April 16, 1999
A new organization was announced, by Libertarian Richard Rider, Assemblyman Association. The announcement was made on the Roger Hedgecock show.
We are forming a real taxpayers association designed to provide competition, and ultimately replace the bogus San Diego Taxpayers Association.
Richard Rider
San Diego
In regards to your Editorial and Tezozomoc Speaks, I am glad to see that the outrage over the false promises of Gov. Davis has made the Hispanic community act in concert. The Governor should know by now that when something is ill intentioned and rejected it is not wise to thread on them lest the threat fails to support him. Prop 187. Is wrong, plain wrong. There are other ways to deal with problems that face our state other than with hate-filled legislation!
In regards to Pacheco's appointment, it looks like the Republicans have a lot to learn about the Hispanics community. In our "hoods, once perceived as a "ven-dido" there is no amount of glitter to wash that off.
Julio Martinez
Anneburg, Sweden
(Looks like La Prensa has a following in Sweden)
Conflict of Interest Within Taxpayers Association
The San Diego County Taxpayers Association has many conflicts of interest of association board members. For instance, Centre City Development Chairman Howard. Peter Q. Davis, is a board member of the Taxpayers Association. The Downtown San Diego Partnership has seven corporate members are also on the board of the Taxpayers Association.
Four cities and the county of San Diego are criticized because they want to divorce gas stations from oil companies to cut gasoline prices. Are we surprised to find the lobbyist for Western States Petroleum Association sitting on the Taxpayers Association Board? The San Diego County Grand Jury is also being criticized for issuing a report critical of the San Diego City Council for not giving the public the facts about Proposition C, the ballpark proposition. The Taxpayers Association criticize them for getting involved in the election but they don't tell you Burnham Co., the developer of the ballpark district, is on its board.
(RIDER NOTE: SDCTA just announced that the Grand Jury "won" the Metro Fleece Award, showing just how irritated SDCTA was by this citizen's jury, which had the unmitigated gall to point out that the Padre ballpark deal was ill-advised and misrepresented — assertions that have been validated since the election. For further information about the Taxpayers Association, see the Opinion page of the Jan. 26 Daily Transcript, under the heading of "What's In A Name.")
Mel Shapiro
San Diego
The United States Attorney is defending Criminals
I wish to express my gratitude to your newspaper for having the guts to print the truth that the mainstream media ignores. You are upholding the spirit of the First amendment, while other newspapers only hide behind the Constitution, and fail miserably in their duty to speak up when it is not in their best political interest to do so.
I have some sad news that I wish to share with you and your readers. The United States Attorney here in San Diego is defending criminals who are posing as U.S. Customs Officials. I personally gave Mitch Dembin of the U.S. Attorneys office rock solid irrefutable proof that Customs Officials here in San Diego had committed serious crimes. Now, if it had been anyone else but the U.S. Attorneys' gringo friends who had committed the crimes, they would have been indicted and locked up immediately. But since these were pals of U.S. Attorney Charles LaBella, and former U.S. Attorney Alan Bersin, they were never arrested, and the evidence was never presented to a Grand Jury. They swept everything under the rug to protect their "good ol' boys."
I have been fighting corruption in the Customs Service for almost ten years now. If federal law enforcement is ever to regain the public's trust, we have to get rid of criminals like these. The only way to do it is through the newspapers. People have to hear and see it in print. I have tried other methods, but I can guarantee you only one method works. The Commissioner of Customs, Raymond Kelly could care less about the massive corruption in his agency, and unless something makes the front page of the Miami Herald, Kelly refuses to do anything about it.
Please continue to keep up the good work in keeping our citizens informed of what their runaway bureaucracy is doing.
Herb Galliart
El Cajon, Ca. 92020
Tijuana University Bowed to MAQUILADORA PRESSURE
To Mr Fred Lonider U.C.S.D.
We are sorry to announce you that your exposition at the UABC has been removed from the theater lobby. Our obligation is to promote art with in university and not to promote politic points of view. Yesterday we had a meeting with members of the industrial community, and they inform us that you or people who work for you have been delivering publicity not only about your exposition at this university but also about Unions and politics.
Adriana Salazar
UABC
(Comment from Mr. Fred Lonider)
On March 19th, my show, "N.A.F.T.A..." opened at the Theater Gallery of the Autonomous University of Baja California, Tijuana, Mexico. The various photo/text artworks of the installation depict and probe the conditions of maquiladora workers at work and in the colonias where they and their families live. One piece provides a window into the struggle of the Han Young workers to build an independent union.
On Monday April 5th, I left 10,000 leaflets inviting maquiladora workers to come see the show. UABC is in the midst of the maquiladoras and is only two miles west of the biggest and oldest industrial park. The flyers were given to a few workers. I am able to pay to distribute when workers come out of their plants at the end of the day shift. On the same day, I visited the Maquiladora Association office and left a pile of leaflets on the front counter. There were also a number of like posters printed and were stapled up on telephone poles and fences. I do not know yet if "management" even saw the show.
I have yet to find out the exact string of events but, I believe, that the "industrial community" first became aware of the exhibition when
they saw the leaflets. Representatives then called the UABC and talked to the administration. Pressure was put on the dean in charge of the theater space to take the show down. This was done, I believe on Thursday the 8th and I was notified by e-mail on Friday morning. Both, Adriana Salazar and Victor Mundo were out of town all day and cannot be reached until Monday, the 12th.
If you would like to comment on this to UABC, I suggest that you email Vice Rector Rene Andrade Peterson.
Fred Lonidier
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