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Why I Am Supporting Bill Brough for the 73rd State Assembly

Posted by Craig P. Alexander on February 5, 2014

I am supporting Dana Point City Councilman Bill Brough (Bill Brough) for the 73rd Assembly seat being vacated by Diane Harkey (due to term limits). There are many reasons why I support Bill as the best candidate for this seat. Bill, a veteran of the United States Army, is currently a member of the City of Dana Point City Council, the city where I reside. Therefore I have seen first hand his work at the city council level to know Bill Brough is a man who stands by his principles and works to get positive things done in my city. As an example: Bill has been a leader in getting the long planned but stalled Town Center Project (the re-vitalization of our downtown area) going again. All without any taking of private property and selling it to some other private entity (crony capitalism) or having the city go into debt via bonds or some other means. Bill has advocated for years for lowering taxes and fees for the citizens of Dana Point and to encourage development of commercially zoned properties such as the Town Center area.

Being someone who believes in freedom, Bill Brough was the sole vote on the city council against Dana Point’s foolish plastic bag ban (current City Councilman Carlos Olvera was not on the council when the plastic bag ban vote was taken).  See Dana Point City Council votes for Plastic Bag Ban.  Bill is still against the plastic bag ban partially due to there being no proof that the ban has lowered the cost of keeping the city cleaner. This is in stark contrast to Dana Point’s Mayor Lisa Bartlett who voted with the majority of the council in favor of the ban (I am also supporting Laguna Niguel City Councilman Robert Ming in his race for Orange County Supervisor for the 5th District (Robert Ming for Supervisor) for many positive pro Robert Ming reasons but Ms. Bartlett’s vote for the plastic bag ban and her votes to increase tolls on the 241 toll roads are another reason I am supporting Robert Ming and opposing Ms. Bartlett’s bid for that seat.  I have a lot of company in that belief – Ming Outraises All His Opponents Combined).

Getting back to Bill Brough, until about this time last year, Bill was Diane Harkey’s Chief of Staff so Bill knows not only Sacramento but the 73rd Assembly seat in particular – Bill Brough will not need to play “catch up” to begin to be effective as our representative in the Assembly.

There are a lot of reasons I do not support some of Bill’s opponents for this seat (see my prior posts about Jesse Petrilla (Patch Post & Petrilla Statement) and the latest post over at the Rancho Santa Margarita Patch (Did Petrilla Lie…)  – now the court documents about the 2001 criminal case are posted there and about Anna Bryson – Why does the Teachers Union Love Anna Bryson).  But most importantly Bill Brough is a great candidate even without the problems his competitors have. I highly recommend you go to Bill Brough’s web site (www.billbrough.org), check him out and contact him via the web site. I believe you will like what you find out about Bill – especially if you contact him via his web page.

For anyone interested in who I am, I am a practicing attorney who lives and works in Dana Point and a volunteer activist for limited and constitutional government.  I am not on any candidate’s payroll and I do not work as a political consultant.

Posted in 73rd Assembly District, Dana Point | Tagged: , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

AD-73: Petrilla Maintains Fundraising Lead, Brough Net Positive, Bryson Spending Big, Glaab in Debt

Posted by Chris Nguyen on February 5, 2014

Next up in OC Political’s ongoing in-depth analysis of campaign finance figures is the race for the 73rd Assembly District seat being vacated by the termed out Diane Harkey, who is running for the Board of Equalization seat being vacated by the termed out Michelle Steel, who is running for the Second District Supervisor’s seat being vacated by the termed out John Moorlach, who is running for the 45th Congressional District seat being vacated by John Campbell, who voluntarily retired.  (That incredibly long sentence demonstrates a recurring theme in 2014.  Between AD-55, AD-73, AD-74, SD-34, CD-45, the Second Supervisorial District, the Fifth Supervisorial District, and possibly SD-36, there isn’t a single place in Orange County without a major competitive race at some point this year.)

Republican AD-73 Candidates: Jesse Petrilla, Anna Bryson, Bill Brough, Paul Glaab

Republican AD-73 Candidates: Jesse Petrilla, Anna Bryson, Bill Brough, Paul Glaab

There are four announced Republican candidates in AD-73: Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Jesse Petrilla, Dana Point Councilman Bill Brough, Capistrano Unified School District Trustee Anna Bryson, and former Laguna Niguel Councilman Paul Glaab.  One Democrat, Attorney and Irvine Valley College Professor Wendy Gabriella, has announced for the race.  Gabriella’s entry in the race virtually guarantees a Republican vs. Democrat general election, with the Republican winning handily and spares South County Republicans an AD-73 general election intraparty bloodbath.

