Save Our Community was founded in the movement to resist Wal-Mart's development in Rosemead, California. Now, it has become a general site for news, information, gossip, talk, and blogging about Rosemead. We also have stories about South San Gabriel, San Gabriel, Montebello, and occasionally about Pico Rivera, El Monte, South El Monte, Alhambra, Temple City, and other nearby communities. Your host is Todd. If you want a blog just sign up, get approved, and start writing. Good posts will be moved onto the home page.
Rosemead Partners
Well, my main point was in the article. :D I think that increasing public participation is a good thing, and it's a necessary thing if you want government to represent the interests of its citizens. If someone wants to spend money educating citizens and encouraging responsible participation, that's great.
My problem with their mailers is that they are not aimed to do that. They are aimed to play on the fears of the uninformed, and the cynicism of the casual observer.
I still need to write a longer response to the mailer; I'll probably do that tonight.
Is SOC going to start meeting?
I notice that Rosemead Partners is meeting. Is SOC going to meet? Are Tran or Nunez starting to do regular meetings of south side folks?
Perhaps more to the point - are there people who will start groups around other important issues, that aren't modeled like Rosemead Partners (a front group for Wal Mart), or Save Our Community (a single issue group that's too "virtual" to get things done).
It's pretty important to get some low level of involvement. During a campaign, even a lazy guy like me will do one night of phone calls or help with something. Without campaign support, the SOC supporters in the City Council will lose. Big money operations like Wal Mart will go and reward their allies with freebies, and by paying for campaign resources.
Also, the alarmist attacks you've posted have been instructive. They're activating some kind of "afraid of change" base that's probably afraid of Tran. He's put development in the city on a forward path. The ELAC deal was smart. Garvey SD is doing better and better, and having a college in our midst will help.
Even the controversial rules about fences, messy houses, and the (somewhat grand) design standards doc, are going to help. For existing residents (who will probably be grandfathered in) it's worrisome, but for people buying into the city, they see the city protecting their investment, by assuring some standard of aesthetics.
Tran is not my personality type, so I kind of feel weird around him... but he's definitely motivated and getting things done.
Is SOC going to start meeting?
I don't think the people who were a part of SOC all quite realize what an amazing group we are/were. I don't think they realize how few groups there are out there that can get fifty or sixty volunteers who are willing to walk precincts or phone bank, and several hundred people who are willing to turn out to rallies and contribute their time and money to a cause like we did.
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That's why so many of our elected officials (especially state and federally elected officials) were willing to come by our meetings. They also knew that we were and are a special group.
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They don't get those visits at so-called Rosemead Partners meetings because elected officials know that Rosemead Partners isn't so much a citizens group as a figment of Wal-Mart and Mike Lewis' checkbook.
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But even though we don't meet regularly, we do have our e-mail list and our website, and a lot of informal social networks that help to keep us all posted of what's going on in Rosemead.
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Still, I think we'd be a more effective group if we returned to at least occasional, formal, all-member meetings.
Rosemead Partners
How do these idiots think they can qualify for tax exempt status if their official reason for existing is "To support quality candidates in elections affecting Rosemead citizens"? You know, there's a church in Pasadena that can probably tell them what happens to your tax exempt status when you even talk about political issues, never mind actually supporting candidates for office.
Rosemead Partners
Nice catch.