Remember Jerry Fulwood? Most Culver City residents don't. Yet we still are paying large sums of money to this former City Manager, year after year, for his short and very forgettable performance. We will continue to pay until he dies.
So what did Mr. Fulwood do to deserve this largesse? First, he granted himself and his assistant generous raises. Then he got his unqualified stepson to train with the Culver City Police Dept. at our expense. The stepson left for a job with Upland P.D. days after completing the Police Academy. These are just some of Mr. Fulwood's tricks I know about.
I am sadly aware of another trick, recently pulled by former City Councilman Scott Malsin to grant himself and his family lifelong medical insurance at taxpayer expense, worth at least $800,000. Like Mr. Fulwood, Mr. Malsin is the epitome of the self-serving politician with a pathological sense of entitlement above all else. I am trying to be gentle here.
We will all be paying Scott Malsin large sums of money every year, long after he is forgotten on the ash heap of corrupt politics, until the day he dies. He quit serving Culver City just to get his hands on this money. Re-electing him on April 10 would be condoning behavior best suited for the City of Bell.
Here's a direct quote from Scott Malsin, dated March 2009, at a Council meeting where he opposed a much-needed loan from the Redevelopment Agency to Brotman Medical Center: “The city shouldn't be in the healthcare business.” Apparently, this does not apply if Mr. Malsin is the beneficiary.
Thankfully, we have other choices. There are several honest candidates who have the desire and courage to do what's best for Culver City, starting with Andy Weissman. These candidates have a conscience, they have boundaries, and they've already shown the city means more to them than personal gain.
I say, vote for anybody but Scott Malsin to make sure he doesn't pick our pockets again. Anybody else will be better. Please don't worry about him – he'll be getting his $800,000, no matter what.
Mr. Milligan may be contacted at MichaelMilligan11@sbcglobal.net
