Sunday, October 31, 2010

CM PRESS # 303


JIM RIGHEIMER
--Businessman
--Married with children
--Active in the community
--Wants to improve Costa Mesa
--Wants to get city spending under control
Who wants him elected? Fiscal conservatives, stable citizens of Costa Mesa, Improvers



CHRIS MCEVOY
--Arrested for DUI
--Not Married
--No children
--Not active in helping Costa Mesa improve
--Not involved in activities for kids
--Lives in an apartment
Who wants him elected?  Police union and lefties. Why?  Because he's a pawn in their game to take over the City Council so the Council will vote to give these out of town union employees more money and more benefits even if it bankrupts Costa Mesa.
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Those are our opinions.  Thanks for reading them.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

CM PRESS # 302

                                                         SHHHHH!
After the election, we'll let you know about something really stupid the haters and bigots trying to defeat Jim Righeimer have done that is  helping Righeimer.

For now, let's just say these people aren't genuises. 

Of course, if you've been reading any of their semi-literate comments in the Daily Pilot, you probably already guessed that.

We were actually going to write about this really stupid thing they've done here, but decided to hold off because...well...never mind, we'll tell you after the election.

In the meantime, join with all your neighbors and friends--the real backbone of Costa Mesa--and cast your vote for Jim Righeimer on election day.  He's the only one running who knows how to keep Costa Mesa from becoming a new Santa Ana.
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OUR BIG UNION EMPLOYEES VS. CITIZENS

Citizens of Costa Mesa--on the left.

Our out of town big union  employees--on the right.

Now do you know why the out of town big union employees want to defeat Jim Righeimer? He wants to get our spending under control.
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UNIONS DOMINATE COSTA MESA ELECTIONS
by Jon Cassidy--OC REGISTER

COSTA MESA – Public safety unions have spent more than $125,000 opposing Jim Righeimer's candidacy for City Council, more than doubling what all five candidates combined have spent.

They also donated $26,000 to a group supporting incumbent Wendy Leece the day before a crucial vote on union contracts.

Most of their spending - some $80,000 - has been in direct attacks on Righeimer, but the other $45,000 has been in donations to a committee called Costa Mesa First, which is supporting two of Righeimer's rivals, Leece and Chris McEvoy.

{SNIP}

...Righeimer has based his campaign on cutting pay and benefits for public employees.

"I can understand why unions throughout the state are opposing me," he said. "They think I'm going to be effective in getting control of out-of-control pensions in the state of California."

Employee unions donated $26,000 to Costa Mesa First on Monday, the day before Leece cast the deciding vote on a controversial contract extension for the unions. The unions were granted three- and four-year extensions Tuesday, even though the city has slashed services and burned through reserves during the economic downturn.

Since then, Costa Mesa First has blanketed the city with blue and orange signs promoting Leece and McEvoy.
{SNIP}

The vote cost Leece support in the county Republican party.

County party Chairman Scott Baugh wrote colleagues that, "If it was not too late to call a meeting to withdraw our endorsement, I would do it."

Most of the union committees donating to Costa Mesa First are headquartered at the Sacramento office of attorney Wayne Ordos, of the Orange County Employees Association.

Costa Mesa First was formed Oct. 1. Within days, it accepted $6,000 donations each from the Costa Mesa Police Officers Association and the Costa Mesa Fire Political Action Committee.

On Monday, it received donations from four public employee unions: $12,000 from the United Employees Organization of Orange County, $12,000 from the Orange County Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, $1,000 from the Anaheim Police Officers PAC, and $1,000 from the La Habra Police Officers PAC.

On Tuesday, it got $1,000 from the Fullerton Police Officers Association.

On Wednesday, it got $6,000 from the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association.

The Costa Mesa Fire Fighters PAC has spent $16,466 on anti-Righeimer signs and mailers.

A Costa Mesa Police Association committee has spent more than $63,000 on anti-Righeimer, signs, mailers, and a web site.
{SNIP}

 There are two seats up for election Tuesday.
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Friday, October 29, 2010

CM PRESS # 301


HERE'S YOUR CHOICE COSTA MESA

Chris McEvoy (on the left) is single, has no children, doesn't work in the private sector. He doesn't want to improve the Westside to make it a nicer place. Has no real ideas for Costa Mesa. Probably a nice enough guy. But, honestly, he wouldn't even be a serious candidate except for the fact that out of town big unions, left wingers, pro-illegal alien forces, and anti-improvers are using him as a pawn to try to defeat Jim Righeimer and the improvement of the Westside.

