Clerk blunder makes election choices clear One...

Clerk blunder makes

election choices clear

One of the most important elections on April 5 is for Glendale

city clerk. The city clerk is responsible for the city’s compliance

with all applicable government election statutes, rules and

regulations, among many other important responsibilities.

Yet in a lead article in this newspaper (“Candidate asked to drop

out,” March 17) last week, the News-Press reported that one

particular candidate for city clerk, Paulette Mardikian, allegedly

violated the very law that she seeks to be elected to enforce by

printing the Glendale city seal on her election brochures.

In her defense, Mardikian, a longtime city of Glendale employee

who obviously should know better, claims that she did not sign off on

the design and photos of a campaign flier before it was printed and

distributed. If she knew about this serious blunder before it was

printed and distributed, as her campaign manager says, it is

inexcusable. If she did not review her brochure before it was printed

and distributed, that is inexcusable as well.

Either way, Mardikian herself has conclusively proved that she is

not the right choice for this important government post.

Thank you for printing this important information, and thank you,

city clerk candidate Steve Ropfogel, for bringing this violation of

the law to the public’s attention. You both have made my personal

decision as to whom to vote for in this important election much

easier.

DON S. LEMMER

Glendale

City clerk ethics must live

up to the fair pledge

Our city clerk is responsible for maintaining the integrity of our

city elections. The facts show that several of the candidates for

clerk are not up to the task.

California asks all candidates for state and local office to sign

the official state Code of Fair Campaign Practices. The pledge

states, in part, “I shall not use or permit the use of character

defamation, whispering campaigns, libel, slander or scurrilous

attacks on any candidate.”

But the city clerk’s office reports that candidates Ardashes

Kassakhian and Steve Ropfogel did not sign the pledge. There can be

no reason a candidate for clerk would refuse to sign a pledge to wage

a “fair campaign.”

But at least they did not sign and then allegedly violate the

pledge. The pledge states: “I shall immediately and publicly

repudiate support deriving from any individual or group which

resorts, on behalf of my candidacy or in opposition to that of my

opponent, to the methods and tactics which I condemn.”

Paulette Mardikian signed and violated the pledge. As reported in

this paper (“Candidate asked to drop out,” March 17), Mardikian

allegedly broke the law by using the official city seal in her

campaign brochures. She attempted to blame others for the mistake,

but the pledge states, “I shall not use or permit any dishonest or

unethical practice.” An illegal act is clearly unethical. Despite her

excuses, she either did it or she permitted it. She broke the law,

and she broke her pledge.

The integrity and accuracy of our future elections hinge on who we

elect to be our city clerk. Making our decision easier, these four

candidates have already proven they are not up to the task.

DOUGLAS JOHNSON

Glendale

A renaissance due

for the Jewel City

The potential to create an exceptional City Council is at hand. If

you are sports-minded, call it our chance for a Dream Team. If you

have a historical perspective, call it Glendale’s renaissance

humanism. Either way, we have a unique opportunity to start our

second century with renewed vigor and vision.

How often does opportunity present you with a palette of colors, a

unique rainbow of personalities that promises to enrich our lives

with vision. Vision is that rare trait that no charlatan or

opportunist can fake. It is the fundamental trait of leaders. It has

the power to restore, enlighten and persuade. Vision is held by those

who unify and embrace. It is held by those who can paint a picture of

the future and have the power to persuade us to achieve a worthy

goal.

A leader carries vision with unyielding optimism that stimulates

without rancor. To a true leader, his vision is inclusive,

compassionate and just. Vision is advocacy that uplifts the soul and

compels us to contribute to a cause greater than ourselves.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln

Memorial in 1963 remains our most potent modern example of how a

visionary’s voice can stir the soul. At the start of our city’s

second century, we need the voice of such an advocate. That is the

voice of John Drayman.

There is an element that defines the character of a city. It is

the conversation that is carried at street level between passersby.

It is the interchange between the pedestrian walking along a

promenade and the urban spaces that envelop him. It is the

tranquillity of being surrounded by an urban design that beckons and

the green spaces that embrace you.

