Friends For Fullerton's Future
FFFF supports causes that promote intelligent, responsible and accountable government in Fullerton and Orange County
According to Scott Moxley at the OC Weekly 4th District Supervisor Shawn Nelson has applied for a concealed weapon permit from our Sheriff Sandra Hutchens.
Said Nelson: “Most politicians just shoot off their mouths. I’m aiming higher. Literally”
No, he really didn’t say that. But any loony potential perp out there take heed. Nelson’s a good shot. He said so himself.
He’ll be packing a Colt Commander .45 slug hurler. That will leave an impression on just about anybody.
The election to fill the vacancy caused by 3rd District Supervisor Bill Campbell’s 2012 departure is starting to shape up as a slugfest between Todd Spitzer and Chuck Devore.
An interesting choice, but one that may cause some to wonder if a better choice isn’t available to succeed Campbell. The departure of latter, who has been just about as liberal, big government a RINO as is humanly possible, presents an opportunity for some real small government conservatism.
Enter Todd Spitzer. Fired by the DA last August for, well forget what for, it hardly matters anymore, Spitzer brings a huge campaign bank and an equally monstrous Board of Supervisors legacy as one of the green lighters of the disastrous retroactive 3@50 that has saddled the County with a huge unfunded pension liability. When he was on the Board, Spitzer developed a well-earned reputation as a megalomanaic media hound and shameless self promoter. He’s backed every measure designed to separate the police from accountability for what they do. The unions, particularly the cops, just love Todd to death. He’s one of theirs.
Then there’s Chuck Devore, the former assemblyman, whose earnestness and willingness to engage his constituents is commendable; he’s also been pretty good on fiscal issues although apart from budget time he wasn’t able to do much in Sacto. Devore also believes that permitting gays to get married will open the floodgates of Gomorrah as the degenerates seek to marry their pets and potted plants. Also Chuck’s neo-con blather is pretty typical of the misdirection of American foreign policy. Fortunately as a supervisor the last two points are virtually irrelevant.
How would Devore do as one of the overseers of the vast County welfare machine? Hard to say. He has zero experience on a five person executive board where politicking happens every day and where the shifting sands of alliances make things a little uncertain over a four-year term. Spitzer has been there and done that. He’s a known quantity. And that may be his biggest problem.
The really fun part about this potential match-up is the way the repuglicans will break. One wing of OC repuglicanism, the Schroeder-Rackauckas-Mike Carona crowd will back anybody but Spitzer and will do it loudly and financially. Others will no doubt follow Spitzer – like Supervisor Pat Bates and the unspeakable Janet Nguyen have already appeared to do. And Spitzer has signed up ‘pug lobbyist John Lewis to work his camapign – and that speaks volumes right there. How will the Campbell/Pringle club go? I don’t know. But the Third District has been their little playpen, and Spitzer has ruined their plans to hoist and foist the mannequin Carolyn Cavecche.
The possibility of two well-supported republicans may suck in a Dem from Irvine or Anaheim to take a shot at the brass ring and maybe even take the top spot in a primary. And then there’s the clown-like Will-o’-the-Wisp, Harry Sidhu, who may just try another ego trip even though he has zero chance of ever being elected anything again, even in a district in which he actually lives.
Then there’s the fact of decennial redistricting. Some lines are bound to redrawn, but which ones? Will it matter?
Stay tuned and enjoy the fireworks!
Friends, re-enjoy this Hee Haw blast from the past. Colonel Cornpone’s bloviations never cease to amuse.
– Joe Sipowicz
Dear Friends, we have reached way back into the dusty corners of our video archives and have retrieved this gem – an unedited rant by our own beloved eccentric on the Fullerton City Council, Mr. Dick Jones. Last fall some of Fullerton’s middle-brows got bent out of shape because we went to the trouble of patching together clips of Jones’ fulminations and actually elevated his crazy diatribe into high art. So here we present him in his own, unvarnished syntactical glory!
The project that Dick Jones is ranting about was a housing/re-use proposal for the old Kohlenberger/Morehouse building on Commonwealth. Housing and preservation, good goals, right?
