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Lake Forest City Council Member Announces New Policy Of Appeasement

Posted by Greg Woodard on December 10, 2012

I went to last Tuesday’s Lake Forest City Council meeting to watch the swearing-in of the two newest council members, Dwight Robinson and Adam Nick.  Before the ceremony, I was treated to a clinic in how not to run a city.  The most contentious agenda item was the staff’s recommendation that the council repeal its ordinance passed last year banning registered sex offenders from public parks.  District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has spearheaded Orange County’s effort to get local cities to adopt an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from parks.  Since last year, 15 Orange County cities have adopted such ordinances.

Unfortunately, not all of the cities have adopted ordinances verbatim to the county’s ordinance, which contains a mechanism that allows a registered sex offender to request a waiver from enforcement.  Lake Forest, for some reason, passed its ordinance without a waiver and they got sued by an anonymous plaintiff claiming the ordinance violates his constitutional rights (he says he served his sentence more than 15 years ago and is now married with children).  That leads us to Tuesday’s meeting.  During the public comment portion of the discussion, several people affiliated with California Reform Sex Offender Laws (yes, there is an organization out there advocating for the rights of registered sex offenders) testified, using the same “constitutional rights” buzzwords.  I will resist the urge to inform these folks of the numerous ways that our constitutional rights are properly regulated every day and just say that we agree to disagree.  One speaker from the group also compared their effort to repeal sex offender laws to segregation and the civil rights movement.  She then announced that in 30 years we may have a President who is a registered sex offender.  Janice Belluci, the President of the organization, told the council that she has two more plaintiffs ready to sue the city if it does not repeal the ordinance.

The Lake Forest City Attorney also chimed in on the existing lawsuit, as well as lawsuits that are pending against other Orange County cities.  He said that, while he did not like to disclose the city’s war chest for litigation, in this case he would make an exception.  He proceeded to tell the Council that defending the lawsuit could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  In an OC Register article, the City Attorney also said that one of Belluci’s two plaintiffs is seeking $36 million in damages.

I will reserve my rant about City Attorneys trying to influence policy for another day, but suffice to say, all of this got the attention of outgoing Mayor Kathryn McCullough (she will remain on the Council for at least two more years, but her term as Mayor is up).  In a testy exchange with Rackauckas, who had come to encourage the Council to maintain the ordinance, McCullough cried foul on the cost of the litigation and challenged Rackauckas to agree to indemnify the city for all of its legal fees.  Rackauckas held his ground and shot back at McCullough that she knew that the DA does not indemnify cities.  Once the grandstanding ended, McCullough essentially announced to all present that the city could not afford to fight the lawsuit because of the legal costs.

The Council then took a vote with little to no comment from any council member (other than Scott Voigts), which was shocking considering the gravity of the action the council was going to take.  After outgoing council member Mark Tettemer tried, and failed, to pass off responsibility for the vote to the new council (he said he was not trying to avoid voting), the council voted 4-0, with Tettemer abstaining, to repeal the ordinance.  And thus apparently began Lake Forest’s new policy of caving to anyone who threatens or files a lawsuit against the city.  This is a monumentally bad policy for any council member to support, but to announce it during a public council meeting, as Council member McCullough did, strains common sense.

It looks like new Council members Robinson and Nick will have an opportunity to chime in on the planned repeal since there has to be a second reading of the repealing ordinance at the December 18 meeting before it can take effect.

Posted in Lake Forest | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Investigator Tied To Union Law Firm Admits To Trying To Set Up Costa Mesa Council Member Gary Monahan In Sexual Sting (Updated)

Posted by Greg Woodard on November 13, 2012

While many of us conservatives are still licking our wounds from Tuesday, we get more information about the vile attacks those on the left will resort to in an effort to further tighten their grip on our wallets, our government, and our future.  Case in point – Frank Mickadeit reported last week in the Orange County Register about the thuggish tactics that the opposition in Costa Mesa to the City Council majority (now consisting of Jim Righeimer, Gary Monahan, and Steve Mensinger) will use.  Many of you will remember the harrowing story a couple of months ago where Righeimer was tailed home from Skosh Monahan’s by Chris Lanzillo, an investigator who worked for a law firm that represented the Costa Mesa police union, as well as many other public employee unions in the state.  Lanzillo appears to have made a false police report claiming that Righeimer stumbled out of Skosh Monahan’s and was driving erratically on his way home.  The police took the unprecedented step of going to Righeimer’s home and conducting a sobriety test.  Righeimer passed with flying colors, since all he had at Skosh’s was a diet coke (he had the receipt to prove it).  However, the damage was done as Righeimer’s young daughters had to watch in horror, wondering if their dad was going to be arrested.

As if that were not bad enough, Righeimer was not even the investigator’s target.  As Mickadeit reports, Lanzillo was hired by someone (he wouldn’t say who) to try to catch Gary Monahan, Skosh’s owner, in a compromising position with a woman who had been sent to entrap Monahan, who is married.  The woman appeared to be in her 30s, she wore a low-cut top, and she was flirting with Monahan.  Nothing came of the event, but Lanzillo got his “bonus” when Righeimer showed up.

Lanzillo also admitted that he was hired to dig up dirt on Mensinger and Colin McCarthy, who ran with Mensinger and Monahan but fell short of his City Council bid.  McCarthy responded to the article, saying “that these kind of dirty tricks keep good citizens from running from local office.  It definitely  has a chilling effect on our democratic process.  I hope the DA prosecutes this guy.”

The District Attorney is investigating the event, and hopefully the shameless thugs who did this will be revealed and prosecuted.  While Lanzillo will not admit who hired him, anyone who does not think it will tie in somehow with the unions, well I have a bridge in Brooklyn I would love to sell you.

UPDATE

The plot thickens.  To answer Dan Chmielewski, a crime may have been committed by Lanzillo and others.  Tony Saavedra reported in the Orange County Register today that county prosecutors are investigating Lanzillo on a “conspiracy to file a false police report” with the possibility of more serious charges to come.  The investigation has expanded to include another private investigator who works for Lanzillo.  Both men had their houses searched and cell phones, computers, and other electronics were taken for analysis.  In addition, prosecutors have a search warrant for the cell phone records of police union lawyer Dieter Dammeier, who has employed both investigators in the past.

