Kudos To Costa Mesa Council For "In God We Trust Vote"

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/18/09

Yesterday, the Costa mesa City Council voted 5-0 to emblazon "In God We Trust" on the walls of the council chamber, and specific kudos to Councilwomann Endy Leece to spearheading it. For those who may be unaware, "In God We Trust" is the national motto of the United States. It speaks volumes about the shift in our political culture that this would even be controversial, and occasion hand-wringing because a tiny but vocal... read more »

OC Insider: OC Fair Sales Rapidly Approaching DOA Status

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/18/09

In his latest "OC Insider" column, OC Business Journal Executive Editor Rick Reiff characterizes the possibility of selling the OC fairgrounds as approaching a very low order of probability: Chances that Gov. Schwarzenegger will succeed in selling the OC Fair & Event Center to help put a small dent in the state’s gaping budget deficit are shrinking faster than a wad of cotton candy. Vociferous protests in favor of... read more »

OC Blog News Roundup - November 18, 2009

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/18/09

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain: Norby Top Vote Getter In Assembly Race (OCR and LAT) Republican Chris Norby won Tuesday's special election for Assembly and will advance to a runoff to fill seat vacated on Sept. 9 by Mike Duvall. Editorial: Unfairness In Fairgrounds Sale? (OCR) The auctioning off and liquidating of state assets, including the OC Fair & Event Center, is prudent, but we find it fishy that the OC... read more »

4th Supe Watch: Norby Expected To Endorse Fullerton Councilman Shawn Nelson For Supe Tonight

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/17/09

If, as expected, Sup. Chris Norby prevails in today's AD72 special election, the race for his seat will really begin in earnest. Although it will take place on the June ballot, it will be a special election, and under the rules of the county charter, the first place finisher will then be sworn in as supervisor for the remainder of Norby's term -- and have the invaluable advantage of heading into the November 2010 run-off as the incumbent... read more »

OC Fair Watch: The County Counsel's Letter To State AG Asking For An Investigation

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/17/09

After seeing R. Scott Moxley's post about the County Counsel writing the state Attorney General asking for an investigation into whether the OC Fair Board's action to keep the fairgrounds as fairgrounds violated the law. Since Moxley's article didn't include the actual letter, I called over to the County Counsel's office and asked for a copy. Here's the October 30, 2009 letter from County Counsel Nicholas Chrisos. It points out how in several... read more »

Some Thoughts On The OC Fair Controversy

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/17/09

At the end of the day, I don't have strong feelings one way or another whether or not the OC Fairgrounds are sold. I don't think the pell-mell selling off of state-owned assets is anything but a panicked avoidance of dealing with the structural causes of the chronic state deficit. The the fight over selling the OC Fair grounds is a simultaneously entertaining and disappointing spectacle to watch. I don't think anyone can honestly say... read more »

OC Blog News Roundup -- November 17, 2009

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/17/09

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain: Judge Rules Jaramillo Can't Keep Lawsuit Winnings (OCR) Disgraced former assistant sheriff George Jaramillo will not receive one dime from Orange County from his recently concluded wrongful-termination lawsuit. Jaramillo's Lawyers: $845K Or $0? (OCR) Frank opines on the travails of Jaramillo and his lawyers. Commentary: House Health Care Bill Is Horrible (OCR) Rep. John Campbell... read more »

AD72 Special Election Watch: Norby Voted For A Retroactive Pension Spike?!

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/16/09

In the man-bites-dog category: Sup. Chris Norby is about the last person one would expect to have supported a retroactive pension spike for public employees, and yet it is true. When I saw Chris Prevatt's post last week on TheLiberalOC.com claiming just that, I was skeptical. However, clicking on the link in his post to the Fullerton City Council minutes of Janary 15, 2002 (see page 16), showed exactly that: a 5-0 vote by the council to grant... read more »

Fringe-O-Sphere Watch: The "Dick Ackerman Lobbied for the Fair Board" Myth

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/16/09

A downside to blogging is the hive mentality in which blogs can quickly repeat bad information because they wannt it to be true, and if it applies to a person or organization they dislike, they don't really care if it isn't true. For example, the local fringe-o-sphere has been clucking that former Sen. Dick Ackerman has been "illegally" lobbying on behalf o the OC Fair Board, because he has been out of the legislature less than a... read more »

AD72 Special Election Watch: It's Almost Over

By Matthew Cunningham | 11/16/09

It's almost over in the AD72 special election. Actually, depending on who harvested the lion's share of vote-by-mail voters and their ultimate percentage of votes cast, the outcome may already be decided. So let's take a look at where we are. Mailbox War Winding Down The mail war is over. The Ackerman campaign sent out this positive piece that landed last Thursday (I had posted it that evening, but it has since been lost due to subsequent... read more »