Pacific Progressive

OC Needs More Good Paying Jobs, Not Fewer - OC Register Continues $100K Obsession

Like a 3rd grader, the OC Register has an obsession with 100,000. For some reason, the Register believes that getting to  $100,000 in salary and benefits  (including health care) in Orange County makes you wealthy and is outrageous compensation.  This morning there was another installment, this time talking about the city of Orange - 39% of Orange Workers Crack $100K Club.

What's missing from this continuing obsession is any discussion of the costs of living in Orange County.  Is $100K really a luxurious amount of money?  

Let's use reliable information to make an objective assessment of the $100K obsession.  Each year, the County of Orange teams with the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) and the Children and Families Commission to publish the Community Indicators Report which summarizes the economic condition of the county as it relates to families, the workplace, health care and public safety.   Download 2011 Community Indicators 

Once you read the report, you realize that $100K doesn't go very far in the OC.  If you want to rent a one-bedroom apartment, you need to make $25.52/hr ($53,082 a year.)  If you need more space for the family, you'll need to make $63,357 for a 2 bedroom or $89,648 for a 3 bedroom.  If you want to buy the median priced home, you need to make at least $84,700.  (See page 23 in report.)  $100K doesn't look so big next to those numbers.

The numbers thrown around by the Register include benefits like health care.  In Orange County, 1 in 6 residents is uninsured (pg 47.)  City jobs come with health care benefits for full time and some part time employees. Families need reliable paychecks and health care to thrive and grow.  Paying poverty wages without benefits doesn't help families.

The industry that employees the most people now is tourism, where the average annual salary is $20,252 (pg 21.)  On that salary, people need to get 2 roommates to afford a one bedroom apartment.   And we wonder why there is over crowding is some parts of the County.

 We need more $100K jobs, not fewer. The $20K jobs that are becoming very common now need to be entry level jobs which eventually lead to $100K jobs and not the high end of the wage scale.   We need to spend more time creating good paying jobs for families and stop wasting time picking apart the decent jobs left.  

We’re Not Broke: We Could Pay All Our Bills Without Borrowing a Cent

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

By Michael Linden, Michael Ettlinger 

Really, we’re not broke.

The notion that the United States is “broke” is a popular talking point for conservative lawmakers. They use the claim to justify cuts in government services for middle-class Americans and those with whom they have ideological quarrels. Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner (R-OH), for example, likes to say that the United States is “broke, going on bankrupt,” which is why he says we absolutely have to slash government services such as poison control centers, meat inspections, law enforcement funding, afterschool programs, and disease research.

But we’re not broke. Not at all. If we were, it would mean that we were out of money, unable to pay our bills, or meet our financial obligations. We are none of those things. A recent article by David J. Lynch of Bloomberg News points out that, actually, the United States continues to meet every one of its financial obligations with no trouble at all. The federal government is able to borrow funds at historically low interest rates. And those historically low rates apply to both short-term borrowing and long-term borrowing, indicating that lenders not only don’t believe the United States is broke right now, but also don’t see bankruptcy anywhere on the horizon.

And one reason why the federal government is still able to borrow at such fantastic rates is because, far from being out of money, the U.S. economy boasts the absolute most money in the world. True, we are currently dedicating a very low share of that money to pay our federal bills. Instead, we have chosen right now to use borrowed money to cover much of those costs.

Orange Paying for 2nd Water Rate Study Which includes Sale of Water Company

Why would a city that is running out of money to the point where they need to find ways to get rid of the city's fire department, end kid's swim lessons, and plow under the community garden want to spend money a on a second water rate study in a year?  On Tuesday, March 22, Orange City Council will consider paying up to $58,400 for a second water rate study.  

Why?  During the February 8, 2011, meeting to discuss water rate increases, when the Council couldn't come to an agreement to raise water rates to not take money from the general fund, they voted to do another water rate study.  Rolled into this study, at the request of Councilmember Fred Whitaker, is the possible sale of the water company to a private company.

And is the Council still going to spend money on consultants to figure out how to right size the City staff? The item's not on the agenda for the meeting, but that doesn't mean it's not going to happen.  The City Manager is allowed to sign contracts below a certain size without the item coming to Council for approval.  This is done so every expense report, order for office supplies, etc, doesn't end up on the agenda.  This is how the consulting agreement with Citygate Associates LLC to end the City-run fire department by creating a mini-Orange County Fire Authority appears to have been done.  