Saavedra also noted that there is a separate investigation in El Monte, where the former city manager filed a police report last year that said he was followed for days by a car similar to the one Lanzillo owns.  Lanzillo would not confirm or deny that he is the one who followed the city manager.

Stay tuned as this story does not seem to be going away any time soon.

Posted in Costa Mesa | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Introducing Capistrano Unified School District Candidate Jim Reardon

Posted by Greg Woodard on November 5, 2012

I thought I would take a brief break from South County City Council candidates and focus on Capistrano Unified School District, which has recently had multiple recall elections, extremely rancorous elections, and pitted battles between conservative and unions.  I reached out to Jim Reardon, Steve Lang, and Bill Perkins, all of whom have been endorsed by the Orange County Republican Party.  Unfortunately, I only have heard back from Jim as of today.  While I would like to have a post with all three, in fairness to Jim, I wanted to at least put his information out for public consumption before tomorrow’s election.

Jim Reardon

Jim is running because he has had a decades-long commitment to education.  He is a product of public schools and he is not happy with the direction of the current Board and its all cuts approach without any concessions from the union.  Jim said that he is benefitting from a newly re-drawn district that has no incumbent, making his election competitive.

Jim believes that the primary problems facing the district are: (1) a reduced school year (furlough days will reduce the year by 3 weeks); (2) program cuts in both the school schedule, and in the services provided; and (3) the district’s massive accumulated debt and deficit.

Jim said that all of these problems stem from the contract the district has with the union.  He noted that 92% of the district’s current expenditures are for employees, leaving little remaining for the students.  The district can re-open the contract with the union this fiscal year, and Jim sees a great opportunity to make significant changes.  Jim wants to re-open the negotiations as early as possible and work in a calm manner with the teacher’s union to reach a resolution.  For example, he wants to get the district back to a full 180 days of education within 1-3 years.  Eliminating the furlough days helps both the teachers (more money as those days are currently unpaid) and students (more learning opportunities).

Jim pointed out some of the problems with the existing teacher’s contract that are magnifying the district’s fiscal problems.  For example, the current contract gives teachers 5 hours of pay for work that they do not even have to show up for.  He wants to combine cuts, suspension of tenure-based pay increases, and modify work rules as part of any new contract with the teachers.

Jim also wants to improve the working relationship between the district and the union.  He said the Board needs to publicly develop goals for negotiations in will undertake with the union.  To emphasize public goals and transparency, he will push for Board sessions to be televised on Cox, or streamed on the internet.  Jim also wants to start early (in the winter) and engage teachers, parents, and any other interested parties in setting the goals, and then engage in negotiations.  Jim said that the current Board does it backwards – they engage in secret negotiations with the union, then try to publicly set goals, even though they already have completed the negotiations.

Jim said that teachers are neither over nor under compensated – they are paid what the Board agrees to pay them, and the Board cannot pay them more money than the district has.  He believes that the current overall package offered to teachers is unsustainable and concessions have to be made, possibly from both sides.  Jim wants to combine three factors (1) working conditions (hours, responsibilities, instructing time requirements, class size, etc.); (2) the rate of pay; and (3) how much money the Board has in any negotiations, where in the past Jim says these factors were disconnected from any union negotiations.  He noted that the district’s enrollment is declining but labor costs are escalating resulting in kids in larger classes, for fewer days, with less instruction while the median rate of teacher pay has gone up due to adjustments for seniority (when teachers are laid off, the newer teachers who are the lowest cost to the district, must be laid off first per union contract requirements).

Jim is endorsed by, among others, the Orange County Republican Party, the Lincoln Club, the Atlas PAC, the Family Action PAC, and Orange County School District member Robert Hammond.

You can find out more about Jim at www.votereardon.com.

Posted in Capistrano Unified School District | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Introducing Lake Forest City Council Candidates Dwight Robinson And Adam Nick

Posted by Greg Woodard on November 2, 2012

In my continuing series on South County candidates who sought the endorsement of the OCGOP, we reach our northernmost city, Lake Forest, which Mayor Pro Tem Scott Voigts likes to call the “Gateway to South County.”  The two candidates are Dwight Robinson and Adam Nick.

Dwight Robinson

Dwight is running for city council for the residents’ children and businesses, and to make sure that Lake Forest continues to be a great city to live, work, and raise a family.

Dwight believes that traffic congestion is an important issue facing the city.  Dwight plans to work closely with OCTA to make sure the city is getting its fair share of Measure M funds and is using those funds for light synchronization and future road construction projects, including the completion of Portola Parkway.

Dwight also feels that the city’s regulatory environment is too burdensome for businesses.  He plans to hit the ground running and review some of the city’s ordinances (first and foremost the sign ordinance) to make sure the city is not impeding businesses from promoting themselves.  Dwight says that, in the midst of an economic slump, the city needs to be working with businesses, asking them how the city can partner with them as they create jobs and serve the community.  Dwight believes the city needs to start acting like it is pro-business and stop paying lip-service to it.  Dwight adheres to the old mantra that actions speak louder than words.

Dwight said that employee compensation of some of the city’s employees is too high (especially the council members).  Dwight will start with proposing that the city eliminates council pay and benefits.  He believes that by starting with holding themselves accountable, the council will then have some moral authority to start discussing some of the other employee pay, perks, and benefits that need to be retooled or removed.

