Orange County Government

Hairball Reveals All!

Assclown and Fast Food Clown. You decide which is which.

Today I got an e-mail from Hide And Seek Harry Sidhu “unveiling” a completely empty “economic plan” meant to suggest that Sidhu can grasp anything more complicated than a flame-broiled chicken. Here it is, hollow as a rotten log and undoubtedly crafted by a member of the team that at least has a grasp of the English language:

Harry Sidhu’s Action Plan for Economic Renewal
Creating Jobs
  • Reduce Government Bureaucracy—Streamline county operations to eliminate costly government red tape that prevents employers from hiring more workers.
  • Support Tax Relief—Lower the county’s excessive permit and business fees to help small businesses thrive and attract new companies to Orange County.
  • Encourage Investment—Support a reduction in capital gains taxes to increase private investment monies available for business expansion and new construction.
  • Expand Job Training—Create new apprenticeship and training partnerships with Orange County employers and universities to provide more opportunities for our youth.  Organize County Business Fairs to help local residents find jobs.
  • Support Local Businesses—Comprehensively review the County Economic Development Strategy.  Assist employers in finding new customer markets for their products and services.
  • Promote International Opportunities—Attract international trade and professional jobs by actively promoting Orange County as a preferred business destination for overseas firms.
  • Stop Lawsuit Abuse—Crack down on lawyers who file frivolous “class action” lawsuits.  These lawsuits cost taxpayers and small businesses millions of dollars every year.
Reforming County Government
  • No Pensions for County Politicians—Oppose government pensions for county politicians.  Harry has signed a binding pledge NOT to accept a pension as our County Supervisor.
  • Eliminate Wasteful Spending—Cut excessive salaries, travel and perks for county administrators.  Require performance audits for all county agencies to identify budget savings.
  • Reduce County Pension Debt—Support financial reforms to reduce unsustainable county pension debt.
  • Oppose Government BailoutsPublic dollars should NOT be used to reward private mismanagement!
  • No Tax Hikes—Harry has signed a “No Tax Increase” Pledge.  He believes North Orange County families are already paying too much.

As you can see, not a single specific item on the list. Just warmed-over campaign hash coughed up by his new campaign gouger, a John Lewis operative named Chris Jones.

When Hairball is done “supporting” a capital gains tax reduction (!) I’ve got to wonder how many jobs he will have created.

If you’ve ever seen a car wreck you know they always seem to appear to occur in slow motion. That’s Sidhu’s Crew to a T.

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Spitzer For Supervisor?

The laugh's on you!

The dynamics of OC politics may have changed when DA Tony Rackaukas fired his supposed successor, Todd Spitzer, last week.

The guy with a million bucks in the bank had the DA heir apparent rug pulled out from under him, and now may be contemplating something that a lot of people will very well fear. And loathe. Another coupla Spitzer terms as an Orange County Supervisor.

Yes, indeedy, Spitzer was the Third District Supe from1995 through 2002 and drove everybody bonkers. Well, he may figure that controlling the DA’s budget and jerking the DA around at every opportunity is much more fun than being DA.

Of course this would be a major bummer for the Lewis/Pringle/Campbell troika that is grooming Orange’s dishwater mayor, Carolyn Cavecche to replace Uncle Bill.

Which is which?

Spitzer for Supe in 2012? Stranger things have happened!

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Sheriff Hutchens and District Attorney Rackauckas Endorse Shawn Nelson

This just came over the transom:

FULLERTON, CA – - Supervisor Shawn Nelson has garnered the support of Orange County’s top law enforcement leaders – Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

“Supervisor Nelson understands the vital public safety issues facing Orange County,” said Sheriff Hutchens. “He is working diligently to make sure safe homes, schools and neighborhoods are a priority of Orange County government.”

Shawn Nelson was elected in June to finish the term of former Supervisor Chris Norby. He is on the November ballot for a four year term. His opponent is the second place finisher from the June ballot.

Nelson easily won in June in spite of a record-breaking $1.4 million campaign from public employee unions promoting his opponents. He is a former Fullerton City Councilman and a youth sports coach. Shawn and his family reside in Fullerton.

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The Return of Hairball Sidhu

We’ve been hearing some rumblings from the interior of late – from union controlled websites, mostly – that serial perjurer and carpetbagger Hide and Seek Harry Sidhu is actually contemplating yet another political drubbing this fall in the 4th District Supervisor’s race, his third electoral humiliation in two years.

But humiliation is not a concept that Sidhu easily grasps. He appears oblivious to his manifest assclowneries, obvious as they are to the rest of us. Here’s a reminder of the caliber of public servant that we’re dealing with.

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Yes, sadly, the lame, ignorant and incomprehensible bozo must be deaf to the entreaties of his friends who tell him to retire to private life. Oh, that’s right. He has no friends. Just hangers on and political retainers eager to strip his wallet bare.

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Nelson’s News E-Letter Drops On Doorsteps. Again.

