TORRANCE TRIBUNE May 12, 2016 Page 3 benefits,” said a statement from Insurance Commissioner Jones. The Death Master File is updated with the names and identity of everyone for whom a death certificate is filed in the United States. The Social Security Administration uses the Death Master File to stop paying Social Security benefits. It licensed the Death Master File to life insurance companies, Jones said. There were 20 settlements with insurance regulators as a result of the market- conduct investigations, according the California Insurance Commissioner’s office. The companies that settled with state regulators, were: Aviva; Axa, Aegon, Allianz, American International Group, Genworth, Guardian Life, ING, Jackson National, John Hancock, Lincoln National, Metropolitan Life, Midland, Nationwide Corp., New York LIfe, Pacific LIfe, Prudential, Sun Life, Symetra, and TIAA Family. County Supervisor Candidates Address the Big Issues at Forum By Brian Simon The three candidates vying to assume the seat soon-to-be-vacated by long-time Los Angeles County 4th District Supervisor Don Knabe convened on May 2 for a forum hosted by the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce and held at the DoubleTree Hotel. With Chamber Board member and Counsel Karl Schmidt serving as moderator, the trio of hopefuls weighed in on the key issues facing the District--which represents nearly two million people and encompasses the South Bay communities as well as other cities, several Los Angeles neighborhoods and various unincorporated areas. Voters will decide on June 7 whether to elect current 44th District Congress member and former City of Los Angeles 15th District Councilmember Janice Hahn, Knabe’s Senior Deputy and former Manhattan Beach Mayor Steve Napolitano, or non-profit CEO and Pastor Ralph Pacheco who previously served lengthy stints on the Rio Hondo Community College and Whittier Union High School district boards. After making opening statements, the candidates fielded a dozen questions on a variety of topics. Looking at the most pressing issues in the district, Napolitano pointed to rising crime rates and needing to backfill public safety positions. He proposed diversion and probation program options for non-serious offenders rather than just incarceration. He also identified the “widespread, tragic” homeless problem. Pacheco emphasized the need for the County to fulfill its promise to provide essential services and felt “we can do better” in that regard. While agreeing on the importance of adding more police to address crime, he noted that providing County officers is not the answer in cities such as Torrance with their own law enforcement. Hahn described homelessness as “one of the biggest issues facing every community” and spoke of tents set up in San Pedro and the large amount of veterans living on the streets. She called for Veterans Administration reform. Hahn also mentioned the need to build a 21st Century transportation system that can link together all parts of LA, adding that it is her “life’s work” to connect the Green Line into LAX. Addressing the challenges in monitoring the County’s $28.5 billion budget, Pacheco hoped to leverage Federal and State resources to pay down unfunded liability, restructure pension plans and to ensure fiscal accountability in every department to ensure each spends wisely. Hahn said the County’s primary mission is to act as a “safety net” and “keep people from falling through the cracks.” She listed children (and foster care) as her primary focuses as well as the homeless. She added that the County will go back to voters asking for transportation and parks bond funding, with the caveat to “make sure we are being fiscally responsible.” Napolitano said a change isn’t necessary because the County has been fiscally conservative with balanced budgets and did not lay off a single employee. He agreed on the need to prioritize children with an emphasis on education. Asked if the County is business-friendly and to offer ways to help small businesses thrive, Hahn reported she has heard complaints from that sector. She suggested to create a small business advisory council and also find a way to connect small businesses to the two ports to provide international trade opportunities. Napolitano said he helped spearhead a business concierge program and worked to facilitate film permitting. He added that he wants to organize business summits to hear directly from business owners. Describing the County’s business-friendliness as “cumbersome at best,” Pacheco lamented that it takes one to two years to get plans through the County as opposed to local cities. However, he warned that items such as conditional use permit issuances must also take into account the needs of the community at-large. On the challenges of increased crime in the wake of the Prop 47 and AB 109 legislation that put more criminals into our communities, Napolitano stressed the “need to measure better” and provide probation and diversion programs to the mentally ill to avoid the “revolving door” quandary and to push for education and treatment options. Pacheco said the State mandated the County to provide prison locations while only paying $50 per prisoner. He pledged to push State legislators to rewrite the bills to provide more funding. Hahn also said she supports rewriting the legislation, but until that happens she wants to see more “community-based policing” with additional officers and sheriffs deployed. Regarding their thoughts on maintaining a strong aerospace presence in the District and South Bay, Pacheco thought to reach out to the major commercial industrial complexes and ensure they are protected, while also providing tax credits and other incentives to keep plants in the County. Hahn listed her top priority as keeping Los Angeles Air Force Base here and avoiding any potential relocation process. She also spoke of providing incentives to keep jobs here, diversifying the economy and technology to transfer to other industries, and ensuring the future workforce is well-trained by collaborating with community colleges and universities. Napolitano said the key is to maintain the Air Force Base, which he referred to as the “heart and soul of aerospace.” Related to that, he called for more affordable housing and an expanded transportation system that links the Green Line further south down to San Pedro so those living there and working in El Segundo can travel back and forth efficiently. He also talked about having good schools to train the next generation. On ideas for transportation, Hahn spoke again of the importance of County-wide connectivity that can provide opportunities for where people can live, work and go to school. She mentioned the future plan to connect the Green Line to LAX, noting that people don’t use that mode of transportation now because it stops a mile away from the airport. Pacheco proclaimed his support of Senator Tony Mendoza’s SB 1472 to provide two additional members to the Metro Board as part of developing a regional transportation plan—and to ensure the new individuals come from communities not already represented. He also indicated support for the Gold Line extension to Whittier and completion of the Green Line. Napolitano called for “geographic equity” and pointed out that the Green Line extension to LAX slated for 2023 is the only Measure R project on the docket for the 4th District in the next decade. With Measure R2 dollars potentially on the way, he said he will fight to make sure the District projects get “pushed up in the line” and not relegated to the second or third decades. He also called for freeway improvements on the 710 south to improve access in and out of the ports. On the minimum wage hike to $15 per hour as well as the discussion to provide six days of annual paid sick leave, Napolitano said he See Big Issues, page 6 www.ThinkGood.org JOBS OPPORTUNITY HOPE In 2015, we assisted more than 11,000 individuals and placed 435 of them into employment. Insurers Agree to Pay $400 Million on Lost Life Policies in California Dave Jones, California Insurance Commissioner Co-led Nationwide Investigation. By Rob McCarthy Settlement Reached in Nationwide Death Master File Investigation Life-insurance companies under pressure from the the state’s insurance commissioner will pay $400 million in death benefits they kept for decades because California policyholders’ relatives and estates never filed a claim. California and Florida regulators led a nationwide investigation of the lifeinsurance industry and found that 20 companies had access to death information of their policyholders, yet never paid the death benefits, according to the California Insurance Commissioner’s Office. A “60 Minutes” report in April credited California and Florida regulators for the crackdown on the practice. The companies agreed to pay $400 million on policies bought by Californians, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said. The 20 insurance companies settled for $5 billion nationwide and agreed to pay 200,000 beneficiaries of their policyholders. Prudential, John Hancock, MetLife and 17 others settled without admitting any wrongdoing, officials said. The investigation centered on a widespread practice by the targeted insurance companies of ignoring a national death list sent to them by Social Security. In some cases, the insurance companies would cancel a life insurance policy for nonpayment after a person’s death, according to the “60 Minutes” report. “The investigation found that life insurers failed to use of the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File for their business benefit while ignoring information the database contained that would allow life insurers to identity deceased life insurance policyholders whose beneficiaries were owed See Life Policies, page 10 Like Us on Facebook
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