You can find out if contracts have been given out by looking at the warrant registers, which is the list of checks issued by the City. Each agenda packet has a list of the warrant registers.  Look thru the registers and ask about items that aren't clear to you or you can't find being discussed in council meetings.  Even though the contract has been signed, you can still talk about it and ask questions.  

Here are the Black & Veatch contract extension, March 22 agenda, and February 8 minutes to help you out.

Download Orange2ndWaterRateStudy

Download OrangeAgenda_Mar22

Download OrangeMinutes_Feb8

City of Orange Budget Study Session - 2 Notable Absences, Consultants and Are Swimming Lessons on the Chopping Block

Updated 3/13/11

Orange City Council met for a budget study session before the March 8, 2011 council meeting.  This meeting, which isn't televised or taped, gives a great deal of insight into what to expect in the upcoming budget process.  Look for:

• Consultants!
• Cuts that don't make sense
• Pressure to get rid of public employees

First thing to notice at the meeting is that both Denis Bilodeau and Jon Dumitru were absent for the study session.  Mayor Pro-Tem Tita Smith commented on their absence, and her comments made it sound like both Bilodeau and Dumitru did not discuss missing the meeting with the rest of Council and the absences were a surprise. (Update:  The City Manager was informed that the meeting interfered with both Bilodeau's and Dumitru's work schedules and a request was made to cancel or reschedule the meeting.  The policy on notifying Council members of anticipated absences isn't known to the public.)   Both Bilodeau and Dumitru work for Orange County, which can be assistive of employees serving on city councils and other public functions. Bilodeau is Supervisor Shawn Nelson's chief of staff. Dumitru works in the command center coordinating fire fighting and emergency activities. Dumitru is also a union member of Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) which represents many County employees.

Consultants!

Bottom line:  If there is money for consultants, then we need to find a way to not use that money for consultants and avoid more cuts.

There is a budget gap of about $10 million which can be bridged by strategic use of reserves, trimming hours and asking bargaining units to not take raises this cycle.  Council doesn't think that department heads can handle this and wants to bring in consultants to do a study and make recommendations. In 1999, a similar project took 9 months and cost $150,000, and the recommendations were rejected.  The rejected recommendations were to hire additional staff at a cost of about $500,000.

The High Costs of Immigration Enforcement: State and Local Laws Are Unconstitutional and Discriminatory

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

By Philippe Nassif 

Léalo en español

A handful of communities across the country have attempted to and in many cases successfully enacted a series of immigration controls that stoke fear in Latino and immigrant communities. But a report from the Center for American Progress found that these communities spend millions of dollars defending these unconstitutional statutes in court. This drains strained budgets, depresses local economies, and divides communities along racial and ethnic lines.

A combination of factors have left immigrants as vulnerable scapegoats and spurred several communities to take federal immigration law into their own hands, including the fallout from the economic crisis and ensuing unemployment rates as well as inaction at the federal level on immigration reform.

The report makes clear that these local enforcement measures come with substantial costs that quickly add up. Arizona will see a loss of $388 million in economic output due to lost conferences and business meetings over the next two to three years due to its immigration law, S.B. 1070. The state is expected to lose $133 million in lost wages over the next two to three years due to the law. Farmers Branch, Texas has incurred more than $4 million since 2006 in legal fees to defend its anti-immigration statute, and Hazelton, Pennsylvania has spent $2.8 million defending its immigration control ordinance.

Orange Watch: Fred Whitaker and Jon Dumitru Want to Sell Orange Water Utility

During the February 8, 2011 Orange City Council meeting, both Councilmembers Fred Whitaker and Jon Dumitru suggested that the City sell off the water company.  Previous comments by Whitaker indicate that he believes that there could be a significant chunk of change coming from the sale of the municipal water company.  Councilmember Jon Dumitru, who consistenly balks at raising water rates to cover operating expenses, also joined in the call to sell off the water company.  

Also of note is that Councilmember Whitaker, an attorney, wants to find ways to outsource the City Attorney function.  For the residents, the City Attorney is a key line of defense in keeping electeds in line for campaign finance laws, Brown Act, and conflicts of interest.  For an example of how conflict of interest laws can be weakened by having outside counsel, look at Costa Mesa (which uses contract counsel) and their dealings on the Orange County Fairgrounds.  