Jim Righeimer (on the right) is married, has kids, has solid business experience in the private sector. He wants to improve all of Costa Mesa. He has lots of good ideas.  He stands up to the special interests.  He wants to control government spending.  And, it's this last point--control government spending--that has caused the out of town big unions, left-wingers, pro-illegal alien forces and anti-improvers to try to smear and defeat Righeimer and trick you into voting for a pawn.

Costa Mesa may not be as bad as Bell, but if you look at the salaries, benefits and pensions that we're  paying "our employees," you might come to the conclusion that our city is at least a Baby Bell.

As we've reported before, Costa Mesa pays 80% of its budget to employees and only 20% for everything else.  The average for California cities is 47% of budgets for employees and 53% for everything else. UPDATE: We saw a comment from a Councilmember saying that we actually use a whopping 89% of our budget for employees. If correct, then we only use 11% for everything else. Good grief!

Folks, you really don't have to know much more than what you read in the immediately preceding paragraph to understand why the out of town big unions, left-wingers, pro-illegal alien forces and anti-improvers don't want Righeimer to control spending and why they want a pawn on the council.

In a few days, you'll vote.  Give it some thought.  If you have a family in Costa Mesa or intend to live here for many more years, we suggest you vote for Righeimer.  He'll help keep Costa Mesa on the right track and  will work to keep us from becoming a new Santa Ana.
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HERE'S WHERE CONSERVATIVES, IMPROVERS, TAX FIGHTERS, SMALLER GOVERNMENT PROPONENTS, HONEST GOVERNMENT ADVOCATES STAND TODAY IN THE COSTA MESA CITY COUNCIL ELECTION (according to the many people who have contacted the CM PRESS)

They say:

DO NOT VOTE FOR WENDY LEECE--LET LEECE, MCEVOY, LESTER AND PETSCHL FIGHT IT OUT FOR VOTES.  IF ANY OF THEM BEATS LEECE, IT'LL BE NO BIG DEAL.

VOTE ONLY FOR JIM RIGHEIMER--HE'S OUR ONE HOPE OF FIXING BROKEN COSTA MESA.  THROW AWAY YOUR SECOND VOTE OR VOTE FOR PETSCHL (who has no chance of winning but who sounds more conservative than Leece, McEvoy or Lester).
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GROUP THAT SUPPORTS LOWER TAXES PULLS SUPPORT FOR LEECE (Msg received at CM PRESS)

October  29, 2010

Conservative Friends,

The Atlas PAC, a highly respected local organization devoted to encouraging business interests, lower taxes and free enterprise, has just withdrawn its endorsement of Wendy Leece for Costa Mesa City Council.
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THANK GOD, WE STILL HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO BELIEVE IN HONOR AND WHO WON'T GO BACK ON THEIR PROMISES AND WHO HAVE SOME BACKBONE

But, such people are thought of as being corny by some local politicians and their running dog lefties. 
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COPS ARRESTED FOR STEALING WEAPONS
Remember when you could trust the police?
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HERE'S THE LINK AGAIN TO THE MUST READ COLUMN BY WILLIAM LOBDELL ABOUT WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR JIM RIGHEIMER

You say you don't believe Mensa Marty (as we were called by a former suit over at the Pilot)? Okay, well take a gander at Lobdell's column.  Maybe you'll believe him.   Righeimer is the right guy at the right time in the right place.
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TAXPAYERS FLEECED BY TWO-FACED LEECE
LINK to Red County website and comments from Scott Baugh about Leece.

It's not just the big shots in the GOP who are disappointed by Wendy Leece.  Many of us ordinary citizens of Costa Mesa are also, and the disappointment that many of us feel isn't rooted in party politics but in the lack of honesty shown by Leece.

This is the woman who sanctimoniously fought to have "In God We Trust" put in City Hall, and someone who many of us thought had strong personal ethics.  Wendy let us down. 

Frankly, we at the CM PRESS have had an uneasy feeling about Leece for some time, but we tried to put it out of our minds.  Now, we know that she is simply not to be trusted.

Oh, and about that uneasy feeling we've had--it had to do with the fact that Leece seemed to be cozying up to some charity bosses who are helping keep the Westside from improving and who are part of the loose group of people who really do want to make the Westside into a new Huntington Park instead of into one of the nicest parts of Costa Mesa.

Leece will probably be reelected, because her lack of ethics has come out just a few days before the election, but we think--if the GOP doesn't mount a recall campaign and remove her--she's going to have a rocky time on the dais if she remains there these next four years. 

