Dear sirs:
When we listen to the thoughts of others we have the opportunity to reduce our mistakes. Our differences lead to growth. Everyone likes the idea of progress, but few people like the idea of change.
As a city, we should cherish and honor the chance – the opportunity – to head in a new direction. There are changes facing Whittier and some of us might not have as much control over these changes as they would like. We only have control over ourselves.
Never expect everyone to agree 100 percent with you. I don’t. Other people have ideas and thoughts just as valid as yours.
To recognize this makes one a mature, civilized member of society and elevates the level of our civilization and our society.
Some people are worried about the change to our electoral system here in Whittier. Does not change reinvigorate us as a city? The issue is not about voting rights … the issue is what is fair and equitable for Whittier as a whole.
We must not place limits on ourselves and what is possible. We must break up some of our restricted thinking. Let’s choose the direction we want to go as a city and turn our dreams, hopes, ideas and thoughts into possibilities. Don’t let changes made by others disturb you.
A new electoral system could bring Whittier back to life. It could make us vibrant once again. But changing our electoral system is a public endeavor. People have to get involved.
When I see our car dealerships, our markets such as Albertson’s, and other businesses that have given up on Whittier reduce our local sales tax revenue it is only logical to believe that to remain financially strong and to sustain our fiscal growth we need to make a change.
We need to make that choice – that decision – in our June 2014 special election that fits our needs.
God bless America, pray for and thank our active troops and our veterans, and think positive about the future of Whittier.

Arthur Rock
Whittier

By Debra Bowen

Secretary of State:

A Sacramento judge has rebuked Secretary of State Debra Bowen for seeking to prevent thousands of signatures from being counted in a referendum drive against the highly controversial Co-ed Bathroom Bill.

Judge Allen Sumner of the Sacramento County Superior Court issued a tentative ruling granting the writ petition of referendum supporters to have thousands of signatures counted that were delivered to the Tulare County clerk’s office before the deadline but were not accepted until after the deadline. Although tentative rulings are not official, they offer a preview of the court’s reasoning and are nearly always adopted as the official ruling of the court.

The Secretary of State’s Office has not yet indicated whether they will ask for oral argument to be held, or whether they will appeal the court’s ruling.

The Pacific Justice Institute is co-counsel in this case representing the referendum proponents. The president of PJI, Brad Dacus, commented, “Every Californian regardless of ideology should be encouraged by this ruling that strongly supports the fundamental right to have referendum signatures counted when they are delivered to county clerks ahead of the referendum deadline. These rights are too important for the Secretary of State, or a county clerk, to play politics when they don’t like a particular referendum.”

PJI also expressed concern about misinformation that is being spread by the Secretary of State’s office and some media outlets as to the current status of AB 1266.

“Quite simply, the law has not gone into effect because proponents have delivered more than enough signatures to place it on hold,” noted PJI attorney Kevin Snider. “It is mere wishful thinking on the part of politicians and activists to declare that the law is in effect. The California Constitution says otherwise, and even the Secretary of State has agreed with our position for other referenda that she deems less controversial.”

The law that has been placed on hold, AB 1266, would require all public schools in California to allow self-identified transgender students to choose the bathrooms and locker-rooms they want to use, as well as the sports teams they want to join, regardless of their anatomy or the objections of other students

Polling has shown the law to be unpopular among Californians. The Privacy for All Students coalition delivered abut 619,000 signatures to county clerks throughout the state in November. When about 505,000 of those signatures are validated, the issue will be placed on the ballot statewide in November, 2014.

Brad Dicus is president of the Pacific Justice Institute.

By Brad Dicus

President

Pacific Justice Institute

SACRAMENTO – A referendum has put on hold a 37-word bill which would have opened up restrooms, locker rooms and showers in K-12 public schools to students “irrespecacrtive of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”

Known as the Co-ed Bathroom Bill, Assembly Bill 1266 originally was due to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. But voters in all 58 of California’s counties have put on the brakes by submitting more than 600,000 signatures to the Secretary of State.

Under Article II, §9 of the California Constitution, the People have reserved to themselves their inherent power to review statutes enacted by lawmakers. “The voters are essentially part of the legislative process,” said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute. “Through the referendum, they either approve or veto the law,” Dacus said.

There has been some confusion about what constitutes a referendum. By its nature, a referendum involves a law that has been passed by the Legislature, but not gone into effect. Because the signatures have been filed, the implementation of the law is suspended until the final signature tally. After that, the law will continue to lie dormant until the voters render their judgment in the November 2014 election.

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P.O. Box 276600
Sacramento, CA 95827

By Erwin Ulbrich

WHITTIER – On June 6, 2013, there was a lawsuit in Department 85 of the Superior Court of California between the various parties suing the city of Whittier and Matrix Oil Company to stop oil drilling in the Puente Hills Wilderness Preserve.

In part, on Oct. 1, 2013, Judge Chalifant ordered “a final injunction restraining and enjoining Whittier and Matrix and each of them and their agents, servants, employees and representatives and all persons acting in concert or participating with them from engaging in, committing or performing, directly or indirectly, any activity or disturbance whatsoever on the Property in pursuit of, or related to, the (Oil) Project.”

