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Hello I am Mark Clemons candidate for the 29 Palms City Council. I have had both individuals and special interest groups show interest in funding my campaign. I have to say thank you very much for the show of support, but no thanks, you will always have access and consideration. Any questions please ask here on this blog or facebook. I don’t want to have any obligations other than the obligation to the city and the citizens as a whole.
I would like to say thanks to Dan for access to the information conduit the 29 citizens desperately needed, thanks again for this blog. Until this blog was established we the people had no other means for reliable daily local news, or a place to speak out against the actions of the establishment.
Here is my campaign statement
It is time for 29 to change from a city that sends staff and council on costly jaunts to see how other cities spend tax dollars, to a city that leads the way in providing a fair and frugal government. It is time for a change from selective code enforcement, to only having codes that can be uniformly enforced. It is time for council to give staff rules to follow, instead of tools to manipulate. What a change it would be to see council lead the staff instead of following staffs ill-conceived recommendations. It is time for a council that demands nothing but verifiable facts from staff, and then directs staff on the behalf of the citizens they are elected to represent.
There are hard financial times ahead. If we don’t make some changes now it will come back to haunt us. The private sector can no longer finance 110% retirement plans for public employees or pay excessive salaries that top several state governors.
With your vote I will protect your tax dollars from the special interest cliques, strive to make 29 a leader in municipal governance, represent the view that the best government is a small, frugal, unobtrusive government.
Mark is a descendant of one of the most Beloved founding families of this region, the Smiths of Smith’s Ranch. Mark is a multifaceted business man and actually provided jobs to the greater basin.
Mark I appreciate that you will protect our tax dollars from the special interest cliques and in providing a fair and frugal government.
Would you please share your view of the off-road issues in relation to the special interest cliques?
Let’s keep it simple, ride where you are welcome, be courteous /considerate, and if the property owners or their neighbors that are having to endure the dust and noise want you to move on do it, it is their right to protect the value of the property they have paid dearly for. Please don’t ask for special treatment or tax dollars. Thanks for the question, and I will always be fair.
That is a really vaugue answer Mark.
What is your stance on the OHV being left off the trails system?
Let me make this very clear… I do not want special treatment. I do feel that fair and equal treatment is a requirement and that goes for EVERYONE.
Another question for you.
What is your opinion on growth in this town?
Do you agree with trying to get big box stores in this town?
Q. What is your stance on the OHV being left off the trails system? Let me make this very clear… I do not want special treatment. I do feel that fair and equal treatment is a requirement and that goes for EVERYONE.
A. the city has to have priorities, I see a government mandated and maintained trail system low on the list, costly and unnecessary exposure. Sorry I don’t think that was the answer you were looking for, so may I add that I don’t believe off roaders should be harassed as long as they don’t impose themselves on others peace and tranquility.
Q. What is your opinion on growth in this town?
A. Let it grow, If you have bought and paid taxes on a commercial lot you should be able to build a business. May I add that without a substantial private sector payroll in our local economy their will not be big box stores looking to come to 29. Believe me it is hard to compete with the base. Here at the drive-in I can not lower my ticket prices to the level of the base tickets.
Q. Do you agree with trying to get big box stores in this town?
A. See above and to take this to a current spending issue, I will do my best to stop the waste of another over paid city employee. The thought of hiring a business development specialist at $120,000.00 annual salary plus pension, plus insurance, plus travel, plus car, plus state and federal employment taxes is nothing more than a fraud on the hard working taxpayer.
Would it be too much to ask those of you that want info to use your true name, it is just nice to know who you are communicating with.
Q. What is your stance on the OHV being left off the trails system? Let me make this very clear… I do not want special treatment. I do feel that fair and equal treatment is a requirement and that goes for EVERYONE.
A. the city has to have priorities, I see a government mandated and maintained trail system low on the list, costly and unnecessary exposure. Sorry I don’t think that was the answer you were looking for, so may I add that I don’t believe off roaders should be harassed as long as they don’t impose themselves on others peace and tranquility.
Q. What is your opinion on growth in this town?
A. Let it grow, If you have bought and paid taxes on a commercial lot you should be able to build a business, may I add without a substantial private sector payroll in our local economy their will not be big box stores looking to come to 29, believe me it is hard to compete with the base. Here at the drive in I can not lower my ticket prices to the level of the base tickets.