For a walk down memory lane, here’s what I wrote six months ago after the last set of campaign finance numbers came out in AD-73.  On to the latest numbers…

Jesse Petrilla held on to his fundraising lead, but more notably, his massive lead from the previous fundraising period combined with his tight-fisted approach to spending has given him more cash-on-hand than all of his opponents combined.  He raised $69,230 the prior period and $35,609 this latest period, giving him a total raised of $104,839.  He spent a remarkably low $8,182 in both periods combined.  Once loans and unpaid bills are accounted for, Petrilla’s $96,593 cash on hand exceeds that of all of his opponents combined.

While not as dramatic as Petrilla, Bill Brough is steadily building his warchest and is spending less than he’s raising, thereby producing a net positive.  Brough raised $50,943, with $30,899 from the prior period and $20,044 this period while spending $16,345 this period (and $5,315 the prior period), leaving him with $29,270 cash on hand once loans are accounted for (Brough was the sole candidate who had no unpaid bills in AD-73.)

Anna Bryson spent slightly more than she took in during the latest reporting period in the second half of 2013, so she’s eaten into the money she raised in the prior reporting period from the first half of 2013.  Fees dominated her spending.  She paid a consulting firm, two fundraising firms, and a treasurer.  Bryson raised $85,143, with $53,052 the prior period and $32,091 in the latest period while spending $32,140 in this period (and $10,570 the prior period), leaving her with $37,433 cash on hand once loans and unpaid bills are accounted for.

Here at OC Political, we’ve railed repeatedly against the $100,000 paper tiger loans.  (These loans of $100,000 or less are frequently used by candidates to artificially inflate their warchest numbers.  While OC Political has many posts about those, this one is probably the seminal post on the issue.)  I will give Paul Glaab credit for actually spending his own money.  Glaab put his money where his mouth is, and donated $22,000 to his own campaign beyond the $100,000 loan he made to his campaign.  State campaign finance regulations put that $22,000 forever out of Glaab’s reach; it is nonrefundable, and he must spend it on the campaign.  Glaab was well aware of this regulation and properly reported the $22,000 as a contribution, not a loan.

Glaab secured the vast majority of slate mailers.  There are five major slate vendors, with Glaab grabbing three of them, including the two vendors who produce the most slate mailers.  Bryson grabbed one vendor.  It appears the fifth vendor is up for grabs still.

However, this massive spending has left Glaab as the only candidate in debt.

Glaab raised $13,337 this period and $14,749 the prior period, for a total of $28,086.  Adding his own $22,000, that brings that figure to $50,086, which is still the lowest amount raised of any of the four candidates.  He spent a negligible $470 the prior period and $49,549 in this latest period.  His aggregate $50,019 was the most spent of any of the four candidates.  With the least raised and most spent, Glaab has heavily relied on his self-funding.  Once unpaid bills and loans are accounted for, Glaab is $6,617 in debt.

Here’s the chart:

Candidate 1/1/13-6/30/13
Contributions		 7/1/13-12/31/13
Contributions		 Candidate
Contributions		 Candidate
Loans		 Unpaid
Bills		 1/1/13-6/30/13
Expenditures		 7/1/13-12/31/13
Expenditures		 Cash on Hand
(COH)		 COH Minus
Unpaid Bills		 COH Minus
Unpaid Bills
& Loans
Petrilla $69,230 $35,609 $0 $3,500 $388 $3,622 $4,560 $100,481 $100,093 $96,593
Bryson $53,052 $32,091 $0 $69,600 $5,000 $10,570 $32,140 $112,033 $107,033 $37,433
Brough $30,899 $20,044 $0 $100 $0 $5,315 $16,345 $29,370 $29,370 $29,270
Glaab $14,749 $13,337 $22,000 $100,000 $6,685 $470 $49,549 $100,068 $93,383 -($6,617)
Notes: Figures may be off by one dollar due to rounding.

Campaign finance reports for January 1-June 30, 2013 were due last week.

Posted in 73rd Assembly District | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

AD-74: Land of Small Warchests

Posted by Chris Nguyen on February 3, 2014

Well, campaign finance figures are out, and OC Political will be doing our signature in-depth slicing and dicing of campaign finance numbers in the coming days.  Last week, we had several candidates send over press releases touting their fundraising prowess.  Some even asked us explicitly to post their releases.  We opted not to post any of those until we could examine the numbers ourselves.  Indeed, six months ago, I admonished readers to check the numbers against the press release claims in a post on AD-55.  Some candidates are spinning wildly, but there are other times when candidates’ numbers actually gel well with their press releases.  The only way to figure out which is the case is to look at the numbers.