See if you can slice though the chicken-fried blather coating this brainless bluster and find any substance.
Pea-brained, parochial, pitiful. Is this really the best Fullerton can do?
Well, that didn’t take long. In office as Mayor for a few scant days, Doc Jones issued his first diktat: a new sister city for Fullerton to join the ranks of Fukui and Morelia and Yongin.
The new destination for Fullerton international gladhanders is none other than Pilgur, principal metropolis of Kharakhastan. Of course Friends will recall that Jones’s ties to Kharakhastan run deep, and remember his reference in a diatribe against a former Congressman:
Then there was our subsequent research into this exotic corner of Central Asia.
When reached for comment on his unusual decision, Jones minced no words: “As a Airman Basic in the Air Force I oncet had to bail out over that place. And man, I’m telling ya, them gals was friendly! ‘Sides I ain’t partial to no squids and raw tuna ‘n suchlike, ‘n that cabbage slaw done give me some baaaad gas.”
And so for those of you who believed that Good Ol’ Boy Jones was jes’ gonna run out the clock, well, Hell y’all can guess again.
Friends, we just received this e-mail from one of our readers who calls him/herself “Disillusioned Ex-hippy.” We publish it verbatim, although the images are our contribution.
I have it on excellent authority that Pam Keller and her posse threw a going away party for themselves the other evening in which pity pots on which to sit were handed out at the door. I was invited but chose not to attend.
Well, I’m not sad. Good riddance. Keller accomplished next to nothing in her four year term. That’s why a lot of us are celebrating her departure – even many of us who supported her in 2006. In fact she turned her back on her promises to Fullerton about developers and their undue influence. That’s was just a big lie.
And BTW, Pam the meanie blogs aren’t the the cause of divisiveness in Fullerton. What is the cause of divisiveness is a city council that just ratifies the decisions put in front of it by the staff; a city council too lazy, too stupid, or too supine to think and act for itself – unless a weird, erratic outburst is called for.
Yes, the house is dark at 2215 Lucky Way, Anaheim, CA.
The neighbors will tell you that, yes, someone was living there. Once in awhile they would catch a glimpse of a squat little kid whose infrequent visitors called “Yo, Billy Dude!”
The grass looked green, so somebody was paying the water bill, alright. And there was that one party with loud speed metal blaring. Once in awhile a pale round face peered out from behind the red velvet drapery to surreptitiously survey the neighborhood.
Two cars used to be seen in the driveway. The same two cars. They never moved. But now the cars are gone and the house is dark.
Sunset has descended on Lucky Way.
The only reason FFFF sprang into existence was because the people who pretended to be professional reporters stubbornly and steadfastly refused to do their jobs.
Their jobs. The jobs to which they accrete a professional aura, a sanctimony, self-righteousness, and institutional importance that demands as a concomitant an objectivity that is exercised in the public interest.
Of course all that stuff is pure bullshit. Oh, yeah, these people want to be treated as if they actually performed a function that allows them to claim an official title: “Fourth Estate.” But in reality their work is almost never objective, never diligent, and often downright incompetent. And the closer you get to tour own community the worse it gets.
But back to FFFF. We started in the fall of 2008 because F. Richard Jones, the Braying Donkey of Raymond Hills, the man for whom no issue could not be used to spin off, dervish-like, on an insane rant, was getting a free pass. Twelve years of insulting people from the dais, weird, barnyard rantings and raving, backtracking on key issues, and generally insulting the collective intelligence of the City was ignored.
And this being Fullerton very little has changed. Consider 2010.
Does “the press” inquire into how candidate Roland Chi got rung up on criminal charges by the DA for serially ignoring health inspection failures? Or ask why he is using a 501(c)(3) to prmote his political ambitions? Or even ask this miscreant how long he has actually lived in Fullerton?
Does “the press” ask Pat McKinley about his $215,000 pension payout – far more than he ever made actually working – and his ability to make rational pension decisions?
Does “the press” ask Aaron Gregg why a guy who skipped out on $75,000 in back taxes and stiffed local creditors though bankruptcy is qualified to manage the city’s $100,000,000+ budget?