Councilmember Whitaker also wants to significantly streamline the permitting process for wireless antenna installations.  Councilmember Tita Smith expressed concern over the "streamlining" process taking out public input and oversite while allowing wireless companies a free hand to install the cheapest, ugliest equipment where they want to.

Residents of Orange need to start pushing back on this City Council or they will lose their City to corporate control.  Residents need to start taking a very hard look at the money behind Councilmembers Jon Dumitru and Fred Whitaker, their business ties, clients and interests.  Experience has shown that following the money to the source reveals the end game.  Orange residents need to start following the money trail now to put these Councilmembers in their place.

Unconstitutional and Costly: The High Price of Local Immigration Enforcement

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

By Gebe Martinez

Read the full report (pdf)

Download the executive summary (pdf)

Download to mobile devices and e-readers from Scribd

A handful of local communities across our nation enacted unconstitutional, discriminatory, and costly immigration controls in recent years in an effort to chase away undocumented immigrants and their families and friends, many of whom are American citizens. This growing backlash against Hispanic immigrants in particular was driven by fear, economic uncertainty, and cultural differences in these localities: small towns in New Jersey, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Texas, and one county in Virginia.

Against the backdrop of a slowly recovering economy, high unemployment, falling state and local tax revenues due to the Great Recession, and a host of problems ranging from crime to overcrowded schools, Hispanic immigrants proved to be handy scapegoats for the white majority of citizens in these communities. Never mind that these immigrants—legal and undocumented—are neither the root cause of any of these problems nor a major factor in any of them.

Fact Sheet: Setting the Record Straight on Border Crime - Border States Are Safe Today and Only Getting Safer

By Ann Garcia

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

Download this memo (pdf)

Download the report to mobile devices and e-readers from Scribd

Officeholders and candidates in Arizona who support the state’s draconian new immigration law have justified it with hyperbole, exaggeration, and falsehoods about Arizona’s crime rate. Gov. Jan Brewer has colored recent speeches with images of “murder, terror, and mayhem” and “drop houses, kidnappings, and violence,” which are all supposedly common in the lives of the terrified Arizona populace. According to State Sen. Russell Pearce, who sponsored the law—it mandates that police interrogate people they have “reasonable suspicion” are illegal immigrants and demand production of documentation—cities like Phoenix will become places with “less crime” and “safer neighborhoods.” Pearce claims Phoenix is “second in the world in kidnappings and third in the United States for violence.”

With all the hype around a purported crime epidemic caused by undocumented immigrants, it’s ironic that newly released statistics from Arizona’s Department of Public Safety and the FBI show that violent crime rates in the state and along the southwest border region have been declining. In fact, it’s fair to say the border region has become safer over the last few years, and that Arizona’s new law actually undermines community safety.

Let’s take a closer look.

The facts on crime in Arizona

•  Violent crimes in Arizona are down by 15 percent since 2006: The FBI’s preliminary Uniform Crime Report, or UCR, for 2009 shows that violent crime—murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault—is down in Arizona for the third year in a row. The absolute number of violent crimes in 2006 was 30,916 in Arizona. By 2009 it had dropped by 15 percent to 26,094.

Arizona Calls the Question: Obama Administration Must Form an Answer on State Immigration Regulations

By Marshall Fitz

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

Let’s begin with the obvious: Arizona’s recent pattern of legislating in the immigration arena has created an incendiary climate of anger and fear in the state. Perhaps less obvious to the casual observer is that Arizona’s extremism has pushed the constitutional envelope and brought to the fore a critical national question, one that has been festering while Congress dithers: Will the federal government continue to abdicate its constitutional responsibilities over immigration policy and let states fill the void?

The Center for American Progress believes that regulation of immigration and enforcement of civil immigration laws are inherently federal responsibilities under Article I of the Constitution. Fifty different jurisdictions making 50 different sets of rules regulating immigrants would fundamentally negate the federal government’s interest in a coherent and unified foreign policy, not to mention its interest in facilitating interstate commerce. Permitting counties and municipalities to do the same would exponentially increase the chaos.