Dwight noted that the property rights of existing residents need to be balanced with the rights of property owners of undeveloped land or lands that needs redevelopment.  He said that the rights of one should be balanced with the rights of another…one should not outweigh the other.  A few thousand new homes will be built in Lake Forest in the coming years and Dwight knows that more development will bring more people.  Dwight wants to make sure that infrastructure is provided to ensure Lake Forest remains a good place to live.  He said that infrastructure improvements are in the best interest of the developers who are trying to build and sell homes and in the interest of existing residents who want to maintain their current quality of life.  Roads and traffic flow are the most important infrastructure issues that Dwight feels need to be planned for.  He said he will establish a Traffic Commission, similar to Irvine’s and Mission Viejo’s, so residents can bring forth traffic and transportation issues and staff can be made aware of the problems and held accountable for developing solutions to this issues.  Dwight also will make sure Lake Forest has the resources to address things such as light synchronization and road improvements.  Impact to local schools and other public services will also need to be address and Dwight said he will make sure that the city does not neglect the community’s infrastructure needs.  Dwight highlighted his experience as a business owner who needs to always be forecasting, projecting, and planning for the future, and he believes his private sector business experience gives him the unique skill set to help Lake Forest be great again.

Dwight is endorsed by, among others, Lake Forest Mayor Pro Tem Scott Voigts, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, the Orange County Register, the Orange County Republican Party, and the Orange County Taxpayers Association.

You can find out more about Dwight at www.robinsonforcitycouncil.com.

Adam Nick

Adam believes that, in a democracy, nothing is more important for keeping a government in check than a well-informed electorate.  He says that what largely sets us apart from most of the rest of the world is our Constitution.  One major fact in our Constitution is that the government derives its power from the people; not the other way around.  Accordingly, Adam feels that elected officials work for residents.  If they do a good job, we can re-elect them.  If they do not do a good job, we can elect someone else who will.  Adam is running because he believes he can do a better job for Lake Forest residents as their council member.

Adam wants to improve the city’s infrastructure, protect and improve its quality of life, uphold American principles and values, and plan for even a more prosperous future.  He said he will achieve this by stopping wasteful spending, reforming city management’s excessive compensation, eliminating self-serving agendas, ending cronyism, and eliminating the influences of special interests.

Adam noted that, though Lake Forest has been a city for over twenty years, on the current council’s watch, the city does not have a Senior Center, Youth Center, its own Community Hospital, or even a dog park.  Adam also said that the city has rented the building that houses City Hall and probably has paid more in rent in the last two decades than it would have taken to buy its own building for City Hall.

Adam also said that the current council failed to challenge the expansion and reclassification of the Musick Jail to house a more dangerous class of felons, despite the fact that many city residents live within walking distance of the jail.  He contrasted that with the Irvine City Council which initiated a legal action to stop the expansion/reclassification.

Adam also noted that the current City Manager’s compensation is $300,000.00+.  He also criticized the council members spending thousands of dollars per year in personal expense reimbursements for things such as taxi rides.

Adam believes that the city must operate in a manner similar to a profit-oriented business, with the utmost efficiency and with an appreciation that resources are scarce, meaning the optimal value for each dollar must be achieved.

Adam feels that his 30 years of Lake Forest residency, his experience as a local business owner, and his 21-year professional experience as an accountant and auditor collectively qualify and enable him to be the city’s best representative and advocate on the City Council.

You can find out more about Adam at http://nickforcouncil2012.com/.

Posted in Lake Forest | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Introducing Mission Viejo City Council Candidates Frank Ury, Ed Sachs, Cathy Schlicht, And Wendy Bucknum

Posted by Greg Woodard on November 2, 2012

We now move up to my home town of Mission Viejo, home to a lake with great fishing, and consistently one of the safest cities in America.  Mission Viejo has two seats available and I now introduce you to four candidates: Frank Ury, Ed Sachs, Cathy Schlicht, and Wendy Bucknum.

Frank Ury

Frank is running for re-election to continue leading Mission Viejo in the right direction.  Frank says that the city (1) has a world-class quality of life and one of the safest cities in California; (2) is unrivaled with its parks, recreation opportunities, youth sports, and arts facilities, and (3) has a strong business climate.  Frank hopes to continue leading the city to an even brighter future for the residents’ children.

Frank said that there are those in the city who would like to cut back programs such as school resource officers, the Kids factory program, etc.  Frank stated he will continue to advocate for these programs, especially since in the past two years the city has put $2.8 million of its savings into reserves.  He believes the city can maintain its current programs.  Frank noted that, while many California cities are slashing budgets and filing for bankruptcy, Mission Viejo maintains a AAA bond rating and over 50 percent of its budget is safely in reserves.  In order to build a strong business climate in the city, Frank believes that the council should do everything it can to enable business; for example, listen to businesses to see what their needs are for traffic mitigation, signs, promotions, etc.

Frank also said that protecting the city’s standard of living and strong financial footing requires smart, fiscally sound decision-making at all levels of city government.  He believes that this includes fully reforming the pension system so the city’s liability is one of the lowest in California, which Frank said the council has done while he has served on it.  Frank stated that a prior council spiked the city’s pensions to the highest in Orange County for non-public safety employees, but two years ago the council reversed that and reduced the pension program from 2.7% to 2% at 60 for new employees (retirees will now get 2% of their salary for each year of service if they retire at age 60, as opposed to 2.7% under the previous council’s plan.)  Frank said that the council changed the pension plan well before it became a talking point.

Frank is proud of what city staff and a majority of the city’s council has accomplished to this point.  He believes that, after years of salary freezes, staff compensation is quite market acceptable.

Frank said that the city is almost fully built out.  He believes the council needs to conform to state laws, but aside from that, there are not many locations for additional growth.

Frank is endorsed by, among others, the Orange County Register,the Orange County Taxpayers Association, the California Women’s Leadership Association, and Congressmen Ed Royce and John Campbell

You can find out more about Frank at http://www.frank4mv.com/.

Ed Sachs

Ed is running for City Council to return fiscal responsibility, adequate reserves, and transparency back to the City Council on behalf of the residents of Mission Viejo.

Ed stated that Mission Viejo’s reserves are 52% today, but they were 75% a few years ago.  Ed wants to budget reserves funding within the budget by including it as a line item in the budget.

Ed also wants to address the recent Orange County Grand Jury report that gave Mission Viejo a “D” for transparency regarding salaries and benefits for city staff and a “D” for transparency on executive compensation for content and clarity.  Ed said that Mission Viejo was one of only 6 of the 34 cities in Orange County with poor grades.  Ed wants to make it easy (1 or 2 mouse clicks) for residents to use the city’s website to access compensation and benefits information.

