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December 31, 2025December 31, 2025Ahmad Zahra

At the Fullerton Observer Raising Awkward Facts Gets You Nowhere

One of our commenters recently pointed out the “reply” string on a Fullerton Observer post supposedly written by a guy named Kevin Curriston, a chap who doesn’t appear to be the literary type. Some of comments are pretty good. Naturally Sharon, the elder Kennedy Sister, leaps into the breach to validate the theme of the essay. Amy the Angry Little Bird is on hand too, to lend her support.

A guy named Brian calls bullshit on the supposition that 40 public commenters represent anybody but a small percentage of Fullertonions.

That premise is not well-received in Fullerton Boohooville.

I particularly like Brian’s wicked request for Kennedy to share some of Zahra’s vast filmography.

A Mr. Matt Leslie reminds everybody that Zahra’s flipped on his first real decision and in doing so disenfranched a whole bunch of people when he appointed Jan Flory to complete Jesus Quirk-Silva’s term.

Here’s the reply thread, reproduced:

15 replies »

Matt LeslieDecember 27, 2025 at 9:48 amThe author neglects to inform readers that Council member Ahmad Zahra did not attend this important meeting. Although it seems unlikely that other council members would have supported him for mayor, he had the opportunity to support Shana Charles for the position, but was not present to do so.Ed Response: Councilmember Zahra had a work trip out of town so did not attend the meeting.
- BrianDecember 29, 2025 at 2:39 pmI see you seem to know a lot about council member Zahra, just what does he do for a living?
  - Sharon KDecember 29, 2025 at 4:35 pmZahra is a filmmaker. Currently the only Councilmember who doesn’t work is Jung. You can discover this kind of thing through the form 700 financial filings of each Councilmember. – though I notice Valencia has failed to file. Not sure why.
    - BrianDecember 29, 2025 at 6:46 pmWow, that is fascinating. Can you point me in the direction of some of his work?
AmyDecember 29, 2025 at 8:12 amDunlap and Jung continue to gaslight the public and delude themselves by saying that public commenters are not representative.Every meeting brings new attendees infuriated by the actions of the majority, but Jung, Dunlap, and Valencia keep telling themselves the public’s voices don’t count. It seems they can’t bring themselves to accept that anyone could possibly disagree with their blatant corruption and repeated defiance of the wishes of the public.
- BrianDecember 29, 2025 at 2:27 pmI’d imagine if you took two seconds to step outside your bubble, you may realize that in a town of 140,000+, 30 or 40 people don’t even represent a decimal of a percentage. And just because you comment, it doesn’t make your comments true. Much like this publication and the liberties it takes with the truth all the time.
  - Sharon KDecember 29, 2025 at 4:56 pmBrian – sounds like you are talking to yourself on that critique.
    Most people are busy with their lives and don’t pay that much attention. And of course over half of our town’s 140,000 or so residents are children. Others have jobs that interfere with council meeting hours, etc. Some don’t think it is possible to fight city hall. Some are just not interested. Having 40 people show up at a council meeting and speak on an issue is huge.
    If people didn’t come out we wouldn’t have any trails in town; there would be a polluting flour mill across from Amerige Heights; the toxic park and McColl dump site would not be cleaned up; our museum center would be high rise office building; we wouldn’t have saved FOX or Coyote Hills and much much more.
    Some politicians – just out for themselves and narrow special interests – can fool people for awhile but eventually the truth of their actions come out
  - AmyDecember 29, 2025 at 5:33 pmThose who disagree are welcome to attend a city council meeting, but for some reason they have not.Jung received unanimous opposition to his taking of the mayorship at the last meeting. Dozens of public comments unanimously supported creating a fund for immigrant support against ICE raids and kidnappings. Dozens still attended to beg city council not to kill the Walk on Wilshire – twice; the paltry number of voices in opposition were those financially aligned with Jung and Bushala. If opposition exists, it has yet to show up to city council meetings.
    - BrianDecember 29, 2025 at 6:44 pmLike I said, just because you comment, doesn’t make your comments true. With this statement you proved my point again.
      Full of inaccuracies. Do better.
      - AmyDecember 29, 2025 at 9:19 pmI don’t see how, but okay. I’m sure you know best.
    - Matt LeslieDecember 30, 2025 at 8:59 amAmy, I opposed Walk on Wilshire for several reasons, not because I was “aligned” with anyone. Please be careful not to be dismissive of the concerns of those with opinions contrary to your own.
      - AmyDecember 30, 2025 at 5:11 pmI fully respect your right to your opinion, but I do disagree that the bollards – comparable to those used on nearly every trail in OC – were an actual impediment to cyclists traversing the Walk on Wilshire and merited removal of the whole thing. I definitely wouldn’t go so far as to say any opinion I disagree with is invalid. That would be absurd. But the argument seemed so ridiculous as to be disingenuous to me. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it.That said, as one of the fewer than 10 detractors, you’re certaintly entitled to your opinion. I hope the dismantling of the Walk on Wilshire that so many enjoyed brought you great happiness and satisfaction.
  - FrankDecember 30, 2025 at 2:00 pmStep out of your bubble pal.
Sharon KDecember 29, 2025 at 9:05 pmBrian – if you are talking to me – you are right — I guessed that there are way more children than there are at least according to the stats I just looked up that say there are only 32,000 children under 18 in Fullerton.
But when you are figuring out percentages of people think about the fact that – according to the OC Registrar of Voters – only 7,432 voted for Jung; 9,546 for Dunlap and 3,489 for Valencia in the last election. That certainly does not make a majority. Some of those who voted for Jung, Dunlap are among those who have come to council and said they were unhappy with their votes on various things and felt fooled when the vote to keep Walk on Wilshire open – turned into an expansion suggested by the two – and then that vote was postponed until after the election and both Jung and Dunlap proceeded to vote no.
Really the point is that we residents of town want a fun place to live that we are proud of where people want to visit and small businesses can thrive. Dulling it down by reducing unique features, curtailing music, outdoor patios, walking paths, safe bike paths, etc does not make our town attractive to anyone. And everything turns into a big fight with residents begging for good decisions. And I am not alone in really hating their recent decision to not help residents targeted by ICE and other weird unfair decisions like not following fair rotation so every district gets chance to have their representative as mayor.
Matt LeslieDecember 30, 2025 at 10:51 amAnd, by the way, if you want to talk about steamrolling over public opinion go watch the videos of Ahmad Zahra’s first council meetings in 2018. Dr. Zahra first voiced support for a special election to fill a vacant council seat, a position in line with nearly all public speakers on the issue during meetings. But he quickly changed his position entirely, aligning himself with a council majority who disregarded expressed public opinion in favor of an election and instead voted to appoint a someone to the vacant seat.Zahra’s swing vote to appoint a council member instead of holding an election disenfranchised an entire district of the city, instead foisting upon them an unelected representative for the two full years remaining in the council term. This decision was of much greater significance, in my opinion, than choosing a mayor from among sitting council members (something the appointed council member got to do). Where was the concern for “the public” then?

