CM PRESS # 300

ABSOLUTE MUST READ COLUMN BY WILLIAM LOBDELL ABOUT WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR JIM RIGHEIMER
LINK

Hint: He says that he's learned to trust John Moorlach after blowing what could have been a Pulitzer Prize if he had only listened in '94.

Before you vote, do yourself and your family a favor and read Lobdell's column.  Then, maybe you too will also conclude that you should trust the advice of John Moorlach on such matters. And, yup, Moorlach says Righeimer is the right guy in the right place at the right time to help Costa Mesa.

Folks, Costa Mesa has big financial problems. The ONLY candidate running this year who has the right stuff to help solve them is Jim Righeimer.  He's the only one running who has the right combination of business experience, drive, native intelligence and backbone to get the job done.

You've seen what the weak sisters--Foley, Leece and Monahan--did the other night.  They caved under union pressure and voted for a lousy deal for Costa Mesa. They locked us into a four year contract that is just plain stupid. 

Let me give it to you straight:  COSTA MESA IS HEADED FOR BANKRUPTCY.  We're spending about 80 cents of every dollar in our budget just to pay employees and give them  benefits.

To continue on this path will mean many more layoffs and the attendant hardships for some promising recent (over the past few years) city hires and their families.  Folks, that's what the contract approved by Foley, Leece and Monahan is going to do.

What's left over after we pay the employees each month is the lousy 20 cents worth of crumbs that fall off the table where the employees feast so well.  And, it's that 20 cents that has to be used to do everything else the government does. From that 20 cents we have to fix our roads, maintain our parks, buy new police equipment, buy new fire equipment, keep the lights on at city hall, pay for the fire stations, and on and on.

Compare those percentages (80% to employees and 20% for everything else) with the average split for California cities--which is around 47 cents of every dollar for employees and 53 cents for running the rest of the city--and you should  understand that Costa Mesa is way out of whack on these statistics.

In Costa Mesa, the tail is wagging the dog. The employees are the bosses and the citizens are the servants.

How about you?  Would you like to pay, say, your gardener 80 cents of every dollar you earn and then only have 20 cents of every dollar for all your other expenses and yourself?  Does that make sense?  Of course it doesn't.  It's absolutely nuts.  That's what the City of Costa Mesa is essentially doing.

You can thank the gang of three: Foley, Leece and Monahan for continuing this nonsense.

Think and then vote for Jim Righeimer.
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ETHICS
Call us Old Fashioned, but when we promise something, we don't go back on it.

Maybe some people would rather just make a big show of putting a sign saying "In God We Trust" on the City Council chambers wall than actually being trustworthy themselves.

If you, like  most of us, prefer stand up people who tell the truth even when it opens them to personal attacks from slime balls, then Jim Righeimer is the guy to vote for on November 2.
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OC REGISTER ENDORSES JIM RIGHEIMER
Link to full OC Register article.

From the OC REGISTER:

"If pensions and combating overreaching unions are the issues of the day, Costa Mesa voters have a clear choice for council in Jim Righeimer. As an activist in the county, Righeimer has been a constant voice against the increasing influence of public employee unions in state and local politics. He has been an outspoken critic of lucrative defined-benefit pensions for government workers. He also has been a supporter of "paycheck protection" initiatives aimed at curbing the amount of union money spent in political elections.

He understands the fiscal threats to Costa Mesa. "The city cannot afford to continue to retire perfectly able employees, as young as 50 years of age, at 98.5 percent of their final years pay," he says. "We already have 44 retired employees making over $100,000 per year."

The local firefighters and police unions' oppose his candidacy. Not only have they paid for critical campaign mailers, they also have worked to get the current council to pass an extension of their employee contracts in fear that with Righeimer on the council they would face reductions in compensation. Their tactics worked; the council passed a four-year contract extension Tuesday night for city workers. Righeimer's supporters include the conservative Lincoln Club, OCTax, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. and Orange County Business Council."

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COUNCILMEMBER ANSWERS SOME OF THE KNOW-NOTHINGS

Below in blue are some comments from the DAILY PILOT blog made by Councilmember Bever in answer to some of the usual slack jawed dimwits who have been attacking him for trying to help get Costa Mesa's fiscal house in order.

LINK to the PILOT article where you will find the below comment from Councilmember Bever and others.

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Eric Bever at 6:42 PM October 27, 2010

I prefer to assess things based upon facts. Follow the link for some facts just published by the city of Costa Mesa reflecting 2009 staff compensation.

http://www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us/docs/comp_rpt/Total_Comp_2009.pdf

(These rates do not reflect the 3@50 pension bump for fire... that will add thousands per fire employee in costs).

In summary:

Nearly 50 Costa Mesa staffers had total comp over $200,000

Nearly 200 Costa Mesa staffers had total comp over $150,000

358 Costa Mesa staffers had total comp over $100,000

490 INDIVIDUAL Costa Mesa staffers had total comp exceeding the OC median HOUSEHOLD income of $74,000

"Household" includes multiple earners in many cases. Costa Mesa median household income was $61,000.

358 INDIVIDUAL staffers made 39%-490% more than the average Costa Mesa HOUSEHOLD income.

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The CM PRESS comments: Costa Mesa has some very good employees.  But, unfortunately, there are a few who think they're doing us a favor by working for the city.  Some of them butt into our elections in this city in which most of them don't choose to live and where they can't vote. 

