The SGVTA Contraversy
This is one part of a series of posts about The San Gabriel Valley Transit AuthorityI first mentioned this strange tale here, and then a follow up here. Here is the email I got from Maiwandi.
"I think the whole thing is a scam designed to fleece the America taxpayers out of millions of dollars. They set up a phony "transit authority". They then set up a phony police and security department. They then apply for federal funds to equip that department with the security equipment, staff, and resources needed to meet the new standards that the real Dept of Homeland Security has issued for public transportation to meet when the official threat level reaches high levels. The TSA is giving out $15 million grants to bus companies for security. That is a tempting target, no?""So there you have it. With some paperwork and balls, you can start your own police department, arm it with automatic weapons and other cool toys, and bill the taxpayers for the expense."Hi Ron, I like your style of writing. If you want to know the real story, let me know, because we have never asked for one dollar of taxpayers money, nor do we have any "automatic weapons".......But it "Sounds Cool".Very truly yours,
Yosuf "Yo" Maiwandi
Member, Board of Transit Commissioners
San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority
My official answer, Mr. Maiwandi. is YES! I want to know the real story. Please do so. I've been emailing the LA Times reporters that have been following this amazing little tale. Do you mind if I share your story with them?
I will dispute your assertion that your SGVTA has never asked for one dollar of tax payers money. That is not absolutely true. The money that is paid to your firm by the local cities in the SG Valley for the transport services for their disabled citizens is tax-payer money. There is nothing wrong with that. The city needs a vendor for a service, and you provide it. No big deal. As far as I can tell, you have been a good vendor. Considering some of the rip-offs some vendors do for the tax payers (*cough* Haliburton, *cough* Iraq, *cough*), I'm glad.
I am sure what you meant is that you never asked for funds from the TSA for law-enforcement and anti-terrorism equipment. I believe you. But I think it is only because you never got far enough to do so.
I appreciate that you want to tell the truth. But keep in mind, you have lost the benefit of the doubt in my mind because of the past statements. Why should I believe you when your agency seems to play fast and loose with facts in the past. Things like claiming to have a full time police force, detectives, squad cars, and the likes, which are not true. Your web site and other public statements build a ficticous company that doesn't even come close the reality of what it is.
The fact that you have given a convicted felon from Sweden the credentials to impersonate a law-enforcement officer so he can be a James Bond really makes one question your judgment.
The bottom line is that it stinks. Enron tried the same thing, to lie, and give the impression that Enron was something that it was not. Look what happened to them. Your SGVTA seems to be doing the same thing.
I hope you don't think that I am attacking you personally. I'm not. In fact, I am impressed. You have not done anything illegal (that I can tell). Nor would even getting a $15 million grant from the TSA be illegal. You just have the brains and balls to push the boundries of the rules. I am just upset that the State and the Feds are so loose with granting law-enforcement credentials and giving away taxpayer money without due-diligence.
I can't wait to hear back from you.
3 comments:
Well Ron that certainly seems true. When you said. “I can't wait to hear back from you.” Because you had a comment before you gave the man a chance to respond. This is the first time I have seen him respond to anyone and I have been looking for them to respond. Now let me tell you something Mr. Know it all and what I don’t know I will write anyway. My Father lives in Monrovia a city they service. They pick him up every week and take him to the doctor for his appointment. The bus driver not only helps him on the bus but walks up to his house to help him to the bus. I offered the bus driver $20.00 as a tip and he said “Sorry I cant accept tips but if you like send it to the SGVTA as a donation”
So I did. I called the city of Monrovia and asked how much they were paying this bus service and they told me not 1 penny they are all volunteers and they work for these old people free of charge I was blown away.
So if they have a police department to keep my father safe who cares. And if they gave that millionaire asshole a badge by mistake so what. They got rid of him when they found out I was told by the city. Police departments catch bad cops all the time so big deal they gave him a badge by mistake.
I found out from the city this guy that owns the body shop has taken the money out of his own business and his own pocket to help these people that our government wont help. Now since this car blowing up and all the negative publicity it has brought, its putting a strain on them and they are thinking about stopping the service. Now what does my dad do when he needs to go to the doctor call a bloger or the press? I don’t think so. I am all for freedom of speech but until you know what your talking about and how it will impact others keep your stupid opinion to yourself.
A Concerned Son
Anonymous wrote...... "Now what does my dad do when he needs to go to the doctor call a bloger or the press?"
Well, I'm thinking maybe his concerned son can take him.
SGVTA was a canard. A small private entity masquerading as a public entity.
Access Paratransit is the county wide complementary ADA paratransit service provided on behalf of the County's 43 public fixed route operators under the Los Angeles County Coordinated Paratransit Plan. See (asila.org) It is also the Consolidated Transporation Services Agency for the County charged with surveying and reporting on available private paratransit services. Up until the Ferrari incident, it had never heard of SGVTA
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