There is also no legal precedent for state regulation of immigration. The federal government has completely occupied the field of immigration law with a complex and pervasive regulatory scheme. To wit, our immigration laws include more than 70 different temporary visa categories, a couple dozen different permanent resident categories, and a variety of interstitial quasi-statuses—all carrying a variety of rights and obligations. Indeed, it would be hard to identify another area of law in which the federal government has so pervasively regulated the field.

Call Vector Control and Tell Them No Private Pest Control Companies

 The Orange County Vector Control District (OCVCD) helps to control little critters who carry diseases.  (These animals are called "disease vectors" because they move the disease around, hence the name.)  If you have a problem with a dead bird and there is West Nile Virus in the area, you call Vector Control.  Same thing for a neighbor who won't take care of their pool which is now a mosquito farm - call Vector Control and they will work with the neighbor so you don't have to.

A plan is being considered to privatize rat control services. Currently, if you see rats around, Vector Control will come out and give you (for free!) traps and bait and show you how to properly use them. They will also help you find the openings the rodents are using to get into your house and show you how to close them off.

These services are paid by an assessment of about $6.98 per year per residence in the County.  Taxpayers are able to get a lot for their $6.98.

Now, some members of the Vector Control board want to let private extermination companies (Terminix, Orkin, Truly Nolen are some common names) provide the rat control services. The plan is to send the companies out on calls to homes to provide the rat control services to the home owners.  Then, the pest control company can then sell the homeowner services to control pests on the inside of the home.

Smell a rat?  Does turning Vector Control into a marketing company for private pest control companies sound like a bad deal to you?  Call and write your representative on the Vector Control District. Each of the 34 incorporated cities has a representative. If you live in the unincorporated areas, your rep is Supervisor John Moorlach.

The representatives for each area are listed.  If you have a relationship with them, please use that to tell them "No to Private Pest Control Companies."  You can also call, fax and write them at the Vector Control Board.  Sending faxes works very well because it creates a paper trail of who objects and carries more weight than an email.

Orange County Vector Control District (OCVCD), 13001 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843

Phone 714-971-2421 949-654-2421  Fax 714-971-3940

Aliso Viejo - Mayor Phillip B. Tsunoda 

Free Citizenship Fair - April 17

Are you a permanent legal resident who wants to become a citizen? Do you need help understanding the process and the paperwork?  OCCORD (Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development) is having a free citizenship fair on Saturday, April 17, 2010.  Volunteers will help complete the N-400 citizenship application.  Also, people will be on hand to answer questions about the process and how to prepare for the citizenship test.  Here is the information and form to fill out to attend Download Citizenship Fair 4.17.10.

The following documents are needed to complete the N-400 Citizenship Application Form to start the process. 

$675.00 money order made payable to: U.S. CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICE If you are 75 years of age or older, your fee total is $595.

IDENTIFICATION:  Driver’s License or California Identification Card -- Social Security Card -- Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)

TRIPS TAKEN OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS: (month, day, and year)  Dates of departure and return from all trips taken outside of the United States since becoming a legal permanent resident, including trips taken to Tijuana(specific dates for trips to Tijuana not needed, but are required to declare).

ADDRESSES OF RESIDENCE:  Addresses of all places of residence during the past 5 years. Please have dates of when you moved in and out of each.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:  Names of each company of employment in the past 5 years -- Address of each place of employment -- Start and end dates of employment with each company -- Position held at each company.

$20 Million in Quality Education Investment Act Funds Coming to OC Starting This Week

Assemblyman Jose Solorio's (D-Anaheim) call to California's Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell to release Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) funds immediately apparently has paid off. Sources confirm that the allocated funds to California's lowest performing schools will begin to roll out this week.

"In a recent letter to the superintendent, I made it clear that those funds should go out now. I'm happy the matter seems to be resolved. If my cajoling the superintendent to act had anything to do with it, then I did my job. The important thing is that the schools have their funding," said Assemblyman Solorio.

QEIA is a comprehensive effort to improve the conditions in the California schools that face the enormous challenges that result from high percentages of low-income, minority and English-learning students. This budget year, AB 56 X3 was signed into law stating, "The sum of $355,000,000 shall be allocated by the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the 2009-10 fiscal year to school sites selected to participate in the QEIA program."

