Thursday, July 05, 2007

Cadidate Packages for Recall Election Ready

Candidate Packages for the recall election can be picked up in the
City Manager’s Office
effective immediately.

Deadline is July 12 2007, 5:00p.m. PST.

For questions please call (310) 603-0220 ext. 501.

Office Hours:

July 5, 2007
10:00 am - 2:00 pm

July 9 - 12, 2007
7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Please remember to VOTE !!!

City's website here.

46 comments:

Anonymous said...

PORNOZA is like a lighthouse standing tall above the sea.

When the storms of my corruption come crashing in, the light of my jail cell you'll see.

Your x-Friend & Perverted Neighbor,

Ferni Pervi

Anonymous said...

Why does the Recreation Dept. baby sit Phyllis' nephew (grandson) everyday at the gym?

I didnt know my tax dollars were going towards this!

Yes, Fatass Pooper, leaving your underaged nephew in the gym by himself for the staff to watch IS baby sitting!

I should bring my son to work also so staff can watch him and I dont have to pay day care!

Where can I sign up?

What's JailByrd's cell number so I can tell him to make the staff watch my kid too?

Anonymous said...

The time has come! The deadline is posted so don't miss it. I wonder who's the first canidate to pull papers. The early bird catches the worm.

Anonymous said...

Hey Phatass Pooper!

It's "Disgruntled" NOT

disgruntal.

AND

"won't" NOT want!.

1. Learn to spell

Take your own advise or just call JailByrd...He'll get someone to spell for you!

9:12 PM, July 05, 2007

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but what is up with the City Manager position?

Anonymous said...

The new city manger is coming from Long Beach.

Anonymous said...

don't get mad pedroza..paul is waiting for you with open arms at the jailhouse jijijijijijijijjajajajajajajajajaja

Anonymous said...

We heard the former City Manager Enrique Martinez is already in trouble with the City of Redlands.

Anonymous said...

No.

That sh@t is FUNNY!

Anonymous said...

Blogger:

Please post the email that councilmember Vasquez put out!

Anonymous said...

What did Enrique do now?

Anonymous said...

The only thing Enrique didn't do was finish his job here in Lynwood. He is the best CM Lynwood has had, in the last 10 years.

If this new CM from Long Beach wants the communities support, he better do his job and not allow the council to micromanage. Otherwise, he will be the CM with the least amount of time!

Anonymous said...

A Message From Councilwoman Leticia Vasquez
July 10, 2007
Dear Friends,
As you may know the recall election has been scheduled for September 25, 2007.

One of the recall proponents, Aide Castro, has initiated litigation against the Los Angeles County Sheriff, the Los Angeles Registrar Recorder, the City of Lynwood, and the City Council. Although I believe this litigation is unnecessary, it will afford the good citizens of Lynwood the opportunity to confirm and/or refute the very serious allegations of impropriety lodged against the recall proponents. These include forged signatures, false and misleading statements concerning the reasons for the recall, circulation of recall petitions by under-aged persons in violation of the law, "signing parties" at which mass forgeries of recall petitions occurred, and more.

As this process goes forth, I have full confidence that the judicial system will disclose the true facts and real identities of the individuals/corporations who are secretly funding this effort.

I challenge the true friends and alumni of Lynwood to join me in the effort to find out who among us has paid more than $150,000 to bankroll this recall. Certainly, Ms. Castro who enjoys the benefits of taxpayer subsidized housing does not have these resources. Those among you who are truly concerned about the best interests of the City of Lynwood should be equally concerned to determine the identities of the Puppet Masters who have now initiated a coup d'état in our small City. I submit to you that irrespective of your personal or political feelings about me, if you truly have Lynwood's best interests at heart you should join me in our common effort to force these shadowy Puppet Masters out into light for all Citizens to see.

The same clandestine individuals have initiated and/or participated utilizing the same illegal tactics in at least 5 recalls in the last several years and have expended hundreds of thousands of dollars. Investigations into those recalls have turned up a number of illegalities that include the following:

Illegally utilizing non-registered voters to circulate recall petitions.

