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Health & Fitness

Councilmember Eileen Googin Uses Taxpayer's to Fund Her Political Career

Councilmember Eileen Goggin is called on to return money that paid for her taxpayer funded campaign piece.

This week the city fired a candidate for city judge within 48 hours of announcing his candidacy. In addition to the firing of Hommel, we witnessed another blatantly transparent political act that cost taxpayers between $4000-5000 of their hard earned money

On Wednesday the city mailed a citywide brochure, titled "A message from Council Member Eileen J. Goggin."  In all my years involved in city politics and government I have never heard or seen a citywide mailing from one specific council member, with the exception of maybe the Council President on an issue of specific importance. I also spoke to former city officials who all agreed, they couldn’t recall a time when a mailer was sent specifically from one council member.

What is the blatantly political move this city will take? I predict the city council will appoint Goggin to the city council presidency.  Keep in mind Goggin did not earn her seat in any election and she was not chosen by the city's voters to hold any seat. I predict this blatantly political manipulation of our government will take place in the coming weeks, just in time for her to send more taxpayer funded campaign mailing to city residents in an effort to get her elected, legitimately, to the city council. 

Why would the city send out a mailer specifically from only Eileen Googin? Who's idea was this? Why should the taxpayers have to pay for her personal campaign literature?  Let's call the piece what it is, its a personal campaign brochure and it cost hardworking taxpayers between $4000-$5000 to design, print and mail it. 

The brochure is a glossy, heavy stock, color printed piece  It is stamped with the city's U.S. Postage Paid Permit #30. The piece was mailed to every single home in our city, a complete waste taxpayer money at a time when taxpayers can't afford it.

Why Goggin?  She was the person who was "selected" by the city council (probably with the advice and consent of Democrat Leader Mike Zapson) to fill Councilmember Fagen's vacant council seat. She was appointed within 5 days of the vacancy.  According to the law, because she was appointed fill a vacancy on the council she must run in the next general election, which is this November.

Clearly, this taxpayer-funded mailer was sent as a campaign piece to city residents in an effort to get her some badly needed name recognition ahead of November's city council election. Coincidentally, it was also mailed to every single Long Beach resident's mailbox days after a slate of candidates were announced to challenge her and her LB Democrat Clubhouse colleagues.

Who's idea was the mailer? Why Goggin? Did Goggin request the mailer? Did the city manager? Going forward, will every city council member get his or her own $4000-$5000 personal mailing budget? 

The city council's role is to legislate; they are not the executive branch of our government nor do they have any executive function whatsoever. That being the case, why is she sending out mailers? This should have come from the City Manager. Did Schnirman approve it? What line in the budget did it come from? There is no line in the city budget for City Council mailings.

More importantly, the printing and mailing of this personal campaign peice for Goggin sets a very bad precedent in that it opens the door for future council members to waste taxpayer money on furthering their personal political careers. In addition, this is an expense that was authorized and executed a time when taxpayers cannot afford a penny more of waste. I thought there was a fiscal crisis!

The proof that the mailer is a utter waste of taxpayer money is in the fact that the mailer doesn't inform residents about anything new. Its information residents already have and which can be easily posted on the city's website for FREE, at no expense to the hardworking taxpayers.

Councilmember Googin should immediately repay the taxpayers for the full cost of this taxpayer funded personal campaign piece. This is an act that has never been done before and it sets a very bad precedent for future waste. Furthermore, Goggin should not pay for it through the Long Beach Democratic Club's campaign fund or any political fund. She should pay for it out of her own personal pocket, the same type of pockets residents use to pay their taxes that funds waste like this.

Goggin should not make the hard working taxpayers of the city fund her political career and ambitions. It’s a shame, it’s a waste, and its fiscally irresponsible, especially given the financial hardships many LB residents are currently facing.

The Mandel Administration promised voters more "transparency" in city hall. If Wednesday's firing of Ted Hommel and the mailing of this taxpayer funded personal campaign peice for Eileen Goggin proves anything it is that this administration's actions are blatantly political- anyone can see that in these "transparent" acts.

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