Opinion / Columns
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More Reasons to Reject Measure K
The Los Angeles County Office of Education has just released its annual report of its county-wide Certificated Salary Survey for 2017-'18. On page 45 it showed just how much our Culver City School...
After November, Even More Tax Hikes May be Needed
Can little Culver City continue to pay super-large paychecks and pensions to current and former City employees? If so, local taxes will need to continue to rise. No, I’m just not pointing the finger...
Teachers Pensions Beat Others by 3-1 MarginBy Neil Rubenstein
In an ironic twist, a recent study by the nonprofit Bellwether Education Partners has found that the rising costs of teacher pension plans are starting to eat into their own salary hikes. Teachers,...
Work for City, Make $500,000 per Year
For those who missed my commentary last week, I am once again attaching a chart to this column showing the names, positions, and total amounts that key Culver City employees earned in 2017. The figure...
Council to Mull New Housing Plan
COMMENTARY By Neil Rubenstein Observer Columnist The Culver City Community Development Director of the Housing Division, Tevis Barnes, will soon be presenting to City Council a proposal for three...
City Blows Chances for Affordable Housing
It is my firm belief that City Hall over the years has squandered city assets to pay for huge salaries and benefits. Coming soon, a startling expose. No, probably not in your neighborhood but in Fox...
Government Pension Coffers Stretch Even Thinner
Last July, our state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) reported that from June 2016 to June 2017, the state pension fund (CalSTRS) had its unfunded liabilities increase by almost 11 percent,...
School Board Facing Financial Crisis
The Culver City Unified School District’s annual contributions to CalSTRS and CalPERS, two of the state's largest public-employee pension funds, were expected to rise 215 percent by the year...
Changes Needed at Senior Center
When is the Culver City Senior Center administration going to be fair and honor the civil rights of seniors by providing a hearing before an unbiased judge--not staffers who make a complaint--and the...
CCUSD Deficit: $9 Million and Growing
Over five years, from 2011-2012 to 2015-2016, the Culver City Unified School District deficit spent $9 million more than it received in funding. If that wasn’t fiscally scary enough—hold on to...
Rare Chance: Dancing With Films + New Media
There's a chance, if you dare, to see films you might never see; films at film festivals hope to nab distributors, yet most won't make it. You might get lucky enough to find them, one day, somewhere.....
Do You Like Garlic?
The Brandeis Men’s Group meets the third Wednesday at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium on Overland and Culver Blvd. Listen to dynamic speakers discussing very interesting topics. We fund...
Smart And Spicy
By Carole Bell Do you know what Garifuna is? It's the most unusual film festival I've ever been to. This weekend, try to go to GIIFF, the Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival. You are...
Marijuana Taxes So High, Users Might Seek Former Providers
If you are into Gospel Music than you need to get to the California African American Museum in Exposition Park before August 26th, 2018 to see “How Sweet the Sound”. The museum uses vintage...
Sad About Norm's Closing
Just remember, “Our Gasoline Tanks” should not be Sacramento’s piggy bank. Perhaps you’ve heard, but I haven’t; what is happening with the prison at Guantanamo? When you are, hungry and...
Two Kidnappings and a Trip to Trieste
Just as exotic spices and Marco Polo were at the crossroads of civilization, importing culture today, as well as the films that influence our culture, can shape lives. Ideas can have a profound...
State Senator Hertzberg Proposes New Taxes on Services - Haircuts, Beauty Shops and Veterinary Visits
A memo from our Congresswoman the Honorable Karen Bass. Somewhere in Russia, Vladimir Putin is laughing at us as Paul Ryan and Devin Nunes receive a slap on the back and “job well done” from...
No Representation for Fox Hill
So, there we were Marie AKA "The Wild Gypsy Lady" and myself at our favorite secluded roadside coffee, ice cream and waffle restaurant next door to the De Soto car dealership. Maria overhead a...
Will Sacramento Tax Your Drinking Water?
By Neil Rubenstein Observer Columnist After all these years scientists found a new body organ. It’s called Interstitium and just might help to better understand its impact on diseases, such as...
Public Invited to Desalination Project Meeting in El Segundo
The voters spoke loud and clear on April 3, 2018 when Sydney Kamlager received 65 percent to assume the 54th District Assembly seat vacated by Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, due to health concerns....
Love And Death And In Between
Do you miss movies you can chew? You know, the sort of movie you mull over later, that you want to kick around with friends? That's what I'm talking about. A fine film is no laughing matter. Hard to...
Culver City Teacher's Pensions From Transparent Calif
Let me share an email from Representative Karen Bass. Representative Bass: “This egregious and unprecedented action carried out by the President’s henchmen to ultimately cast doubt on Robert...
Take Action Now On Fracking
Fracking near you. The largest urban oil Field in the U.S. is in “Our backyard” and may be posing dangerous threats to your health and safety! Now’s the time to weigh in our Culver City’s...
Passage of New Bill Pleases Karen Bass
Let me share with you an email from our Congresswoman the Honorable and much respected Karen Bass. Washington, today, Representative Karen Bass (D-California) Ranking Member of the House Africa...
Affordable Care Act Needs Enrollment
I am sharing an email from Congresswoman the Honorable Karen Bass. The Trump Administration has cut funding for ads encouraging enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and pulled out of assisting...