And, as far as Gary Monahan goes--he's also lost a lot of friends and credibility in the community because of his lockstep vote with Leece and ultra-Liberal Katrina Foley in sticking it to the taxpayers of Costa Mesa.

This isn't about party politics.  It's about basic decency, honesty and personal ethics.

OUR PERSONAL DISAPPOINTMENT WITH LEECE

Back when Tom Egan defeated Wendy for  Wendy's seat on the NMUSD board, we spoke to some of the Westside Improvers and suggested that Wendy might be good for the City Council and for the improvement of the Westside and Costa Mesa in general.

Our view of Wendy had been informed by the fact that she seemed to take the conservative and most principled positions at school board meetings, and we also knew that she had lived on the Westside for years and seemed to have strong personal ethics based on what we thought were her unshakable religious views.

These weren't religious views shared by all, but most folks believed that someone who was so seemingly steeped in such views would at the very least be a woman of her word.

Now, we feel that Wendy has let us all down.  Many of us feel very sad for Wendy and will never look at her in the same way as we once did.

No matter how much Wendy twists and turns to try to justify her vote, in her heart of hearts she knows that she promised one thing and then did the opposite.  That's called a lie, and a person who lies is called a liar.
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Those are our opinions.  Thanks for reading them.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

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.
-----------------
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.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

CM PRESS # 299

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IT'S OFFICIAL--COPS VOTER GUIDE ENDORSES JIM RIGHEIMER
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STEVE SMITH OVER AT THE DAILY PILOT GETS IT RIGHT ABOUT JIM RIGHEIMER
Link
Here's a preview of Smith's column: Jim Righeimer is good for Costa Mesa and is needed on the City Council.
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WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S VOTE--WE'VE REMOVED IDENTIFYING INFORMATION FROM THE MESSAGE BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED TO GIVE IT

You can always count on union workers that have seniority to throw the newer workers under the bus. The vote last night was a vote to protect the 85% of the workers who will not be laid off.

Union members always talk about the solidarity they have with all of their fellow brethren who belong to the union. But when it comes down to it, they would rather have a fellow union member lose their job then take one dime less themselves. They are very selfish.

As an employer I know how painful it is to let go of an employee. You work with them every day. You know their wife and kids. You also know that the chance of them getting work in this environment is slim. There is a good chance they will lose their home and dislocate their family. I lose sleep every night before I have to give someone the bad news. But as a business owner I have a responsibility to my other employees to keep the doors open. If the company fails, everyone is out of work.

As Alan Roeder said last night, and then dismissed as being too draconian; if everyone takes a 17% pay cut, everyone keeps their job. The vote last night was a vote for layoffs.

The city cannot become insolvent. We have to make the cuts necessary to keep the doors open.

I wonder if the three that voted for the contracts will have the guts to vote for the layoffs. We’ll see.
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$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ To Costa Mesa's employees. (80%)

$ $ To fix streets and do all the other functions of government. (20%)

Yup, that makes sense. If you're the gang of three: Foley, Leece, Monahan.
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BUTTINSKIES ON PARADE
HERE'S A LINK to an article of ours that is now appearing in the DAILY PILOT.  We didn't even know it was there until someone just called us and told us about it.  We missed it because our original title of "Buttinskies on Parade," was changed by the Pilot  to "Lido Isle should stay out of Costa Mesa races."
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Congratulations to Wendy Leece and Gary Monahan--all your lefty pals are gloating about you selling out the citizens of Costa Mesa to out of town unionists and big government tax and spend liberals

Say, maybe you two can put your heads together with your BFF Foley and figure out how to use even more than 80% of our budget to pay the help.  Why not go for 95%? 

Oh well, if Costa Mesa declares bankruptcy, the contracts will go away and we can hopefully start over with some smarter people on the dais. Maybe even with people who keep their word. 
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COSTA BELL

As we reported in Issue # 298, on a three to two vote the City Council approved  flawed contracts with the employee unions last night. Allan Mansoor and Eric Bever stood firm for the citizens of Costa Mesa and voted against the contracts, while Wendy Leece, Katrina Foley and Gary Monahan gave away the store.

If your eyes glaze over with all the numbers being thrown around and if you're confused with the claims and counter claims, we think a close reading of this well written column in the OC Register (that we  also cited in an earlier CM PRESS) will not only explain things for you, but will also make you mad as hell. LINK

To us, the most telling parts of that OC Register column are these two paragraphs:

"Other figures from the[Government finance] almanac depict a city [Costa Mesa] that spends much more on salaries and benefits than the average city.

