OC Blog

Firefighters Have Some Fun At Wayne Quint's Expense

A source sent in this photo. AOCDS chief Wayne Quint stopped by the firemen's picket at the Todd Spitzer fundraiser today.

The firefighters, always on the lookout for Hypocrisy! to extinguish, mischeviously decided to create some -- clandestinely affixing a Yes On Measure D bumper sticker to Wayne Quint's No On Measure D bedecked van.

Who said politics can't be fun?

Last Week's No on Measure D Mailer

For all us political junkies who actually like reading political mail, here (courtesy of my Blogpen colleague Lurk) is the No on Measure D mailer that dropped last week.

Some may dismiss this sort of coverage as too "inside baseball," but the fact remains that mailers like this and the Yes mailer I posted a few days ago are the primary means by which voter opinion on Measure D will be decided.

Firefighters To Picket Spitzer Fundraiser

Firefighters are leaping from their barca-loungers with outrage at the hypocrisy of it all!

                                    ***Media Alert***

Local Firefighters Protest Hypocritical Opposition to Measure D

WHO/WHAT:  Orange County Firefighters as well as other firefighters from the 71st Assembly District set up an informational picket line outside of Assemblyman Todd Spitzer’s political fundraiser.

WHY: Orange County Firefighters are tired of the hypocrisy! The informational picket will serve as a reminder that Assemblyman Spitzer, who signed ballot arguments against Measure D citing “wasteful spending” by the Fire Authority was in fact Chairman of the Authority when he supported the construction of the new Headquarters, which replaced a building built in the 1930s.

WHEN: Firefighters will picket arriving guests beginning at 9:00 a.m. and make remarks at a media availability at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 17, 2005 outside of Assemblyman Todd Spitzer’s day-long political fundraiser at a local golf club.

WHERE: Green River Golf Club
            5215 Green River Rd.
            Corona, CA 92880

                                     

I contacted Assemblyman Todd Spitzer for his response:

For months leading up to the turning in of signatures for Measure D, I had been discussing with my friends on both sides ways to strike an agreement that would not pit public safety in this county against each other.  Everyone knew that firefighters fighting police and vice-versa was, and is, not a good thing for Orange County.  But when fire wants to take future sales tax from the 80/20 split currently in place for the DA and Sheriff and the other side has built its budget and its planning with that anticipated revenue in mind, there was "as is obviously self-evident” no room for compromise.

Some, like me, have chosen sides.  Others know that they could get shot or burned and have stayed away on the sidelines.  I chose to support the DA and Sheriff for the following reason: as a member of the Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2002, our Board implemented the strategic planning process.  Every county department had to adopt and live by a five year planning document.  As a Board, we used those documents to make responsible budget and planning decisions.  In other words, we told departments like the DA and Sheriff: detail your needs, goals and vision and we will fund it and hold you accountable to your plans.

Also as a member of the Orange County Fire Authority between 1997 and 2002, I am very proud of the work of the Authority.  The Board Members are now and have been in the past some of the most dedicated elected officials I have every worked side by side.  The rank and file firefighters and civilian employees are committed to excellence.  I remember in 1999 as the Chairman of the OCFA taping an update video in the then bare dirt lot of the Jamboree property and telling the rank and file employees how proud I was to be leading the construction of the new Administration and Training facility.  I am still proud of that project.

At the same time, as Chairman, we made decisions about that building based on utilization of the present funding formula through property tax, land gifts from the Irvine Company and bonds that could be paid with existing resources.  WE DID NOT MAKE ANY DECISIONS BASED ON NEW TAXES OR A TAX GRAB FROM OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE FUTURE.

Here is the phrase in the NO on D ballot argument signed by me, Tony Rackauckas, Bill Campbell,  Mark Nichols and Erin Runnion that the firefighters apparently object to given their media alert about my role in the building construction as OCFA Chairman:

FACT: The Fire Authority has a substantial budget surplus. If their fire stations are truly understaffed, then why did the Fire Authority recently spend $50 million to build a new luxury Administration Building that even their own ballot signer, Joe Kerr, called a "multi-million-dollar Taj Mahal"?  The Fire Authority needs more financial accountability, NOT more of our tax dollars!

Let Measure D Mail War Begin

I received my first Measure D mail piece, today -- from the Yes side. It makes their standard case:

"In 1993, while wildfires raged in Orange County and across Southern California, voters approved Prop. 172, to dedicate a half-cent of existing sales tax for fire protection, law enforcement and other public safety services."

"Instead of dedicating a portion of Prop. 172 funds to fire protection, as promised, the Orange County Board of Supervisors after the county bankruptcy to provide no funding to our Fire Department."

"No funding"? Really? None at all? Nada? Zero? Zilch?

I'll put up the whole mailer later on.

UPDATE: I scanned it in:                                                               

How Many Firemen Does It Take?