Ed also wants to end the cost overruns for city capital improvement projects.  Ed said that city projects consistently have run over budget.  For example, the Marguerite Tennis Center’s initial budget was under $2 million, but Ed said it increased to $2.6 million with the addition of the clubhouse, and today is over $5.2 million.  Ed stated that the city has historically run projects in phases and with multiple change orders.  Ed wants to use his 30+ years of business experience to limit costs beyond what were originally agreed to.

Ed currently has no position on employee compensation because, as he said, it is difficult for a resident to understand compensation and benefits due to the city’s lack of transparency on this issue.  Ed stated that there currently are 134 city staff members and, if elected, he will evaluate compensation and benefits for all.  If he feels they are too high, he will try to reduce them, and he will consider laying off staff if necessary.

Ed believes that the city can attain a balance between the existing residents and future development.  He noted that Mission Viejo is fairly built out (as one of the first master planned communities in Orange County), but there are areas where additional housing could be built.  Ed said he will look at each project on its own merits and evaluate it based on its impacts on traffic, schools, and any other negative impacts to the residents.  Ed said he leans toward lower density and smaller high density projects as best fitting with Mission Viejo’s character and quality of life.

Ed is endorsed by, among others, California Congressman Darrell Issa, the California Republican Assembly, Atlas PAC, the Family Action PAC, and Mrs. Sachs.

You can find out more about Ed at http://edsachsformvcitycouncil2012.webs.com/.

Cathy Schlicht

Cathy Schlicht is running for re-election because she feels there is still a lot to be done.  Cathy thinks she is a voice of reason on the council and she does not like the direction the city is going and she wants to let the citizens know that, as she does on the council today.

Cathy wants to address the issue of electronic billboards in the city.  She said that developers are running a campaign to promote electronic billboards, and she believes they are trying to influence the council to vote for electronic billboards.  Cathy supports the current ordinances on signage and she opposes the proposal for off-site signage which would advertise national brands.

Cathy believes there is too much unfocused spending in the city.  She wants the city to take a look at the budget again and said the council is deciding spending from the dais, rather than in cooperation with the residents.  She wants to figure out the needs of the city and opposes spending the city’s money for political gain.

Cathy wants to continue promoting public safety that has led to Mission Viejo consistently being one of the safest cities in America.  She wants to ensure that the city has enough officers and attention to public safety.  She also wants better safety for the Youth Athletic Fields (“YAF”) park.  She does not want the current situation of parents running across the busy street at Olympiad continuing, and she wants to explore the possibility of a pedestrian cross-walk to increase safety.

Cathy feels that the city’s management-level staff compensation and benefits are too high and too disproportionate with staff compensation and benefits.

Cathy said that the city is virtually built out.  To protect the quality of life of existing residents, she opposes high density housing.  Cathy said that the city’s Master Plan was designed for a certain number of residents and that the city needs to improve its infrastructure first before expanding on the Master Plan’s vision.

Cathy is endorsed by, among others, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, California Assemblyman Allan Mansoor, California Assemblyman Christ Norby, the California Republican Assembly, and the Family Action PAC.

You can find out more about Cathy at http://www.cathy4council.com/.

Wendy Bucknum

Wendy is running for City Council to make Mission Viejo a better place to do business and protect the unique character that makes the city great.

Wendy said she will work to eliminate unnecessary red tape and fees that only serve as hurdles to business expansion and curtail private property rights.  Wendy believes that the council must also hold the line on wasteful spending in order to maintain the city’s 50% budget surplus and AAA bond rating.

Wendy also said that budget discipline will allow the city to continue making wise investment choices that support economic growth and quality of life.  This includes existing road and traffic improvements, expansion of the successful fee-based educational programs such as Kids Factory, and continued support for the city’s award-winning arts and sports programs.

Wendy believes another major issue for the city is the preservation of Mission Viejo’s business community and spurring economic development.  For Wendy, this includes supporting the completion of the 241 Toll Road and supporting infrastructure and workforce housing to increase jobs.  Wendy said that her plans are in line with the advocacy work she has been doing for the past two years as Governmental Affairs Committee Chair of the South Orange County Regional Chamber of Commerce.  Wendy also noted her service as: a Mission Viejo City Commissioner (2011-present); Vice-Chair & Chair of the Community Services Commission.  In addition, she said she serves on the Board of the South Orange County Regional Chamber of Commerce (member since 2000) and chairs the Legislative Action Committee.  Wendy received the Advocate of the Year Award presented at the 2011 SOCO Awards at the Regional Cities Ball due in large part to efforts in regional issues, specifically defeating Measure D in Mission Viejo.  She also serves on Orange County Board of Supervisor member Patricia Bates’ Annual Senior Summit Planning Committee (since 2007).

You can find out more about Wendy at http://wendybucknum.com/.

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Unions Throughout The State Infiltrate Costa Mesa In An Attempt To Stop Charter Measure

Posted by Greg Woodard on November 1, 2012

Liberals often decry the influence of outside corporate money when it suits their purposes, but do not expect to hear much from them as union money pours in from all over the state in the effort to defeat Measure V, which would convert Costa Mesa from a general law city to a charter city and give the City Council the freedom to combat union abuses.  If Measure V passes, the city would no longer have to pay prevailing (union) wages, any increase to city employee pensions would have to be approved by the voters, and local unions would not be allowed to use the city’s payroll system to raise money for political contributions.

Facing an end to their unfettered reign in Costa Mesa, the unions are pulling out all the stops.  At least one union member has been caught destroying signs supporting the charter (see here).  And now, unions from all over the state are chipping in large sums to defeat Measure V.  As the Orange County Register reported today, opponents of Measure V have accumulated an astounding $520,000 as of October 20, 2012, to just $56,000 for supporters of Measure V.  Of the $520,000, $320,000 (over 60%) has come from state and county unions.  The union’s largest expenditure ($152,000) went to a Georgia company that specializes in media-buys and political strategy.