"In 2007-08, the statewide average for cities was 47 percent of the operating budget spent on salaries and benefits; the median figure was 49 percent. Costa Mesa's figure was 80 percent that year, and 78 percent for the fiscal year just ended."

You read that right.  Costa Mesa uses about 80 percent of the budget on salaries and benefits, but the average for the state is only 47 percent.

In other words, once Costa Mesa pays all the help, it only has 20 percent left to pay for roads and everything else, while most other cities have 53 percent left to pay for roads and everything else.

That's right. We pay 80 cents out of every dollar for the help and only 20 cents for roads and all the rest of the things we need.

Costa Mesa has become a new baby Bell where most of the money received by the city is going to employees.

Folks, these figures above are very important.  In private industry you can often tell whether a business is being run right or not by comparing its statistics to similar businesses. 

For example, a business consultant who is asked to help a business be successful will look at the rent cost, the cost of the product, the cost of employees and related factors. 

It doesn't matter what the business is. There are tables of these percentages for every business. If you have a tire store or restaurant or day care center or computer factory, there are statistics that will tell you if something is out of whack by comparing your expenses to similar businesses. 

In Costa Mesa, what is out of whack are our employee costs.    Why can't Costa Mesa deliver the usual government services at the same percent as other cities? Something smells.

Again, the average for cities in California is 47% of budgets going to employees, but in Costa Mesa it is 80%. [Some say it's actually higher than that]

You'd have to be a moron or Wendy Leece, Katrina Foley and Gary Monahan, to not understand this is nuts. But as Mark Twain would have said, I repeat myself.

WALCOM TOO DUM TOWNN

The old saw holds that people get the government they deserve. In this vein, I wrote a short story once about a town in which the I.Q. of  the residents suddenly dropped by a few points overnight and then kept dropping week by week.  Soon, things started going to hell.  It wasn't just a few big things, but over time there was a cumulative effect of this. Things just got out of whack.

The residents started denying what their own eyes were telling them about their local government officials.  They were easily duped. 

Government officials would tell them that sewer lines breaking all over the place was normal and that streets full of potholes was the standard and it went on and on.

Soon, the government officials could do the most outrageous things, but as long as they smiled and covered those outrageous things with reams of official sounding reports and bureaucratic double-speak, the people bought the lies. 

And, the people were so dumbed down that no one bothered to compare what was going on there to other towns.

Folks, Costa Mesa has become that fictional town I wrote about. When citizens buy the crap that 80% of our budget should go to pay the help and only 20% for everything else the government does, we have become those low I.Q. folks in that fictional town.
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Those are our opinions.  We have to rush now.  We have to get a second job so we can pay the help.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

CM PRESS # 298

BREAKING: LEECE AND MONAHAN JOIN THEIR BFF FOLEY AND APPROVE  A CONTRACT THAT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE TAXPAYING CITIZENS OF COSTA MESA NOR IS IT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WILL NOW HAVE TO BE LAID OFF

The squishy trio approved contracts tonight with the "safety unions" that will end up as a Pyrrhic victory for those unions as they see many of their members laid off this year. We also expect that when a new council is seated, "re-opener" clauses in the contracts will probably be used.

It was always expected that Foley would approve the contracts.  Never a doubt. Foley has her own little liberal group and ideology, so she will simply skate away.

Leece and Monahan, on the other hand, are probably going to now find themselves shunned by many of their former allies.  Monahan, as he often does, gave a little speech in which he tried to be on both sides of the issue.  His words were on one side, but his vote was on the other, and it is the vote that counts.

Leece pretended to want to continue the item to a future meeting, but then she sought political cover by asking a few questions that, golly, convinced her to withdraw her motion.  Yes, it was the old shuck and jive of  "I asked for a continuance, didn't I?" Ah yes, but you then withdrew it and voted for the contracts.  Not every action is equal to every other action. Your withdrawal and vote for the contracts are what will be remembered.

Councilmember Bever got it right when he said that this approval will lead to the layoffs of many of the "fresh faces" in the CMPD.  The reason?  Their contract has a bump clause, so when layoffs come--and they will--more senior officers can pass the layoffs down to newer employees.

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HERE'S A GOOD COMMENT FROM THE DAILY PILOT SITE ABOUT THE CONTRACT VOTE TONIGHT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING 
[The CM PRESS has paragraphed the comment so it's easier to read]
LINK to Daily Pilot article and all comments.

