PVE Community Newsletter

Dear Neighbors,

Thank you for your support and many thoughtful questions. All point to the same core issue:

Does PVE have a Spending Problem or a Revenue Problem?

The evidence points to a spending problem — and, without reform, Measure PF does not provide stability (debt management or infrastructure) or add accountability.

• PF will make PVE the highest taxed City in CA with no Reform

• Pensions are the real crisis. $37 M in pension costs over 14 years LINK has crowded out infrastructure funding and destabilized city finances. PF does not fund pensions.

• Infrastructure, costs remain undefined LINK. PF does not fund infrastructure.

We strongly support police and fire service and are perplexed why Safety, our #1 priority, is subject to a tax, rather than lessor priorities. Who is putting our safety at risk?

We love hearing from you. We accept yard sign orders: info@PreservePVE.org.

• The Residents of PreservePVE

$140,000 collected so far to make PVE the highest taxed city in CA.

Real estate, developers and PVE Foundation have interests AND a clear stake in future land-use decisions as Council plans to develop new Fire and Police stations as part of their Part I Development phase.

Donors: LINK (forms 460 & 497s have donors)

• 38%: $53,500 Real Estate and Developers:

• 23%: $32,500 PVE Foundation affiliated donors

PVE Foundation is directly involved in the development of PVE Parkland LINK. PF donors affiliated with PVE Foundation include: Angelica Contreras who made a $50K Foundation donation, Kate Greenberg whose husband is the Foundation’s attorney and an advocate of public housing and Janet Teague who is a board member.

• 22% PVE Police Union: $30,000 - $600 per employee. The PVE Police union maintains a permanent PAC (political action committee) to fund elections and tax promotions, spending $65,000 in just the last 4 years. Councilmember Lazzaro, endorsed by the Police, continues to advocate free housing for police.

Council has a Development Agenda - and they want You to Fund it:

The Blank Check allows Council to direct funds to Development

For years Council has quietly pursued development - while publicly calling it a “conspiracy theory”. The evidence is mounting:

• 7/31/21: PVE Foundation’s hired AECOM to plan development of many Open Space parcels LINK

• 5/10/23: Council’s attempted to rezone City Hall for high density housing LINK

• 12/5/23: City expert concludes new fire and police stations are not necessary LINK

• Lazzaro (7th page LINK) and McGowan LINK advance public housing proposals

• 4/1/25: Councils quietly wrote LINK to LA County soliciting their involvement to develop parkland with new Fire and Police stations. The city has never made this letter public.

• 6/24/25: LA County’s accepted Council’s offer to pay for 20% of County’s station and committed to developing the Fire Station within 4 years LINK from now. The cost to Residents: $20 million from PF (100% of the Police station and 20% of the Fire Station)

This is not speculation, this is a paper trail.

Residents Deserve Transparency on Any Development and a Voice

Why tax our TOP priority?

Property taxes already bring in $20 million — more than enough to fully fund police and fire ($15 million).

Threatening to cut police patrols unless residents approve the highest tax rate in California isn’t leadership - it is a pressure tactic based on a lack of transparency.

Let’s tax non-core services and reveal where the money is really going

NO BLANK CHECKS !

We have time, let’s get it right

They are threatening your safety by stating they will reduce patrols and force our city into bankruptcy - they are manipulating you with fear. We have $20 million in reserves VIDEO

This tax is wrong: there is no reform to bring down these high taxes later, no goals and no accountability to accomplish anything for $200 million.

We have 3 more election cycles to get this right.

Measure E funding stops in Nov 2027.

PreservePVE WILL lead with a better solution LINK if the Council does not.

Let’s get it right or they will be back for More

The stated mission of the PVE Foundation is “Public Private Partnerships” which in practice means cozy, no-bid arrangements between city government and favored developers."

Here is an entire list of the Conflicts of Interest involved in the PVE Foundation with the city and their pursuit to develop our open space HERE. Measure PF provides the funding and the flexibility to direct the funding to development.

Background:

The entire topic disappeared after the Sept 23, 2025 Council meeting leaving the city without a map that identifies how the lots in the city are zoned. This is surprising after staff worked on it for two years and funded multiple efforts by consultants.

The city’s Future Agenda ITEMS lists these outstanding tasks that were assigned to staff and the contracted city attorney, but there has been no follow-up or dates planned to advance the issues. The city paid a consultant to create the zoning map, but did not require the work to be completed. To date, the city remains without a zoning map after it was lost and there has been no urgency to address the issue.

Answer:

During the zoning map discussion, Councilmember Lazzaro advocated development of Parkland and stated the deed restrictions allow it LINK.

Council has placed the subject on hold until after the PF election. Residents have been left in the dark. This timing leaves important planning questions unanswered before the election regarding a connection of spending of PF funds to be used for development in Council’s letter to LA County to solicit their cooperation to develop parkland.