So on to the numbers…

First up is the race for AD-74 to replace Allan Mansoor, who is leaving the Assembly to run for the 2nd District Supervisor’s seat, being vacated by the termed out John Moorlach.  AD-74 consists of Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, the southern half of Huntington Beach, and portions of Irvine.  There are four declared Republican candidates: Huntington Beach Mayor Matt Harper, Newport Beach Councilman Keith Curry, Assemblyman Travis Allen’s District Director Emanuel Patrascu, and H&R Block Franchise Associate Karina Onofre.

AD-74 Candidates Matt Harper, Keith Curry, Emanuel Patrascu, and Karina Onofre

AD-74 Candidates Matt Harper, Keith Curry, Emanuel Patrascu, and Karina Onofre

The numbers in AD-74 show this is anybody’s race.  None of the candidates have particularly large warchests.  Multiple candidates in races for other offices have raised more than all the AD-74 candidates combined.  Curry and Patracu have the largest warchests (or perhaps “least small warchests” would be more appropriate).  Patrascu is ahead of Curry by a few thousand dollars, but Curry is raising money at a faster pace.  Patrascu had more donors but Curry’s donors gave larger amounts on average.  Harper is in debt, and Onofre didn’t reach the threshold to trigger electronic filing.  (Actually, Harper didn’t reach the threshold to trigger electronic filing either, but he still opted to file an electronic report.)

Huntington Beach Mayor Matt Harper entered the race the third week of November.  He reported a $4,100 max-out contribution from Karen Harper on December 7.  Matt Harper loaned his own campaign $2,000 on Christmas Eve.

Newport Beach Councilman Keith Curry entered the race the first week of December.  On December 6, he transferred 20 contributions totaling $6,490 from his City Council account to his Assembly account.  During the rest of December, he raised $20,705 from 22 donors, plus another $495 from small unitemized donations.  His donations included $4,100 max-out contributions from the Orange County Business Council‘s BIZPAC and the campaign committee of former Senator Tom Harman.  He also reported $1,000 from Long Beach Councilman Gary DeLong (who was the unsuccessful Republican nominee in CD-47 in 2012 against Alan Lowenthal), $500 from former Newport Beach Mayor Tod Ridgeway, and $250 from Curry’s council colleague, Nancy Gardner.  If Curry can continue his pace of $21,200 per month, he will quickly amass the largest warchest in AD-74.  However, many candidates find their fundraising slows down after an initial burst after their campaigns launch when they pick up their low-hanging fruit donors; can Curry defy the odds?

Emanuel Patrascu, who is Assemblyman Travis Allen‘s District Director and was formerly on the staff of Senator Tom Harman, announced his official November 18 kick-off in September but had been raising money prior to his kick-off.  He reported $25,079 from 41 donors, plus another $1,266 from small unitemized donations.  His donations included $4,100 max-out contributions from businessmen Kieu Hoang and Buddy Molway.  He also reported $500 from Harman’s campaign committee in October and $2,000 in prior reporting periods, for a total of $2,500 from Tom Harman‘s committee.  He also reported $1,000 from former California Republican Party Chairman Mike Schroeder, $250 from the former Assembly campaign committee of Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Steve Baric (the CRP’s Immediate Past Vice Chair), and $150 from the campaign committee of Westminster Mayor Tri Ta.  Patrascu loaned himself $5,000 on New Year’s Eve, $1,500 in June, and $18,700 in 2012.  He raised $17,600 during the same period that Curry raised $21,200 (Patrascu raised $2,750 after his campaign kick-off but before Curry entered the race).  If Patrascu can continue his pace of $17,600 per month, then he will be able to build a sizeable warchest. As I said with Curry, however, many candidates find their fundraising slows down after an initial burst after their campaigns launch when they pick up their low-hanging fruit donors; can Patrascu defy the odds?

Businesswoman Karina Onofre, who previously ran unsuccessfully for Santa Ana City Council in 2012, entered the race Thanksgiving week.  She did not file her campaign finance report electronically, as she did not reach the $25,000 threshold to require electronic filing.

