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Post by Alex Trebeck on Mar 3, 2005 21:03:42 GMT -8
Question: Who are Diane Chagnon's biggest contributors? Righty-O, Daddy-O!!! If what I understand is correct, Athens Services has a city contract for trash collection without even a public bid! Vulcan Materials, meanwhile, continues to dig up our mountain and defiantly states that they will continue to do so for the next 33 years, based on an agreement that was made 50 years ago! This spreads dust all around, and I would say that a class action lawsuit by Duarte and Azusa residents may give them reason to pack their bags and hit the road long before the year 2038, their intended date of completion. Other contributors include labor unions and political action committees, all of whom stand to gain with a favorable vote here and there from Chagnon. I would just like to know if they tried to buy Macias but Macias refused to be bought. Either Chagnon is for the people of Azusa, or she is for the big businesses and special interests...she cannot have it both ways. If her campaign contributions are any sign, she is surely not for the people of Azusa. Everything I have seen so far on Macias is that he is a stand-up kind of guy. Chagnon supporters are really reaching when they have nothing better to say that he cannot even manage his campaign finances. He is seemingly doing whatever it takes to get elected in order to take Azusa in a better direction than the Status Quo it faces with Chagnon as mayor. I think it is bad enough that she will remain a council member once she is defeated, yet alone Mayor in the unlikely event that she is elected. Will any Chagnon supporters who probably know the facts better than I do, what Chagnon's role was in this scandalous property deal for the furniture store purchased for $1.5 million? and then sold back to a former city official for 1/3 the price. Also, do you think Diane will be generous enough, if I make a big enough campaign donation, to hook me up with a similar deal? You know, one that will put $1 million dollars worth of equity in my pocket? For that, heck, I will give her and the other council members who allowed this to happen, free video rentals for life! Am I the only one who smells a rat with Chagnon?  |
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Post by Guest on Mar 4, 2005 0:25:32 GMT -8
Yes, you're probably are the only one who smells a rat! Why are you attacking Diane Chagnon as if she personally and alone made the deal on the property? She certainly wasn't the only council person who voted, was she? And this isn't the first time the Azusa council has bought property and resold it far below what they paid for it. It also happened several years back with the property that runs on Foothill, north side, between San Gabriel and the railroad track, where there is now a tract of condos. The City bought it, then sold it for about half what they paid for it. And may I point out that Diane was not on the council at that time.
The labor union you refer to is the IBEW, Local 18. Her husband, Keith Chagnon, is an employee of Azusa Light and Water and a member of IBEW. I'm sure that's why they contributed to her campaign.
The deal with Athens was done years ago, long before Diane was ever on the council. Why are you holding her solely responsible for their contract? Athens has had the contract for more years than I can remember, and I have a really good memory, so stop putting all the blame on one person.
Why don't we all just quietly wait and see how the elections come out instead of making nasty comments and pointing fingers? The majority of the voters will speak on election day. Stop bashing the candidates, especially Diane Chagnon. Remember that even if she loses the election, she will remain on the council. You just may want her vote someday on something (s) you want to change. If MC residents keep up the bashing, I doubt very much that she'll back anything you are for. One way or another, you just might have to kiss ass some day!
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Post by Alex Trebeck on Mar 4, 2005 6:55:43 GMT -8
The plot thickens... www.azusalw.com/Services/Trash/index.aspAzusa Light & Power, which employs Diane's husband, also oversees the contract with Athens Services, if the above link is a proper gauge. And did Mr. Chagnon already have his job at Azusa Light & Power, or does he have a "sugar-mama" looking after him who helped him get his foot in the door? The excuse that other council members participated in the property scandal is a sorry excuse. It is heartening to know that two of those council members will not be returning to make similar deals. It is for THIS VERY REASON that change is needed in Azusa. To award contracts, uncontested by other bidders, is a joke. In the event of such occurrences, there should be a mandatory rebid within 12 months, just in case it was for the reason that there were no other bidders. I do not know if there were no other bidders for the trash services, or if there was a bid at all and the contract was just given to Athens Services. I do know, however, that there was not even an opportunity for others to bid on the property where the furniture store sits. Had there been an opportunity, it is fairly certain that the price the city was paid would have been double the amount. If you cannot smell a rat, perhaps it is because you do not have a nose. The writing is on the wall on what has been the Status Quo in Azusa, and nothing is changing, not even a month before the elections with this latest property scandal. |
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Post by some input on Mar 4, 2005 9:38:42 GMT -8
Yes Diane and the rest were indeed on the council when the current Athens contract was approved. That was in 1999 or 2000. However her husband was already an employee of Azusa Light & Water when they got married. So that part's not really a fair suggestion.
