An Unfair Swipe At Carlos Bustamante?

I received a call earlier today from a reader who felt Martin Wisckol was taking an unjustified dig on Total Buzz yesterday at Santa Ana Councilman and possible 1st Supervisor District candidate Carlos Bustamante. The passage in question:

The supervisors' seat is non-partisan but the county GOP has been quick to play in local races, particularly when it comes to endorsing Republicans. However, current supervisors have gotten to know [Democrat] Rosen as they all sit on the Orange County Transportation Authority together -- and apparently the supes like what they see in Rosen. Perhaps the supes also know something about [Republican] Bustamante, who works in the county planning department.

It's a fair to interpret that as meaning the four GOP Supes may consider fellow GOPer Bustamante so incapable they would back Democrat Rosen over him. As evidence to the contrary, I was supplied with this July 26, 2006 letter from CEO Tom Mauk to the Board of Supervisors praising Tim Neely and Carlos Bustamante's work at the Resources & Development Management Department/Planning & Development Services:

In that regard, the Department, under the direction of Tim Neely and Carlos Bustamante, has succeeded beyond our January expectations. At that time, with substantial personnel shifts, it was projected that while the reserve would be protected, the fund balance of $500,000 would be drawn down by about half to $200,000-$260,000.

However, as you can see from the June 30th  preliminary numbers (chart below), the Department will now actually increase its fund balance by $470,000 to a new total of $973,000 without using reserves.

Considering what a disaster that department was, that's a considerable accomplishment.

I think it's a bit premature to conclude the Supes are jumping on the Rosen bandwagon. Bill Campbell, after all, is a very big fan of Bustamante. And its even more premature -- not to mention in apparent opposition to the facts -- to conclude they have a low opinion of him.

Comments

[Reality Check]

It is a characteristic for all Republicans to be extremely leery of all things Santa Ana. But one of the most respected SA Council members is still John Acosta. Bustamante is no John Acosta. Bustamante may be seen in doing a good job, but the politics of the outlying 33 other cities in OC earns him a big "SO WHAT?" from the truly self-important Repub Council folks.

So where will Carlos find "The Right Stuff" to rise from them Ashes of Republican No Man's Land Central County??? Latino, Republican, and from the HEART of OC...yeah, I know he's visited DC 4-5 times to connect with the right people as potential player in those circles...

To handicap Bustamante, is strengths are:

He is darling of the powers that be from the Dykema-Rodriguez-Rich Wagner crew. That adds up to alot of real $$$ and focused energy to back his success. Money doesn't vote, but with that and coordinated push form OCGOP and he is a Repub Lou Correa-to-be.

Biggest problem:

He is darling of the powers that be from the Dykema-Rodriguez-Rich Wagner crew.
That adds up to four very nervous and self-important Supes worried that if they face challenges in their own races and need help from NM-LC-GOP in that cycle, they are SOL. And I will refrain from commenting about the jealous City Council folk who smile to Carlos' face and talk smack when he turns away.

Carlos himself may be the next best hope for GOP taking back the 69th...I would call up Rich if I were you Jubal and ask if he thinks Supe is preferred by the powers that be over Assembly.

But what do I know...

[Been Around]

How many times has an annointed candidate turned out to be an unelectable candidate? More than the so-called power brokers want to admit. Someone might want to dig a little deeper into Bustamante before annointing him. Start with his history on eminent domain.

[michael parra]

If Carlos is the best hope that the GOP has of taking back the 69th, then Solorio (and other Democrats) will be in there until they're termed out.

Carlos would never run against his council buddy, Jose. It just ain't gonna happen. Besides, with another kid on the way, he's likely to stick around in OC.

[Ted Moreno]

Bustamante has done nothing to earn any help from the OCGOP. In fact, he only switched from the Democrat Party to the Republican Party in 2004 just so he could stand out in the election. That plus the Hispanics thought he was Cruz Bustamante was the only reason he won. It worked for him once, but Santa Ana Republicans won't be duped again. Bustamante has turned out to be a very arrogant, ambitious individual who only does for himself. He will be a one term city councilman.

[Art Pedroza]

ABC - anyone but Carlos!

[art]

I think if anyone followed Carlos' work on the City Council they'd come away with one lasting impression: he can't deliver. And, the eminent domain aspect is just the tip of the iceberg.

Carlos, like Jose Solorio, are part of the legions of elected officials who "work" in government while holding elected positions. Ask anyone who works with Carlos and they will tell you that taxpayers are footing the bill for his government salary while he spends his time focused on his elective/personal work.

[Bureaucrats for Bustamante!]

Why would any self respecting Republican want a County Bureaucrat like Bustamonte in an elected position that is supposed to be a check against the swarms of bureaucrats they are charged with overseeing? Don’t we already have a broken County budget due to over inflated salaries and retirements? Bustamonte has shown no willingness to stand up to the pressure of the employee labor unions in Santa Ana and he would be even weaker if he were able to get elected as a Supervisor. I can understand some Democrats wanting him elected, and I understand the residents of Santa Ana wanting to get rid of him but having him in charge of the County of Orange would be a disaster. Other than Carlos promoting himself, try to find some Santa Ana residents who will openly praise him. (And his family members and consultants don’t count!) I agree with the above poster that he’s a one term Councilmember in Santa Ana and that’s it, back to being a full time bureaucrat.

Bill Campbell likes him so much, he endorsed him for Supervisor.

About Planning, it's fine to say that they eliminated the deficit they created. But should the County Planning Department be creating profit for the County to the tune of a half million dollars? Should the County even have a planning department?

[Time for change]

Carlos Does an execellent job at the County. He has been instrumental in fixing the blasted mess that have been caused by the Public Employee Unions related to his department. Carlos and Tim Neely deserve a tremendous amount of praise for dealing with a Board of Supes that has been painting County Executive Mangement into a corner by bowing to Union demands. It is clear on this chat thread that the Unions are already affraid of him. Reason enough to vote for Carlos for Supervisor.

[Martin Wisckol]

I find it interesting that the reader of my blog item decided to complain to Jubal ... and not me. I encourage anybody who has issues with anything I write to call me, email or comment on the Total Buzz blog. The contact information is all there. Also, would somebody mind explaining to me how all the supes going to Rosen's fundraiser can be interpreted as NOT giving Bustamante the cold shoulder?

Sorry for the slight Martin. It was unintentional.

But let's get real...Jubal would have a much better chance of getting a REAL answer from Lincoln Club "Legend" Wagner than you might.

[rebecca]

Hey, Ted Moreno! Is that really you? I heard you were out of prison!
Give me a call, let's do a story!

Becca

"How many times has an annointed candidate turned out to be an unelectable candidate?"

Paging Howard Dean....??

Never forget that the biggest fan of Carlos Bustamante is Carlos Bustamante!