Northside Phil at 9:49 AM October 26, 2010

Let me explain this to all of the out of town cops who are piping in on this blog with false information.

Costa Mesa is broke. We need $9.5 million just to cover this year. Salaries and benefits are 80% of our budget. There is nothing left to cut in the remaining 20% When you budget that way, and times get tough, you have to cut from the 80%. It's simple math. It's not anything against our Police and Fire, IT'S SIMPLE MATH. We missed an opportunity for cost savings with the fire contract.

Now, they want to do that again with the Police contract. If this passes, where will you get the remaining $6 mil from? TOT increase is only $1 mil, IF it passes. There will be layoffs. However, when that happens the Police and Fire will come and complain and say that they did their part on cuts and their shouldn;t be layoffs. Since Police, Fire and City employees are 80% of the budget, they need to be 80% of the cuts to keep this City out of bankruptcy. Simple as that.

I don't care what Scott Baugh or Allen Reickhoff say about this City. They do not live here. I do. Urge your Councilmembers to reject this contract!!
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BE SURE TO READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT WENDY LEECE AGAIN

The CM PRESS hopes this isn't the case.


It's not just the GOP Bigs who have been wondering about Wendy. 

 Before the last candidate forum, the CM PRESS told Wendy that many of the folks have noticed that she sure seems to vote with liberal Katrina Foley a lot and that some of the votes she's making aren't helping the Westside improve.

Now, as you will read in the above DAILY PILOT article, it appears that Wendy is apparently thinking about breaking a promise she previously made.

We sure hope Wendy is being misrepresented in the PILOT.  Some of us who have backed Wendy believe that our word is our bond and we also believe that Wendy feels the same way. 


Some of us also believe that if you specifically promise not to do things that will eventually cause a rise in taxes or fees on the citizens of Costa Mesa (as this contract before the council tonight will eventually do), that you will also keep your word on this score as well.


Be sure to read down in the Pilot article to the comments from the usual gaggle of know-nothings and lefties who hang around the Pilot blogosphere like fleas on a dog and who are writing their usual idiotic comments in an attempt to push Wendy to vote for the contract.  

They're portraying a  YES vote for the contract as a vote for the citizens of Costa Mesa. What a load of crap. A YES vote for the contract is actually a vote against the citizens of Costa Mesa.

Unfortunately, Wendy has painted herself into a corner by running to the PILOT with her comments about some in the GOP reminding her of her promise.

So, what does she do tonight?

If she votes in favor of the contract, people will say that she's not trustworthy and won't keep a promise and that she wants to raise taxes and fees on Costa Mesans.

If she votes against the contract, people will say that she bowed to GOP pressure.

Her safest route out of this problem that she created for herself is to vote to have the contract put over until the new council is seated.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

Monday, October 25, 2010

CM PRESS # 297

WHEN POLITICIANS GO BAD

Years ago, the Improvers helped elect someone to the City Council who almost no one thought could be elected.  However, with the support of the Improvers, this candidate not only won election but did so with more votes than anyone else running that year. 

Unfortunately, once this new Councilmember got on the dais and was being romanced by lefties, who had previously called him names, his ego took over and he started to think his victory was a result of people suddenly realizing what a wonderful person and astute politician he was.

Then, he started voting against the people who had helped him win. But for them, he never would have won. His typical M.O. was to talk one way and vote the other.  Apparently, he thought no one would notice.  He was wrong.

When he started going against them, the Improvers quickly abandoned him and started to work as hard to defeat him as they had previously worked to elect him.

That was the end of his political career and friendships.  Once out of office, his new lefty "friends" wanted nothing to do with him anymore, and the Improvers wanted nothing to do with him because he had gone against the Improvement they were trying to bring to Costa Mesa.

Are we facing another situation like that now?
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CONFUSED ABOUT THE UNION CONTRACTS?
Here's a well written article in the OC Register that should get you up to speed. LINK
SUMMARY:  There are two basic sides on this issue:

1. The Unions and their lefty suppoters want to jam through a new contract before the election.


2. Fiscal conservatives want the Council to either reject the contract before them tomorrow night, or put off a decision until the new council is seated.  The election is only 8 days away, so why hurry?
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WENDY LEECE CONTACTS THE DAILY PILOT ABOUT GOP PRESSURE (?)
Link
We're not sure why this is even a news story. Of course there's pressure.  Any time you belong to any organization, from a church to the scouts to a political party, there are certain norms you are expected to uphold.  If you don't agree with those norms, then you shouldn't be in that organization.

