It is interesting to note that a day and a half before the election, FullertonWatch posts at fullertontaxpayers.org rather weak comments made by Bruce Whitaker against the Downtown Core and Corridor Special Plan (DCCSP). Where have you been Council member Whitaker? Joe Imbriano and myself have been fighting the good fight against this totally undemocratic boondoggle for the sole benefit of the special interests for 2.5 years. Here is what our leader had to say about the DCCSP on the referenced video as follows:
- He says it will create too much traffic. Fullertonians would like to ask Council member Whitaker, where he has been on the traffic issue for the last six years he has been on the council. Fullertonians sure know that the traffic has become a major problem here.
- He says we need a good balance of growth in Fullerton. Of course, Council member Whitaker leaves the public guessing as to what he means by having a good balance of growth. I must say Whitaker’s words were spoken like a true politician. His words sound good at first, but once you think about what he said you realize you still have no idea what his position on development will be going forward! Where are his solutions for improving our terrible and growing traffic congestion before he votes to approve even one more high-density development in our city?
Also knowing that his main campaign contributors over the years have been developers, and real estate interests to the tune of over $40,000, has to give any reasonable person pause as to where his allegiance will lie going forward…the people or the developers.
Here is what Joe Imbriano and myself have been saying for 2.5 years on social media, on the fullertoninformer.com and also at many Fullerton Council meetings as follows:
- Over two years ago, we spoke out against the DCCSP as an undemocratic boondoggle, giving all the power to an unelected bureaucrat, City Manager Joe Felz. If it would have passed in 2014, development throughout almost all the major corridors in the city, covering hundreds of acres would have been under the sole control of City Manager Joe Felz. There would be no oversight or review from the Planning Commission. There would be no Agenda Item brought before the City Council, where the council and most importantly the public would have a say as to impact of the development on our city and its residents. The only person standing in the way of dozens of multi-million dollar projects getting approved was our City Manager. Absolutely no checks and balance in that system. As someone who is a trained auditor with 30 plus years of experience, this process should never be approved by any institution that is concerning for open and transparent government. As fiduciary responsibility is a regular theme of Council member Whitaker’s, his failure to point this out to the public should be very concerning to all of us. I know I mentioned this very issue during public comments over two years ago in the presence of Bruce Whitaker. As his then appointee to the Parks and Recreation Committee, he had every opportunity to discuss the matter with me at any time. He has never discussed this with me and has to my knowledge never done so at any City Council meeting.
Did not Bruce Whitaker vote to make Ma’Ayn Johnson, a S.C.A.G employee one of our Fullerton Planning Commissioners? Yes he certainly did do this, saying she was one of the top candidates out of a good field of 16 or 17 applicants. S.C.A.G has been in line with the United Nations Agenda 21 goals for more high-density and high-rise development as well as the elimination of the automobile.
If he was really concerned about overdevelopment, it seems very clear that Ma’Ayn Jonson would be the last person he would want on our Fullerton Planning Commission.
Once you examine Bruce Whitaker’s rhetoric vs. his actions concerning the DCCSP and the issue of continued high-rise, high-density development, one would really not know where he stands on these vital issues facing Fullertonians. Should we believe his words or should we believe his actions?
I report, you decide.
#1 by Barry Levinson on November 7, 2016 - 10:53 am
Here is the heading of Bruce Whitaker’s Facebook page for several years, just recently taken down by the same Bruce Whitaker as follows:
“WORDS MAY LIE, BUT ACTIONS WILL ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH.”
Let us see if Council member Bruce Whitaker’s words align with his actions.
Let us review a few of Council member Whitaker’s recent actions.
1. He voted to appoint Ma’Ayn Johnson, an Agenda 21, S.C.A.G planner to our Planning commission. S.C.A.G. is the largest Unelected, Taxpayer Funded, Government Agency in the County. Bruce Whitaker’s words are limited government, the taxpayer’s choice and a good steward of your money. Bruce Whitaker gives us taxation without representation.
2. He voted to make Jennifer Fitzgerald our Mayor, who praised Andy Dick at a benefit to raise money for Autism, after he called all children and adults with autism, “retards”.
Voted for her even though he knew she has major conflict of interest problems as the V.P of Curt Pringle and Associates. Bruce Whitaker’s words are for greater transparency in government. Bruce Whitaker’s actions demonstrate that he supports those who are not transparent at all.
3. He ignored a 4 to 5 million-dollar finding concerning our Fullerton Golf Course. This means that 4 to 5 million dollars of your tax money was wasted or worse by our city government and even though his campaign signs states…”the taxpayer’s choice”, he chose to ignore it. Bruce Whitaker’s words are for greater transparency, holding the line on spending, ensuring that there is no fraud, waste and abuse, but his actions in this case was to not act at all. This is not acceptable for any council member.
4. He voted to pass Map 8A provided by a downtown bar owner who happened to contribute $1,500 dollars to his past campaigns. This map basically disenfranchises those citizens who live in and around downtown Fullerton by dividing them into five different districts rather than mainly one district. Did Mr. Whitaker recuse himself for the vote on Map 8A due to the large contributions given to him by the map’s author? The answer is no. Unfortunately, rather than recuse himself or even disclose the connection, he voted for the Map not once but twice.
5. His Planning Commissioner, Kevin Pendergraft missed the most important Fullerton Planning Committee meeting in the history of Fullerton on the Downtown Core and Corridor Specific Plan. When I asked Whitaker if that bothered him, his response was no because Pendergraft was on vacation. There is only one problem with that answer. You see Pendergraft voted to postpone the vote on the DCCSP to that date, either knowing he would not be there or deciding after the fact to take vacation instead. In either case, that was totally unacceptable in my opinion. However, Council member Bruce Whitaker was perfectly okay with his appointee’s absence.
Bruce Whitakers words are that he is concerned about the DCCSP but his actions shows little or not concern when it comes time to vote for it on the Planning Committee.
As you can plainly see…”Words may lie, but actions will always tell the truth” is an extremely insightful quote. It is too bad that that our Council member Bruce Whitaker who placed it on top of his Facebook page apparently did not take those words of wisdom seriously. But I guess it did serve its purpose for a while as a good political slogan, nothing more.
#2 by Anonymous on December 20, 2016 - 11:03 am
Bruce Whitaker played you all like a fiddle. Now you have a majority on the council that will shove all this development and pot clinics right all up your ass holes and there is nothing you fringe haters can do about it. Hah! Notice how Kiger is back over at FFFF the day after he and Tony made sure Fitzgerald and Whitaker got re-elected. They will stir the pot just enough to keep the loyal opposition focused on the small stuff while the big shit gets rammed right through.