Does “the press” inquire into what appears to be Don Bankhead’s increasingly diminished capacity to participate in, let alone conduct, a public hearing?
Of course our local reporters never said boo about the carpetbaggery of Hirsute Sidho or Linda Ackerman, either.
For some reason people who work for the Times and the Register would rather look the other way than admit that the emperors have no clothes on. What are they afraid of?
And so we soldier on…
It’s sort of funny how the “public safety” unions are always telling us that if it weren’t for them everything would be chaos, a sort of post apocalyptic nightmare with all savage criminals roaming the highway and all the structures aflame.
Along with this nonsense, we get the image of these people as superior moral beings, giving of themselves to make our lives better through their tireless and limitless self-sacrifice.
So what can we make of the fact that Fullerton’s Police and “Fire” unions have endorsed the unendorsable Roland Chi?
Roland Chi. The creep who poisoned a dozen people in Garden Grove; who ignored over 90 health code violations; who plead nolo contendere and had to leave a sample of his DNA with the DA to dodge prosecution; who illegally used a non-profit charity to promote his campaign; whose very own father was caught red-handed stealing campaign signs.
Oh, yeah. That Roland Chi.
So why are the Fullerton agencies who are always promoting their exclusive powers to preserve public safety to exact ever greater concessions from the taxpayer, supporting the serial law-breaker Roland Chi? If it isn’t self-interest over the public good, then what, O what can it possibly be?
The other day Fullerton City Council candidate, carpetbagger, and food poisoner Roland Chi sent out a press release touting his “volunteering” to educate folks about some So Cal Edison program. Despite the hilarious lack of actually doing anything, or even thinking up anything for himself, Rolando decided to hop onto some idea barfed up by the power monopolists at Edison.
It didn’t take long for an unhappy citizen to respond to this vacuity. And fortunately they cc’d FFFF:
Sent: Mon, September 27, 2010 4:40:42 PM
Subject: RE: PRESS RELEASE- CANDIDATE CHI VOLUNTEERS FOR ENGERY & COST SAVING PROGRAM
Dear Roland,
This is a joke, right? Are you seriously taking a tax and spend model based on a false premise of enviromental protection that this utility company has subscribed to and a.) claimed it as your own, and b.) trying to pass it off as pro-small business? Wow. That’s pretty crazy.
The “ratepayers” (residential and commercial) paid extra on their bills and then the company redistributes it by installing different lights, toilets, programmable thermostats, etc. in commercial buildings.
That neither shows “innovative leadership” nor “advance(s) business development locally.”
If you are looking for innovative leadership, try doing something that YOU came up with, not someone else. And if you are trying to help local business development, how about reducing the size and influence of government and quasi-government entities (i.e. utility companies) not encouraging it.
This seriously made me laugh. Keep the liberal policies coming.
And here’s the text of the comical “press release:”
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: SEPTEMBER 26, 2010
Contact: Roland Chi, Fullerton City Council Candidate
Office: (714) 889-8880
E-mail: RolandChi4Fullerton@gmail.com
CANDIDATE ROLAND CHI ASSISTS FULLERTON
BUSINESSES IN SAVING MONEY AND ENERGY BY
VOLUNTEERING TO INFORM OWNERS OF FREE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON INITIATIVE
*Chi is running for Fullerton City Council’s 2-year seat
FULLERTON – City Council Candidate Roland Chi volunteered to inform Fullerton business owners of Direct Install, Southern California Edison’s (SCE) new, energy-saving program. Chi’s efforts in conjunction with the City of Fullerton and Fullerton Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the awareness and participation of local owners in such programs, demonstrates his innovative leadership and commitment to advance business development locally.
As Fullerton continues to experience economic hardships, it makes it especially challenging for small businesses to profit, let alone survive. As a local business owner, Chi understands what owners are facing by having to cut costs and operate cautiously due to continuing revenue loss. To revitalize local business, Chi’s new ideas, initiative, and strong “blueprint” are necessary for short-term local economic improvement.
