12 Comments:

• "What's so wrong about city council members listening to the community?"
  
  Nothing, especially when the community wants:
  
  • No new taxes
  
  • Better law enforcement
  
  • Less government regulations for local residents
  
  • Incentives for business
  
  • Quality communities that support increased property values
  
  • Less multi family housing
  
  • A fiscally conservative local government
  
  If any of the voters think those are bad things then please don't vote for me. The community might want something different.
  
  Steve, I don't think Dave is the whole of the republican party, I believe that he has just gone off the deep end a little. Unlike Dave, republicans like myself are very rational people that make good choices.

  By  Fred Twyman, at May 25, 2008 11:16 AM  

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• It is ironic that the first item on your list is "No new taxes". As the Presdident of the school board you did just that, Raised our taxes. You convinced the community that we needed more schools and when we gave in and agreed with you, you turned around and closed a great school. Explain how raising our taxes to build new schools, yet turn around and close an existing school makes any sense.

  By  Anonymous, at May 25, 2008 1:58 PM  

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• Steve, you are right on. There's a good reason why city councils, sheriffs, judges elections are non-partisan. We need to apply the right criteria of the job to each of the city council candidates. The central committee and Dave are way off base on this one.

  By  mieke, at May 25, 2008 6:02 PM  

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• Actually, the reason we need more schools is because the county has allowed development to run rampant and not pay the complete cost of the impact of the additional housing. If we had a city they could make the developments pay their full impact. Or the city could lower the number of houses allowed on each plot of land to control the number of students in the district. Years ago developers lobbied to keep schools from forcing them to pay the fair share. Now schools districts have to go to general obligation bonds to pay for schools.
  
  I voted against closing Menifee Elementary please get your facts straight. Unfortunately, I was out voted by the other members of the board. They chose to close MES rather than cut middle school counseling. Both were hard choices and I did my best to change their minds. They used their own judgement and so did I. MES would have been the first school to be on single track and I am looking forward to all our schools be on single track. That is why I support building more schools. If I could have forced the developers to pay for the schools I would have tried but unfortunately the law now prohibits such a requirement and the county has been ignoring the school districts needs for some time now.
  I am looking forward to reopening MES because it is a great school, in fact it's a california distinguished school, one of the three in our district and of 12 new ones in the county.

  By  fred Twyman, at May 25, 2008 6:46 PM  

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• Oops, I meant 21 in the county not 12. sorry, my dyslexia kicking in.

  By  fred Twyman, at May 25, 2008 6:51 PM  

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• You know Fred, you claim to be a Republican with center-right values and ideas based upon other posts on this blog. However, your writings, ramblings and feeble performance on the school board, suggest otherwise. And, for someone who grew up in a household supported by 'The Big Bad Developer', your views also suggest that 'government' is the answer to all problems. This should be eye opening to the voters.
  
  It is true that developer agreements that have already been signed by the county will be inherited by us. However, the remaining land in the General Plan is only a plan. We, as a new City Council, will be able to change the county's plan and make it our own plan.
  
  In this regard, we will be able to ensure a balanced community. One with multi-unit dwellings, single family homes with large and small lots, executive style homes, ranch lots and your precious trail system that is a bona fide trail system. We also need commercial and light industrial zoning to attract and retain businesses to expand our tax base for the future.
  
  Fred, your suggestion that Menifee remain rural, completely lacks the same vision with which you approach the school board. As a teacher at Paloma Valley High School, who is a member of the teacher's union, you should have recused yourself from the vote to give fellow teachers at the Menifee School District raises. This, in my view, was very bad form at the least and borders on undue influence at the worst. So don't feed the readers any crap about certain candidates accepting campaign contributions from development related firms. Look in the mirror...you make 'campaign donations' every month that you pay your UNION DUES!
  
  Anyone like you, who votes to give the unions raises at a time of declining enrollment and declining state revenues should have their heads examined. The School Board's vote to give raises to the two unions at the expense of elementary school busing, elementary school counseling, and closing of Menifee Elementary School, a California Distinguished School, was short sighted. YOU CUT PROGRAMS AND CLOSED A SCHOOL IN EXCHANGE FOR RAISES IN SALARIES FOR FELLOW TEACHERS!
  
  The readers need to know that under your leadership, as the Board President, these 4.something percent raises completely drew down the excess reserve that had been prudently accumulated over time. Is this the type of financial decision making you want on the new city council? I think not!
  
  Yes my friends, Fred Twyman's performance is fiscal irresponsibility at its finest. We cannot AFFORD to have Fred Twyman on the city council making similar financial decisions and votes for the new city that he has made on the school board!
  
  Unlike some city council candidates who have no public track record, Fred Twyman has a public record that is highlighted by irresponsible decision making and votes as an elected member of the Menifee School Board.
  
  Do not vote to put Twyman on the city council!