But the fact that her husband has connections with IBEW is nothing to brag about though Guest, that poses more of a conflict than anything else. It's even more suspicious when you note that the IBEW (standing for Int'l Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, right?) Union originally endorsed Macias, but someone ran interference and mysteriously switched it to Chagnon a few days later.
See how messy the politics are when you start getting into the unions, political action committees, hardcore partisan organizations, special interest groups, etc? That's why I don't even bother looking at those aspects. All of them have some sort of power to gain by their connections.
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Post by Guest on Mar 4, 2005 10:14:18 GMT -8
Thank you, "Some Input", for pointing out the fact that Diane's husband was working for Light and Water for several years before he even met Diane. Politics and opinions are one thing, but when someone makes such a personal attack on a candidate's family, it becomes another matter entirely. "Alex", you owe both Diane and her husband an apology!
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Post by Alex Trebeck on Mar 4, 2005 10:49:17 GMT -8
I never stated that Chagnon got her husband a job, but rather wondered aloud whether or not she did.
Perhaps Chagnon and the rest of the existing city council owes each and every taxpayer in Azusa a big fat apology for the scandalous way they they bought that property for $1.5 million and sold it for 1/3 the price. That is $1 million taken out of the city budget so that they could make a backroom deal with a former city official (and it is not like this official had left the city many years ago, as he had left his city post just six months earlier).
Here's another one for you that you may like...
ANSWER: Uriel Macias
QUESTION: Who is the next mayor of Azusa?
Correct-a-mundo!!! ;D
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Post by Alex Trebeck on Mar 4, 2005 10:56:05 GMT -8
Nice way for you to continue dodging the issues. You stated: >>The deal with Athens was done years ago, long before Diane was ever on the council. However, this is NOT TRUE. As was pointed out, Diane Chagnon, contrary to your earlier statement, was, in fact, already an elected councilmember when the current deal with Athens Services was made. Would you like to address this, or just continue dodging the issues? Also, do you find it acceptable for council members to use city funds to buy a property and then sell it within a couple months afterward for 1/3 the price they paid? Gee, I don't know too many real estate investors who buy real estate and then TRY to lose $1 million within a few short weeks! WHAT A SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  |
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MC Macias Supporter
Guest
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Post by MC Macias Supporter on Mar 4, 2005 12:07:08 GMT -8
One thing I can add to this is that I know from a very reliable source that Athens actually called Mr. Macias and offered to donate money to his campaign. Mr Macias graciously declined the offer. Now that is the kind of person we need to represent this city, Thank you very much! Hope he wins!
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Post by Thats right on Mar 4, 2005 16:27:56 GMT -8
I think Macias referred to that actually. From what I remember, he was offered but he declined contributions from Athens, the gun club, and Vulcan not to mention others.
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Post by NM on Mar 4, 2005 18:54:48 GMT -8
Go figure, no one bid but Athens.
Athens sucks. It was said before, but i'll say it again....we use an old fashioned trash collection that is inefficient while 99% of the other cities are automated.
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Post by contestant on Mar 4, 2005 22:17:32 GMT -8
Well NM, what you have to remember is that you have Diane Chagnon's eleven years of experience working for you.  The reason we have Athens is because they line her pocket, and therefore she along with the others awards them the contract without outside bids. Our neighboring cities do competitive bidding with those companies who offer automated containers. This is why our downtown has remained idle, because all we hear is excuses. Answer: Diane Chagnon. Question: Who can waste the taxpayers' money better than anybody running for mayor?  |
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The reason we have Athens is because they line her pocket, and therefore she along with the others awards them the contract without outside bids. Our neighboring cities do competitive bidding with those companies who offer automated containers. This is why our downtown has remained idle, because all we hear is excuses. 