Truth in Elections? - Special Edition
Laguna Hills Watch Dog, July 24, 2010

In the interest of Council Member Allan Songstad's call for "TRUTH" in elections, and in response to copies of a Letter sent to us by LH Watch Dog readers dated 7-19-10, signed by Laguna Hills City Council Members Allan Songstad and Joel Lautenschleger, we have been requested to address the issue of "the truth" and how that is interpreted.

This letter, requesting campaign contributions for Council Member Craig Scott was sent just 6 days after Allan Songstad made the following statement at the 7-13-10 Laguna Hills City Council Meeting in response to statements from the public and the press about the Laguna Hills City Manager receiving the highest total compensation package of all city managers in Orange County. Council Member Allan Songstad said, "....Integrity is the way to win an election and that's where I hope this debate is going to be ...... an election shouldn't be won on falsehoods. It needs to be won on truth. If you can't win it on truth you don't deserve to win."......"Let's lay the facts out there and let the voter's decide, let's not put false statements out there and mislead people into believing things that aren't true." (Please see his entire statement and response in the July 13, 2010 Laguna Hills Watch Dog.)

The letter from Council Members Songstand and Lautenschleger included the following paragraph: "Sadly, one city council challenger is amassing a large war chest of out-of-town money she's already begun spending in a vicious misinformation campaign. Her stated objective in running for City Council is to "remove from the Council all males over the age of 50." We're appalled by this discriminatory and divisive statement. Ugly politics have no place in Laguna Hills, and must not be allowed to take over our fine city."

This letter directed us to the political campaign site for Craig Scott. Because, unlike Craig Scott, we at the Laguna Hills Watch Dog do believe in truth in elections and are careful to separate documented information from our opinions, we went to the campaign site's "Contact" area on 7-21-10 and sent an e-mail to Council Member Scott asking who this un-named "Her" is and we requested documentation of the "stated objective" of "her vicious attempts to remove from the council all males over the age of 50". We have not received a response. For more information citizens may contact Council Members Allan Songstad, Joel Lautenschleger and Craig Scott at ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us If anyone has any documentation about any candidate's stated objective to "remove from the Council all males over the age of 50." please send it to the Laguna Hills Watch Dog at BlandMJ@AOL.com.

Some Reader Responses to "Truth in Elections"

Laguna Hills Attack Dogs Turned Loose on City Council Candidate.
The attack dogs of Laguna Hills, Allan Songstad and Joel Lautenschleger were turned loose by council candidate Craig Scott to discredit city council candidate Barbara, “stir the pot”, Kogerman. These two “upstanding” city council members who, by the way, are not up for re-election issued a letter falsely smearing Ms. Kogerman. This just days after councilman Songstad called for a fair campaign stating in open council session, “An election shouldn't be won on falsehoods. It needs to be won on truth. If you can't win it on truth you don't deserve to win."......"Let's lay the facts out there and let the voter's decide, let's not put false statements out there and mislead people into believing things that aren't true."

It appears Ms. Kogerman made the grievous error of exposing how little transparency exists in Laguna Hills city government. Please Ms. Kogerman, everyone knows that common citizens should not know what their City Manager’s compensation is! No wonder the attack dogs are on the loose. - Over 50 in Laguna Hills

I read the letter from Lautenschleger and Songstad and was insulted that they were misstating facts and also a person running for council can't write his own letter? Of all the people to sign their names, these two are the two who are at the top of the "Clueless in Laguna Hills". I will be returning their envelope but there will be no money in it and I don't think they will like my response. - A long time Laguna Hills citizen

With all that is going on in the City of Bell and the huge $800,000 yearly salary + benefits and retirements, I hope each City gets the reviews the people deserve to have. - LH Citizen

I guess you knocked the wind out of their sails. - =) in Laguna Hills

What bothered me most about this letter was how these 2 incumbents talked down to the citizens on behalf of Councilmember Craig Scott. They obviously believe citizens lack the ability to connect the dots between Songstad's calls for truth and what he actually says, and to see though this claim that anyone would actually run for city council with a "stated objective" of removing all males over 50 from the city council. Can't you just picture a candidate handing that stated objective out in his or her campaign literature? If these 3 council members believe the citizens are that ignorant they should be using all the money they collect for immediate remedial education for the citizens rather than for a political campaign for Craig Scott. - Under 50 but Not stupid LH Citizen