SCE’s new initiative seeks to lower energy costs for small-business owners by recommending and installing up to $10,000 worth of energy-efficient products at no cost to owners. For a business to qualify, it must be nonresidential and within SCE’s service territory. Direct Install is funded by California utility ratepayers and is administered by SCE and will remain available to business owners until all funds are exhausted. The program is available to any qualified business whose monthly earnings are less than $100,000.
Chi, SCE, and the Fullerton leadership organizations who participated in this imitative, understand the benefits of programs like Direct Install, which foster active dialogues and partnerships between businesses and government, establishing an openness and trust that enables more efficient City improvements.
“I chose to volunteer for this program because this initiative aligns with everything my campaign is about which is improving the business climate for local business owners here in the city of Fullerton. This program directly improves the bottom line of small businesses which is what I seek to do on the city council.” Chi’s business-minded approach will enable local owners to re-invest, prompt growth, generate revenue, and attract new business, thus creating new jobs.
Chi’s participation in Direct Install demonstrates his dedication to advancing local economic interests by fostering open dialogue with owners, integrating new ideas, and utilizing all available resources. “I will ensure Fullerton’s remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.” For more information about SCE’s Direct Install please call (800) 736-4777. Further information about Candidate Roland Chi is avai lable at www.rolandchi.com or by e-mailingroland4fullerton@gmail.com. VVV
UPDATE: HERE IS A POST THE HARPOON PUBLISHED LAST SUMMER. AFTER YESTERDAY’S ITEM ON A COUNCIL-WANNABE NAMED MARTY BURBANK, WE FIGURED IT MIGHT BE TIMELY TO POST THIS AGAIN – JUST TO LET THE FRIENDS GET AN EYE AND EARFUL OF A MAN WHO WANTS TO BE OUR LEADER.
WHAT A GUY. EVEN THOUGHT HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT HOW REDEVELOPMENT WORKS, HE IS PERFECTLY HAPPY TO SUPORT IT, MISCHARACTERIZE IT, AND START GIVING LECTURES TO THOSE WHO ARE JUST AS UNINFORMED AS HE IS.
THE COMMENTS WE RECEIVED WERE ALSO RIGHT ON.
When the Redevelopment expansion proposal was first trotted out by the City Council a while back, we noted that one of the orchestrated cheers came from a chap named Marty Burbank. Now, we had never even heard of Mr. Burbank until he popped up to announce his support of the plan that necessarily requires the City Council to making legal findings of blight where none exists, thus requiring them to mislead the public about the basis for the whole deal. Well, okay. Just another sycophantic Chamber of Commerce shill who doesn’t even appear to understand what he is cheering for. If he does, so much the worse.
But, as they say, the plot thickens. One of our pajaritos informed us that Mr. Burbank is not only a lawyer and an up-and-coming Chamber of Commerce figure, but that he has politicalaspirations, too. Well, that figures. This is Fullerton where knowledge of municipal government is an immediate disqualification for office, and stoogery always gets you a leg up. Sure enough, we located his website promoting a campaign for City Council in 2010. And the guy’s a Rotarian! Be still Dick Jones’ throbbing…er, heart.
Well, we hate to be spoilsports, but we don’t think starting out a campaign for public office by encouraging the City Council to perpetrate an illegal fraud is a great beginning.
Also we have grown a bit weary of the Chamber of Commerce being represented by “professionals” and educrats who really aren’t in business at all, especially when they perform as stooges for City Hall. And Chamber Executive Director Theresa Harvey is one of the biggest City Hall stooges we can recall – and that’s saying something! She is deliberately screwing all the Chamber members who will be ultimately hurt by Redevelopment discrimination and corporate subsidies.
Marty, Theresa, et al., here’s a quick Redevelopment primer and one you will take to heart if in fact you care anything about free enterprise and small businesses, or your members, for that matter:
Redevelopment favors a relative few selected businesses at the expense of the all the others in the pursuit to claim a share of a finite amount of consumer disposable income. Any government policy that favors a minority of businesses at the expense of the majority is, a fortiori, ANTI-BUSINESS!
Get it? Good.
Anyway, we’ll be keeping our eye on Marty and any other political aspirants who want to dump the Redevelopment load on the good folks of Fullerton.