The Lomita City Council Race

Today's Daily Breeze carried an interesting article concerning the Lomita City Council election on November 6, 2007. The link to it is: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/10910796.html

Two incumbents, Mr. Don Suminiga and Mr. Mark Waronek are trying to be reelected to the two seats available during this election. Mr. Ken Blackwood, a former multi-term councilman is seeking to oust one of the two incumbents at the election.

Of course this blog and many people are supporting Mr. Suminiga's and Mr. Blackwood's election to the Lomita City Council and the removal from the council of Mr. Mark Waronek.

Mr. Waronek has been very involved with issues outside the City of Lomita, including his professional work as a lobbyist for Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

While Mr. Mark has claimed he has severed his ties to Bob Bisno and the giant development proposed for northwest San Pedro, many individuals, including myself find some difficulty trusting Mr. Waronek's statements and activities.

Mr. Suminiga and Mr. Waronek are both first-term council persons and Mr. Blackwood decided to enter the race to take the seat now held by Mark Waronek.

Lomita is a fine town and one that just celebrated it centennial. It is also a city that will be impacted if Bob Bisno and his supporters, lobbyists, and employees find that his plans for 1,950 condominium units getting approval from the City of Los Angeles.

Lomita is a border city that will be impacted negatively, it is purported, should such a large development right on its border gets approval.

There are many residents who live in Lomita that have taken a dim view having a councilman be so supportive of something that is not only not in the City of Lomita, but will have such a negative impact on traffic and other issues in the City of Lomita. There are those who feel and have felt betrayed by Mark Waronek, all in the interest of providing lobbying efforts on behalf of an out of town developer.

To be sure, I have shared nice comments with Mark at various times, and he is quick with a smile and kind words. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean he should be reelected, in my opinion.

I feel he has sold out the folks he claims he has represented, and that must not be forgiven by reelecting him to another term on the Lomita City Council.

Border towns need to come together and fight the best we can to have some influence concerning large developments being planned in areas across our borders. Mark Waronek has sought to divide our border communities, and that doesn't help anyone other than himself and Bob Bisno, in my opinion.

On November 6, please vote for Don Suminiga and Ken Blackwood for the two available City Council seats up for grabs.

On November 6, please vote for Tom Long, Douglas Stern, and Steve Wolowicz for the three available seats up for grabs on the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council.

These five individuals will help preserve the quality of life in Lomita and Rancho Palos Verdes, and the rest of OUR community.