December 28, 2025December 28, 2025About Us

Fullerton Childish

by Student of Dr. Ott79 Comments

Lately we have been treated to a small band of “activists” at City Council meetings behaving poorly, insulting folks, catcalling and loudly showing their displeasure. This is rude behavior for grown-ups, and there is something else going on: demanding that you get your way and that oppositional forces must be bad, evil, in fact. It goes beyond politics and enters the realm of child psychology.

The latest example is an “opinion” essay appearing in the Kennedy Sisters’ Fullerton Observer. It was supposedly written by a person named Kevin Curriston, under the sensational headline “City Council steamrolls constituent views.”

As an aside, FFFF has encountered Mr. Curriston previously, although his identity was a mystery. In fact, some of us assumed he was a homeless individual rounded up by Sitkas Kennedy to support the Trail to Nowhere.

I replicate Curriston’s editorial below, wherein he attempts to justify the theme of his headline.

I attended and spoke at the Fullerton City Council meeting on December 16, 2025. On the agenda was the question of whether to adhere to the custom of a fair rotation of mayoral selection, or to continue allowing council members to nominate and elect someone by simple majority vote.

About 75 citizens showed up to speak, all but one pushing for a fair rotation of the mayor and advocating for Ahmad Zahra or the current Mayor Pro Tem, Dr. Shana Charles, both for their continued presence in community events and caring, responsive attitudes.

