Writing Shotgun

MARCHESE IS RUNNING, BUT NOT HIS MOUTH

Dave WielengaSat. November 07
 

Thomas Marchese, whose candidacy for the 3rd district’s seat on the Long Beach City Council was reported Friday by LBreport.com, confirmed today that he will oppose incumbent Gary DeLong in next April’s election. But the typically talkative activist rather uncharacteristically declined to say much more.

“I haven’t officially announced, but I will issue a press release soon,” Marchese told The District Weekly in a brief telephone interview this morning. “Friends and I believe this might be the next logical step in my advocacy, and I’m honored and humbled by the individuals who have asked me to do this. I believe our district deserves much better representation than it has been getting.”

Marchese was cited as “Best Whistle-Blower” in The District Weekly’s Best of Long Beach issue last month for the toilet trove of information he flushed out about the sleazy relationships at work among some high-level city officials and politically connected developer Tom Dean while they were negotiating a public-for-private land swap. That story was first reported in The District Weekly.

Marchese, a lifetime resident of Long Beach, is a longtime activist. He is currently vice president of the University Park Estates Homeowners Association and sits on the board of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust. His opposition to recent commercial development of land at the intersection of Studebaker and Loynes as a Home Depot and the land swap with Dean have put him at odds with DeLong.

Marchese’s public appearances this week included comment at the Nov. 3 city council meeting, where in the wake of the fatal shooting of Wilson High student Melody Ross he called for greater funding for the Long Beach Police Department. Marchese also testified at the just-concluded meeting of the California Coastal Commission regarding a case in which a landowner had scraped Huntington Beach wetlands of vegetation without permission; Marchese suggests that the case is similar to that which occurred in Long Beach last March, when local developer Sean Hitchcock ravaged a wetlands-area parcel near Studebaker and Loynes.

The other announced candidate in the 3rd district council race is Terry Jensen.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

  • gcrew
    For too long Gary Delong has avoided the hard issues that plague Long Beach. These issues are rearely discussed, and if they do come up, they are ignored. His inability to solve problems is so discouraging because he avoids the debate by using deception, and sadly it has worked. Incompetent leadership.

    Since Mr. Marchese know where the bones are buried in all the city's hidden agendas, perhaps, if elected,he can bring attention to these "hard" issues and began to solve them.
    I am so tired of, "BUSINESS AS USUAL" at City Hall!!
  • Theresa Todd
    Oh!! I like this!
    Can't wait for the debates between Marchese and Delong.
    An Italian versus a Frenchman. What fun. Odds?
    Dare we hope for an honest politician?
  • Laurence B. Goodhue
    It would appear the near three and a half year nightmare the Third District has
    been so hobbled by is about to end.Never have so many,been so ill served by
    one so disconnected;so ill prepared and ill suited to represent the District-or
    probably any district.It is a simple matter of DNA.Either one has it or they do
    not.Clearly De Long does not.

    It is hoped the District will have learned the import of entrusting such an
    office only to one whose roots reach deep within the community--not just
    into the deep pockets of a few.
  • Laurence B. Goodhue
    Now all we have to do is convince the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to keep
    Bob Foster since he is expected in that Kingdom within a few hours.

    Perhaps they could find him a job overseeing customer satisfaction surveys
    for their utility networks.!!!!
  • Long Beach 3d District citizen
    Who is Terry Jensen?????
  • Laurence B. Goodhue
    Terry Jensen might possibly be a good candidate for Mayor!!! If we all write
    good recommendations to the Crown Prince...who knows....
  • Mike Ruehle
    Terry Jensen is the former RDA Boardmember who challenged Mayor Foster to a debate on his failed Measure I parcel tax (see below link). Mayor Foster declined to attend the debate sponsored by the Long Beach Press Club at smooth’s bar. In Mayor Foster’s absence, Mr. Jensen explained his reasons voters did not approve Measure I.

    http://thedistrictweekly.com/2008/backend/uncat...

    Terry Jensen is the person whose Public Records Act request identified and pointed the finger at another DeLong sponsored deal for developer Tom Dean, whereby Mr. Dean leased 12 acres of valuable port land owned by taxpayers for 50 years for $0.03 per square foot per month. Mr. Dean immediately put the property up for rent at $0.22 per square foot per month, guaranteeing him over $1 million per year for the next 50 years. That’s $50 million dollars that taxpayers could have used for infrastructure issues in the city had the city decided to advertise and lease the land out itself. You can read about it in the below link.

    http://thedistrictweekly.com/2009/print/news/un...

    Terry Jensen joined Tom Marchese and many of us in speaking before city council in opposition to the dirty wetlands deal also sponsored by Councilman DeLong for developer Tom Dean. Both Jensen and Marchese appear to be bright, honest individuals who are concerned about the increasing number of behind closed door deals that provide taxpayer assets to wealthy developer friends of incumbent Councilman Delong.
  • Mike Ruehle
    Go Tom Marchese, Go Terry Jensen,

    Whether it be Mr. Jensen or Mr. Marchese, it matters little who becomes our Councilman as long as Councilman Gary DeLong is not re-elected. Unlike DeLong, my experience indicates both Mr. Jensen and Mr. Marchese will listen to and balance resident issues with business issues rather than only listen to business issues.
  • Laurence B. Goodhue
    If he is still at large at the time of the election-De Long might win if both
    Marchese and Jensen run.Upon reflection my sense is that the one with the
    deepest roots in the District is the one which should run and that is Tom.

    Hence that earlier suggestion to get those letters out to the Crown Prince.
  • Long Beach 3 district citizen
    OK.Got it.

    Terry Jensen ran for Long Beach City Council in 2004 (from the 8th district).He Was defeated by Rae Gabelich. Now he has just recently moved to the 3rd district. He used to be on the City's Redevelopment Board but was investigated by city attorney for potential breach of confidence and negotiating with a developer.
    However,this was cleared up, according to the Long Beach Post.
  • HighHat
    Where and when can I send a check?
  • Jack O'Brien
    Agree with Highhat!
    When is Marchese's Kick off fund raiser? I'm in!
  • The Latest
    Mr Marchese and his friends are working day and night to try to do their part to help affect meaningful change downtown. Integrity is key, along with fairness towards all. They believe that we deserve much better.

    Correspondence may be sent to TomMarcheseForCouncil2010@gmail.com.
  • Dave Wielenga
    Hello The Latest... You wouldn't happen to actually BE Mr. Marchese, would you?
  • Guest
    Dave, the email address is not "private" it's on the net.

    FriendsOfTomMarchese
blog comments powered by Disqus
 

© 2007-2008 Seven Days Publishing LLC.