Unlawfully using underage children to obtain signatures.

Illegally using false and misleading information to obtain signatures for the recall.

Illegally forging signatures.

Illegally offering money in exchange for signatures.

Illegally failing to file financial disclosure statements identifying who is funding the recall.

The above are only a few illegal actions by the recall proponents. In light of the order to continue with the election, the City is continuing its efforts to investigate.

You cannot honestly look yourself in the mirror and call yourself a concerned Citizen if you have no interest in determining the real truth and are only interested in pursuing false claims against me. This daughter of Lynwood went through an open and transparent election process and was chosen to serve by our fellow Citizens. These secret wealthy men have only contempt for Lynwood and the democratic process and seek only to hide behind Ms. Castro and her associates so that they can dominate and control Lynwood's City budget of $68 million for their own personal gain.

Our local government is under assault and the good people of our City deserve better. Rather than focusing on Aide Castro and her associates' personal vendetta that ignores the truth-Let us ask the following questions:

Why over the past five years have individuals spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on local recall efforts?

Why have individuals like Ms. Aide Castro and her associates, after having been rejected by the electorate, continued to use illegal tactics to gain control of the City?

Why have Aide Castro and her associates spent so much time misleading and spreading false information throughout the community?

Why has our City Clerk failed to investigate the hundreds of letters she has received from residents concerning election fraud?

I will note that this is not the first time the City Clerk's responsibilities have been removed for negligence during an election.

This election will be an uphill battle, but I will continue to fight to bring the truth to the good people of our City. I embrace the great democracy our forefathers established and I trust that the people of our City will have the integrity to look at the situation for what it is.

It is no secret that over the past several years I have been under constant attack by former Lynwood council members, unsuccessful Lynwood candidates, and unscrupulous business interests all of which have wrestled to take control of our city. These attacks have been further exacerbated by personal attacks and false accusations of corruption against me.

On the question of whether all of this is worth it, I will say this. I have received three death threats. I have been continually harassed at my place of employment in an attempt to get me fired. I have been followed and repeatedly threatened and harassed by former elected officials, unsuccessful Lynwood candidates, and unscrupulous businesses interests. My family has been subject to those same threats of physical harm. I have been continuously attacked personally not for my inability to govern or fulfill by duties as an elected official with lies and innuendo aimed at defaming my character.

However, as your Councilwoman, I have successfully worked with Congresswoman Linda Sanchez and secured millions of dollars in federal funding for street improvement projects in Lynwood. I have successfully worked with Assemblyman Hector De La Torres to secure state funding for Lynwood Meadows Park and Roses Park. I have successfully worked with Supervisor Yvonne Burke to secure millions of dollars in funding for Lynwood's St. Francis Medical Center after the closure of King/Drew trauma center. I have successfully worked to create city sponsored after-school programs at local elementary schools as well as other social betterment programs for youth within our Parks and Recreation Department. I have successfully created a Women and Girl's 'N' Sports program in our City. I have successfully provided Lynwood youth with hundreds of scholarships sponsored by local businesses. I have successfully secured funding for the building of a new state of the art senior citizens center. And the list goes on but I will stop here and say, that it is absolutely worth it for me!

Having said all of the above, I hope as a family we take a long, hard, and serious look at what is transpiring in our City.
Together, I am sure we can get through this and get back to making Lynwood the best City to live, work, and raise a family in. Are you with me?

Sincerely,


Your Fellow Lynwoodian and Councilwoman,

Leticia Vasquez

Anonymous said...

to leticia en primer lugar tu eres la puppet de los mayates en segundo lugar eres una antilatina ers una mayatera mira leticia soy enpleado de la ciudad y te digo algo sinceramente nos das lastima por mayatera y mentirosa porque no le quitas el contrato a raul varela para que te ases pendeja ahora quien es la puppet asta eneso eres tontitaaaaa que orgullosa se adesentir tu madre de ti woa el 4 por ciento que nos dieron metelos en el culo porque ustedes sedan aumentos de asta el 30 por ciento tu cres que con el 4 por ciento vamos asobrevivir si todo esta subiendo pinches rateros langaros todos los enpleados de lynwood estamos afavor que los sacen ala chingada del city hall por favor yo como enpleado les pedimos sacar a leticia vasquez fernando pedroza freddie johnson louis bird gracias sinceramente un trabador

Anonymous said...