Another good post by the Sergeant over at Tin Star blog, using a recent fire incident (where 24 firemman responded to a fire that took 7 minutes to extinguish) to examine the necessity -- or lack thereof -- of having 4 firemen per rig (as the OCFA would like) as opposed to the current 3 firemen per rig.

Firefighters Claim AOCDS Concedes Error

Yesterday, I received this Firefighters for Public Safety/Yes On D press release bearing the Susan Powter-esque subject line, "Stop The Scare Tactics!" I've made clear my opposition to this measure, but I would also like OC Blog to serve as a forum for debate and discussion on this issue.

Anyway, here's what the firiefighters have to say:

Manager of Deputy Sheriffs Association Admits: "Measure D Will Not Result in Any Sheriff's Deputies Being Laid Off"

Firefighters for Public Safety Campaign calls on Opponents of Measure D to Disavow Any Further Scare Tactics

(Santa Ana) - The Firefighters for Public Safety, Yes on Measure D campaign today called on the opponents of Measure D to disavow all past and future scare tactics after the General Manager of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs admitted at a debate last night that, "Measure D will not result in any sheriff's deputies being laid off."

That admission by Bob MacLeod, General Manager of the AOCDS, at a debate before the Orange County Democratic Party Monday evening, completely undercuts arguments made by opponents of Measure D in official voter materials to be sent to all voters.  In their now admittedly false arguments, opponents of D stated, "Measure D...would lead to increased crime in our communities...by eliminating as many as 210 sheriff's positions, including frontline patrol officers..."

"Their arguments against Measure D have always been false and designed to scare voters, and now they've admitted it," said Joe Kerr, President of the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association.  "Measure D was carefully crafted to increase funding for our county fire department without any new taxes or cuts to law enforcement.  They should stop trying to scare voters away from supporting our firefighters with the personnel and equipment we need to keep Orange County safe."

Proposition 172, passed by voters statewide and in Orange County in 1993, allocated ½ cent of existing sales tax revenue to public safety, with campaign advertising and ballot pamphlet arguments stating that it, "guaranteed funding for fire protection."  Since its passage, it has raised over $2 billion for public safety in Orange County, and to date, not one penny has gone to the county's Fire Department.

Measure D fulfills a promise to the taxpayers and voters by designating a portion of the growth of future Prop 172 public safety sales tax funds to the Orange County Fire Authority, capped at 10%.  In an analysis prepared by opponents of D, even if D passes, the Sheriff's Department allocation of Prop 172 funds would grow from $195 million per year in FY 2005/2006 to $323 million per year for FY 2015/2016, a $128 million per year increase.

Here's Just_D_Facts Again...

I try to run an open blog, so now that I've opined on the topic of Measure D and the OC GOP, here's another e-mail I recieved today from the mysterious Just_D_Facts regarding Measure D "Facts" versus "Myths":

Measure D – Myths vs. Facts:

1. Myth – “If D passes, hundreds of deputy sheriffs and prosecutors will lose their jobs.”

Fact – According to the analysis of the opponents of Measure D, even if D passes, the Sheriff’s Department share of Prop 172 funds will grow over the next ten years from $195 million to $323 million – a $128 million increase.  Only by an analysis run by Democrats in Congress or Sacramento is a $128 million increase counted as a cut.  And of course, that “cut” will all go against the most popular program – cops on the street.  No cut in overhead, not effort to save funds.  It is shocking that the opponents of D, many of whom claim to be conservative Republicans, use the same budget-scoring method that big spenders in Congress and the State Legislature use!  Which side is arguing Republican principles?

2. Myth – “The Fire Authority only covers 43% of the county, and the sheriff’s department covers the whole county”

Fact – Both agencies provide countywide services.  On a given day, firefighters from the Fire Authority respond to 14 calls outside their official service area…nearly 5,000 per year!  Orange County Fire Authority also provides many specialized services, such as helicopter services, HazMat, and fire bulldozing.  Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s department does provide jail services to most of the county, along with coroner services.  But they provide frontline law enforcement to two areas, unincorporated county territory, which continues to shrink due to new cities and annexations, and cities which contract with the sheriffs, which pay for these services out of the cities’ Prop 172 funds, not the counties’.

3. Myth – “Prop 172 didn’t promise any funds to fire safety, and the Board of Supervisors should decide how to allocate the funds, not voters.”

Fact – Every piece of campaign materials and advertising for Prop 172 prominently featured fire services as a major selling point for its passage.  On the rare occasions when Orange County voters do vote to tax themselves, the politicians should heed the promises made.  But the same Board of Supervisors that ignored John Moorlach and bankrupted the county broke the promise to the voters and gave firefighting services nothing.