I have to assume that Craig Scott has not answered you on this. Having met Barbara Kogerman I'm reasonably sure she would never be so stupid as to say such a thing to anyone. Only one word comes to my mind regarding the author of this slur - DELUSIONAL. After what has gone on in the City of Bell you would think these councilmembers would be more circumspect. But the Bell debacle proves once and for all that citizens ignore local politics at their peril. We all need to pay attention to what is happening in our own backyards and VOTE in November. - Paying attention in Laguna Hills

Obviously some males over 50 feel threatened by a female who has some wits and smarts, even looks good and might get to the bottom of hidden agendas in city government, the old boys club needs to stop. We can look at the city of Bell to see a worse situation of a self serving "good old boys" club. We have a lesser situation here, but without needed checks and balances. Let's get some fresh blood, and why not a smart female (no age restrictions) who wants transparency and will provide it for citizens. Someone who will seek grants for the elderly without being forced to do that and get us some good animal shelter services for the fees that we pay rather than the concentration camp for pets that we have now. Honesty with no bashing of a worthy competitor is what integrity should be. I support Barbara and her agenda of transparency and oversight in all city matters, no idiotic spending on "roman columns" etc. Also, I have to touch on this - ..."sadly, one city council challenger is amassing a large war chest of out-of-town money she's already begun spending in a vicious misinformation campaign..." Why is this sad? The only one who will feel sad is the one who vacates the seat they thought they would own for the rest of their life. Every politician needs money and it's not always the one with the most money but the one with the best agenda who wins. Regarding out of town donations, many people work in Laguna Hills or have businesses here and live out of town, etc. - Mr. C

On July 13, Laguna Hills City Council Member Songstad said statements about the compensation of the City Manager were grossly inaccurate and the City Manager being able to give 11% raises without city council approval is just false. Regarding accuracy and honesty council members better be sure the information their city provides is correct because all the information for comparisons of Total Compensations for City Managers in Orange County, came directly from the cities. 3 cities have now corrected some of their information but nothing from Laguna Hills whose City Manager continues to be the most highly compensated in Orange County. On June 23, 2009 Laguna Hills Council Members Songstad, Lautenschleger and Craig Scott voted against obtaining approval from the City Council for the City Manager to raise annual staff salaries up to 11% + give staff bonuses on his own. Mike in Laguna Hills

I can't believe that any educated person running for office would make that statement. Sounds like a smear campaign from the incumbents to me. A Laguna Hills Resident

Interesting that with his (the City Manager's) compensation that his settings on "Linked in" are to look for new career opportunities. Spending our city's money searching for a better opportunity for himself. Like the opportunity he has right now is not enough. Linked in Laguna Hills Citizen

I received one of those letters too - addressed to the people that lived here before us, 14 yrs. ago, ha! My husband and I couldn't believe how absurd it is. I especially choked on the "Laguna Hills is in excellent financial health because of Craig's insistence on conservative management of our tax dollars" - don't you have facts that Scott is the one who negotiated our City Manager's inflated salary? Conservative Laguna Hills Citizen

Editor's note - We were told each year in City Council Meetings that City Council Member Craig Scott was elected by the other Council Members to negotiate the City Manager's Total Benefits package until 2009 when that job shifted to Joel Lautenschleger after citizens expressed so much discontent with the City Manager's 2008 bonus of $32,000 which consisted of $23,000 plus $9000 in additional vacation days. Also Council Member Craig Scott was running for re-election in 2010 which is when the announcement of the 2009 bonus is made.

An excerpt from: Executive Law Group - www.execlaw.com R. Craig Scott - may help explain Council Member Craig Scott's apparent lack of accountability to Laguna Hills taxpayers : "... Mr. Scott understands how employers typically deal with executives' employment issues. And from that understanding, he has developed techniques and strategies to assist executives to cut the best deals possible, whether they are moving into, or out of, an employment situation. "

In June of 2009, Council Member Craig Scott also voted against requiring City Council Approval for the City Manager to give annual staff raises & bonuses.

Incumbent Craig Scott's Statement - Her stated objective in running for City Council is to "remove from the Council all males over the age of 50." We're appalled by this discriminatory and divisive statement. Ugly politics have no place in Laguna Hills, and must not be allowed to take over our fine city." My Response - "No, I am in favor of removing all incumbents. Unfortunately, only three are running for reelection. Again." - Westy