Fred Jung was personally ostracized and insulted every which way to Friday, and accused of not even making eye contact with his detractors when they addressed him. It was pointed out that he wanted to retain the position of Fullerton Mayor on his resume simply for his objective of running in 2026 for Orange County Supervisor. If we have anything to do with it, and can overcome a well-bankrolled political machine, that won’t happen.

Councilman Nick Dunlap spoke at the end and said the same thing: 40 people who show up to every City Council meeting to protest do not represent the voters of Fullerton. He did not support rotating representation of all districts in Fullerton. It was one town, with one set of interests.

Councilwoman Jamie Valencia nominated Fred Jung, and Valencia, Nick Dunlap, and Fred Jung re-voted for Jung as Mayor, shutting out Mayor Pro Temp Shana Charles completely in favor of Dunlap as Mayor Pro Tem. This will be the 4th time he’s been mayor in 6 years. It is not a level playing field in any way!

Fullerton City Council has become Fred Jung’s well-oiled political machine that does not care about constituent concerns or views – only about their own cronyism and career ambitions. It was pointed out that neighboring Buena Park adheres to a mayoral rotation policy, and mayoral elections in the City Council are done in minutes. Fullerton is attracting attention all across the county for its contentious decision-making, totally steamrolling the will of its constituents.

An editorial is all about opinion, and the opinions presented in this statement perfectly parallel those of Fullerton Boohoo, Militant Division, and can be seen in the drama, emotion, and exaggeration of a typical child. We can forget about the misstatement of facts other than to observe the inflation of numbers and time are concomitant with the infantile imagination.

Here we see the usual conflation of what someone wants with what is righteous and proper. That’s not so unusual in political presentation. But the next step is more pernicious; the assumption that what you want is what everybody wants and just as importantly, what everybody needs. We’ve seen it over and over again when the small cluster of agitators at City Council meetings profess to speak “for the people,” on issues of which the vast majority of Fullerton’s citizens and taxpayers are unaware. This is the self-centered thinking of a center-of-the-universe child, and a particularly irresponsible mindset for adults making big, expensive decisions. Yet, this is the essence of the Fullerton Childish perspective.

Curriston reminds us that Fullerton Childish is offended by Nick Dunlap’s rational observation that 40 people do not constitute “voters” and that getting elected means representing everybody. This attitude is vilified by Fullerton Childish because it often means the pet projects of their darlings, Ahmad Zahra and Shana Charles are subject to at least a little scrutiny.

It doesn’t seem to occur to poor Kevin that maybe he should consider why a majority of his colleagues refuse to make Zahra Mayor. Like his immigration fraud, his battery and vandalism case, his filing a false police report against a councilmember, his going to Sacramento behind the Council’s back, his persistent and colorful recreation of the truth, and even his latest pretense of being “out of the state” for some mythical employment.

Ultimately, the mayor rotation fantasy isn’t really about fairness or democracy or any other abstraction for Fullerton Childish. It’s about the denial of the gratification that validation that your worldview provides. Whining and crying about unfairness. Truth is neither here nor there; rational examination of facts is not an option. Opposition is evil. If it can’t be found, it must be concocted.

December 17, 2025December 18, 2025A Step in the Right Direction

Fullerton Asks DA to Investigate Closed Session Leak

by The Fullerton Harpoon33 Comments

At the end of yesterday’s City Council Closed Session Meeting, City Attorney Dick Jones reported that the council had voted 4-0 (Zahra absent) to request that DA Todd Spitzer’s office investigate the possible leak of closed session information.

The relevant matter was the CalPERS action and appeal with regard to four retirees who have or still work for Fullerton, post-retirement. Grover Cleveland posted about it, here.

But apparently young Elijah Manassero of Fullerton Observer fame also wrote about it for the Fullerton Observer. And his effort raised suspicion of information leaked out of closed session, which is a violation of California’s Brown Act. Government Code section 54963 provides that a person may not disclose confidential closed session
information without the consent of the legislative body holding the closed session. One of the prescribed actions in the code is to turn the matter over to the district attorney.

I don’t know what sweet Elijah wrote, but it’s hard to believe he wrote about CalPERS issues without being coached by somebody who knows at least a little about them. And did this person, while coaching the tender sprout, also pass along closed session information? Somebody thinks it might have happened.

So let’s consider who this potential culprit might be. There were probably only seven people in that little room, back of the Council chamber – the five City Councilpersons, the City Attorney Dick Jones, and Interim City Manager Eddie Manfro.

