Ochoa’s op-ed missed the mark

City Manager Scott Ochoa in an op-ed piece (“Letter on Measure B had the facts wrong,” Feb. 23) referred to recent comments to the editor by Harry Zavos, retired law professor, the people’s attorney, saying that Zavos had distorted the facts and the history of the GWP fund transfer.

Ron Kaye on Aug. 26, 2012 wrote “The Trouble with Harry — Persistent Activist Gets the Attention of City Officials... to stop transferring ‘surplus’ water revenue to the city’s General Fund.”

Score one for Harry. There was no distortion here.

Ochoa has only been Glendale’s city manager since January 2012. According to his biography on the city website, Ochoa has a Bachelor of Arts in government and a Masters in public administration. No law degree. His opinion is based on the city attorney’s opinion that the transfers are legal. The city attorney has a notorious track record of being wrong.

The City Council is desperate to continue these illegal transfers, siphoning $21 million annually from GWP revenues, to pay for its basic services that will continue to skyrocket in the near future. Ochoa said that Measure B won’t increase the transfer. Yet they will take 25% of every additional utility-rate-increase dollar that follows as a result from its passage, leaving less money for GWP needs.

I foresee another lawsuit if Measure B passes due to the ambiguous language of the resolution.

Kenneth Landon, CPA
Glendale