You are so full of it! You wish you could blame someone for your downfall. You caused your own downfall by not being a public servant. You think your above us all. You see now that you work for the people. You never reached out to the people of Lynwood. You underestimated us. We the people,, remember that! Your a disappointment. Now you want to hate on Aide? She will take your seat by a landslide!!!!

Anonymous said...

You are so full of it! You wish you could blame someone for your downfall. You caused your own downfall by not being a public servant. You think your above us all. You see now that you work for the people. You never reached out to the people of Lynwood. You underestimated us. We the people,, remember that! Your a disappointment. Now you want to hate on Aide? She will take your seat by a landslide!!!!

Anonymous said...

sorry leticia, i don't believe any of your bs, please if you really want some good for lynwood, resign and let the ball roll.


i am a cambodian,

never her of that work in my whole life

Anonymous said...

Who bankrolled the recall? Does anybody know? I want to know.

Anonymous said...

again jacinto is the word

Anonymous said...

Leticia, I also don't want Aide Castro as member of the city council because she is as corrupt as you. Count your blessings and let the recall process to continue; you are using the same tactics as your master Paul Richards when he faced recall. We, the citizens of Lynwood have the right to be represented, the recall process is a lawful one and regardless of your claims that former elected officials have threatened you, that is not true, you hav brought the recall against you by yourself. I hope that in September we choose someone better than Aide Castro to replace you. You and her are the worst scum in Lynwood.

Anonymous said...

This is all personal--Get over your personal hatred toward people.

stringycheese said...

Your site has been so inspiring that a small group of Gardena citizens have put together their own blog. We are blown away by your success. Thanks to you we are hoping to keep our residents informed and gather support.

Congratualtions and the best of luck to you!

http://gardenawatch.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Dear fellow Lynwood Alumni,

I am writing this letter, because Leticia Vasquez continues to lie and mislead you A letter from Community Volunteer Aide Castro
July 11, 2007
about the recall election. The facts are:

1. Hundreds of volunteers, whom are registered voter of Lynwood, gathered almost 19,000 signatures to recall Louis Byrd, Alfreddie Johnson, Fernando Pedroza and Leticia Vasquez.
2. The neutral Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office verified 100% of the signatures and set the recall election for September 25, because the City Council refused to.
3. I sued the City to force them to uphold the Registrar-Recorder’s mandated recall election date.
Why does Leticia refuse to believe that hundreds of registered voters of Lynwood volunteered their personal time to gather signatures to recall her?

This is a grass-roots effort financed by the sweat-equity of concerned voters of Lynwood, not “Puppet Masters” as Leticia claims.

Thank you for your attention and please don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns. My home number is (310) 438-5464.

Sincerely,

Aide Castro
Community Volunteer
4357 Fernwood Avenue
Lynwood, CA 90262


P.S. Below is a chronology of events.

• 4/30/07 - Proponents submitted 4,684 signatures on Louis Byrd, 4,649 signatures on Alfreddie Johnson, 4,627 signatures on Fernando Pedroza and 4,636 on Leticia Vasquez to the City Clerk’s office. The City Clerk sent the petitions to the County of Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to verify 100% of the signatures.

• 5/2/07 – Vasquez sent Registrar-Recorder a letter requesting verification of 100% of the signatures on the recall petitions. Registrar-Recorder responded that 100% will be verified.

• 5/11/07 - The Registrar-Recorder verified that there were enough valid signatures to hold a recall election.

