Response to Hit Pieces

By Jan M. Flory

This is Jan Flory's Response to several hit pieces that have deluged the city in the past week.

You have recently received some pretty dreadful brochures from Leland Wilson accusing me of just about everything short of spreading the Black Plague. I invite your calls and your questions to talk with you directly. You can leave a message for me at (714) 525-9998. This is my office number and the best place for me to pick up your message over the weekend. In addition, I will summarize my responses below according to subject:

Police and Firefighter Endorsements

In Fullerton, the police officers are represented by the Fullerton Police Officers Association and firefighters are represented the Fullerton Firefighters Association. These are unions formed to advance the interests of our public safety employees. Some time ago, our governor signed legislation that permitted cities to adopt an enhanced retirement benefit that would permit police and firefighters to retire at age 50 with up to 90% of their highest salary.

Because of the city council's concern over the financial impact of such a benefit, we were the last city in our Orange County survey group to adopt the benefit. In fact, I actually made the motion for the benefit, although I expressed my very significant concerns regarding the cost at the time of voting. Ultimately, my concern that we be competitive with other cities in attracting the best candidates to work for the city outweighed my apprehension over the fiscal effects.

In addition, I also stated that I did not believe in retirement at age 50. During the discussion, I noted that many other professions were "hard" on a person's body,---such as plumbers and electricians who often wear out their backs by age 50. Unfortunately, the police and firefighters thought that I was not respecting them by comparing them to plumbers and electricians. It is for these reasons that they chose not to endorse me.

Over the years, I have been very supportive of the police and firefighters in all respects, and have voted for every motion that involved the purchase of safety equipment and the refurbishment of the the fire stations and police station. The police station is in the middle of a $9 million reconstruction. I not only voted for this but was a cheerleader for the project.

Many of the rank and file police and firefighters who actually live in Fullerton, endorse me and have my signs in their front yards.

TAXES AND FEES

One of the hit pieces stated that I "never met a tax" I didn't like. In the eight years I have been on the City Council, I have never voted for a tax increase. In fact, no new tax has even been proposed in the past eight years!

One brochure accused me of voting to raise trash and sewer fees, and fire alarm fees. During the 8 years that I have been on City Council, various fees come up routinely for evaluation. For example, the paramedic subscription fee was recently raised from $27 to $30 per year because of a change between the Fire Department and St. Jude's Hospital. Previously, St. Jude provided the medical supplies used in emergency treatment, and then the hospital would bill the patient. The hospital stopped that practice, thus, requiring the Fire Department to provide its own medical supplies. This additional cost was passed on to subscribers. The council approved the increase unanimously.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases to the trash fees occur each year as mandated by our contract with Republic, the company that collects our trash. The council unanimously voted for the contract with Republic.

The sanitation fee paid to the Orange County Sanitation District increases a very small amount each year because the sanitation fee is levied as a percentage of the amount paid for water. If the price of water is increased by the Orange County Water District, then the sanitation fee goes up also. Both the water and sanitation fees are "pass through" costs to the consumer. If we did not do this, the city budget would have to subsidize the cost of water to each consumer. That would mean that some other service the city provides (library, park maintenance, etc.) would be impacted.

Fire/burglar alarm fees were increased a few years ago to penalize those people whose fire/burglar alarm systems regularly triggered false alarms. This was to help cut down on our fire department having to respond to false alarms over and over again.

In one hit piece, State Senator Dick Ackerman is quoted as saying, "Fullerton simply cannot afford another four years of Jan Flory." It bears noting that when Dick served on the City Council, he always voted with the rest of the Council to increase fees as set forth above.

DRUG REHAB AND PROSTITUTES

One particularly nasty hit piece purports to come from someone named Denise Purser. The letter is paid for by Leland Wilson's campaign committee. Ms. Purser complains that I voted for a drug rehab center that would allow "drug users and alcoholics to live right next to my son's public school...." No such proposal ever came before the City Council. The County of Orange did apply to relocate its existing offices to the former Comcast Cable offices on West Commonwealth Avenue. This was not a live-in facility and was primarily for office use by county employees. It was not located by any school. Ultimately the council voted not to approve the facility at that location; but rather, to help the county expand its existing facility which is located very close to the police station.

Ms. Purser also accuses me of arguing against strong anti-prostitution laws by doing away with background checks on "key massage parlor employees...." Not true. Last year, the City Council really toughened up a city ordinance dealing with massage parlors. I strongly supported the measure. At the time the council voted for the measure, we asked that ordinance come back to council in a year to see if it was effective. It was. Twenty-two illegal operations had closed up in a year's time. On the other hand, legitimate businesses such as Body Centre were being seriously impacted by some aspects of the ordinance. After a lengthy and thoughtful discussion of the various provisions of the ordinance, the Council unanimously voted to amend the ordinance slightly to accommodate the legitimate businesses. During the far reaching discussion, I asked why a receptionist should be subjected to a background check. I received a satisfactory answer to my question, and voted to approve the amended ordinance with the rest of the council.

It should be noted that after a diligent search, no one has been able to find a Fullerton resident by the name of Denise Purser. Mr. Wilson refuses to respond to our requests for information about her. I don't believe she exists.