Press-Telegram sportswriter Doug Krikorian is stunned and disgusted that Long Beach’s elected officials plan to eliminate the Police Athletic League (PAL) program with disadvantaged youth as part of a belt-tightening budget. But once Dougie gets started, he just can’t stop—and during the course of today’s column he sprays word-bullets into all corners of the city’s governing structure. But he saves his greatest savagery for Long Beach’s last three not-so-dearly-departed city managers—Jim Hankla, Henry Taboada and Jerry Miller—who Krikorian says “have staggering knowledge about squandering taxpayers’ money, since plenty of it was needlessly wasted during their incumbencies.” [CLICK HERE TO KONNECT WITH KRIKORIAN]

Tags: Doug Krikorian, Henry Taboada, Jerry Miller, jim hankla, Long Beach, Police Athletic League

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drnoe 3 months ago 1 point
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This was actually one of Doug's better columns! Right on the money, so to speak.

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Duke 3 months ago 1 point
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Dougie, too much time at Trani's I see.

He's got it wrong on Jerry Miller. The guy is almost single-handedly responsible for getting the city back in the back after voters short-sightedly slashed the utility tax. His four year plan that brought the city back from $116M in the red served residents well.

What he also doesn't know, and it seems most everyone else as well, is that PAL comes up for elimination just about every year. This time it gets spotlighted as a hot item. If council wants to save it, they have the funds available from their own District budgets to make it happen.

And again, why hold West (and Foster) accountable for the mistakes of others, if that's how it is to be perceived. it's like jailing the son for the father's crimes.

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JuanPardell 3 months ago 1 point
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"He's got it wrong on Jerry Miller. The guy is almost single-handedly responsible for getting the city back in the back after voters short-sightedly slashed the utility tax."

Don't you mean the taxpayers and past housing boom got the city back in the black? The only thing Jerry Miller's methods offered was a temporary quick-fix for the city's financial problems. There wasn't much that changed. The city's government is still largely depending on one-time revenues to finance its expenditures. That is a holdover concept utilized by Hankla, Taboada, Miller and West. Whatever the case, stop blaming the utility tax measure as a scapegoat for the poor decisions made by current and past city councils. If you want line-item excuses, you should factor in the aquarium, CityPlace, The Pike, the Queen Mary, Museum of Art, etc., as other catalysts that have greatly contibuted to your city's poor financial condition. Of course, that would require certain officials to accept blame. Fat chance that will ever happen.

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Duke 2 months ago 1 point
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I'm sorry if it bothers you, Mr. Pardell, but I won't stop saying cuttung the utility tax led to the current problems because it is absolutely true.

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Duke 2 months ago 1 point
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cuttung=cutting

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JuanPardell 2 months ago 1 point
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Duke - - - - Your position is clear. You believe Long Beach residents don't pay enough in taxes. Many will disagree with you.

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Duke 2 months ago 1 point
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Well, now you're just putting words in my mouth. What I've been saying is that the bond is necessary. Huge difference between that and what you're pretending I'm saying.

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Jimbo 2 months ago 1 point
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Krikorian needs to be reminded that he is a 3rd rate sports writter working for a 4th rate newspaper. Doug, stick to writting sports for that fish wrapper called the Press Telegram.

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Duke 2 months ago 1 point
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Well, now you're just putting words in my mouth. What I've said all along is this bond is necessary, which is a huge difference from what you're pretending I've said.

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Duke 2 months ago 1 point
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Sorry for the double post.

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