• 5/15/07 – The City Clerk received the submitted petitions and a letter verifying the signatures from the Registrar-Recorder. The City Clerk notified Byrd, Johnson, Pedroza and Vasquez that there were enough signatures to hold a recall election. The City Clerk gave them a copy of the Registrar-Recorder’s letter dated May 11, 2007.
• 6/5/07 – The City Clerk gave Byrd, Johnson, Pedroza and Vasquez another letter to serve as a Certificate of Sufficiency because the County Counsel had concerns with the prior process on May 15, 2007. The Certificate of Sufficiency states California Election Code 11240 requires the City Council to set a recall election date within 14 days.

• 6/6/07 – The City Council held a special meeting and passed a resolution that removed election duties from the City Clerk with a 4-1 vote. They also passed a resolution that rejected the Certificate of Sufficiency with a 4-1 vote.

• 6/19/07 – The City Council did not set a recall election date. The City Council had 14 days to set a date, according to California Election Code 11240. The City Council passed a resolution directing Strategic Counsel to investigate the recall process with a 4-1 vote.

• 6/21/07 – The City sent a letter to the Registrar-Recorder ordering them not to set a recall election date.

• 6/22/07 – The Registrar-Recorder set the recall election for September 25, 2007, according to California Election Code 11241.

• 6/25/07 – Aide Castro sent a registered letter to Assembly Member Hector De La Torre to request he author an Assembly Bill that mandates the September 25, 2007 recall election be administered by the Registrar-Recorder. When De La Torre was a South Gate Council Member, former State Senator Richard Polanco introduced SB 803 mandating the South Gate recall election be administered by the Registrar-Recorder. SB 803 passed the Assembly with a 75-0 vote on June 20, 2002 and the Senate with a 39-0 vote on August 14, 2002. The Governor subsequently signed it into law on August 24, 2002.

• 7/2/07 – Castro sued the City to hold the recall election. Judge Robert O’Brien ordered the city to begin issuing nomination papers.

Anonymous said...

Fellow Lynwood residents, and registered voters.
Leticia Vasquez is nothing but big lie.
She has never served Lynwood residents nor Lynwood tax payers interest she has tried to decive us all. She plays two faces one with the African American and other with the Latino Community.

Why we still see the Promande in FULL progress if it wasn't for Leticia and Alfreddie.
Check who their MENTOR and Employer
really is.
My recommendation to the Lynwood electorate DO NOT belived what Leticia is claiming to be.

My Vote is YES,YES,YES and YES to recall ALL 4 Leticia Fernado Alfreddie and Byrd.
Lets start fresh!

Regarding Aide I would not trust her with my Vote.......
She is provably funded by the same corrup develpoers as her cousing Ferni.

Sincerely

Lynwood Watch Dog!!!

Anonymous said...

My vote for Aide is conditoned on a few things; in order to vote for her, she has to return the $ 40,000.00 she got from the City of Lynwood in order to get her house. She also has to return the house and any profits from it to the Lynwood residents because the house was built under a city program. If she does that, she has my vote; otherwise stealing the house and the $ 40,000.00 from us is only the beginning for her. She will be worst than her cousin Fernando.

Anonymous said...

Arnoldo Beltran was caught betraying the current council. Supposedly he's been negotiating with the recall people in order to save his job, should the recall go through.

I wonder who the new lawyer will be, probably someone connected to Leticia Vasquez.

I guess it's bye bye for "fatso" now. I guess Aide and friends can bring him back, but it's gonna cost him the pretty penny because Aide Castro is running her own slate of "puppets" and Mr. Robles (her former campaign manager) is pretty expensive at $25,000 consulting fee.

I guess Ramon Rodriguez will not get back on the Council after all.
With Aide shooting at him from the front and her cousing Fernando Pornoza aiming from behind. "Mr. Ace" doesn't have a chance.

Ther's talk that Aide will take out a second mortgage in order to fund her slate.

As I said before: "They all steal your chickens"

"Poderoso caballero Don Dinero"

Voters beware!

Anonymous said...

You are just mad because she helps everybody.

Anonymous said...

Mr Rodriguez has just as much of a chance as I have to win. The proponents and the community will make their choices at the voting booth. Mr Rodriguez has shown to me he cares for the community, and I hope and wish him the best. Please don't make assumptions. This efforts was done for one purpose only. For change.........

