal Beach community, a place where I once worked and called home. Take care.
Elizabeth Deering
Administrative Assistant
Rossmoor Community Services District