We may be sure that neither Manfro or Jones blabbed anything since they are both involved personally in the CalPERS problem. We know that none of the so-called “council majority” Fred Jung, Jamie Valencia, and Nick Dunlap are on speaking terms with Sanksia Kennedy’s Observer, let alone a source of confidential information. That leaves Ahmad Zahra and Shana Charles, both of whom are cozy with Observer Folk with whom they collaborate all the time.

But wait. Shana Charles not only voted to send the matter to the DA, she seconded Jung’s motion to do so according to Jones.

Who is left? The dishonorable doctor from Damascus, Zahra, that’s who. And we have all have noticed Zahra’s fingerprints all over the lively and impressionable Manassero’s work product. I wonder if the DA will dig into communications between the two.

A Friend has forwarded a video captured from the City’s feed, and creatively edited:

If Zahra did leak something he could be in trouble, although I don’t know what sort of penalties have been assessed in case law. Probably not much. The Council could censure him.

Something about Ahmad and Michelle’s nuptials didn’t seem quite right…

But being on the wrong side of the law and righteousness has never been much of a deterrent to Zahra. After all, he committed Marriage Fraud to stay in the country, he got rung up by Todd Spitzer for assault and vandalism, he was caught by FFFF plagiarizing water articles for the same, incurious Fullerton Observer, etc., etc.

We are left to ponder the reason for Zahra leaking information about the four individuals involved in the CalPERS deal. What would be the goal. The only thing I can think of is that he wanted to somehow embarrass Jung and Dunlap for somehow being responsible for whatever mess is abrew, and of course the “journalists” at the Fullerton Observers and the Kennedy Sisters would be only to happy to assist.

December 17, 2025December 17, 2025A Step in the Right Direction

Mayor Jung, Again, For 2026

by Grover Cleveland38 Comments

Yes, Mayor Fred Jung will be Mayor Fred Jung again. It happened at the Fullerton City Council meeting last night.

The usual assortment of Fullerton Boohoo showed up at the meeting for their annual December moan-fest about how “Dr.” Ahmad Zahra should be Mayor of Fullerton because he is a combination of Albert Schweitzer, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Jesus H. Christ. And also District 5, where Zahra has never got 50% of the vote, is somehow “disenfranchised” because Zahra can’t revel in the lofty title. Sputter, wheeze, etc. Ironically, one Zahra advocate explained as a qualification how the unemployed and family-less Zahra was always at photo-op events.

Comically, many of Zahra’s ardent followers couldn’t pronounce his name right, referring to him as “Za-ha-rah,” thus suggesting they don’t even know him.

But somehow the show seemed pretty muted, and sort of perfunctory; maybe it was because Zahra wasn’t even at the meeting and this meant that his getting three votes wasn’t in the cards.

Zahra minions spoke about the policy of mayoral rotation made years ago by other city councils that must be adhered to, even though the City Attorney had said a council majority could set it aside anytime they want, making the policy meaningless.

What will 2026 have in store for this one…

The endlessly self-impressed gasbag Shana Charles said it was also her turn to be mayor, cuz she had just been Mayor Pro Tem, and ya know, policy. She is running for re-election next years and probably thought, delusionally, that she had a shot at the Title. She didn’t.

In the end Valencia nominated Fred Jung who was appointed Mayor; Nick Dunlap was nominated, and appointed Mayor Pro Tem.

No one within the boohoo tribe has ever bothered to honestly figure out why the council majority has steadfastly refused to appoint Zahra to be mayor. It’s chalked up to selfish personality issues on their part, but we know the real reason. No one whom Zahra hasn’t fooled with his phony immigrant schtick and faux sincerity wants to hear his long-winded, self-praising bloviation and his promotion of his “brand.” They resent his constant condescension toward them, his performance of moral superiority, and his hysterical, behind the scenes behavior.

The same applies to the majority’s opinion of Shana Charles, with her smug, incompetent, speechifying. She loves the sound of her own voice, alright, but nobody else loves the bi-monthy waste of time that just interminably drags out meetings. Even Nick Dunlap, who nominated Charles to be mayor Pro Tem a year ago, has evidently had enough of her tedious monologues.

Speaking of Dunlap, he did excel himself before the vote, noting that the same 40 people (it’s probably closer to 20) who show up at council meetings do not represent the public or the community and that he had been elected to represent everybody. Well done, there, Mr. Dunlap. They won’t get it, but need to be reminded once in a while.