Nor his seat, nor mine is guaranteed. We will work as hard as we can and the people will decide.

Regarding my home. Please go and ask for a public information form and request the information on my home. One year after my husband(then fiance) bought our home he refinanced to pay back the $40,000.00 grant he received. No profits have been made because we still live in it and haven't sold it. I have a mortgage like everyone else. I will not be taking out a another mortgage to run. And neither will Mr Rodriguez. Neither one of us have the need to do so.

Good luck to all the candidates. God Bless You and may the best person win.

Respectfully,
Aide Castro

Anonymous said...

You are right, Aide helps, but only herself. She helped herself with a house and $ 40,000.00 and if she is elected, she will help herself 100 times as much.
Good luck to Lynwood with Aide on board.

Anonymous said...

Dear residents and neighbors, the individuals that I will be supporting and walking for are the following...Aide Castro, Ramon Rodriguez and Margaret Arajo. Aide and Ramon have been committed to this community when no-one had the guts to step up. The council can't blame these two for being the "peoples leaders". Many times I have tried to voice my concerns to Leticia, Fernando,Alfreddie and Byrd. But to no avail,they thought I wasn't important enough to be concerned with. I'm sure they feel different now. But I will continue to remove politians that don't speak or represant us. These council member are so disconnected with our community. When I ask about the 48 unsolved murders,they give me no responce. When I showed them a petition of 200 senior citizens that can't afford water and trash hikes,they said nothing. Well, actually Mr. Byrds responded by saying "I see lots of people driving new SUV's so they surely can afford water and trash raises." I represant the "have nots". I don't drive a SUV and I can't afford to keep allowing council to make decisions that make my quality of life harder. I am proud to say that I participated in this cities goverment change. And I will continue to fight for the rights of the "have nots". I am also supporting Margaret because I believe that the senior citizens of this city need reprsantation. Someone who comes from a time of "making do". No extravagent spending,no free cable, cell phone or internet access. She already has what she needs in this life to survive. I offered my congradulations to all canidates, I also offer my help to all canidates. I feel it is honorable to run for city office. I wish you all good luck and please feel free to contact me if needed.
respectfully yours,
Sylvia Ortiz
Recall circulator

Anonymous said...

Leave Aide alone. If it wasn't for her, you pendejos would still have Latisha (leticia), Jail Bird, Pornoza and El Feo (alfreddie) stealing the City's money.

Anonymous said...

She (Aide) helps herself. She wants to finish the stealing that Fernando is going to leave behind.

Anonymous said...

Racial shift plays out in Lynwood politics
As African Americans lose numbers and influence to Latinos, the friction can be felt at City Hall and beyond.
By John L. Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
June 5, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-lynwood5jun05,1,6206793,full.story?coll=la-news-politics-california


For years, the battle for control of the city of Lynwood has been shrouded in accusations of political corruption and cronyism.

A former mayor is serving a 16-year sentence in federal prison for embezzlement. Five current and former City Council members have been charged with padding their salaries with public funds. And an effort is underway to recall four of the five current City Council members.

But beyond the allegations of graft and corruption, a different war — rife with racial and ethnic stereotyping — is being waged in the working-class city south of Los Angeles.

Latinos, who make up more than 80% of the city's 72,000 residents, are vying for power with African Americans, who, despite smaller numbers, maintain considerable influence by virtue of superior voter strength in a city where 40% of the residents are foreign-born.

A decade ago, when blacks controlled the city's political landscape, Latinos complained that they were being denied city jobs and lucrative municipal contracts. Now Latinos dominate and African Americans complain of being frozen out.

The problem is emblematic of emerging tensions throughout Los Angeles County, where the Latino population has surged as African American numbers have dwindled.

The tensions are playing out in cities such as Carson, Compton and Inglewood, where traditional black political muscle — concentrated largely among older working- and middle-class homeowners — is showing signs of weakening as a generation of Latinos reaches voting age. Tensions are also playing out in the race to succeed Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, where the competition between two well-positioned African American candidates may result in their canceling each other out, paving the way for a Latina to capture a seat blacks have held for decades.

