Tyler Holcomb

I caught the sign snatchers!

By Tyler Holcomb | 11/03/08

This is time of the year when campaigns trade charges of stealing or vandalizing one another's signs.  Such charges have appeared this year hear in Irvine.Walking to work today I caught a crew red handed..... A pick up truck drove by, the bed full political signs.   I stopped them to talk about it.  The gentlemen said there were city contractors,  (Maintenance and Landscaping Inc, if memory serves) who had been told to... read more »

An open letter to Allan Bartlett

By Tyler Holcomb | 11/03/08

Dear Allan,I know you are busy at Irvine's Republican headquarters, so I'll keep this short.   I know you will be voting for the Republican-endorsed slate of Christine Shea, Stephen Choi, and Patrick Rodgers.  However, you will need to cast a third vote for City Council. That third vote should go to the experienced, bi-partisan Margie Wakeham.. I understand you and others may be surprised to see a fellow Republican posting to a... read more »

Why California Republicans should wish Prop 8 would go away

By Tyler Holcomb | 11/01/08

I'm not going to hector you to vote one way or the other.  Each side has raised $25 million and counting, so you're already being "messaged" whether you want to be or not.  Vote your conscience.However, OC Blog is a political blog, so I am going to discuss the raw material of political success: demographics.  Demographically, Prop 8 is alienating a huge block of emerging voters who could other wise be comfortable in a "Big Tent"... read more »

Happy Halloween!

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/31/08

I want to wish everyone here a Happy and Safe Halloween. If you're trick-or-treating in Woodbridge (Irvine), drop by the house with the six foot inflatable pumpkin. I'm handing out L.E.D.  blinkies to all  revelers, no matter who your parents are voting for. If you can't make it my house share in the fun,  here are some great photos of how it was done in in late 1940s Anaheim, thanks to the incomparable UCLA Library Digital... read more »

An Open Letter to Dan Chmielewski

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/31/08

Dear Dan,You and your fellow Irvine Progressives have a wonderful opportunity on Nov 4th.  You will have the chance to install a Progressive majority on the Irvine City Council while removing the single greatest obstacle to realizing the Great Park.  The Great Park could be a beacon for Progressive Values in the heart of Orange County.  However, failure will set back local Progressive efforts for a decade; every new initiative... read more »

Larry Agran has repeatedly mis-managed the Progressive political agenda

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/30/08

We have such a wealth of examples of Larry Agran mis-managing  parks, transit projects, the Great Park  budget and balloon, and school board relations that it is easy to forget that Larry has long been expensively failing to advance the causes he professes to love.So join me for a trip down memory lane, as we recall Larry Agran's City Vote project, Larry Agran as "Global Mayor", and Larry getting arrested as part of his own campaign... read more »

Larry Agran has mis-managed the Great Park Balloon

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/29/08

The Big Orange Balloon is the one clear "success" of the Larry Agran led Orange County Great Park (OCGP).   At six million dollars for less than 100,00 riders, the Balloon has thus far cost Irvine over a fifty dollars per rider. But at least the balloon works.Except when it doesn't.. The balloon has already been grounded twice.  Last December the balloon was grounded for nearly a month because the balloon wasn't properly secured... read more »

Larry Agran is taking money from Great Park contractors

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/28/08

The OC Register has followed the money and found out who has been paying for the Larry Agran slate mailer Irvine Community News and Views: Great Park contractors.Let me repeat that:  the folks paying for Larry Agran's mailers are the folks who are getting contracts, some times no-bid contracts, from the Larry Agran controlled OC Great Park Corporation.  This is lighting up the Irvine blogosphere.Larry Agran Caught Taking BribesMoney... read more »

Larry Agran is mis-managing the Great Park's relationship with Irvine Schools

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/25/08

Support for Irvine' s public schools runs so broad and so deep that when the City Council voted to transfer millions of dollars to the school district the only argument was over who would get the credit.  Yet, Larry Agran's ever more expensive vision for the Great Park is creating tremendous problems for the school planners, straining this vital relationship and putting the future quality of Irvine schools in doubt.. The fundamental... read more »

Howard Jarvis Says NO on Props 1, 3, and 10; YES on 11

By Tyler Holcomb | 10/24/08

Howard Jarvis Taxpayer's Association reminds all of us  Propositions 1, 3 and 10 on this November's ballot, if approved, will add another $32 billion -- including interest -- to our already substantial debt burden. Vote no on Propositions 1, 3 and 10. With state and local governments massively in debt, HJTA also urges voters to reject all local bonds.  HJTA recommends approval of Proposition 11. This will make legislative elections... read more »