3-2 Vote for Fiscally Responsible Fees in City of Orange

By a 3-2 vote on February 23, 2010, the Orange City Council voted to increase some fees to cover the time and charges of city staff.  Mayor Carolyn Cavecche was joined by Councilmembers Tita Smith and Mark Murphy in voting to keep the City's expenditures balanced with revenues while Councilmembers Jon Dumitru and Denis Bilodeau voted to let the City lose money.

The fees and master charges were last updated in 2008.  The proposed changes include 652 fees:

• 531 fees stay the same (81.4%)
• 94 fees are increased (14.4%)
• 3 fees stay the same
• 24 new fees are added 

City staff also added categories for resident commercial and non-resident commercial park rentals.  In recent years, there has been growth in for-profit sports teams which use public parks.  It is in the best interests of fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers of Orange to create separate fee schedules for non-profit uses like youth sports and for profit adult sports leagues.

Mayor Cavecche and Councilmember Tita Smith pointed out that the fee increases don't meet the costs of providing some of the services.  Some business services are still being subsidized by the taxpayers of the Orange.  Councilmember Mark Murphy summed the issue up best when he described these changes in fees not as increases but as passing along the costs of services. Many of the changes to parking fines are passing along increases which have been approved by the state.  

Mayor Carolyn Cavecche and Councilmembers Tita Smith and Mark Murphy stood up for fiscal responsibility by allowing the City to collect enough revenue to cover costs so taxpayers won't need to subsidize these services.

Download 2010FeeIncreases

Orange Considering How to Handle Sale of East Orange County Water District - Jan 12

What to do with the East Orange County Water District (EOCWD)?  The district has decided they want to go out of business and are selling the infrastructure and service rights.  On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the City of Orange will discuss possible actions.  

EOCWD is an old agricultural district that now includes parts of Tustin, North Tustin, East Tustin, Red Hill, Lemon Heights, Cowan Heights, Orange Park Acres, and Panorama Heights.  The service area is intertwined with the City of Orange, Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) and Tustin.  

The big prize in buying the district is the right to buy water from the Colorado River Aqueduct and the State Water Project.  

City staff have presented three recommended actions:

1. Pursue the consolidation of the EOCWD's Wholesale Zone as part of the team with the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) and the City of Tustin
2. Pursue consolidation of the EOCWD's Wholesale Zone as part of the team with the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC)
3. Direct staff to work with the successor agency to the EOCWD's Retail Zone to negotiate the transfer of approximately 86 water services now served by EOCWD and inside the City limits to the City's water service.

The staff report is here Download EOCWDPurchase

Stopping the Sale of the Fairgrounds - Who is Against the Sale

Who is has signed on against the sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds?

Assemblyman Jose Solorio

Assemblyman Jim Silva

Assemblyman Van Tran

Buena Park - 12/22 agenda

Costa Mesa - Mayor Allan Mansoor, Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece, Councilmember Katrina Foley, Councilmember Eric Bever, Councilman Gary Monahan

County of Orange - Supervisor Pat Bates, Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Supervisor John Moorlach, Supervisor Bill Campbell, Supervisor Chris Norby

Cypress - 12/15 agenda

Fountain Valley - Mayor Larry Crandall, Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Brothers, Councilmember Guy Carozzon, Councilmember John Colllins, Councilmember Steve Nagel

Fullerton - Mayor Don Bankhead, Mayor Pro Tem Pam Keller, Councilmember F. Richard Jones, Councilmember Shawn Nelson, Councilmember Sharon Quirk-Silva

Huntington Beach - 12/21 agenda

La Habra - 12/21 agenda

Laguna Hills - 1/8 agenda

Laguna Niguel - 12/15 agenda

Lake Forest - 12/15 agenda

Newport Beach - Mayor Keith Curry, Mayor Pro Tem Michael Henn, Councilmember Steven Rosansky, Councilmember Don Webb, Councilmember Leslie Daigle, Councilmember Edward Selich, Councilmember Nancy Gardner

Orange - Mayor Carolyn Cavecche, Mayor Pro Tem Tita Smith, Councilmember Mark Murphy, Councilmember Denis Bilodeau, Councilmember Joh Dumitru

San Clemente - 12/15 agenda

Santa Ana - Mayor Miguel Pulido, Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, Councilmember Michele Martinez, Councilmember Carlos Bustamante, Councilmember David Benavides, Councilmember Sal Tinajero, Councilmember Vincent Sarmiento