So Fred Jung gets to use the title “Mayor” during his campaign for County Supervisor which is a help in the odd world of local politics where almost nobody is paying attention to real accomplishments or real failures.

December 14, 2025December 14, 2025Ahmad Zahra

Trail to Nowhere on Way to 105,000 annual users!

by Mr. Peabody60 Comments

Only 104,950 to go.

The Fullerton Observer has published a photo montage of the big ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday. Almost all the principle creators of this “treasure,” were there, although I didn’t see any pictures of Councilmembers Nick Dunlap and Jamie Valencia who voted for it. But photo-op hound Ahmad Zahra was there, and so was Shana Charles, presumably talking up the virtues of public health; even Sharon Quirk showed up to celebrate the proud accomplishment and take credit for the $1,780,000 the State of California contributed to this achievement. About 50 people were there if you don’t count politicians and City employees.

Pure joy was experienced by all!

High on life. Future users will also be high.

But skeptics that we are here at FFFF, we sent out one of our white van boys after the morning hoopla was over. William Wallace captured the sprit of the trail on opening day – a pleasant Saturday afternoon. Perfect for recreation.

See what $2,300,000 (and more, I’m sure) gets you in the way of an urban intervention, Fullerton-style.

What did Shana have to say about the concertina wire?

Asphalt aroma is good for the lungs, they say…

Sandbags show grade bust with unlucky neighbor.

More nasty security wire. Is this trail safe? Don’t ask.

December 12, 2025December 13, 2025Boohooism

Grand Opening for Trail to Nowhere

by The Fullerton Harpoon48 Comments

It’s tomorrow, don’t be late for the Big Event. Let’s let Sanksa Kennedy of the Fullerton Observer spell it all out.

Why write about news when you can try to make your own! (Photo by Julie Leopo/Voice of OC)

The Grand Opening Ceremony will begin at 10 am at Independence Park, 801 West Valencia Drive, Fullerton. Be among the first to walk, bike, and enjoy this brand-new greenbelt trail connecting our neighborhoods with safe, beautiful, and sustainable pathways. This long-awaited project brings new trees, lighting, and enhanced recreation opportunities right to the heart of our community.

An initiative aimed at transforming an unsightly stretch along an old railroad spur into a vibrant community trail has faced multiple challenges and opposition from a few of the council members, even with $1.78 million in state funding backing it.

After significant community pressure, Council Member Dunlap ultimately changed his stance, voting in favor of the construction contract alongside fellow council members Zahra, Charles, and Valencia. In a not so surprising turn, Mayor Fred Jung stood alone in opposition to the project.

The Union Pacific Trail project stands as a testament to the community’s commitment to development, equity, and civic engagement. Residents are hopeful that this project will be the beginning of more green space for South Fullerton and will create a welcoming space for everyone.

Wow, that’s awful rosy, concluding as facts things that haven’t happened, and of course never will.

Saska is still promoting the same old lie that this boondoggle “connects neighborhoods.” It doesn’t even connect to Phase 1!

It’s a total waste of money, but it sure is short…

Poor Sanka doesn’t seem to grasp the nonsense of an unsightly stretch being the heart of “our community.” Not mentioned is the fact that the unsightly stretch is still there, like it always was and hoping that a silly (and expensive) trail will transform anything is just preposterous wishful thinking.

In Sinka’s tiny brain spending money equates to “equity” regardless of outcome – that’s already been decided by the two dozen drumbeaters for the Trail to Nowhere. She reminds us about the $1.8 million from the State as a reason this should have always been an easy call. She neglects to inform Observers that the City’s cost ballooned from $170,000 to $630,000; but hey it’s a testament, alright. A testament to stupidity and lousy stewardship of public money.

How many of the people who promoted this mess in rhapsodic terms will even be around in a year’s time to calculate the running costs, the graffiti, the crime, the lack of usage, the dead and dying vegetation? None, of course.

Tomorrow this utter waste of $2.3 million will have a hundred parents. In December 2026 it will be an orphan.

December 10, 2025December 12, 2025Ahmad Zahra

Who Wants to be Mayor?

by Grover Cleveland23 Comments

“Dr.” Ahmad Zahra, the immigration fraud, battery and vandalism perp, and false police report submitter, that’s who. He’s craved the title for five years and his record of attacking and insulting and questioning the morality of his colleagues has kept him from getting it.