For visual learners:

Candidate 1/1/13-6/30/13
Contributions		 7/1/13-12/31/13
Contributions		 Transfers Candidate
Loans		 Unpaid
Bills		 Expenditures Cash on Hand
(COH)		 COH Minus
Unpaid Bills		 COH Minus
Unpaid Bills
& Loans
Harper N/A $4,100 $0 $2,000 $1,927 $3,916 $2,185 $258 -($1,742)
Curry N/A $21,200 $6,490 $100,000 $0 $681 $127,009 $127,009 $27,009
Patrascu $8,950 $26,345 $0 $26,700 $551 $2,083 $59,942 $59,391 $32,691
Onofre N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Notes: Figures may be off by one dollar due to rounding.

Campaign finance reports for July 1-December 31, 2013 were due last week.

By the way, OC Political probably won’t detail individual donors in most races; it’s just that AD-74 had so few donors, it was doable.  In other races, the data is more voluminous.

Posted in 74th Assembly District | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

Petrilla Releases Statement About 2001 Arrest – Wow!

Posted by Craig P. Alexander on January 28, 2014

Last night I observed a report over at the Rancho Santa Margarita Patch about 73rd Assembly candidate Jesse Petrilla being arrested in 2001 and his pleading guilty to two felony counts: one count for assault with a firearm and another with a “firearm enhancement” (Petrilla’s Past).  I was surprised that he had nothing to say to the Patch reporter when he was contacted about it.  Apparently today he did give out a statement – not to the Patch but to some of his friends which Patch reporter Martin Henderson obtained a copy of.  It is here: (Petrilla’s statement).  Basically in his statement he admits to being arrested but tries to make the situation sound like he was arrested for self defense with all the charges simply being dismissed.

Yet Councilman Petrilla glosses over: 1. that he plead guilty to two felonies and 2. that these two charges were dismissed only after he served all or part of his probation that a judge sentenced him to and the two charges he plead guilty to being reduced to misdemeanors.   Mr. Petrilla does not express any remorse for his actions or that he has learned any lessons from this situation.  He justifies this conduct by claiming the people he was firing the rifle at were drug dealers who were threatening him.  In my opinion if that were true, the police or sheriff’s department and the District Attorney would likely have dismissed the charges – all of them – as self defense.  No need to plead guilty in a plea bargain, no probation to serve and no need to have the two convictions reduced to misdemeanors and then dismissed (which I understand is common procedure for expungement of criminal convictions from your record).

According to the Patch reporter – the facts were double checked via Court records and found to be accurate.

Since 2001 has Mr. Petrilla joined the military and served honorably?  Yes he has!  Plus he and his wife have every right to be happy at the birth of his new son!  But if he wants to represent people like myself in the legislature, he should be able to admit the truth about what happened in this past, admit to past mistakes and not try to parse words in a statement to try and wiggle out of admitting the truth of what happened.  While I understand people make mistakes in the past – I also believe you need to be open about them (felony convictions are public record and are serious matters) and hopefully to have learned from them – not try to avoid the truth via well crafted statements.

I am no one’s “opposition researcher” and I am not on any candidate’s payroll.  I am a voter in the 73rd Assembly District, a believer in the 2nd Amendment (including the right of self defense), a volunteer activist and an attorney by profession.  My response to Mr. Petrilla’s “statement” is “WOW” not because I am impressed with his explanation, but because I am shocked that he would issue a statement that glosses over these important facts and try to act like his own plea bargained confession to two felony convictions simply did not happen.  He would be better off if he had just stayed silent and not issued this parsed statement that avoids the obvious truth of what happened.  In my opinion, Mr. Petrilla’s statement alone renders him unqualified to serve as my representative in the State Assembly.

I will be voting for a different candidate for this office.

Note: it was brought to my attention that I used the term “parole” instead of “probation” to describe part of the sentence the judge gave to Mr. Petrilla.  That was my error and I stand corrected.  I have changed the description to the correct sentence of probation.

Posted in 73rd Assembly District, Rancho Santa Margarita | Tagged: | 8 Comments »

Petrilla’s Past: Felony Assault With A Firearm – an Important Article by Martin Henderson at RSM Patch

Posted by Craig P. Alexander on January 27, 2014

Tonight I read a very disturbing news article by Martin Henderson of the Rancho Santa Margarita Patch (http://ranchosantamargarita.patch.com/) about RSM City Councilman and 73rd Assembly District candidate Jesse Petrilla. According to the article, (Petrilla’s Past) in 2001 Mr. Petrilla pleaded guilty to assault with a firearm and another felony charge with a firearm enhancement. Apparently in 2004 the charges (after he served his probation) were reduced to misdemeanors and dismissed.

