Wetlands advocate Tom Marchese may challenge Gary DeLong in 3rd...

It would be a mistake to categorize Tom Marchese as a one issue candidate.The issues he
and those in his neighborhood face are not unlike those which most other neighborhoods face.
The advantage that Tom has is in his deep rooted understanding of the institutional history of
the District and the City and how the neighborhoods inter connect to make the District and the
City function.

My sense is he is as disgusted,as are most and wants to see honesty and integrity returned
to the District and City.The back to back failures of Bob Foster's Parcel Tax and the one of
LBUSD's ring loud and clear.The public is fed up.The oh so disconnected De Long has to go.
Hopefully Saudii Ababia will come to our rescue and offer Foster a job-perhaps as head of
customer satisfaction surveys for their utilities.

Laurence B. Goodhue
Long Beach

Having listened to Mr. Marchese speak I am not interested in him as a candidate. He is not a good public speaker and can do nothing without notes in front of him. His logic is totally dominated by his "causes" and not a good thought process. And he does not understand finances at all based on my experiences with him.
How he makes a good candidate is beyond me. The City's number one issue is and will be for the foreseeable future financial. We need people who can think through financial issues and deal with them, not worry about "feel good" matters.
No, I am not Gary Delong.

The City's financial future is rather simple--to all but the simple. Do not spend more than we have or can reasonably project to have. It is no big mystery.

What the people want is a return to honesty and
integrity from their public officials.

Mr Marchese pesents that opportunity.

As for his public speaking abilities---unilke last
November we are not electing an American Idol--we see how damaging that comedy was.If one checks the
record they would find that the notes from which
Mr. Marchese sepeak reflect fact and truth--and an understanding of issues---which has been in short supply over the past three plus years.

Laurence B. Goodhue
Long Beach

Tom is a great guy who has worked very hard for this community for 6 straight years on many issues.
He has done this without receiving a dime, nor accepting any perks.

He has integrity, and a sense of fairness towards all, much unlike the incumbet.

He comes from a long traditon of doing many good things for this town as a student of, and assistant to his father who played a major role in building out a lot of this town.

He is also an astutue businessman who is quite modest, but who has helped build out some Major, National corporations with his family along the way.

He is also a good listener who is prone the resolving conflicts rather than building walls like the incumbent.

His community would be lucky to have him because it is better due to his many efforts.

Go Tom ! You can win ! Tell us where to send a check.

Observer wrote:

Having listened to Mr. Marchese speak I am not interested in him as a candidate. He is not a good public speaker and can do nothing without notes in front of him. His logic is totally dominated by his "causes" and not a good thought process. And he does not understand finances at all based on my experiences with him.
How he makes a good candidate is beyond me. The City's number one issue is and will be for the foreseeable future financial. We need people who can think through financial issues and deal with them, not worry about "feel good" matters.
No, I am not Gary Delong.

What are you talking about? Tom has more real world business experience and success than Gary by a mile ? Gary was born wealthy and has had a life of liesure, Tom worked from age 9 and had business after business, job after job, and paid his own way through college.

Also, many people love his advocacy style because it is precise, well researched, honest, and passionate. People notice that when he testifies, Council listens, and that is half the game.

He has helped build coalitions of thousands and thousands of residents too.

By the way observer, what has DeLong accomplished beyond controversy and litigation that he loses?

I am so glad that we have a good, honest, hard working guy willing to give us a choice over DeLong. That guy is dirty, and all about looking out for his click.
DeLong has caused problem after problem, Mr Marchese has done a lot of good work. Where do we send our checks ?

DeLong has been the worst Councilman we can remember. Terrible attendance, a deaf ear to average residents, and this detached, elitist, snobbish attitude.

Mr Marchese has a good chance because everybody we talk to thinks DeLong has been a failure.

DeLong is not a problem solver, he is a problem maker

Leave it to Paul Eakins to write the most interesting article in the Press Telegram today!

Moreover, it was not just "skeptics" but the City's own auditor, Councilmembers, homeowners, residents, and taxpayers who questioned serious financial, health, and environmental issues of the expedited deal with the "notorious" developer Tom Dean and Sean Hitchcock which is now, in fact, on hold because of EPA findings which were kept secret from both the City and the community!

With respect to Observer's comment stating he is not Gary DeLong, and stating based on my "experiences" with Mr. Mrachese, without specifying the experiences. As is self evident, Observer's comment is a blatant and unsuccessful attempt to minimalize Mr. Marchese as a viable candidate, because Observer was apparently taken to task by Mr. Marchese, and presumably by the words and tone of his comment, rightfully so!

Respectly, Observer, Mr. Marchese earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration, a Juris Doctor in Law, made his first million dollars during "difficult financial times" with his logical intellect, not his "feelings". Passion is a virtue not a vice! And just because a deal includes environmental and public safety aspects, it does not mean that the deal does not also have serious negative financial ramifications and repercussions in the future as well! Read Mr. Eakins and Mr. Segura's other articles where the City Auditor reported the deal would actually cost the City much more in the future due to the relocations costs, and more, which by the way in other large Cities are traditionally paid for by the Seller and would have cut off negotiations when the Seller refused access for a true valuation! This was Mr. Marchese's focus!

Mr. Marchese defeated team after team, and attempt after attempt, of Home Depot's corporate finance and development teams and resources, with his non-politically slick or correct oratory skills you mock, and his hard cold scientific facts and evidence and legal research and analysis, not his feelings!

Mr. Marchese has generously and selflessly given his time, energy, and own financial resources to the community throughout his lifetime residency, for example paying for unbiased scientific and financial audits, records, studies, and surveys to protect the citizens of Long Beach from being preyed upon by ruthless developers motivated only by greed, selfishness, and ego, who would have otherwise physically and financially ravaged his community at the expense of Long Beach's City government, homeowners, residents, and taxpayers!

Mr. Marchese is not merely a coastal/environmental advocate, he is a community and taxpayer's advocate, protecting his community, coast, and the wildlife inhabiting them not only from toxic chemicals-- but from abuse, fraud, and waste of public funds! And he has been proven correct time after time!

While your perceived lack of his slick political speak may or may not make him a good candidate in your myopic view it, in fact, makes him a great elected Council and voice of the people to everyone in the community-- Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative-- especially those who are solely concerned about their finances because his fiscal savvy is his greatest strength and weapon against a minority attempting to exploit the City's and the community's public resources and funds for their own selfish personal gain, green, profit and ego-- and that's exactly what the City needs now and in the future!

Respectfully,
Venus
Long Beach, CA, FL & NY