The black-Latino friction in a city such as Lynwood is exacerbated by a lack of resources and decent jobs and by poverty — all problems common to both groups, said Harry Pachon, a USC professor and head of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, which released a report in April titled "Beyond the Racial Divide: Perceptions of Minority Residents on Coalition Building in South Los Angeles."

One conclusion, he said, was telling.

"Each group is buying off on the negative stereotypes held by the majority [white culture], rather than questioning them," Pachon said. "Blacks say that Latinos don't take care of their housing, and Latinos felt that blacks don't value families as much."

In Lynwood, some of the strongest evidence of stereotyping can be found on Lynwood Watch (lynwoodwatch.blogspot.com), a website created by an anonymous blogger to keep watch on city officials. The blog encourages readers to voice their opinions, and they do. But many of the comments are laced with calls for Latino unity that include racist rants — in English and Spanish — directed at African Americans.

City Hall is eye of storm

In Lynwood, a center of political and racial strife is City Hall, where council meetings are often stormy. Political opposition has mobilized to challenge the council — on proposed development projects, utility and water tax increases, and criminal charges — and members of the city staff bicker over promotions and salaries. Disputes often break along racial lines.

"It's all about race," said City Councilwoman Leticia Vasquez, who says she has been denounced by fellow Latinos for joining ranks on some issues with two African Americans on the council, Louis Byrd and the Rev. Alfreddie Johnson.

"We don't have to retaliate against each other," said Vasquez, 34, who is a senior field deputy for Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, a Democrat who represents nearby Compton. "We can work together on issues that cross racial lines."

Lynwood elected its first black to the City Council in 1983, nearly a decade after African Americans began arriving in the bedroom community once known as "Lily White Lynwood." Blacks soon dominated City Hall, but the Latino population was starting its rise; and six years later, the city elected its first Latino council member.

By 1997, a newly elected three-member Latino majority sat on the council and moved quickly to wipe away one symbol of African American success: The name of Mervyn M. Dymally Congressional Park, named in 1990 for the former congressman and the state's first black lieutenant governor, was changed to Lynwood Park.

The new majority — consisting of the city's first elected Latino councilman, Armando Rea, and two businessmen, Ricardo Sanchez and Arturo Reyes — embarked on a campaign to clean up the "unethical practices" of the previous council majority. Black employees were let go. City contracts with independent African American businesses, approved by a lame duck council against the advice of city staff, were canceled.

In 1998, three black contractors filed an $800-million civil rights lawsuit against the city and its three Latino councilmen, alleging discrimination. The city eventually settled, renewing two of the contracts; the third contractor died.

Former City Manager Faustin Gonzales, who ran the city on and off from 1993 to 2003, doesn't remember any discrimination lawsuits filed by Latino contractors.

"They put their hope in their numbers," he said.

But not everything was harmonious among the Latinos at City Hall. Vasquez, who was elected in 2003, soon ran into trouble with three other Latino members of the council.

In some of the closed-door meetings, the three other Latinos would sometimes speak only in Spanish, ignoring Byrd, by then the lone African American member. Vasquez remembers: "I was appalled."

Two years later, she encouraged Johnson to make a run for the council, and when he was elected, she found she was part of a new majority, along with Byrd. But she also lost support among Latinos.

"She snubs her nose at the people in the community," said Silvia Ortiz, a community activist and organizer in the recall against Vasquez and three others on the council.

Lynwood Watch emerged in 2004, around the same time the city found itself involved in a series of corruption investigations that included both Latinos and African Americans. A Times investigation uncovered more than $600,000 in unauthorized travel credit card expenses between 1998 and 2003, including New York musicals and a samba show in Rio de Janeiro.

The municipal government remained under a microscope. By 2005, former longtime Mayor Paul Richards had been convicted of steering city contracts to a front corporation he secretly owned. He collected more than $500,000 before authorities put an end to a scheme that could have netted millions of dollars.

In April, the district attorney accused two current and three former council members of padding their official $9,600 salaries to receive as much as $100,000 for part-time services.