  By  Anonymous, at May 26, 2008 6:01 AM  

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• I was shocked to see the Republican party sending out support for the new Menifee city council. Why does politics have to be involved at this level. I really hope that the new council is non partisan and we dont have the riff between members due to party affiliation and end up with the problems making decisions like in the big leagues. Lets make this council friends to everyone!

  By  Anonymous, at May 26, 2008 7:31 AM  

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• You get what you pay for.

  By  Anonymous, at May 26, 2008 8:07 AM  

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• "Anonymous"
  
  We really need to meet and talk about some of your misunderstandings.
  
  My father was a contractor not a developer you keep missing the distinction I explained earlier.
  
  Government should do alot less than it does now and infact I have been trying to eliminate one overlaping level of government for years the two overlaping school districts. Unfortunatly once you set up a bureaucracy it is hard to eliminatle it.
  
  If I had my vision we would not have a school district and a city council but only one municipality that govern both. One council that would govern both the schools and the city. I have been talking about this for years having overlapping personnel, transportation, business, and maintenance services make no sense.
  
  Your 2nd and 3rd paragraph make my argument for me thank you. I have fought aginst the county with my neighbors to keep our business park desinated land and not have them put multifamily housing in its place. Unfortunatly we lost.
  
  You seem also unaware that most school districts in the area are closed shops and I have no choice but to pay my union dues. However I have for 7 of the last 16 years filled out a little blue card that prohibits my union dues from being used for the liberal CTA political agenda. I am however glad I pay my dues because it covers my liability. If a high school student were to accuse me of impropriety, my dues cove my lawyer, and in this day and age not to have such employment insurance would be irresponsible to my family.
  
  Paying my required dues is not the same as taking money from the union which I have not done. Unlike some of my fellow candidates I owe my support to no one but the voters that support me.
  
  You are further unaware that the school district got a 4.53% cola this last year. They were further told that next year there would be no cola and that the budget would be cut.
  
  For the district to get 4.53 and turn around and tell the teachers that they will get nothing is irresponsible. Next year the teachers will most likely get nothing since there will be no COLA.
  
  Keep in mind we have cut nothing so far. The cuts we made were proposed cut based on the governors proposed cuts. If the governors cuts don't come to pass then we will not make our cuts. Unfortunately the legislature takes too long to balance the budget. There is allot more to this and I would love to sit down with you and discuss this stuff you may have some ideas I don't have.
  
  Please get it straight RAISES THIS YEAR CUTS NEXT YEAR NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND.
  
  Only the members of the association can give unions raises. I never gave a UNION a raise. I voted to give teachers that work hard the exact same additional funds that the district got from the state no more no less.
  
  We are not in declining enrollment. We were increasing by 14% last October and now its only 2-3% once again your facts are off a little.
  
  What drew down the reserve was the governor's proposed cuts, not the COLA we gave to teachers.
  
  There seem to be a slightly hostile tone to your blog. As an elected official it's important to listen to every member of the community. I want to thank you for this opportunity to clarify some of the misinformation that is bouncing around out there.
  
  Please don't vote for me if you feel I am a poor choice but please try to get correct information out to others and not misinformation.

  By  Fred Twyman, at May 26, 2008 2:06 PM  

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• Fred,
  
  It sounds like it is Joe Daugherty who is giving you grief here. He loves the developers too like Darcy Kuenzi. You are ok in my book, Fred.

  By  Anonymous, at May 26, 2008 2:35 PM  

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• Fred you are correct but you don't explain the enrollment and budget together. The % increases for spending have been more than the % of increased enrollment. This shows monetary resources not being used efficiently. All the district meetings I have attended and the excuse is the same the big bad governor is forcing us to this point. Take some responsibility for the wreckless spending over the past years. One example is a 17% raise for the superintendent, while teachers fight for 4% cost of living wage.

  By  Anonymous, at May 26, 2008 3:18 PM  

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• 17%? Please explain how you come up with that number. The superintendent's contract only allows for her to get what the teachers get. It's called a “me too” clause.
  
  As a side note keep in mind that a teacher that stayed on the exact same step and column gets the 4+% raise but any teacher who moved over a column by taking more education classes got considerable more % raise. Some even got a raise in the double digits. I always recommend that teacher who want to legitimacy maximize their income get their masters ASAP. In the long run it can add up to a considerable amount of money. It also makes them expert teachers, which we need more of. The superintendent has no way to move over on a column so she should not be able to equal the % increase potential that a teacher has.
  
  It would be nice if you identified yourself. But if you are worried about reprisal I understand. I have been a person that asks poignant questions before and I was always worried that the administration would have heard feelings toward me. Please feel free to call me if you would like 951 378-5458. I promise that I will keep anything you have to say to me personally, confidential. If not it’s OK.

  By  fred Twyman, at May 26, 2008 3:55 PM  

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