According to the article, when contacted by a Patch reporter, Mr. Petrilla apparently had no time to discuss this with the reporter.  Given that Mr. Petrilla wishes people like me (who live in the 73rd Assembly District) to vote for him to be my representative in the Assembly in Sacramento, I find this news disturbing, more so when he has “no comment.” I hope he has a better explanation that this for the voters.

Note: it was brought to my attention that I used the term “parole” instead of “probation” to describe part of the sentence the judge gave to Mr. Petrilla.  That was my error and I stand corrected.  I have changed the description to probation.

Posted in 73rd Assembly District, Rancho Santa Margarita | Tagged: | 5 Comments »

AD-55 Watch: Diamond Bar Councilman Tye Enters and Fee-Tax Position Haunts

Posted by Allen Wilson on January 24, 2014

SteveTye

Diamond Bar Councilman Steve Tye has thrown his hat in the ring as a GOP Candidate for State Assembly in the 55th Assembly District.

Mr. Tye was first elected to the Diamond Bar City Council in November 2005 after losing in a bitter June 2005 Special Election contest to Jack Tanaka for a seat that was vacant due to Bob Huff elevation to the State Assembly in 2004.  Mr. Tye has been re-elected in 2009 and as recently in 2013.

On June 25, 2013, OC Political article entitled “55th AD Watch:  Another Candidate Dual Run?” inquired at the time whether Councilman Tye was flirting a run for two offices:  City Council and State Assembly.

Those inquiries are now put to a rest with confirmation that Mr. Tye is indeed an Assembly candidate.

However, Mr. Tye position on taxes and fees may not sit well with Conservative voters in the GOP safe Assembly District, especially in North Orange County portion of the 55th Assembly District.

On September 21, 2010, the Diamond Bar City Council unanimously approved an increase of user fees for Community Services, Public Works and Community Development Departments to be phased in the next three years tied with CPI (Consumer Price Index) beginning on July 1, 2010.

Diamond Bar City Manager James DeStefano submitted the 40 page report to the council for approval.

This contributor spoke to the Diamond Bar City Council on September 21, 2010 with a reminder that an increase of user fees are misguided in an unstable economy and that such user fees are taxes which comes out of someone’s pocket one way or the other.

Councilmember Tye was adamant with a defensive tone, according to September 21, 2010 Council Minutes, by stating:

“…this is not a tax but a user fee.”

“…was a proponent for adding a fee for licensing a cat.”

“…it is appropriate if it costs $100 to issue a permit to have a water heater install in his home that he should pay the $100.”

“…likes the idea of someone plans to add to his home he pays the fees for it.”

“When the City gets closer to recovering those user fees, it will be better for all of the citizens of Diamond Bar.”

The Orange County Register Editorial on September 21, 2010 clarifies during the debate over Proposition 26 proposal to close loopholes regarding fees and the two-thirds vote requirement for approval by the state legislature:  “Calling fees what they are:  Taxes“.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has been vigorously fighting over the Fire Fee (Tax) that was approved in 2011 along party lines with Democrats support and Republicans opposed in the state legisature and signed into law by Governor Brown.

The $150 Fire Fee (Tax) for Fiscal Years 2011-12 AND 2012-2013 has effected hundreds and thousands of properties under the CalFire’s jurisdiction known as the State Responsibility Area.

So, Mr. Tye says “a fee is not a tax” may not have read the Orange County Register article, has a lack of understanding of why HJTA is fighting a fire fee that is a tax and surely has a lot of explaining to the voters in the 55th Assembly District whom loathe fees AND taxes.

Posted in 55th Assembly District, Brea, California, La Habra, Placentia, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

AD-74: Meet Candidates Curry, Harper, Onofre, Patrascu Tonight

Posted by Newsletter Reprint on January 9, 2014

This came over the wire from the Newport-Mesa Tea Party Patriots over the weekend:

Like us on Facebook!
YOU ARE WELCOME!

Come to NewportMesa Tea Party’s monthly meeting!

Admission is free (donations appreciated, online or at the meeting)

Find out who will be representing you in Allan Mansoor’s 74th Assembly District seat.

Hear the candidates’ visions for California and where they stand on the important issues facing our state today. Ask them questions – find out which candidate supports your values.

Matthew Harper Mayor Matthew Harper was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council by the voters on November 2, 2010. Mayor Matthew Harper also serves on the Board of Directors for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).
Karina Onofre was born and raised in Santa Ana, the first of four children, to a financially struggling, but hardworking family. Karina Onofre’s parents emigrated from Michoacan, Mexico in their late teens seeking a better life. They immigrated to Santa Ana, California and became legal U.S. Residents under President Ronald Reagan’s immigration reform in 1986.