The Council appointment vote is coming up next Tuesday and one thing I will bet on is that the Dubious Doctor from Damascus will not get the job, no matter how many boohoos show up to wail and gnash their at the horror of the injustice.

Obviously, Fred Jung, our current front man, wants the exalted title since he’s running for County Supervisor.

And then there’s the otiose, self-important windbag Shana Charles. She is (inexplicably) our current Mayor Pro Tem; she might nominate her running buddy Zahra for Mayor, but will be perfectly happy to receive the Mayor title for herself. Can she get three votes? Only if she gets nominated and Nick Dunlap goes along with it, like he did when he bafflingly nominated her to be Mayor Pro Tem a year ago. But if he does that he will surely incur the wrath of the powerful Lincoln Club, a big money Republican outfit that has supposedly endorsed Jung.

My prediction is a third year of Jung’s mayoralty, a year in which a sales tax increase will be the big issue for Fullerton voters. I see Jamie Valencia appointed Mayor Pro Tem, unless for some reason Dunlap wants that, which seems unlikely.

Am I right?

If I am, expect another one of those self-pity party monologues from Zahra about how his enemies (unnamed) are out to get him and how he has worked valiantly on behalf of the dispossessed untermenschen of District 5. Count on a ten minute discourse with many pained and pregnant pauses as he scans the audience and no one in particular.

Tune in to the Council meeting on December 16th to find out.

December 2, 2025December 2, 2025A Manfro All Seasons

Public Property Lease Rates on Agenda; And the Reality of the Santa Fe Café

by Mr. Peabody52 Comments

The conversation at tonight’s Fullerton City Council meeting will turn to public property leases in Downtown Fullerton. A few years ago the Council raised rates. The jump was high – around 90% – but the City hadn’t increased rents for 10 years so the real increase over time was about 9% a year. Add the three succeeding years and it’s 7.7% per annum. That’s still high, but that’s what the Council approved, most notably the self-styled “pro business” Councilman, Ahmad Zahra.

The matter is now controversial because one restaurant occupying City space, Les Amis, run by the Montecristo clan, is using the 2022 rent hike as justification for their refusal to pay rent for years – dating back to 2011. They don’t bother explaining to their dupes all the years they stiffed their landlord (us) rent; and they never mention all the times they encroached on City property without permit or agreement. The City government bent way over backwards to accommodate Les Amis, who have shown very little gratitude for the latitude they were given for a decade and a half. Quite the contrary.

Apropos of the rent issue, one of the other complaints from the grand bruit Les Amis claque is that that one patio in particular pays no rent – the Santa Fe Café, run by Salma Bushala-Hamud.

Salma Bushala-Hamud, Fullerton small business owner and philanthropist.

First it should be mentioned that the patio in question is included in the Bushala Brothers, Inc.’s lease at the depot. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that the area designated as 9 in the site plan is included in BBIs master lease with the City and is thus included in the entire lease. Here’s the leasehold plan:

Even if this weren’t the case, BBI has obviously decided to let the public occupy shade covered tables and chairs even if they don’t patronize the café. All you have to do is look at the people sitting in the area. Almost none of them are café patrons.

This policy is indicated by an actual sign that lets the public know they can sit there, gratis, a decent and civilized gesture.

But back to the meeting. I hope the item starts out with a reminder from Mayor Jung and the City Attorney to the predictably frothed up Les Amis amigos who show up all the facts of the situation; to relate the years of skipped rent, the tens of thousands in overdue amounts, and the illegal encroachments; to let them know they’re being played by the Noaccounts of Montecristo and the rank-and-file of Ahmad Zahra’s Fullerton Boohoo stooges who demand a victim-of-the-week to weep for.

November 30, 2025November 30, 2025A Manfro All Seasons

The Strange Case of the Ambulance Bonds

by Disillusioned Ex-Hippy21 Comments

Back in March 2025 the Fullerton City Council decided to fire the City’s ambulance contractor and take the responsibility in-house. Why? Well, naturally there’s the official story, which is that there will be some sort of saving, which is nonsense, since it means adding 20 new public employees on the payroll, and was all based on wishful thinking. So instead of shopping out the paramedic business like Placentia did, Fullerton did the opposite, requiring acquisition of ambulance rolling stock and the various other appurtenances like gurneys, etc.