In the present case, the out of town unions are trying to jam a contract down the throats of the city councilmembers about 8 days before an election in which we will see at least one new council member and maybe two.

But according to the PILOT article about Wendy contacting them, it seems that Wendy is more concerned about some out of town Republicans contacting her than she is worried about the out of town unions.  We find this odd.

We don't know what the GOP Bigs said to Wendy, but our guess is that maybe some of them are thinking about this as we at the CM PRESS do:  DON'T APPROVE A CONTRACT THAT THE NEXT COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHEN WE'RE THIS CLOSE TO AN ELECTION.  JUST PUT THIS VOTE OFF UNTIL A NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED.

Chances are, the new member or members of the City Council may have some of their own ideas about such contracts.  Let's let them have a voice and not handcuff them.  Let's have respect for the voters and for the new city councilmember(s).

As we've written before, we like Wendy.  However, we do get troubled by the fact that she doesn't seem to see the big picture on some things.  It's almost as though Wendy sees every issue coming before her as though it exists in a vacuum and is to be considered only within the four corners of that issue. 

This, we believe, is an error in thinking that can be called misplaced atomization, i.e. it's the breaking apart of issues and larger policies into smaller parts that are all treated as though they are not part of the whole. 

The problem with misplaced atomization is that the whole is often more than the sum of its parts because it bumps up against other wholes within the universe of our local political scene. In other words, it's all connected.  There is no vacuum.  There is no lone issue.

Sorry, that may be a little abstract. 

Maybe this will be clearer if we think of it in a different context:  It's a given that Improvers are trying to improve the Westside. Now, to accomplish this there are many pieces that must fall in place, not just one or two. 

Those pieces are voted on by the city council and come to the council often as seemingly unrelated items, sometimes months or years apart.

So, for example, a request may come to the council to fund a charity.  On the surface, the charity sounds fine.  It's going to help the kids.  However, when you scratch the surface you may find that it's going to be in an area with many other charities such that the area is turning into a skid row. 

So, do you vote in favor of funding that charity because it promises good things (this would be the misplaced atomization view) or do you look at the whole and vote against funding the charity because it will have a negative result on the area, given the cumulative effect of many other similar charities clustered in that area?

Improvers would say that you vote against funding that charity.  By contrast, those who don't think about the big picture might take the misplaced atomization view and vote to fund it. 

In summation, we must be clear that this contract business is a big deal.  It is not something to be taken lightly.  It should not be rushed into.  The council should not be bullied into voting for it. Punt, and let the  new councilmember(s) be seated.
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A VERY FAIR ARTICLE ON THE FUNDAMENTALIST MORMONS
Link
They just mind their own business and practice their religion, yet they've been persecuted for decades in this country where we're supposed to have religious freedom.
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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.
We've acted in plays where we would deliver our cue line and a stoned actor opposite us would have slow reaction times. A couple of seconds delay and it felt like a month while on stage. We're afraid the same thing happens with those driving cars. Notwithstanding this, however, we do believe that medical marijuana, with more research, and rules to keep people from driving or engaging in activies that require quick reaction times, should be made legal.  Yes, we could go both ways on this one. Yes, booze is worse. We believe in the libertarian view that your right to swing your arm stops where our nose begins [read, you driving drunk or stoned may harm us]. While we oppose having the government dictate too much to people, we really don't want more DUI people driving and we're afraid this might lead to that.

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.
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
Not perfect but better than Governor Moonbeam
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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WE IMAGINE A FATHER-DAUGHTER CONVERSATION AT THE RIGHEIMER HOUSE

Daughter: Daddy, I thought you always said that police officers were good people.  I don't think they are.

Jim Righeimer: Most are good people.  What makes you think they're not?

 Daughter: Because they seem to be very mean and they're saying bad things about you, and the other kids teased me.

Jim Righeimer: Well, most police are good people. Remember, your uncle is a police officer.  Isn't he a good person?

Daughter: Yes, he's good.  But, I think these police officers are different.  I think they are very bad people.  I don't trust them.

Jim Righeimer: Now, don't think all police officers are bad just because a few are bad.  You have to know people by their actions.  The bad ones act bad and the good ones act good.

Didn't they teach you in Sunday school class that bad people eventually get punished?  Remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  We try to be good and we try to live that way, don't we? Eventually, the good will triumph.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.

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