Keith Curry Keith Curry, mayor of Newport Beach. Curry was appointed to the Newport Beach City Council in 2006 and will be termed out in 2016. He is the director of the Center for Public Policy at Concordia University, where he also teaches public police and leadership courses

Emanuel Patrascu, District Director for Assemblyman Travis Allen, took the lead role in organizing our community to save our beach bonfires. Previously, as a Policy Advisor in the State Senate, he was instrumental in helping craft legislation to deal with California’s water and transportation infrastructure needs. Emanuel served as the President of the Orange County Young Republicans and is serving on the advisory committee for the Orange County Trauma Intervention Program and on the Board of Directors of the Guard a Heart Foundation.

When:  Thursday, January 9, 2014

Regular meetings held the 2nd Thursday of each month

Where: Halecrest Park Swim and Tennis Club

3107 Killybrooke Ln Costa Mesa, CA 92626

http://www.halecrestpark.com/

Time:    6:30pm to 8:30pm

RSVP and Become a member:www.newportmesateaparty.com



 

Copyright © 2014 Newport Mesa Tea Party, All rights reserved.

Posted in 74th Assembly District | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Yorba Linda Councilmembers Young and Lindsey served Recall Notice

Posted by Allen Wilson on January 5, 2014

Recall

As many were prepping for the holidays last month Yorba Linda Councilmembers Tom Lindsey and Craig Young were served with recall notice at the December 17th city council meeting.

The signature requirement for the recall of Yorba Linda councilmembers is 20% if the registration is less than 50,000, but at least 10,000.  The last report of registration by the county election officials to the Secretary of State was on February 10, 2013, which shows that there were 40,501 registered voters in Yorba Linda.

The recall proponents will need to gather 8,100 signatures to mount a recall campaign against the two councilmembers within 120 days.

Councilmember Lindsey was elected in 2010 and stands for re-election this November.

Councilmember Young was elected in 2012 and stands for re-election in 2016 who is also running this June 2014 for State Assembly in the 55th Assembly District, which will be problematic as recall could hamper his Assembly prospects.

Orange County Register reported late summer of 2012 the recall efforts of Councilman John Anderson failed because the proponents did not get enough signatures.

 

Lindsey

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CIRCULATE RECALL PETITION
(Served to Tom Lindsey on December 17)

 

TO THE HONORABLE Thomas H. Lindsey: Pursuant to Section 11020, California Elections Code, the undersigned registered qualified voters of Yorba Linda, in the State of California, hereby give notice that we are the proponents of a recall petition and that we intend to seek your recall and removal from the office of City Councilmember, in Yorba Linda, California and to demand election of a successor in that office.

 

The grounds for recall of Councilmember Thomas H. Lindsey are:

 

Broke his campaign pledge of low-density development.

 

a. Voted against an urgency ordinance, which would have placed a moratorium on high density development and that would help further a ballot measure to eliminate or reduce high-density housing sites that include 4-story buildings with heights up to 50 feet.

 

b. Refused to listen to concerned residents and deal harshly with the County regarding development of over 500 homes in fire sensitive land near the northeast corridor of the City.

 

c. Lindsey’s vote to kill the high-density moratorium is an abandonment of his signed statement in his 2010 Contract with Yorba Linda, which pledged to voters that all infill development projects would be consistent with their existing and surrounding neighborhoods.

 

Is fiscally irresponsible and unethical.

 

a. Put the City at risk for a $19 million breach of contract lawsuit with the County and the Sheriffs Department in an ill-fated attempt to renegotiate Yorba Linda’s police services contract with the Brea Police Department, after the police contract was signed and approved by both the City and County.

 

b. Participated in a public smear campaign of three fellow councilmembers, voting to publicly disclose confidential closed-session information used during the November 2012 election.

Councilman Lindsey responded to the recall:

PLEASE, DO NOT SIGN THE RECALL

 

It will cost Yorba Linda taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in filing fees alone. This recall is a misguided attempt by a narrow special interest to bully council into adopting extreme policies that will hurt our economy, kill jobs and also cost residents hundreds of thousands in attorneys’ fees.

 

A city-wide moratorium on new construction in response to this special interest group’s opposition is a disproportionate reaction we cannot afford.  It’s the same kind of reactionary policy-making that takes place in Sacramento which is driving so many businesses from California.

