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Montebello E-News

 February 14, 2010

We can't all be heroes, because somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by. Will Rogers

This quotation got me thinking. Should we take it at face value? Is Rogers mocking our contemporary idea of "heroism"? I am concerned by the quotation because I think that everyone should strive for her / his potential and not sit on the curb and applaud.

1. Announcements
 2. If It Is Broke, Don't Fix It
4. About Montebello E-News and “My Montebello”

At the library. Tuesday, February 15, 2010, 5:00 p.m. Free Koto performance. The Koto is a 13-string harp like instrument which originated in China and came to Japan in the seventh and eighth century. Ms. [Yukiko] Matsuyama trained at the Ikuta School of Koto and has performed at the Japan America Theatre, John Anson Ford Theatre, and at many music festivals and cultural events. This program is sponsored by the Montebello Friends of the Library. For more information, 323.722.6551.

More at the library. On Tuesday, March 2, 2010, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a Social Security representative will be available to assist applicants and existing beneficiaries with: (a) applying for Social Security retirement, spouses and / or disability benefits online; (b) securing an online retirement estimate; (c) changing an address or telephone number; (d) requesting a replacement Medicare card; (e) requesting a "proof of income" letter; (f) requesting a form 1099 Social Security Benefit Statement; (g) obtaining a password. 1550 West Beverly Boulevard, Montebello. For ADA accommodation, such as a sign-language interpreter or materials in an alternate format, call 323.722.5621, voice, or 323.726.0836, TTY, Monday through Friday, 8 – 5, at least six business days prior to the event.

Attention, home buyers. On Friday, January 29, 2010, Senator Calderon held a press conference and announced he wanted to extend and expand a 2009 state housing credit for first-time home buyers into this year.  He wanted to double the amount of money made available last year and also planned to amend [the credit] to allow the credit to be used for the purchase of all homes, not just newly built ones. ... To learn about the home buying process and take advantage of the $10,000 tax credit, register now! Free home-buyer education class on February 20, 2010, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM, in Spanish. For more information, Montebello Housing Development Corporation, 323.722.3955.

A message from Montebello City Councilor Dr. Frank Gomez. "It is important that every Montebello citizen feels their input to bettering our community is valued; this is key to improving local democracy. The City Council values your input and our ears are open to your suggestions. Today's trying economic times should be looked upon as an opportunity to try new things within our great city. I encourage everyone to offer their ideas to improving our way of life."

Who wrote Great Expectations? Yes, Charles Dickens. If we changed the title to What Are Your Expectations?, we might have a theme for last Thursday's Montebello candidates forum hosted by the Whittier League of Women Voters and sponsored by the Montebello Chamber of Commerce. I came away from the forum with useful observations and facts. First, the forum helped me choose a candidate for one of the offices, as this candidate's answer to a question was resident-friendly, 'I will work with you', while a rival's answer indicated to me old-school thinking, 'I will take care of you'. Second, I met Frank Millan, who operates the Millan Foundation, in memory of her daughter. See the Web site: www.kemmf.org. Third, I found the mix of civility by some candidates and acerbity by others an interesting mix; I very much preferred the former and wondered why civility could not continue outside the room. (Why are words said inside "hallow" while words said outside are "hollow"? What is the duality in our human nature which makes this possible?)  Fourth, The League of Women Voters expressed regret that one candidate would not be permitted to answer questions because an opponent was not present. I wondered why the League did not say that this policy was based on IRS regulation, which is strict with regard to a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization holding a candidates forum. Fifth, the League invited candidates to use the League's free online Web site, www.smartvoter.org, to post information about themselves, as none of them had done so. Smart Voter has been around for a while and would be an excellent resource, but the League seems not to know how to promote or invigorate Smart Voter. The League should be so bold as to propose to government that money spent on paper sample ballots be spent on Smart Voter instead. Notably, that would be less taxing on the environment. Sixth, I realized that, while I might fume at a candidate's position or absence of position while I sit at my computer, it is hard to be upset with a person when seeing him or her in person. So I wonder whether more contact between residents and elected officials would be useful for understanding, if not agreement. Seventh, the candidates seemed to misunderstand one question put to them. What started out as a "resident advisory assembly" which necessitated no budget turned into a resident advisory board for which a budget would have to be had. It is interesting that an idea can be minimalized through misinterpretation. Finally, a cousin posed a good question to the candidates, whether there should be a code of ethics. He and I agreed that our city council should be monitored by an independently-selected residents committee\which would cost our city a fraction of the cost of having a city attorney, if even that much.

Cutting costs. Back to the "Smart Voter" observation in the previous announcement. If all candidates put their information at www.smartvoter.org, less paper would be needed and less taxpayer money would be spent to get information to voters. Those voters who wanted information on paper could request it. As for those voters who would need information on paper but would not make the effort to request it, how far are we obligated to accommodate, given that cutting costs and waste are priorities?

The pros and cons. I got a permanent-absentee voter ballot. I thought about it: do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? The convenience of voting means that there would be more voting. That is a good thing. But there is a good bit of paper generated, much of it useless information, which is a bad thing. So, which is better?

Getting rejected for jury duty.  When I was called for jury service in November, 2006, I went to the Superior Court in Norwalk. I was seated among prospective jurors, listening to a judge. I asked a question which perked the ears of the defense attorney. He then asked me a question, did not like my answer, and sent me home. What was my answer? The jury-instruction manual contains many instructions; that in itself indicates that our trial system is flawed and a correct verdict cannot be guaranteed.

Are you sure about your coverage? My parents get discounted insurance because their insurer covers both the house and the car. But my dad wanted to find out if the insurance could be had cheaper. A cousin referred me to an agent in Whittier, who found errors in the auto insurance which, if corrected, would make our premium even lower. Most of us do not like reviewing insurance policies, but doing so is worthwhile. How to make a review fun, so that it get done? Offer a teenage relative 50% of any saving which he or she finds on your next premium payment. That would make arithmetic interesting to him or her.

A word of thanks. This helpful insurance agent, Mike Hamilton of Parkville Insurance Services, Inc., impressed me. He advised that seniors be cautious, because a saving in the short run might become a major misstep in the long run. He noted that he had had clients who, switching to AARP car insurance, had seen their insurance become unaffordable because of an accident. Mike says that he likes to compare policies. To contact him, 562.945.2702 x113 or 800.350.2702.

Recognizing and referring others to good service. If you have had good service from a businessperson in Montebello, please give me a story in fifty or fewer words, along with the name of the person and her / his contact information.

Should we be listening? I remember from college days that The New Republic was a conservative magazine and The Nation was liberal. Early this month, The New Republic published an article entitled "Is There Enough Food Out There For Nine Billion People?" According to the article, yes, if we make changes. http://www.tnr.com/node/72936 But, realistically, will we change? How long will we wait before we start?

The expression "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is used by policy makers, like elected officials, to tell their colleagues not to reform a program which does not need reforming. But how about the opposite? Does it ever happen that somebody would say, "If it is broke, don't fix it?" It has happened, although not in those words. A fellow Montebelloan helped me see last week that, for democracy to work well in Montebello, it first has to be broken. In other words, the anti-democratic practices of of municipal government rile up the voters to go to the polls. So, at least for Montebello—and probably for most of the country—democracy has to be be broken in order for it to work work, that is, for people to take an interest. Wow.

To learn about this newsletter, Montebello E-News, and the accompanying, growing Web site, “My Montebello”, visit www.mymontebello.com.  Also, you will find instructions and contact information for submitting announcements for publication in this newsletter, and for submitting stories to “Montebello Memories” at the Web site.