The union money is largely contributed to the ironically named Taxpayers for Open and Accountable Government, which is sponsored by the Orange County Employees Association.  I say ironic because unions in California have operated in the shadows for decades, negotiating contracts favorable to their members in secret with public agencies, buying elections at the local, county, and state level to put their candidates in place to protect the ever-increasing compensation and benefit packages that are bankrupting cities and the state, and massively funding opposition to any proposition presented to the state’s voters that would rein in their power.

One of those propositions, Prop. 32, is on the ballot next week .  Prop. 32 would prevent unions from donating to political candidates directly and end the abusive process of extorting dues from members for political purposes, even if the member does not support the candidates or causes that the union spends the money on.  The unions have reportedly spent at least $50 million to defeat Prop. 32.  I note the irony of the unions using money they extorted from their members to defeat a measure that will prevent them from extorting money from their members for political purposes.  The importance of Prop. 32 is not lost on Costa Mesa’s leaders.  As the Register reported, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer, when reviewing the unions’ campaign finance disclosures opposing Measure V, said “It’s a poster child for Prop. 32.”

It does not take a lot of effort to discover why California consistently ranks among the worst states in the country for business climate.  We are near the top (not a good thing) in terms of income taxes, gas taxes, business taxes, and sales taxes, largely due to Democratic legislators who have been bought by unions.  Government employee compensation and benefits are eating up a larger chunk of budgets, leaving little for actual services, and any time someone tries to reduce the burden, the unions tap in to their war chest and sue.  Costa Mesa is leading the charge to make real changes to blunt the union control, yet they face an uphill battle, being outspent 10-1.  Proponents of Measure V must earn their money the hard way, by soliciting small and large benefits from people and businesses.  The unions simply have to write a check from money the did not even have to ask their members to provide.

November 6 may be a bellwether for conservative values, both at the national and local level.  Costa Mesa is leading the charge in Orange County.

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Union Member Videoed Stealing Campaign Signs Supporting “3M” Candidates In Costa Mesa

Posted by Greg Woodard on October 31, 2012

Anyone who has been involved in local politics even for the briefest of time knows that campaign sign stealing is typical fare for a city council election.  However, the practice recently has been raised to an art form in Costa Mesa, with candidates on both sides (the “3Ms” – Steve Mensinger, Gary Monahan, and Colin McCarthy vs. John Stephens, Harold Weitzberg, and Sandy Genis) claiming to be victims.  This year, the thieves have gotten out-of-hand.  While both sides have reported theft of signs from residential yards and commercial buildings, Mensinger and Monahan have pointed to the theft and destruction of large and expensive banners.  In at least one instance, someone scaled a private residence fence and slashed a banner that was placed up between two large poles.  Other 3M banners and signs have been cut and defaced with paint.  The thefts have become so prevalent that Mensinger and Monahan have put up $500 each for any information leading to the arrest of someone stealing banners (an anonymous donor put up another $100 bringing the total to $1,100.)

At least one vandal has been caught red-handed.  A video, taken by a Mensinger supporter, shows a bearded man pulling up signs for the 3Ms and supporting the proposed city charter, tearing them apart, and tossing them in the bushes.  At a candidates’ forum for Atlas PAC last week, McCarthy identified the man as Steve White, a Costa Mesa city employee and member of the Costa Mesa City Employees Association, the union that has sued Costa Mesa over its attempt to outsource union jobs to private companies to save the city money and reduce the city’s unfunded liability for skyrocketing employee compensation and benefits.  As the OC Register reported, White has been placed on paid administrative leave and is under investigation, though the city did not say the reason for the investigation.  White, classified as a Senior Maintenance Worker, earns approximately $86,000 per year in compensation and benefits (see #382 in the link).  Interestingly, though White has a prominent beard in the video, the Register reported that White’s Facebook page showed a recently shaven profile picture.

The union has deflected comment about White’s purported actions, stating “Sign damaging is something that has happened in every election,” said Orange County Employee Association spokeswoman Jennifer Muir, who added all sides’ signs have been defaced. “It’s not a good thing. It’s silly. It should stop.”  Muir would not comment about White specifically because city administrators have not officially linked him to the signs (don’t hold your breath for any comment after they do link him).  However, she did not waste a chance to again attack Mensinger and the council majority, stating “Now they can’t stand the scrutiny to their plan,” she said, “so they’re trying to drum up a political diversion.”  Muir apparently was not asked how a union member, making nearly $90,000 a year from the city, destroying the property of the 3Ms – something which the union-supported candidates have also complained about – is a “political diversion” rather than simply a petty act of vandalism.  It begs the question of how the union would have responded if one of the 3M’s supporters had been filmed destroying Stephens’, Weitzberg’s, and Genis’ signs.  Yes, that was a rhetorical question.

Just a couple of the signs on private property supporting the 3Ms and Measure V that were defaced

Posted in Costa Mesa | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Atlas PAC Endorsed Candidates Make Their Final Push

Posted by Greg Woodard on October 30, 2012

The Atlas PAC, a conservative group that believes in the ideals of limited government, free market enterprise, low taxation, and individual liberty, held a forum on October 24 for its endorsed candidates.  A veritable who’s who of Orange County state legislators arrived, with 5 current or prospective members of the Assembly and State Senator Mimi Walters making a brief appearance.  Director Ben Pugh hosted the event, and he urged those in attendance to support the endorsed candidates, both financially and by walking or otherwise getting involved.  Each candidate was given a chance to speak and, with less than two weeks before the election, the following made their pitch:

State Assembly

  • Allan Mansoor – Allan said that the June primary was tough and that because of the support of Atlas PAC and others, he is likely to win in November.  He highlighted the need to fight for pension reform, particularly with the passage of Proposition 32, the fight for the 3Ms in Costa Mesa (Steve Mensinger, Gary Monahan, and Colin McCarthy), the need to pass the charter in Costa Mesa (Yes on V), the pension fight in Huntington Beach, and the need for conservatives to take control of the City Council in Irvine.
  • Chris Norby – Chris said that there was one seat in Orange County that could flip from Republican to Democrat – his.  He noted that Republicans only hold a 1% registered voter edge in his district, and that he has been outspent 3-1 in the last few weeks, with most of the money for his challenger coming from unions.  He said there were 5,000 bills proposed in the last legislative session, and 1,000 of those became laws, which he believes is far too many.  He wants at least 1,000 bad laws to be repealed and he promised to fight for common sense and personal responsibility if re-elected.
  • Eric Linder – Eric is running in the Inland Empire, but has many long-lasting relationships in Orange County and he said he would not be in position to win his seat if not for Atlas PAC.  Eric thanked many in the room for supporting him in the tough June primary.  Eric touted his experience as a business owner and said he hopes to serve with those elected officials who were present that night.
  • Don Wagner – Don noted that Republicans currently have only a one seat cushion in the Assembly that is preventing the Democrats from imposing unlimited taxes on California residents.  Also, one Republican member recently recanted her no taxes pledge.  Despite this, he said it will get better – he expects the party to take back one seat recently lost, and that Eric Linder needs to take Jeff Miller’s old seat.  He also said that there are 3-4 real possible pickups in the Assembly and that conservatives need to focus their time and resources on these seats in the next couple of weeks.
  • Travis Allen- Travis is running in the 72nd District against another Republican, Troy Edgar (this is as a result of Prop. 14, passed in 2010).  Travis said that he is a life-long Republican who has been an investment advisor for 16 years.  He believes that his race is about no new taxes – and he signed the no new taxes pledge, but his opponent has not.  He said that Edgar has raised taxes as a City Council member 12 times and he was a registered Democrat until 2006.  Travis thinks we have too many bench warmers in the Sacramento with no core principles who do nothing.  He believes he has the ability, desire, and educational background to make a difference.  He will not raise taxes and he will make the voters proud.

Irvine City Council

  • Steven Choi – Steven said this is the year that Democrat Larry Agran is going to be beat, and the Republicans will win 3 seats between his race, and the two other Republican council candidates – Christina Shea and Lynn Schott.  Steven said the Atlas PAC endorsement helps him a lot, and that the voters he is meeting say that they have or will vote for him.
  • Lynn Schott – Lynn previously ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2010 and she has spent the last two years building up name recognition in the city.  She emphasized kitchen table issues for the city – Irvine was ground-zero for the subprime collapse and many residents lost their jobs and homes (she noted that there are 100 homeless students in the city).  She said the current council majority is tone-deaf to the residents’ struggle to pay for gas, school supplies, and groceries.  She gave the example of the majority giving an across-the-board 6% raise to city employees, at a cost of $2.5 million.  She is a 27-year resident of the city and Larry Agran has been in power during that entire time.  Lynn wants to give Agran a retirement party on November 6.

Aliso Viejo City Council

  • Mike Munzing – Mike said running has been an educational experience.  His city is 7.5 square miles and he said that no one has run and won against the original council members, but he plans on being the first.  Mike said he is loud, visible, and everywhere (those of us who know Mike will attest to that).  Mike said he has hit the city once, but he wants to hit it again.  So, on the Saturday before the election, Mike is trying to get 30 volunteers to walk every district.  He also has 44,000 mail pieces going out to the residents.

Anaheim City Council

  • Brian Chuchua – Brian said the city’s educational system needs help.  He believes that Curt Pringle runs the city with two other council members (who he called the “Giveaway 3”).  He noted that the council gave away $158 million in bed taxes, which he said is 43% of the General Fund.  He also said that the city recently approved a $368 million streetcar system for 10 streetcars when buses would have cost only $58 million.  He believes the system is for Disney employees.  He also mentioned a $170 million train station that is to be built that is not adequate for high-speed rail (it will cost another $120 million for that).  He is running because he sees what is wrong with the city and he wants to correct it.  He said that he is self-funded and he needs help.

Costa Mesa City Council

  • Colin McCarthy – Colin painted a picture of the rancorous campaign, and expressed outrage over the tactics of his opponents’ supporters.  He described a recent video that was taken of a man picking up campaign signs supporting him, Steve Mensinger, Gary Monahan, and Measure V (charter) and ripping them up.  Colin identified the man as a highly paid city employee (nearly $87,000 in annual compensation and benefits).  He said he recently attended a public forum where he was booed and hissed by members of the public.  A member of the Planning Commission, Colin said he sees how the “sausage is made” and how dysfunctional government is.  Colin has kids and he is interested in making the city a better place for them.

Costa Mesa Sanitation District

  • Jeff Mathews – Jeff believes Republicans will have big wins this year.  He wants to see the power of the unions cut.  He has looked at where the problems in his city are, and he found them in small districts like the sanitation district.  He wants to get real changes made.  Jeff mentioned that his opponents have served on the district for over 20 years, they are complacent, and he does not believe that politicians should use the same position in government as a career choice.  He said the district has a $5 million surplus, due in part to higher rates, and he wants to look into all of the small-scale issues that, cumulatively, have a large impact on the city’s residents.
  • Don Harper – Don said he was inspired by the 3Ms in Costa Mesa and their efforts to change the current environment.  He is a businessman who founded a very successful business and he thinks he can use that experience to help change the government from the bottom up.

Lake Forest City Council

  • Dwight Robinson – Dwight said the Orange County Register (which has endorsed him), published a quote from him – “If you can find it in the phone book, government shouldn’t do it.”  He believes the private sector can do things much better than government can.  Dwight noted that the current council members do not work in business, but he does.  He runs several private businesses, his largest being an agricultural commodities exporting business, and he employs over 100 people.  Dwight said that government does not create jobs, the private sector does.  He noted his endorsement by the Orange County Republican Party and said that he wants to be the business owner on the City Council.
  • Adam Nick – Adam said he has been an accountant and auditor for over 20 years.  He owns a successful Lake Forest business and he has lived in the city for 30+ years.  Adam believes his time and experience qualifies him for council service.  Adam believes in small government, less regulation, and lower taxes.  He said the United States Constitution sets America apart from the rest of the world in that it states that the government derives its power from the people, not the other way around; the government works for us.  Adam believes he can make a difference and do good things for the city.

