Ever wonder who and what your elected leaders are talking about behind those very expensive closed doors at their $74M City Hall offices? We did. So we disabled their shredders and combed through their out baskets to bring you, the citizen, their innermost thoughts, ideas, schemes and opinions, unvarnished by pretense or deceit.
Actually, we just made a public records request. Here are some gems:
Some names and addresses have been blanked to protect the innocent.
COUNCILMAN MIKE NAGGAR
“The Pechangans do not like him and it is common knowledge he does not like them.”
Why doesn’t Mike like the Pechangans and vice versa? According to this email from Mayor Roberts, Mike just can’t get along with the Tribe, which is only the largest employer in town. It seems that losing this misguided, frivolous lawsuit just makes him want to add insult to injury. And, by the way, what was “riding on it”? I thought the City lost.
“close all Temecula roads….then inspect every car for at least 20 minutes”
This email from a citizen advises Mike to set up roadblocks and use the police to harass visitors on their way to the Casino. Mike thinks this is a great idea, he’s “already checked that angle out”, but regrettably it’s contrary to a number of laws including the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.
“I do not want road improvements to cause unnecessary issues during an election season”
Huh?, Unnecessary for whom? Certainly not the long suffering Temecula commuter. This short email from Naggar to the City Manager says a lot. No wonder traffic is a mess. Apparently, road improvements are scheduled around election cycles, to protect the incumbents from any inconvenienced motor voters.
COUNCILMAN JEFF COMERCHERO
“When the Bell scandal hit and city manager pay became a controversy I was surprised by the current numbers..”
This e mail from then Mayor Jeff to City Manager Shawn Nelson reveals just how little regard these politicians have for our hard earned tax dollars. After 14 years in office, Jeff has no idea how much Nelson or anyone else at city hall is being paid. Who cares? It’s just the taxpayers money. He says that the Bell scandal prompts his question, but then he waits seven more months before politely asking Shawn how much he’s bringing down. I’ll bet he knows exactly how much everyone who works for him at Rancon makes. By the way, Nelson makes $407,000…..a year. Now you know.
COUNCILMAN CHUCK WASHINGTON
“We’re not here to make those people happy”
Chuck seems to be the most professional, or cautious, about using his City email account. That reticence, however, does not extend toward his loquacious tongue. Chuck loves to ramble on and on about this event and that meeting, (did you know he’s a pilot?) whether his mic is on or off. Speaking of mics which should have been off, check out this gaffe worthy of “Council Bloopers”.
Turn the volume up at :11 and listen to what Chuck mutters to Roberts, off camera, as over 150 citizens tromped out of the 8/18/09 Council meeting, having interrupted his Tuesday evening to complain about Chuck & Co’s plan to sneak a 21 unit homeless shelter into their neighborhood near the corner of Temecula Parkway and Margarita Road.
So, if he’s not here to make the hardworking, home owning, property tax paying, productive citizens happy, just who is it he wants to please?
COUNCILMAN RON ROBERTS
“I wanted to get this on the table before I am told to back away” 
When the Planning Commission worked out the placement of microwave cell towers across the city, they thoughtlessly sited one in Mayor Roberts’ neighborhood. Never mind that there were objections from citizens in other parts of town over the placement of these “nodes” near their homes. After all, they are just ordinary folks who had to attend the meetings, file appeals and hire attorneys and consultants in their efforts to have the towers relocated. The Mayor writes to the Director of Planning, City Manager, and Assistant City Manager, anticipating his conflict of interest and suggesting that they correct this oversight before it gets to the Planning Commission for a vote. Guess what? It was.
“The City has his attention! Consider settling with him for ‘true costs’ incurred by the City”
When Jeff Stone intervenes on behalf of a “constituent”, the Mayor better listen. After all, his day job is as Legislative Assistant for…….Jeff Stone. Have you ever been fined by Code Enforcement? Wouldn’t it have been nice if you could pick up the phone and call Jeff?
Councilwoman Maryann Edwards
Maryann is our favorite. Where do you start? Maryann sits up till the wee hours typing and tapping away in her effort to make certain that everyone realizes what a saint she is, never missing an opportunity to turn any story or event to her advantage by improving facts with her variation on the truth.
“She has Chuck Washington AND Kentucky Fried Chicken”
In this email……well……. Washington is the only African American on the council.
“The worst was represented in those who demonstrated outright bigotry against people of a different faith”
In this reply to a question from a concerned and slightly worried Great Oak High School student, Maryann uses her version of Clintonesque double speak to foster the confusion, insinuating there is as much to fear from his bigoted neighbors as from Muslim terrorists. Of course, the young man is asking about Adam Gadahn, who was raised in Winchester and is now aiding Al Qaeda somewhere in the world-shameless- Councilwoman.
“we had the water cannon on the roof just in case!” 
Maryann is trying to stir up more trouble around the Summerhouse protest. Of course, there were no protests at the Church nor had any been planned. What a lovely lady.
“guess the cat is out of the bag now anyway”
Speaking of Summerhouse, check out the following emails between Maryann and citizens disturbed over the plan to plant her pet project in their neighborhood. Never one to let pesky facts interfere with getting her way, she brags up “affordable housing” projects where none exist. Could be an honest mistake borne of ignorance, except she claims to personally know the non existent people who live in these non existent developments. Woefully ignorant, or blatant liar? Read these emails and decide for yourself. She doesn’t even know where she lives, quoting different distances to different people, none of which are accurate. Keep in mind that while she was hard selling and advocating for one side, the project was awaiting vote by the Council. We deserve and demand from our elected representatives, a fair consideration of both sides of an issue, not judgment fashioned by prejudice and dishonesty. Edwards was asked to recuse herself from the vote, based on her obvious bias. She refused to do so. Guess how she voted?
Contact JF. Giggins at: giggins@temeculasunshinereport.com