Like the monotonous tick of a clock in a quiet room, the annoying newsletter from Shawn Nelson’s 4th District office fell into our mailbox this PM.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the bi-monthly missive was, well, a tad light in the loafers. Today’s issue isn’t any better. Yikes! Corn Festivals, Restaurants of the Week, and tours of city halls with rotund functionaries. Pets of the Week. Certificates for…what did they do again? Thankfully there was no Art Walk touting the aesthetic creations of staff underlings.

Well here it is, anyway:

View the newsletter

Got to admit, this is my fave image:

This feels better than what the Voice of OC is doing to me!

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16 Minutes of Pure Agony

Enjoy these two clips that feature an exchange between County Supervisors Shawn Nelson and Janet Nguyen. The issue is pulling the plug on the moribund Civic Center Joint Powers Authority, an agency that was created when Lyndon Johnson was president, and that has served no legal or practical function for almost ten years.

You would think that supposed “conservatives” would pile on to the opportunity of killing a government entity, especially one that doesn’t do anything. Well, you would have to think again. Just listen to the drivel that escapes the Board Chair’s lips and dribbles down her chin. Ay, ay, ay!

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Noob Accidentally Highlights Pension Reform Failure

By taking the more generous retirement plan that was presented to him as a County employee, Supervisor Shawn Nelson has created an onslaught of Internet outrage from the Blue and Red blogs.

Nelson says it was an accident. Was it? County policy requires that all new employees sign up for one of two plans: the old 2.7 @ 55 or the new 1.62 @ 65 that so far, almost nobody has signed up for at all. If you don’t choose, they will choose for you – 1.62 @ 65. Every single new hire in the County government is presented with this scenario.

Oops. That's gonna hurt tomorrow morning.

In any case, Nelson’s decision highlights the dismal failure of Orange County’s alleged pension reform. When presented with two disparate retirement choices, what rational human being would pick the lesser?

If a guy like Shawn Nelson won’t do it, why would ANY public employee go for the option that is ultimately less generous – except, most likely, long-time employee pension abusers?

When union leaders originally hatched this goofy alternative plan, pension experts warned that new employees would not select a 401(k) style plan when offered alongside a traditional, elaborate government pension. Boy, were they right. But the unions and the supervisors went along with it anyway, just so they could notch pension reform in their pathetic pistol grips.

The bottom line: nobody wants a lesser benefit when they can choose a better one.  Orange County’s much ballyhooed pension reform has completely failed because employees can simply avoid it altogether. What a joke.

But back to Nelson. He was presumably elected to represent taxpayers in union negotiations. I do not recall Nelson making any promises regarding his own pension. That would have been nothing more than a distraction from the real issue, as evidenced by Supervisor Pat Bates. Bates promised to not take a pension and followed through with it, but subsequently has done nothing to stop the real problem: runaway entitlements for every employee in the county! All 20,000 of them.

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Nelson’s Newsletter Lands on E-Doorsteps

I received a copy of recently elected Supervisor Shawn Nelson’s newsletter in my electronic in-basket Friday afternoon.

Other than the redistricting issue that we reported on here, the thing’s all about art walks and pets of the week and the Lion’s Field astro turf. Sort of light in the loafers, issues-wise, but I guess we can cut Nelson some slack since he just got into office a few weeks ago and may not have much to report. Still, the puffery on events and wonderful County parks, etc. really needs to be condensed into something a lot more substantive.

Oops, got the date and the month wrong, too!

Anyway, here it is:


View the newsletter

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So How Did Hugh Hewitt Get Onto the OC Children and Families Commission?

And what useful purpose does he serve there?

According to the State Health and Safety Code, and the County Code that created the “First Five Commissions” (pursuant to liberal activist Rob Reiner’s successful tax and redistribute Prop 10), the commissions are made up of people in the kiddie welfare biz.

Which brings us to Hugh Hewitt, whom Gustavo Arellano has described as a “conservative yakmouth.” We’ll leave aside the conservative tag for a bit and reflect upon the fact that Hewitt is a lawyer, talking head, writer (when not being ghost written for by Matthew J. Cunningham), etc.

Here are the minimum qualifications, per the Code, for the membership category in which Hewitt is enrolled:

A representative of a local child care resource or referral agency, or a local child care coordination group, or a local organization for prevention or early intervention for families at risk, etc…

Say what?

Since Hewitt is clearly not recognizable by the Code’s definition, we are entitled to inquire and speculate about the real reason this ‘pug is on the Commission. Could it be simply to help ratify contracts to his pals and buddies at the behest of Commission Chairman Bill Campbell, the avuncular cipher who represents the 3rd District on the County Board of Supervisors? Campbell appointed him.

That's not a road apple. That's equine feces!

And maybe he is there to help his old friend Cunningham put some sort of conservative polish on this big, liberal road apple.

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C-Span Features Fullerton’s Friend & Fighter Jack Dean in Washington

Click on Jack and watch him go!

Dear Friends: The issue of Pension Abuse continues to dominate the National, State and local scene. If you haven’t already heard Jack Dean with Pension Tsunami speak on this important topic, hopefully today is a great relaxing day to do just that.  Happy August 1st, 2010!

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