Mission Viejo City Council

  • Ed Sachs – Ed said that he has been in business since he was 8 years old, concluding his career with 30-plus years at Pioneer Electronics where he was President of the United States Mobile Electronics division for 5 years.  During his time at Pioneer, he presided over a division with a $500 million budget with $20+ million in profits.  Ed said he recently challenged the city’s mayor over the city’s reserves (which have been reduced significantly over the past 5+ years) and did not receive a good answer in return.  Ed also mentioned that the council has debating a dog park for the past 10 years and he wants to get in and make the tough decisions without arguing for over a decade.
  • Cathy Schlicht – Larry Gilbert spoke on behalf of Cathy.  He said that Cathy has opposed the city’s plans for a dog park because the first phase alone is estimated to cost $850,000.  He also mentioned that Cathy opposes the Kaleidoscope property owner’s plan to put up large electronic billboards to advertise out-of-town businesses.  Larry said if Ed and Cathy are not elected. the billboards will be approved.

Orange City Council

  • Jon Dumitru – Jon said his race is unique because he is running against a nice person, but she is a liberal Democrat.  He said that the union has spent $40,000 against him and the police union has spent $67,000.  Jon helped end firefighter overtime issues that cost the city over $2 million last year.  He also noted that the city just implemented a huge pension roll back, and he led the effort to eliminate compensation for City Council members.  Jon also said that, even though the city recently had a $23 million deficit that it had to close with reserves, his opponent wanted to give $1 million from the city’s catastrophic reserves to give city employees a bonus to deal with a city employee’s death – in Costa Mesa.

Santa Ana City Council

  • George Collins – George is running for Mayor of Santa Ana.  He said that the City Manager, who also serves as the Chief of Police, makes $330,000 per year.  He said that the city has no parks.  George got into politics because of city corruption.  He believes that the city defers things too often, which leads to debt.  He also thinks that the council is a conduit for liberals to move on to higher positions like the Board of Supervisors and state Assembly.  George wants to change the culture and make a difference.  George said he needs feet to walk and help him get elected.

Santa Ana Unified School District

  • Cecilia Iglesias – Cecilia said that 70% of Santa Ana are Latinos, and most of them have conservative values.  She urged Latinos to vote their values and to contribute to society.  Cecilia wants to make changes by starting locally and moving to the state and national level.  She ran against Loretta Sanchez two years ago as an independent and now wants to make a difference through her conservative values.  Cecilia is the founder of a non-profit for deaf kids and she wants educational opportunities for all.

Posted in Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Orange, Orange County, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Unified School District | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Introducing Aliso Viejo City Council Candidates Mike Munzing And Greg Ficke

Posted by Greg Woodard on October 30, 2012

We next go to Aliso Viejo which I’m not sure is known for anything in particular, but that may be because it is a relatively new city.  It does have Soka University which touts itself as “[p]roudly founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life, SUA offers a non-sectarian curriculum that is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs.”  Mike Munzing and current City Council member Greg Ficke are running.

Mike Munzing

Mike said he is running because the current City Council has adopted and embraced liberal environmental ideologies and policies that have negatively impacted the city, and he wants to reverse that course.

Mike believes that the current council has adopted radical green city initiatives that far exceed even the state requirements.  For example, he said that the city is trying to remove parking spaces from the Town Center to force people to find other alternatives rather than cars.  He said they also want to install roundabouts to make driving more difficult for residents.  Mike wants to roll back those policies to protect the quality of life the residents currently enjoy.

Mike also wants to address and correct the city’s restrictive signage policies for the real estate and business communities.  Mike said that city staff takes Open House signs down soon after they are put up by realtors which restricts the ability of home owners to sell their homes.  He wants to roll back those and other anti-business regulations and promote a business-friendly environment for the city.

Mike said that the city is largely a contract city, which means it has a very small number of direct employees, and saves the city a lot of money.  He is willing to look at employee compensation and benefits to see if they are reasonable for a city the size of Aliso Viejo.

Mike said that the city is only 7.5 square miles, and it is master-planned and nearly built out.  As a result, there are only a few parcels remaining for development.  Mike believes that future projects need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis, and he wants to make sure that any project fits within the quality of life that current residents have come to enjoy.

Mike is endorsed by, among others, the Orange County Republican Party, the Family Action PAC, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, State Senator Mimi Walters, and Assembly member Diane Harkey.

You can find out more about Mike at www.voteformikemunzing.com.

Greg Ficke

Greg is running for re-election to the City Council because he said the job is not done.  Greg was contacted by dozens of residents and business owners who told him to run for re-election, and he wants to continue to make a difference for the community at large.

Greg believes in fiscally responsible and balanced budgets.  Greg noted that the city is a contract city, meaning that it contracts out most of the services it provides, and he said it is important to go through the city’s budget line item by line item to see if the city is getting the best value for what it is paying for.

Greg also has been pushing for the city to be transparent with its residents.  Since the first day he became a council member, he has advocated for the city to broadcast City Council meetings online or by local cable television.  If re-elected, Greg will continue to push for maximum council transparency.

Greg also wants to be responsive to the needs of all the city’s residents.  Greg is open and approachable and willing to listen to issues from any resident, whether it is in the City Council chambers, on the baseball or soccer fields, or at the grocery store.

Greg said that, as a contract city, Aliso Viejo has very few direct employees (only 14).  The small number allows the council to better evaluate their performance and compensation, and also provides the city with more flexibility and cost savings in the contracts it enters into with service providers.  Greg also said that compensation for its employees is annually validated against compensation with comparable cities by size, function, and position.  As a result, Greg believes that employee compensation is adequate.

Greg does not believe there will be much future development in the city as it is mostly built out, particularly on the residential side.  He said that the city population will only increase in small increments in the future.  Also, redevelopment does not appear to be a direction the city is headed towards in the future.  Greg thinks that there is a good balance in the city between the size of the community, and the services the city provides.

While Greg has not actively solicited endorsements, he is endorsed by the Orange County Republican Party and the South Orange County Chamber of Commerce.