Have you seen the rendering of a proposed central urban park on

the acreage that surrounds the Central Library? That is the vision of

the confluence of art, culture and community -- the hallmark that

makes European cities so unique. The visionary for our new urbanism:

Steve Hedrick. Glendale, especially in our most populous areas, is in

need of a new civic art. We need a man who has a larger vision of how

urban spaces can uplift our quality of life. The ravaged landscape of

parking lots, blank walls, unimaginative construction and gridlock

can have its renaissance, too. The advocate for the ecology of green

and open spaces also has a keen financial sense on the art of the

possible. Glendale must harness the power of so many construction

companies and realty interests into a grand vision of a city

characterized by refinement and style. We desperately need the

advocacy of Hedrick.

Courage can be found in the most unexpected places. We can find it

in the dispassionate discussion of budgets, performance and

accountability. We can find it in the heart of a concerned

businesswoman. Pauline Field has been willing to say what the

incumbents fear to disclose -- that we need a fresh dose of

transparency and the fortitude to reclaim accountability to

government. She speaks of leading indicators and of the high cost of

inaction.

She knows how a lost job can lead to spousal discord, then to a

strained marriage, divorce and the eventual impact on youth and their

success in school. She has been the only true advocate to link strong

families to the quality of life for our communities. We need on the

dais the missing advocate of social and fiscal responsibility. We

need the soft touch a strong woman: Pauline Field.

Glendale is multicultural, multiethnic and multigenerational.

Glendale is rich and poor, glorious and dismal, open and constrained.

It is often embracing and sometimes divisive. Glendale is a dichotomy

of opposites yearning for common ground. One man has consistently

gathered the support of young and old, Armenian and Latino, rich and

poor. He has been the advocate for the common man in all of us. He is

Councilman Frank Quintero.

We need to give Councilman Rafi Manoukian a team that will allow

him to explore further what the mantle of leadership can be. We need

to give him a team that will align his decorum with a cohesive

strategy toward common goals.

The time for our renaissance has come. Five-hundred years ago,

Leonardo da Vinci was writing the rules for drawing perspective. In

our renaissance, John Drayman as mayor can lead us in commemorating

our new century with a fresh perspective based on wisdom and the

clarity of his vision.

HERBERT MOLANO

Glendale

Ronald Borucki has proven he is the man for job

Six years ago, the Glendale City Council hand-picked Ronald

Borucki from among several candidates to complete an unexpired term

as city treasurer.

After thorough background checks, the council selected Ron because

of his demonstrated expertise in investment banking. During the last

six years, Ron has served us well. He never lost a dime of our money,

and he enriched the city’s coffers through prudent investing. In his

six years, the city has received a return ranging from 3.77% to

6.23%, city officials have said.

Ron’s opponent in the April 5 election is Phillip Kazanjian, a

savvy politician who knows how to run a slick campaign. He teaches a

course in personal money management, but there is no evidence that he

has ever successfully managed a portfolio of any size, let alone a

treasury the size of Glendale’s.

We already know that Borucki can do the job. Why risk our money on

someone who lacks his experience?

MICHAEL THORPE

Glendale

Take a second look at proposed Charter changes

According to Josh Kleinbaum’s story in the News-Press and Leader

March 26-27, “‘Obsolete’ City Charter in voters’ hands” and the

statement that I appeared to be in the minority of not wanting change

for something that isn’t broken ... and that all our city officials

are trying to do ... is to update an “obsolete” City Charter is just

plain baloney.

The people of Glendale are really being hoodwinked. I admitted

that I had not had the time to read all of the 21 amendments because

I did not receive my ballot until March 18. However, I have taken the

time to read more and would like to comment on the following, which I

believe changes more than “obsolete” language.

Charter Amendment No. 13 does more than just take language out; it

requires that fines be paid into the city’s general fund. Our

libraries already have a difficult time year after year with cut

after cut.

Amendment No. 15 -- I do not believe that our council should

provide for its own compensation. Salaries should not be not

increased by a comparison method, but only by a vote from the people,

or by a special commission that is voted on by the people.

Charter Amendment No. 16 -- If the city cannot enforce the

requirement of citizenship when hiring new employees, because of

current state and federal laws, then why is it even on the ballot for

us to vote on in this manner? Amendment 16 should be voted on to

eliminate it entirely.

To be able to read and fully digest all of the 21 amendment

changes will be very difficult with so little time left. But I really

don’t like being lied to by our city officials. Please keep in mind

that even the committee that studied all of these changes for more

than 18 months were not all in agreement with the suggested changes.

I would strongly suggest that if you really care about Glendale,

you must be sure how you mark each amendment. If you don’t understand

the change, vote for it to remain as written!

EDWINA L. HUGHES

Glendale