OC Register Hit Piece Misses the Mark
Posted by: Scott W. Graves | 04/15/2008 8:34 AM
Red County always supports investigative journalism. But investigative journalism that makes factual errors should be viewed with skepticism. Case in point -- the Orange County Register's story over the weekend on the Orange County Fair Board.
Register reporters Tony Saavedra and Natalya Shulyakonvskaya try to make the case that somehow the OC Fair Board is running a sloppy operation and taxpayers are bearing the burden. You see, the Fair Board members are unpaid appointees of the Governor's. They don't get paid, attend planning meetings year round, and they get complimentary tickets to really good concerts. The reality is that the Fair receives NO taxpayer dollars, runs a surplus, and give money back to the state.
The Register leaves readers with the impression that California's taxpayer underwrite the Fair and its associated businesses. Wrong.
The Fair is self supporting, costs taxpayers nothing, and runs at a small profit. In fact, they sent money back to the state to help less successful fairs in California. The Register missed this point. They missed the complimentary tickets that are given to the surrounding neighbors, the American Cancer Society, YMCA, Orangewood Childrens Home, Ronald McDonald House, and numerous others. They forgot about the Centennial Farm Foundation where over 100,000 kids annually receive free admission to learn about our agricultural history. And these aren't rich kids.
We recommend the deep fried artichoke and funnel cake, unless it offends the Register's deep concern for transfat reform.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I actually received a few of the tickets to last year's concerts and know a few other folks who were guests of various Fair Board members. The Heart concert was outstanding. Amazing that they are still rockin after so many years. However, if I'm ever offered a couple of Fergie tickets again, rest assured that they will be donated to the very nearest charity... worthy or not.
Register reporters Tony Saavedra and Natalya Shulyakonvskaya try to make the case that somehow the OC Fair Board is running a sloppy operation and taxpayers are bearing the burden. You see, the Fair Board members are unpaid appointees of the Governor's. They don't get paid, attend planning meetings year round, and they get complimentary tickets to really good concerts. The reality is that the Fair receives NO taxpayer dollars, runs a surplus, and give money back to the state.
The Register leaves readers with the impression that California's taxpayer underwrite the Fair and its associated businesses. Wrong.
The Fair is self supporting, costs taxpayers nothing, and runs at a small profit. In fact, they sent money back to the state to help less successful fairs in California. The Register missed this point. They missed the complimentary tickets that are given to the surrounding neighbors, the American Cancer Society, YMCA, Orangewood Childrens Home, Ronald McDonald House, and numerous others. They forgot about the Centennial Farm Foundation where over 100,000 kids annually receive free admission to learn about our agricultural history. And these aren't rich kids.
We recommend the deep fried artichoke and funnel cake, unless it offends the Register's deep concern for transfat reform.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I actually received a few of the tickets to last year's concerts and know a few other folks who were guests of various Fair Board members. The Heart concert was outstanding. Amazing that they are still rockin after so many years. However, if I'm ever offered a couple of Fergie tickets again, rest assured that they will be donated to the very nearest charity... worthy or not.
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Happy to relieve you of your Fergie tickets Scott.
Point taken -- a good followup on the OCR's story would be a full accounting of where all these comps went. Dale Dyekma's never impressed me as rock concert type, so if the distribution was a 'charitable' as suggested, let's find out how much. It would be especially interesting to know how the Carona family handled them all.
Otoh, we've been impressed with the Register's recent score on the toll road shenanigans -- who would've guessed that museum security guards were getting away with free rides. I've met Annie Burris who did that story and was impressed with the depth of it. The OCR's been on a steady downhill slide for a while, and these two stories were, at least, out of the ordinary.
Scott,
Another item that was not mentioned in the article was that in 2007 the OC Fair Board Members donatated and raised over $300,000 for the Centenial Farm Foundation for after school programs.
Thanks.
Well done, Scott.
I don't know. Maybe the OCR is saying that more tickets should of gone to The American Cancer Society, YMCA, Orangewood etc. Greenhut has a post in the Orange Punch Blog re this post.