On this Tuesday’s Council meeting Agenda Item #10 proposes a payment plan for this nonsense. Guess what? It looks desperate. City staff is still proposing to finance the acquisition of all the ambulance stuff through acquiring debt, via a master agreement with Bank of America to buy City bonds at a coupon rate of 3.5%, and then use the proceeds to lease ambulances.

Well, there she goes. Don’t worry. There’s more where that came from…

Yes, you read that right. We’re paying for Fire Department empire creation with $2,000,000 credit. The capital repayment and interest on the bonds would amount to $2,175,000 by the time the last bond matures in November 2031. And let’s not forget the dough paid to bond counsel and financial consultants (UFI) who are selling this deal. And oh, yeah, let’s consider there’s now insurance, maintenance, fuel, etc., of vehicles owned by the lessor (BofA), which was all glossed over last April 1st, as was the cost of financing which is over $200,000.

The single Agenda Item #10 staff report sentence justifying the financing is laconic, and notable for what it doesn’t say; that the City still plans to finance the purchase orders for this equipment supposedly issued in April. Here’s all we are told:

“Urban Futures, Inc. (UFI), the City financial advisor, and staff determined private placement financing offers the most beneficial and cost-effective solution for the City.

But there is no explanation why. None at all. Zip. Is the City borrowing $2,000,000 at a lower interest rate that it is making in an investment pool? Who knows? The City Council and the public aren’t informed, just as they weren’t informed when financing was proposed back in April.

The fun aspect of this is that the lease of these ambulances would be rent-to-own, a little con – making the credit-risk-uninformed think they are getting something great. I mean, who doesn’t want to own stuff, right? What good is a owning a six year old old ambulance? I don’t know, but my guess is they depreciate really fast. Maybe even faster than rent-to-own toasters.

I really don’t know what to say about this completely unnecessary move. If the Council had just voted no on the unsolicited plan from the FFD we wouldn’t be looking at having to cover any loan vig at all. Neither the Councilmembers who voted for this – Zahra, Charles, Jung and Valencia had much if anything to say about this bond/lease back in April.

This is how I bought my first car, a 1991 Yugo!

Of course Zahra and Charles don’t give a rat’s ass about wasting money, especially when they script some sort of feel-good performance. Hopefully, Jung and Valencia will change their minds about this resistible offer, but I’m not optimistic. Maybe Dunlap can talk some sense into them.

With Fullerton tottering on the edge of financial meltdown the Council’s behavior towards the fire department (and its union employees) has been highly irresponsible. In October they accepted a one-time FEMA grant to hire a platoon of new “fire fighters” that we will become completely responsible for in 3 three short years, pensions and all.

No, I’m not optimistic at all. The financial leveraging is bound to be used as a pretext to pass a sales tax increase next year. And what if that fails?

November 22, 2025November 22, 2025Ahmad Zahra

We Get Mail. Fullerton Observer Ethics

by The Fullerton Harpoon67 Comments

FFFF received communication from an individual named Dr. Aaron Moore who had attempted to post a comment on the Fullerton Observer about the Les Amis Saga.

A couple days ago, I wanted to make a thoughtful yet truthful comment on the Les Amis stolen sidewalk that the city smartly put back together and reclaimed its own property, and I had a feeling that the Fullerton Observer sisters would not publish my comment…

Here’s what I said (Grey box). They did not post my comment which I thought was rather fair, and paints a more clear picture for everyone. Other comments made by the uninformed that castigated the City were published, of course.

P.S. my comment is still not published.

Here is Dr. Moore’s comment:

So here’s a comment absolutely following the supposed Observer rule of engaging in “civil discussion” that is refused publication. Why? Because the true story doesn’t fit the narrative woven by Ahmad Zahra, the Kennedy Sisters and Delicate Sprig Elijah Manassero that the owners of Les Amis were actually victims of something or other, instead of the reality: they were serial rent dodgers and squatters for years and years and years.

Off you go. We’ll hear nothing of the kind…

But the truth? Can’t have that. It gets in the way of the fictional story. It’s too awkward and so off to the corn field goes the truth.

Forget about unethical “journalism.” We’re talking about some serious mental and moral deficiency here.