LA County Assessor’s union to vote on ‘competency’ of Noguez

By Brian Hews

Rank and file employees of the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office are being asked to vote on the competency of Assessor John R. Noguez who is the current focus of a massive criminal probe by members of law enforcement over alleged influence peddling.
Members of the California Association of Professional Employees, AFL-CIO were told in a memo obtained by Los Cerritos Community Newspaper that “the turmoil in the County Assessor’s office has been undeniable.”
In the beginning of June, Noguez announced that he would take a formal leave of absence while the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s investigates criminal pay to play allegations including fraud, forgery, bribery, and possible obstruction of justice.
Union members who work in the Assessor’s office include hundreds of property appraisal specialists, as well as other rank and file employees throughout the sprawling department.
Noguez is now on a paid leave of absence, and still collects a salary of more than $190,000 per year, including health, medical and retirement benefits. The Assessor’s office is now under the reigns of Santos Kreimann, who was handpicked by William Fujioka, Chief Executive Officer for the County on June 13. Kreimman has been given the title of Chief Deputy Assessor and CAPE officials believe that he has “already made positive moves.”
In the communication to employees, CAPE officials stated that they want to “weigh in on what should happen next with respect to the Assessor’s office leadership.”
CAPE was at one time the biggest political allies of Noguez when he was a candidate for the Assessor’s slot back in 2010. Support of Noguez and his top management staff has literally eroded during the past several months, union officials who did not want to be identified told LCCN.
CAPE representatives sent a statement to LCCN on Monday afternoon about the unusual recommendation: “When allegations of inappropriate activity first surfaced last year, CAPE representatives presented John Noguez with written requests to take immediate actions to correct the situation. We did this on two occasions. Noguez’ response was insufficient, and his record of mismanagement of the Assessor’s Office causes us to question whether or not he should ever have the opportunity to return to the office of the Assessor. The ballot sent to CAPE members this week asks them to help make that determination.”
CAPE officials did not want to be identified in their interview with LCCN, but did say that they “were solid supporters of Mr. Noguez in the past, and now we need to make sure we never make that same mistake with future Assessor’s.”
The union memo also warned its members that “it is important to note that this question should not pre-judge any of the investigations including John Noguez or anyone else.”
During the past two weeks, members of the Los Angeles County Grand Jury have begun calling potential witnesses in regards to possible criminal indictments, Los Cerritos Community Newspaper can confirm.
“Everyone inside Noguez inner circle are trying to cover their own behinds. Nothing else matters in their eyes. They all need to go,” a longtime appraiser with more than 25 experience quipped.