This seems quite clear, but after the judgment, the various parties were approached to see if some sort of settlement (money) could effectively go around the judgment and let drilling proceed. On Oct. 29, 2013 the five assembled Los Angeles County Supervisors voted unanimously to stop the drilling and accept the judge’s ruling.

At this time, the city has encouraged Matrix Oil Company to spend millions of dollars on this project including four EIRs, multiple hearings, and project plans, a 14-foot-deep excavation with the foundation for three oil wells, numerous publications, etc., all of which are worthless because of this judgment.

Matrix Oil was also encouraged by receiving a lease from the city. Future appeals are now being discussed which will greatly add to this expense. Ultimately the oil company can be expected to come against the city for compensation and it will not be pretty.

Now is a good time to STOP this project to CUT the Whittier citizens’ losses. Let’s concentrate on redeveloping Nelles, our vacant Whittier Boulevard properties, and our emerging Regional Health Center as well as making Whittier a safe and beautiful place for our newly arriving citizens to safely live and to recreate.

Whittier has many hidden jewels and we should spend our blood and treasure on polishing and adding to these jewels, and not building a crappy oil field that would make us look like Signal Hills in the 1950’s.

It has taken us 20 years to get rid of most of the Powerine Refinery which dominates the view out of my diningroom window. I see people still complaining about the bad smell of old tank residue.

Periodically I must drive through the tertiary recovery oil fields north of Bakersfield; I sure would hate to have something like this between Whittier and Hacienda Heights as the badge identifying Whittier.

Erwin Ulbrich is a retired Boeing Aerospace engineer, 50-year Whittier resident and longtime supporter of parks in Whittier. He’s a member of the Audubon Society, California State Park Association, National Park Conservation Association, Whittier Conservancy (inactive) and Whittier Hills Oil Watch/Open Spaces Legal Defense Fund.

By J.C. “Mac” McFarland

Fellow Whittier residents,

Be neither deceived nor discouraged by last Tuesday’s “hearing” held by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on the Matrix Whittier Main Oil Project. Their vote against the project has potentially no direct impact on the future of the project. The matter is now in the hands of the courts and will, hopefully, be concluded in the not-too-distant future.

The supervisors held this meeting in an attempt to demonstrate to the public that the county has a strategic say in the project approval process. The hearing was not requested by the city of Whittier. The hastiness of the project hearing was also apparent as notice was sent only about 18 days prior to the hearing date of Oct. 29.

The hearing was stacked with opponents of the project ready to be recorded on camera. In fact, a week prior to the hearing, County Open Space District employees were directed to round up people to attend and speak (I have a copy of the e-mail). It is unfortunate that more time was not given to notice this hearing, as more of us who support the project could have attended.

The meeting was both a political event and an event staged as an impartial vote on the project. Many at the hearing complained dramatically that the city of Whittier was ignoring the county consent approval process critical to Prop A. County staff presented a report, based on an outside consultant’s analysis, that condemned the project. It also contained numerous factual errors, including the allegation that 60 oil wells could be drilled throughout the 1,280 acres of city land.

In fact, Matrix Oil is restricted to one drilling and production location on only seven of those acres, which is located in a canyon that is off-limits to the public. In addition, the county’s “findings” were written and published well before the hearing, and approved unanimously by the supervisors without any modification. So much for an open and honest process!

The county’s authority in this matter has already been decided by the California Superior Court. The judge ruled earlier this year that the county’s claims under Proposition A and the public trust doctrine were filed well beyond the statutory deadline.

Consequently, the county is also prohibited from challenging the authenticity of the Matrix Oil lease or Whittier’s Conditional Use Permit. His honor further ruled that Whittier’s obligation to obtain county approval of the project expires in June of 2015. Subject to further appeals or a negotiation, the project will proceed no later than that.

Here are some additional facts regarding the litigation that may be of interest to Whittier residents:

• Our city sought and obtained written approval to proceed with the oil and gas leasing process, and of the proposed lease, from the L.A. County Open Space District and County Counsel in August 2008. This was three months before bids were received and Whittier awarded the lease to Matrix Oil.

• All previous opponents in court have either dropped out, been ruled against or settled their lawsuits with our city, thus allowing the oil project to move forward. This includes the Open Space Legal Defense Fund, the Mountain Recreation Conservation Authority, and the State Attorney General representing the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

• The project is allowable and compatible with Prop A as stated in written reports submitted to the city during the CUP and CEQA review process by Prop A founders/authors Ms. Esther Feldman (CCS) and Mr. Carlyle Hall (Akin Gump). Opponents are misinformed and wrong in stating that the project is not allowed under Prop A.

As the significant majority of us have affirmed in the two most recent City Council elections, Whittier wants and needs the oil project. It will stimulate local business activity and provide funding for our city and for the Habitat Preserve in our hills. Matrix Oil and its partners are determined to pursue the project and are optimistic about a favorable outcome.

J.C. “Mac” McFarland is a lifelong Whittier resident who has served as director for PIH Health and is a 36-year member of the Whittier Host Lions Club. He has built a career as a CPA in the oil and gas industry and has represented Matrix Oil Corp. for the past eight years.