 

This recall is a reckless erosion of council’s independence from bullying special interests.  It’s an intimidation tactic that sets a precedent on future councils’ willingness to do what is right for ALL residents, not bend to the will of special interests.

 

I’m a low-density housing advocate who carefully negotiates as opposed to recklessly abandons the fiduciary responsibility owed taxpayers and I’m fully supportive of the diligent efforts by our Sheriffs.  I’ve worked hard to help get our finances in order, already saving us millions in interest, and am disappointed this group would waste tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on this unnecessary effort.

Yorba Linda Mayor Craig Young

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CIRCULATE RECALL PETITION
(Served to Craig Young on December 17)

TO THE HONORABLE Craig Young: Pursuant to Section 11020, California Elections Code, the undersigned registered qualified voters of Yorba Linda, in the State of California, hereby give notice that we are the proponents of a recall petition and that we intend to seek your recall and removal from the office of City Councilmember in Yorba Linda, California and to demand election of a successor in that office.

The grounds for recall of Councilmember Craig Young are:

Broke his campaign pledge of low-density development.

a. Voted against an urgency ordinance, which would have placed a moratorium on high-density development and that would help further a ballot measure to eliminate or reduce high-density housing sites that include 4-story buildings with heights up to 50 feet.

b. Refused to listen to concerned residents and deal harshly with the County regarding development of over 500 homes in fire sensitive land near the northeast corridor of the City.

Is fiscally irresponsible and unethical.

a. Put the City at risk for a $19 million breach of contract lawsuit with the County and the Sheriffs Department in an ill-fated attempt to renegotiate Yorba Linda’s police services contract with the Brea Police Department, after the police contract was signed and approved by both the City and County.

Betrayed the trust of Yorba Linda voters and his 4-year commitment to the community to serve on the city council.

a. Declared his candidacy for State Assembly in August 2013 within just 8 months of being sworn in for his first term as a city councilman. Ironically, his November 2012 campaign statement specifically stated he had no hidden agenda and no axe to grind.
Mayor Young responded to the recall:
PLEASE, DO NOT SIGN THE RECALL

 

It will cost Yorba Linda taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in filing fees alone. This recall is a misguided attempt by a narrow special interest to bully council into adopting extreme policies that will hurt our economy, kill jobs and also cost residents hundreds of thousands in attorneys’ fees.

A city-wide moratorium on new construction in response to this special interest group’s opposition is a disproportionate reaction we cannot afford. It’s the same kind of reactionary policy-making that takes place in Sacramento which is driving so many businesses from California.

This recall is a reckless erosion of council’s independence from bullying special interests. It’s an intimidation tactic that sets a precedent on future councils’ willingness to do what is right for ALL residents, not bend to the will of special interests.

I’m a low-density housing advocate who carefully negotiates as opposed to recklessly abandons the fiduciary responsibility owed taxpayers and I’m fully supportive of the diligent efforts by our Sheriffs. I’ve worked hard to help get our finances in order, already saving us millions in interest, and am disappointed this group would waste tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on this unnecessary effort.
The Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation (YLRRR) responds to Lindsey and Young:
We do know how much it costs. Did you know that ALL Yorba Linda taxpayers are paying over $100,000 a month to subsidize the underpayment of landscape maintenance fees by certain districts in the Landscape Maintenance Assessment District? These districts are supposed to be self sufficient and pay their own way. Craig Young and Tom Lindsey support these subsidies.

Did you know that high-density housing has increased 70% in Yorba Linda and that it is decreasing ALL of our property values in the millions? There is absolutely no way a 4-story, 125 unit, multi-family apartment complex is going to increase property values adjacent to single-family homes. When presented with an opportunity to place a moratorium on high-density development so voters could correct high-density zoning issues, both Young and Lindsey cow towed to developers and voted against the moratorium.

Did you know that Young and Lindsey put the City at risk for a $19 million lawsuit with the County of Orange because they both made an ill-fated attempt to renegotiate our police contract with the City of Brea? The City had a signed contract with the Sheriff’s Department and both Young and Lindsey were willing to violate the terms of that contract and pay more for police services from Brea.

Lindsey and Young are costing our city millions. A recall is a drop in the bucket.

Posted in 55th Assembly District, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , , , | 9 Comments »

AD – 55 Watch: OC Sheriff Hutchens Endorses Phillip Chen

Posted by Allen Wilson on December 9, 2013

We just received this Press Release from the Phillip Chen for Assembly Campaign:

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Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Endorses
Phillip Chen for Assembly in AD 55

YORBA LINDA, CA – – The Phillip Chen for Assembly campaign announced this morning that Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has endorsed Phillip for Assembly in the 55th district. Sheriff Hutchens is one of the most popular public servants in Orange County.