Q. Do you agree with trying to get big box stores in this town?
A. see above and to take this to a current spending issue, I will do my best to stop the waste of another over paid city employee. The thought of hiring a business development specialist at $120,000.00 annual salary pulse pension, pulse insurance, pulse travel, pulse car, pulse state and federal employment taxes is nothing more than a fraud on the hard working taxpayer.
Would it be too much to ask,for those of you that want info to use your true name, it is just nice to know who you are communicating with.
Thank you for your answers.
My name is Jolene Patton, aka Crazynoodle. I have nothing to hide as far as my name, its a nickname that everyone knows me by.
May I also state that the term peace and tranquility is a smoke shield. The only way for it to be is to live as a hermit in an uninhabited area.
I hear motorcycles with altered loud pipes on the street and fire engines, police vehicles, ambulances and people putting loud train horns in their vehicles, and while irritating at times, I accept it knowing that this is a populated area.
Its like asking for no dust in the desert…… if it is not something that is desired then do not move to the area. I personally cannot handle farm land, my allergies make it miserable for me to be in, so I chose and area that is farm free and allergy free for the most part.
Jolene thanks for using your name, May I say great name and the song was one of my favorites. I can understand your feelings about the phrase “peace and tranquility”. When I go back and read it, it does sound a bit gushy for lack of a better term. Let’s keep it simple, and go back to my original post, ride where you are welcome, be courteous / considerate, and if the property owners or their neighbors that are having to endure the dust and noise want you to move on, do it.
Seems you are looking to the city, and looking to the candidates for answers instead of the feds. Remember they are the ones that tied up the desirable riding areas. The feds deserve your indignation for their self righteous land grab. Hope we can at least agree on that. I know this is about a local election, but I see a window here and I have to put my two cents in, lets vote out all incumbents no matter what party and remind the politicians they work for the voters and not special interest
I agree with you Mark about voting out all incumbents. I couldn’t agree more.
for a good read about the waste fraud and abuse associated with redevelopment funding with your tax dollars follow this link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tobar-20100910,0,2145171.column?track=rss
It has been reported that there is a correlation between crime and low income witch brings me to the issue of section 8 housing, and the prevision in it that has to do with move to work (MTW). I have had limited success researching the HUD web site.
Some questions I have not found the answer to as of yet.
1. How do they determine where they will pay recipients to move to work (MTW)?
2. Is the high desert one of these MTW destinations?
3. If so what formula is used to make the determination?
4. Could it be true, that DOD base communities within two hours of major metropolitan areas figure high with their MTW formulas?
5. Could it be true that the addition of the base main side fed the formula to a point that we are as some have said a dumping ground for section 8?
6. Could it be DOD, HUD and the state and county housing authority pulled a fast one on the city?
7. Who in this city benefited by MTW.
If anyone has any answers please chime in I would like to understand more about this.
I will say my life experiences dealing with the feds has taught me that when the government comes and says, look this is good, lot more money say no and slam the door. As a member of the council I would do my best to instill this wisdom on my fellow council members. There is no such thing as government free money; there are always strings that take all value out and before you know it you have less value than before they knocked.
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My position is NO on prop 22; let’s not make redevelopment funds a state constitution tax entitlement for crooked developers. They are going to spend tens of thousands of dollars on thirty second sound bites. Please take the time to study this issue, we need to stop these crooks, they have been to the redevelopment trough long enough. Remember you can get an easy pitcher by checking a props consultants and donors
Mr. Clemons,
A couple of times in this city’s short history we have seen a sham pulled on the voters by candidates that had hidden agendas. These candidates used their seats on the council as a vehicle for a high paying position with the city. Yes, they used their council connection bypassing and limiting better qualified applicants from the coveted high paying government job. Cronyism seems to be the only way to get a job in this town where the practice of pushing the legal envelope has become common practice. I would like to know if you feel this type of action is moral.
It should not happen, with your help lets change things. No more cronyism, networking or manipulation to get a government job. Lets not accept any less than the best value for the taxpayers.