Posted in Aliso Viejo | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Introducing San Juan Capistrano City Council Candidates Dr. Roy Byrnes And Kim McCarthy

Posted by Greg Woodard on October 23, 2012

From the tip of South County in San Clemente, we move up the 5 North a bit to San Juan Capistrano, home of the beautiful and historic Mission San Juan Capistrano (Orange County’s only mission), and the amazing annual return of the swallows.  SJC has two open seats, and we now introduce you to two council candidates: Dr. Roy Byrnes and Kim McCarthy.  Ginny Kerr and council member Sam Allevato also are running and they sought the Orange County Republican Party’s endorsement.  However, I made multiple attempts to contact Allevato and received no response, while Kerr has been out-of-town and unavailable.

Dr. Roy Byrnes

Roy previously served on the City Council from 1972-1976 and he is running again because he feels that the City Council has taken the wrong direction in the last few years.  He believes there has been a focus on spending where the residents have been misled, and that the water reclamation plant has resulted in higher costs to the residents.

Roy feels that the city has to better manage its public parkland.  For example, the 132-acre “riding park” the city bought has been leased to a commercial venture and the residents cannot even use it for hiking, picnicking, walking dogs, or any of the uses the public typically has for parks.  Roy said the purchase of the riding park was done in secret, based on cronyism, and in disregard of any potential or existing conflicts of interest.  Roy said he would study the documents relating to the park to analyze what the city’s position is from a legal standpoint, and explore if there is any way to address the public’s lack of access.

Roy also noted the problems with the city’s water reclamation plant.  He said that the city had been buying water from the Metropolitan Water District (“MWD”) for 100+ years, but that in the last 15-20 years there was a movement within the city to build the existing groundwater recycling plant.  Roy believes that the plant was poorly designed, resulting in water that costs the residents double what it costs to purchase the water from MWD.  Roy noted that the plant is owned by the San Juan Basin Authority, a group comprised of local South County water districts.  He said that the city is bearing the sole cost, approximately $2 million per year, to operate the plant for the next 25 years and he believes the Authority should bear some of the cost.  Roy believes in a three-pronged approach to deal with the water rate problem.  First, he wants the city to buy water from the cheapest source.  Second, he wants to stop tiered water rates that punish residents for higher water usage, and currently have been challenged in the courts.  Third, Roy believes that the contractual relationship with the Authority is flawed and, like with the riding park, he wants to have the city’s attorneys go through the documents to see what the city’s legal obligations are and if they can change the contract in any way.  Roy believes that a small city like San Juan Capistrano should pursue options with other partners to solve its water problems.

Roy has no specific information on compensation for city employees.  He is concerned about the growing trend in California of high public employee compensation and benefits in general.  He noted that the city recently required new employees to pay for their pension costs, but they were given a raise to offset those costs.  Roy said that if he is elected, he will gather data related to employee compensation and work with other council members to determine fair compensation and benefits.

Roy said that the city is built out, and there is not too much open space that would be appropriate for new development.  The city decided years ago to become more of a bedroom community, avoiding excessive commercial and industrial uses, which Roy noted means lower sales taxes and limited development potential.  He said that the residents also want the city to acquire and maintain large open spaces and parks for public use.  Roy wants to maintain that quality of life, but he recognizes the difficulty with raising the funds necessary to maintain those parks.  Roy said he chooses to take a middle-of-the-road approach with a balance between excessive development and the need for city revenue to support the city’s services and activities.

Roy has been endorsed by the Orange County Register and the Family Action PAC.  Roy believes in organizational endorsements but feels individual endorsements from politicians may present a conflict of interest when he is making decisions on the council and he is seeking small contributions from residents instead.

You can get more information about Roy at http://www.commonsense4sjc.com/.

Kim McCarthy

Kim is running for City Council to fix the traffic problems in the city, pay down the debt, and fix how the groundwater plant is run.

Kim feels that the current council has no overall plan for the city.  She mentioned the “ghost train” at Del Obispo where she says the city spend more than $1 million on a train crossing, but the traffic arms often come down with no train in sight.  She wants to take the defective crossing out.  Kim also noted that the current council tried to fix the 5 freeway exit at Rancho Viejo and Junipero Serra, but she thinks they only made it worse, so they are trying to fix it yet again.  She also stated that the 5 freeway has an onramp at Stonehill and Camino Capistrano, but no offramp.  Kim believes that the town is a “door mat” for traffic from Dana Point and Laguna Niguel, and that an offramp at Stonehill/Camino Capistrano would help alleviate some of that traffic.  Kim feels that the traffic problems are the result of self-inflicted city mismanagement.  She said that several residents have written to the Capistrano Common Sense (her publication) suggesting ways to fix the traffic problems, and she would entertain resident input in evaluating how to address the city’s traffic issues.

Kim would stop gifting money to everyone to address the city’s debt (Kim said the debt is over $110 million for a city of 38,000).  She stated that the city gifted $560,000 to a downtown development plan, and $44,000 for a dog park.  She believes the city is addicted to grant money for the underserved.  As an example, she said that the city put up bus shelters on Camino Capistrano in downtown with some grant money, but the city also had to chip in $66,000 of its own money.  She also said they put solar panels on top of the shelters, but that the shelters are located under trees.  According to Kim, the city council recently gifted approximately $300,000 in several different decisions that she believes should have been used to pay off the debt on the old dance hall.  Kim does not want to spend money unless it is necessary for infrastructure or other vital city issues.

Kim wants to buy water from the cheapest source.  She said that they currently have a failing groundwater recovery plant that she wants to fix.

Kim believes that the city, with over 100 employees, has too many positions for a city of 38,000.  She stated that the groundwater plant employs 23 people at an average of $100,000 in compensation and benefits.  She also noted that the city has a fleet of cars that are unnecessary.  Kim would look at outsourcing positions after reviewing the entire staff and their performance.  She would eliminate unnecessary positions and consider part-time positions where appropriate.

Kim said that the city is built out and needs to address the traffic and infrastructure problems before considering any future development.

Kim is endorsed by, among others, the Orange County Register, the Family Action PAC, South Orange County Republican Assembly, and she will not take any money from special interests, but only residents.

You can get more information about Kim at http://www.commonsense4sjc.com/.

Posted in San Juan Capistrano | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

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