Mayor’s Ties to Horcher Questioned

In a recent letter to the editor, Diamond Bar Mayor Gary Werner made an error in fact and attempted to duck the issue raised by my earlier letter to the editor.

The truth is: (Assemblyman Paul) Horcher did endorse SB 2557 (allowing counties to charge cities for booking crime suspects and cities, special districts and colleges for collecting property taxes). In fact, he did it twice. The first time was on Oct. 5, 1990, during the La Habra Chamber of Commerce candidates’ debate. The second time was on Oct. 23, 1990, during the Whittier Area League of Women Voters’ candidates’ debate at Whittier College.

Mayor Werner cannot effectively serve two masters, and since he is being paid by Assemblyman Horcher his letter shows his first loyalties to be to the state, not to the voters of Diamond Bar whom he also accepts money from under the guise of representing them.

Now the question for the voters of Diamond Bar is: Who is going to represent us to the state when the state passes legislation that hurts (double taxes) us at the city level. If we cannot trust the people we elect to represent us, what are we to do?

Giving Mayor Werner the benefit of the doubt, what if he is blindly trusting Assemblyman Horcher and Mr. Horcher is Mayor Werner’s source of information regarding this matter. Now who do we trust?

The lack of ethical conduct on the part of our elected officials is not a laughing matter, and the sooner the voters start looking closer at their conduct, the better chance this country will have of turning the trend toward public corruption in the direction of honesty and integrity in government.

JOE McMANUS

Diamond Bar

Editor’s Note: Werner is paid $500 a month as Horcher’s field representative. Horcher said last week that he does not remember what position he took on SB 2557, which was passed before he was elected to the Assembly.