Opponents of D say that voters don’t get to allocate funds, the Board of Supervisors do.  But if the Board gets it wrong, the voters do get to correct it.  As an extreme, Proposition 172 also allowed funds to be allocated to lifeguard services…if the Board of Supervisors voted to give all of the 172 funds to lifeguards, would they still argue that voters get no right to take corrective action?

When you look past the myths and check the facts, you’ll see that the Orange County GOP has no dog in the Measure D fight.  We should focus our energy on the battles that matter to Republicans, and stay out of Measure D.

OK, commenters -- have at it.

The OC Republican Party Should Oppose Measure D

It is my belief that government employee unions pose the single greatest domestic threat to local liberty today. They are, as a wise man said, "government organized as a special interest." Government at all levels -- at least in California -- is increasingly under their thumb. When fear and money cause our state and local elected officials -- and the power of taxation -- to be more responsive to the demands of government workers than to taxpaying voters at large, a role reversal occurs and so-called public servants become the masters.

Just_D_Facts says that the Measure D campaign is fight between two public employee unions that the Orange County Republican Party should not involve itself. I agree with his/her characterization, but beg to differ wtih his/her prescription.

Battle over Measure D reminds me of Benjamin Franklin's timelessly true speech at the Constitutional Convention about the "dangers of a salaried bureaucracy:"

Sir, there are two passions which have a powerful influence in the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power and the love of money. Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but, when united in view of the same object, they have, in many minds, the most violent effects.

Franklin might as well have been speaking of contemporary public employee unions when he spoke of of who would "move heaven and earth" to use government to acquire power and money:

It will be the bold and the violent, the men of strong passions and indefatigable activity in their selfish pursuits. These will thrust themselves into your government, and be your rulers.

With all of the above in mind, I think the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee should vote to oppose Measure D.

The Democratic Party long ago abased itself to the government employee unions. Republican Party in Orange County remains an institution dedicated to liberty and limited government. Lately, it has become active in fighting for those beliefs at the local level by supporting and opposing candidates for local, "non-partisan" office. it ought to extend that activism by opposing Measure D.

It is true that the Measure D campaign is a battle between among public employee unions -- the firemen on one hand, and an AOCDS-led coalition on the other. But Republicans who care about local liberty should care about who wins this fight.

The OCPFA's case can be boiled down to this: we want a portion of Prop. 172 funds because we want more money. Their main reason: the contention that Prop. 172 passed because of commercials featuring firemen fighting the big brush fires that year. Therefore, they want some of the loot.

I, for one, have no desire to give the OCPFA any more money. Why feed the beast? It is already the most politically imperious of our local government employees unions, and displays an arrogant penchant for treating the taxpayers' money as its own.

Orange County's public employee unions already possess too much power, and I see no reason to change the status quo and direct even more public money to the most politically aggressive one.

The Republican Party of Orange County can do more to defend and eventually expand the realm of liberty here in OC by opposing Measure D, than by remaining on the sidelines. I hope the members of the OC GOP central committee believe likewise.

In a few hours, we'll know one way or the other.

Tin Star Blog Weighs In On Tonights OC GOP Vote On Measure D

Sergeant over at Tin Star blog speaks his mind regarding the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee vote tonight on whether to take a position on Measure D, and if so what that position should be. In particular, he takes issue with GOP activist/Bill Hunt advocate Tim Whitacre, who he believes to be the mysterious Just_D_Facts.

Whither The OC Republican Party & Measure D?

This e-mail from just_d_facts@yahoo.com came over the transom. I disagree with the author's conclusion, but I thought it worth sharing in the interests of debate:

This Monday, the Orange County Republican Central Committee members will be asked to take positions on the ballot issues coming up on the special election. This ballot includes a number of measures, and is shaping up as a struggle between Governor Schwarzenegger and the public employee unions for control over the future of California.

For some of us, Proposition 76 is the most important measure - a relatively mild budget reform which will just smooth out the growth of the state budget, yet the Democrats act as if it would gut the state.

For others, Prop 77 is crucial, which would give us a fighting chance for winning legislative races by taking redistricting out of the hands of politicians.

If you care about fixing our schools, Proposition 74 is again a mild reform which just changes from two years to five year the period before a public school teacher can gain tenure.

And in the culture wars, Proposition 73 places the smallest of restrictions on abortion, not even requiring parental consent, but only parental notification, before a minor girl has an abortion.

These measures, while not sweeping reforms, each move California in the right direction, and deal with fundamental questions of ideology.  The Orange County Republican Party should place itself on the side of reform and endorse these measures.

Probably the most sweeping reform that could change California is Proposition 75, "Paycheck Protection", which simply requires union bosses to get their members' annual permission before spending their dues on political campaigns.  Polling shows that 40% or more of union members support Republican causes, yet 99% of union political funds in partisan races goes to Democrats.  Just the evidence of how the unions have raised money to fight Proposition 75 and the other reforms on the ballot, with mandatory dues assessments, shows by 75 is needed.