Lisa Bartlett Attacks Robert Ming With False “Facts”
Posted by Greg Woodard on June 30, 2014
Apparently concerned by Robert Ming’s first place finish in the primary for the Orange County Supervisor race in the Fifth District, Lisa Bartlett has started sending around something titled “Ming’s Dings.” The first installment calls out Ming for his support last year of a city loan to the new City Manager for him to buy a house in the city. Unfortunately, Bartlett appears more concerned about casting Ming in a negative light than she does about the actual facts surrounding the loan. (For the record, I supported Ming in the primary.)
Bartlett falsely claims that the median home price in Laguna Niguel is $300,000 and contrasts that with the $925,000 loan that the City Manager was requesting. In fact, the median home price in Laguna Niguel is actually much higher at anywhere from $650,000 to over $675,000. Bartlett also falsely states that the loan was approved at a below-market interest rate, yet the story cited in Bartlett’s own hit piece states that the City Council (Ming included) voted to require that the interest on the loan be at market rate. In addition, the City Manager’s loan payments are taken directly from his paycheck and if he ever leaves the city or is terminated, he must sell his house and pay off the loan. Finally, the hit piece erroneously inflates the City Manager’s salary and benefits by over $215,000. In fact, the City Manager’s salary and benefits are slightly lower than the average of Orange County city managers, and actually lower than the City Manager in Bartlett’s city, Dana Point (despite Laguna Niguel having almost 30,000 more residents). It is ironic that Bartlett, a partner at a real estate and investment firm, would not know the median home price in Laguna Niguel. Even more ironic is the fact that Bartlett would be calling out (falsely) the Laguna Niguel City Manager’s salary and benefits, when her own City Manager’s package is higher.
People can debate the wisdom of a city offering a loan to a City Manager (other cities offer a similar perk). However, the debate should begin with the real facts, not those embellished by a political foe who is trying to make up ground in advance of the November election. I trust Bartlett will be issuing a correction any time now.
This entry was posted on June 30, 2014 at 11:06 AM and is filed under 5th Supervisorial District, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Orange County Board of Supervisors. Tagged: Lisa Bartlett, Orange County Board of Supervisors, Robert Ming. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Larry Gilbert said
First document to commence round two of the 5th District BOS race is a “hit piece” from Lisa Bartlett. Perhaps polling has shown her trailing and she is resorting to attacking her competitor rather than compare and contrast their voting records. Should I mention her vote on the Dana Point plastic bag ban? I too am a supporter of Robert Ming.
Joshua said
Lisa is not the one who said median home prices are $300K….the Orange County Register stated that. Lisa’s campaign included the article. If you want to challenge the Register you are free to do so.
Ding Dong! said
Do you really want to use that argument? Remember, Lisa is supposed to be a Real Estate Broker and should easily know the numbers.
Oh, and the rest of the story is that the OC Register never said that the median home price was $300K…
Seriously, is this the quality of the Bartlett Campaign?
Ding dong!
Joe said
lisa bart”less” has yet to come clean on her involvement on keeping the TCA board unaware of her signing contracts in cahoots with fired CEO Neil Peterson. Lisa also supports a Toll Road that would decimate a mature preserve– all for big money boys/developers!
Mark Wallace said
Based on Tea Party and SOC912 recommendations, I have supported Robert Ming so far. But, if Lisa Bartlett really does want to “decimate a mature [sic] preserve,” I may have to change my mind. Death to environmentalism.
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