“As a reserve deputy sheriff, Phillip Chen is committed to public safety and to helping make our homes, schools and neighborhoods safer places,” said Hutchens. “Combined with his experience as a school board member, health care expert and small business owner, Phillip has all the qualities needed to be an excellent representative for the 55th district.”

Phillip Chen is a Republican running in the 55th district with the support of the district’s current representative, Curt Hagman. The district covers parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

“I am deeply honored to have the support of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, one of the most respected crime-fighters in California, and I look forward to working with her and our law enforcement community to keep us safe,” Chen said.

Phillip Chen is a small business owner and USC Professor who was the top vote-getter in the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board election in November of 2011. He is a top advisor on health care issues to Supervisor Mike Antonovich and a reserve Deputy Sheriff for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Phillip was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to serve in the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Planning, where he worked on legislation involving foster care, gang prevention, drug awareness, and mental health.

Phillip is a Doctoral Candidate at USC, he has a Master’s in Public Administration from USC and holds a B.A. in Communications from Cal State Fullerton. In addition, Phillip teaches Public Administration as an Adjunct Professor at USC.

Posted in 55th Assembly District, Brea, California, La Habra, Placentia, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

BREAKING NEWS: Keith Curry Jumps Into AD 74 Race

Posted by Former Blogger Chris Emami on December 4, 2013

Keith_Curry_Newport_Beach_CouncilmanNewport Beach Mayor Keith Curry has declared his candidacy for the open 74th Assembly District seat.

Curry was first appointed to the Newport Beach City Council in 2006 and has run three elections, including two with well-funded opposition, winning both by 10 points (He was unopposed in 2012).

For over 20 years, Curry was a partner/owner of the nation’s largest public finance consulting organization, Public Financial Management where he advised states, cities and local agencies throughout the nation.  The firm was sold to a private equity group in 2009 and Curry retired in 2011 to form the Center for Public Policy at Concordia University.  He put together a board of bi-partisan heavyweights and has hosted several events in the past two years.

Curry also teaches public policy and government leadership courses in Concordia’s graduate business school.

Curry has a long Republican history, serving for five years in the Ronald Reagan administration as the Special Assistant to the Federal Transit Administrator, and prior to that as a Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Pete Schabarum. In 2011, he led efforts to create a Ronald Reagan Centennial Memorial in Newport Beach.

In 1978-79, Curry worked with Paul Gann and managed the qualification effort of Gann’s “Spirit of 13 Initiative” that limited the growth of government spending.  Proposition 4 as it was known actually resulted in state tax rebates under Governor Deukmejian, but was later modified to limit its effectiveness.

A 20 year member of the Lincoln Club, Curry demonstrated strong fundraising capability in his city council races.  As the only candidate with the personal financial resources to self-fund his campaign, Curry appears to be in a very strong position out of the gate.

He was selected by his fellow elected officials to be the President of the Association of California Cities Orange County, President of the Orange County Division of the League of Cities, and President of the Orange County Parks Commission.

One of the biggest advantages that Curry has is his name identification in AD-74 both as a Newport Beach Councilmember and his teaching at Concordia in Irvine. His candidacy will likely end any speculation of Leslie Daigle jumping into the AD-74 fray.

Based on the current field, Curry will likely be fighting it out with Huntington Beach Mayor Matt Harper to win this seat. Other candidates that have declared their intention to run for this seat include AD-72 staffer Emanuel Patrascu and former Santa Ana City Council candidate Karina Onofre. In my initial posts profiling AD-74 I had mentioned former CRP Treasurer Keith Carlson as a potential candidate for the seat. Everybody I have been talking with has stated that they doubt that Carlson will run for the seat and as of today he has not opened a campaign committee. Unless I hear otherwise I will exclude Carlson from future posts on the topic of AD-74.

Harper and Curry are Councilmembers in two of the larger cities in AD-74. Newport Beach has approximately 50,000 registered voters and Huntington Beach has approximately 53,000 voters. Irvine is the largest city in AD-74 with it being home to approximately 62,000 voters but none of the three Irvine Council Republicans Steven Choi, Jeff Lalloway, or Christina Shea expected to announce their candidacy for this seat, especially since Choi and Lalloway live in AD-68.

This race is going to be extremely interesting and we here at OC Political will keep you posted on new developments as they happen in AD-74.

Posted in 74th Assembly District, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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