Some are constantly whining that if we don't bend over and grab our ankles that they'll go work someplace else.  Please go. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.  We'll bet that for every employee who leaves for "greener pastures" we'll have many, many applications from very qualified individuals. And maybe the new replacements won't have attitude problems and will respect the citizens of Costa Mesa.
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THE MOST IMPORTANT VOTE YOU CAST IN THIS ELECTION IS FOR JIM RIGHEIMER

*Keep improvement on track

*Get more backbone on the City Council

*Get our finances in order
*Give control of our city back to the citizens
*Put OUR families first

This has been the dirtiest election season that most of us can remember.

The dirtiest and most thug like tactics have been from some out of towners who apparently think they rule us. This makes us mad as hell.  How about you? Show your disgust for the thug like tactics and vote for a decent family man who actually lives in Costa Mesa and is raising his family here.

As we've said before, the CM PRESS is going to only cast one of our two City Council votes and it's going to be for Jim Righeimer.  We think he's a man of his word and can be trusted, and we think he's needed on the dais where he will fight for the citizens of Costa Mesa and their best interests. We're just going to throw away our second vote.  Why?  We think that's the best way to elect Jim Righeimer.

EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO VOTE THE ENTIRE BALLOT--BE SURE TO TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO CAST ONE VOTE--VOTE FOR JIM RIGHEIMER AS IF THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE IN COSTA MESA DEPEND ON IT--BECAUSE THEY DO.

Remember, it's your choice as a voter whether you'll vote for every position and every initiative on your ballot.  Your ballot will still be counted and be valid even if you only vote for one person on the entire ballot. If you do vote this way--please cast your one vote for JIM RIGHEIMER.  His name is number one on the CITY OF COSTA MESA--Member, City Council ballot.

Our votes often don't mean much on the state and national level given the millions of votes that are cast, but in Costa Mesa--right here where we are most affected by local politicians--every vote is extremely important and does matter.
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THE CM PRESS VOTING GUIDE--NOVEMBER 2, 2010

Proposition 19 - VOTE NO
Legalizes Marijuana Under California but Not Federal Law. Permits Local Governments to Regulate and Tax Commercial Production, Distribution, and Sale of Marijuana. Initiative Statute.
Too many DUIs already. If this is approved there may be even more.


Proposition 20 - VOTE YES
Redistricting of Congressional Districts. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Lets the citizens of the state draw congressional district maps.

Proposition 21 - VOTE NO
Establishes $18 Annual Vehicle License Surcharge to Help Fund State Parks and Wildlife Programs. Grants Surcharged Vehicles Free Admission to All State Parks. Initiative Statute.
You already pay for parks with your taxes. This is a money grab by government.



Proposition 22 - VOTE YES
Prohibits the State from Borrowing or Taking Funds Used for Transportation, Redevelopment, or Local Government Projects and Services. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Big government money grab from local governments.


Proposition 23 - VOTE YES
Suspends Implementation of Air Pollution Control Law (AB 32) Requiring Major Sources of Emissions to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming, Until Unemployment Drops to 5.5 Percent or Less for Full Year. Initiative Statute.
A YES vote will save jobs for humans.

Proposition 24 - VOTE NO
Repeals Recent Legislation That Would Allow Businesses to Lower Their Tax Liability. Initiative Statute.
Another big government money grab--this one from small businesses. How many more businesses do we need to chase out of California before the numbnut politicians wise up?


Proposition 25 - VOTE NO
Changes Legislative Vote Requirement to Pass Budget and Budget-Related Legislation from Two-Thirds to a Simple Majority. Retains Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Taxes. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Shuck and jive attempt to have you let the politicians easily raise your taxes. Keep the 2/3rds.



Proposition 26 - VOTE YES
Requires That Certain State and Local Fees Be Approved by Two-Thirds Vote. Fees Include Those That Address Adverse Impacts on Society or the Environment Caused by the Fee-Payer's Business. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Vote "YES" to stop a tax increase. This 2/3rds is important here, as well.


Proposition 27 - VOTE NO
Eliminates State Commission on Redistricting. Consolidates Authority for Redistricting with Elected Representatives. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
Stop the politicians by voting no on this. The people should draw the political districts.



Governor: Meg Whitman
Lieutenant Governor: Jim King
Secretary of State: Merton D.Short
Controller: Tony Strickland
Treasurer: Mimi Walters
Attorney General: Steve Cooley
Insurance Commissioner: Clay Pedersen
Member, State Board of Equilization, 3rd District: Michelle Steel
United States Senator: Carly Fiorina
United States Representative: Dana Rohrabacher
Member of the State Assembly, 68th District: Allan R. Mansoor
Judicial Votes: No on all 9 of them.
Superintenent of Public Instruction: Tom Torlakson
Coast Comm. College District, Area 1: Jim Moreno
Coast Comm. College District, Area 5: Bob Mosley
NMUSD, Area 2: Michael B. Collier
NMUSD, Area 5: Judy Franco
Treasurer-Tax Collector: Keith Rodenhuis

CITY OF COSTA MESA--Member City Council: JIM RIGHEIMER
Improvers say just cast one vote and this should result in both Jim Righeimer and Wendy Leece winning.


L-Costa Mesa, Transient Occupancy Rate Increase - VOTE NO
This supposedly "harmless" increase will just help keep Costa Mesa's bloated local government from right-sizing itself. The city employee unions and lefties are urging a Yes vote because this money will allow them to keep asking for more tax money and more benefits.
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Those are our opinions.  Thanks for reading them.