Mr. Edmiston’s statement that “they file a lawsuit against us and then they file another one saying we can’t pay our attorneys” was missing a few important words, i.e. “with their money.” No doubt Mr. Edmiston truly believes that he is the sole owner of the money he wrings out of the taxpayers of Southern California.
I saw Mr. Edmiston a few years ago when Doug McIntire of talk radio was leading the fight to expose the SMMC adding an extra fee to property tax bills. Our family home in Woodland Hills was one affected. Doug encouraged us to attend a Board Meeting of the SMMC. The first thing I noticed was the size of the SMMC board. The tables were arranged in a huge rectangle which filled the room. There must have been 30 or 40 board members. Visitors were squeezed in around the periphery. Some non-board members came to the microphone to speak. Four or five ladies from the Mandeville Canyon area all had the same point of view. They each thanked Joe Edmiston for the wonderful job he was doing spending our tax money as he has done for many years. The others spoke against the added burden and the fact they had not received the ballot which the ladies of Mandeville Canyon had held up as proof that the majority of property owners supported the increase.
Then one speaker asked the question that I wanted to hear answered, “Do all of you get paid for being on the board?” Here is another that I’d like answered, “How long has Joe Edmiston had control of spending our taxes as Executive Director of the SMMC?” Is this another example of Bureaucracy in Action?
I support the homeowners of Ramirez Canyon and suggest all Malibu homeowners get behind them. A fire in Ramirez Canyon is a real threat to us all.
Agnes Peterson