Byrd and Councilman Fernando Pedroza, a Latino, were charged with using city credit cards and other city funds for personal expenses, including trips abroad and airline tickets for spouses, and in Pedroza's case, a session with an exotic dancer in Mexico. Former councilmen Rea, Sanchez and Reyes, all Latinos, were also charged.

The accusations of corruption have fueled a recall effort that started after the council launched an effort to lure a National Football League team to the city with a proposal to build a new stadium that called for razing at least 100 homes. The recall targets Vasquez, Pedroza, Byrd and Johnson, but not Councilwoman Maria Teresa Santillan.

It's not about race, said Ramon Rodriguez, a former city councilman who supports the recall: "Greater accountability is what the community has been asking for."

Racial enmity seen

Over the years, more than a dozen African Americans have lost civil service jobs as Lynwood has tightened its budgets and cut positions.

Former City Manager Enrique Martinez, who now manages the city of Redlands, said he was "pushed" both by African Americans and Latinos, who were in the majority when he arrived in the city in 2005. But he singles out one example in particular:

"I was given a list of seven or eight names — all African American — and told to cut their positions, supposedly because there was no money in the budget," he said. "Well, there was money in the budget, and those seven or eight African Americans stayed."

Meanwhile, two African American contractors remain wary even though they reached settlements in lawsuits accusing the city of discrimination and have continued doing business with the city.

One of them, Lee Duncan, who owns California Western Arborists Inc., worries about the safety of his tree-trimming crews after one of his trucks was torched on a city street.

"I'm just guessing someone was upset we had the contract," he said. But he added, "I don't have any enemies."

Many residents of Lynwood are concerned about the racial enmity they see playing out in the city and on Lynwood Watch.

For Phyllis Cooper-Lyons, 60, a Recreation and Parks official, the almost daily barrage of comments about her appearance and work habits are a form of racial harassment.

"It affects you even though you know you are bigger than that," she said.

"I don't want to even look at it, but something draws me to it. Like, 'What can they say about me today?' "

Anonymous said...

She helps no one but herself! Billy thinks his projects in the bag however I'm supporting canidates who will NOT APPROVE his project.

Anonymous said...

She helps no one but herself! Billy thinks his projects in the bag however I'm supporting canidates who will NOT APPROVE his project.

Anonymous said...

The upside to ridding Leticia from this city is,,,we won't have to hear or read her long ass messeges of lectures. Gee, does she ever get sick of hearing herself?

Anonymous said...

As a life long resident of Lynwood, I am saddened that this is always happening to us. Will Lynwood ever be a model city? Will Lynwood ever rise from years of corruption and deception? The problem is that Lynwood is controlled by a small number of people. These are people who have personal goals and interests for themselves. We have evil battling evil for control of our small city. Whoever wins will never be a good thing for Lynwood. People who can improve our city don’t run because it’s a joke.

There are approximately 100,000 people living in our city but someone can win an election with 2,000 votes (sometimes less). And let's not blame illegal immigration on this fact. There are tons of people who can vote but just don't for whatever reason. Election Day is not a big deal for the majority of eligible voters in Lynwood. If we want this recall election to really matter, we need to get everyone who can vote to do so. Or else we will replace corruption with "new corruption". Recall elections aren't supposed to occur every 5 years!!!! The cycle will never end.

And there is a racial problem in Lynwood. If you read what people write on here, then you will realize this point. The ignorant way to vote is by voting for someone simply by how they look or what language they speak. CORRUPTION IS COLOR BLIND!!!!! We need to know the candidates for who they really are and what their true intentions are for our city. Are they using public office as a stepping stone for themselves or do they truly want to improve the way of life in Lynwood? REDISDENTS NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON THE ISSUES AND THE CANDIDATES. Maybe a civic organization in Lynwood needs to organize round table discussions and debates for residents. The second we are politically apathetic as a community, our problems will continue. Sometimes I feel we should just get rid of everyone and start from scratch. Sort of like a clean slate.

I normally don't visit or comment on this blog but I had to vent some frustrations. Hopefully, there are readers who honestly want to make a change and improve living conditions in Lynwood.

Thanks for reading!!!

Anonymous said...

Aide, what you have done against the Lynwood community, talks about your character. Your excuses DO NOT solve the basic principle that you have abused the very own people you claim you serve. Poor Lynwood with hypocrites like you; I hope that the community sends you crying to Raul and Fernando claiming that we took advantage of you because you lost.

Anonymous said...

Aide, you have lost the little trust I had in you. How? By supporting these (particularly two) candidates, that have not done a thing! You know who they are.

You should have run by yourself. Why do you need a slate?

Anonymous said...

What has she done against her community? What you should be saying is thank you Aide Ramon for helping us certify a recall to get rid of these four corrupt councilmembers.

Anonymous said...

Aide Castro wrote
"Regarding my home. Please go and ask for a public information form and request the information on my home. One year after my husband(then fiance) bought our home he refinanced to pay back the $40,000.00 grant he received. No profits have been made because we still live in it and haven't sold it. I have a mortgage like everyone else. I will not be taking out a another mortgage to run. And neither will Mr Rodriguez. Neither one of us have the need to do so"

Aide,
The fact is that you and Fernando did something unethical and maybe illegal. Just because you claimed to have returned the money does not mean that you did nothing wrong. If I take something that does not belong to me and then return it when the owner confronts me does not make it right. You and Fernando took something that was not yours. You have no ethics, as evident from your defense(I returned the money!). You are not the right candidate. My vote will not be for you.
P.S. I believe you have no need for a second mortgage. You are probably still benefiting from our tax dollars by the way of the $40,000 that you took from us.

Anonymous said...

Aide doesn't need a second mortgage because Raul and Billy Martinez will pay her campaign in exchange for towing contracts and housing development for them. She will also get another house for the god-children she claimed lived with her when she stole the $ 40,000.00 and the house from our community.

Anonymous said...

Yippie,,,,,Edwin Jacinto finally showed up to a council meeting.

Anonymous said...

"Belly" Martines used to engage in corruption with Albert Robles when both were councilmen for the city of South Gate.

Billie is worse than Albert Robles, except he hasn't been caught.

He used to snort "coke" and drink heavily back when he was a clowncilman.

The FBI is investigating him for bribes and extortion.

The "benjamins" are marked Aide, run the other way!

Raul is also being checked out by the feds.

The FBI is checking all towing companies in Maywood, Cudahy, Bell Gardens, South Gate..... and you guest it, Lynwood.

It's go'nna get interesting.

Anonymous said...

Para el ultimo comentario... pendejo seras tu pensando que aide va hacer mejor trabajo que la caca que ya tenemos.. mmmm si aide y ramon trabajaron duro en el re- call es por que es obio que tiene angendas personales.. la puritita verdad es que en Lynwood es una pobreza de lideres. La ciudad correria mejor con personas como LUCY AVALOS.jajajajajjajajj

Anonymous said...

MUCHOS DE NOSOTROS NOS PREGUNTAMOS QUE HEMOS HECHOS PARA MERECER ESTOS PERROS COMO CANDIDATOS. TODA LA GENTE BUENA TRABAJADORES NOBLE QUE ESTAREMOS PAGANDO. NO ES JUSTO .

PONGAMONOS A PENSAR QUE LOS NEGROS NO VAN APOYAR A NINGUN HISPANO.. ASI QUE ES MUY PROBABLE QUE NOS QUEDMOS CON LOS MISMO . Y DE QUE VALIO TODO LO QUE HEMOS HECHO.

SIENTO MUCHO DECIR QUE PREFIERO QUE QUEDEN LOS MIS QUE AIDE CASTRO. NO ME PASA QUE SU PRIMO SEA EL PEOR TRISIONERO DE LA HISTORIA NO SOLO DE LYNWOOD SINO DE TODA LA UNION AMERICANA.

FERNANDO PEDROSA EL PECADO QUE LE CAYO A LYNWOOD.

EH