Pacific Progressive

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 

$1.2 Billion in Stimulus Spending in Orange County

This information is published by ProPublica.

OC has received over $1.2 billion in stimulus spending.  Even though  many local electeds needed to grandstand that they wouldn't take stimulus money, they did. The money kept OCTA busses running, students going to college, built roads, and created jobs.

Here is the Top 10 OC Stimulus Projects

1. $76.8 million to OCTA including $7.6 million for operations 
2. $60.7 million to Hensel Phelps Construction for building Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at Coronado Naval Base
3. $50 M to Sapphire Energy for renewable energy research and development of Sapphire Integrated Algal Biorefinery (IABR)
4. $47.8 million to CalTrans for highway planning and constructino
5. $32.9 million in Cash for Clunkers - $2 billion of stimulus money was used to extend the program.  Tom's Truck Center - South County received $1.3 million, Oremor of Tustin - $1.2 million, DWW III Co - $1.1 million.  An complete list of dealers is here.  The names listed are the corporate names, not the dealer names on the signs, so a little digging will turn up which car dealers benefited.
6. $19.3 million to Santa Ana Unified School District
7. $17.6 million to Capistrano Unified School District
8. $17.5 million to Garden Grove Unified School District
9. $15.2 million to Anaheim Union High School District
10. $13.2 million to the County of Orange

The full list of Orange County recipients is here.  

Is City of Tustin Trying to Block School Construction?

Why is the city of Tustin trying to block Tustin Unified School District (TUSD) from building a new school, Heritage School, on the grounds of the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Station (Tustin MCAS) and completing work on the new science center at Tustin High School? TUSD has the money thanks to Measures G and L.  TUSD also has the land to put the school on. 

The city of Tustin is now trying to run down the clock to make sure TUSD cannot meet a March 1, 2010 deadline to show to the Department of Education that they can build the Heritage School. If the deadline is not met, TUSD could lose the land for the school and then have to go to the City to get another piece of property for a school.  To protect their interests and the students who need schools, TUSD has filed for an injunction against the city of Tustin to allow construction to start on the projects.  A copy of the lawsuit and a letter sent to the City are here. Download 100218-lawsuit  Download 100219-letter-to-city-attorney

Tustin claims that these projects are under their planning jurisdiction and that they have the legal right to demand that TUSD follow the regulations normally required of commercial construction in Tustin. Construction of public schools is not handled thru the local city or county permitting desk but thru the Division of the State Architect (DSA).  Under California law, there are exemptions from local permitting regulations for projects like public schools, community colleges, state owned or state leased essential service buildings, University of California construction, California State University construction, all state owned property (such as transportation projects), all state leased property, and publicly funded charter schools.  The law says that there are some local regulations that must be followed to ensure the projects properly interface with area (such as roads and utilities), but local authorities do not have final permitting authority.

What is alleged in the lawsuit includes:

• Tustin requiring information boxes on plans be moved to a new location
• Tustin is requiring payment of fees for permit
• Tustin is requiring a completed landscaping plan prior to allowing any construction
• Tustin is not allowing the fire sprinklers in the new clock tower at Tustin High School to be connected to the water system

Possible reasons for these requirements from Tustin include wanting TUSD to move Heritage School to a different location to Tustin wanting money from TUSD.  In August 2009, Tustin cut funding for school crossing guards to help balance the City's budget.  A date for a hearing on the injunction has not been set.

Fate of 6000 Orange County Transit and Construction Jobs in Gov's Hands

The California Legislature passed Solorio-sponsored legislation (AB 11 X8) that allows the California Transportation Commission to sign $410 million in agreements with local transportation agencies allowing them to seek state reimbursement later for projects they jumpstart today. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) asked Assemblyman Solorio to work on the bill in the Assembly while senators Bob Huff and Lou Correa advocated for AB 11 X8 in the Senate.

The bill passed with broad, bipartisan support.  The bill now moves to the Governor's office for his signature.  Fax a letter or call  the Governor to ask him to sign the bill and bring much needed jobs to Orange County. Gov. Schwarzenegger can be reached at 916-445-2841 (phone) and 916-558-3160 (fax).  Public pressure can get the Governor to sign this much needed bill.

Money is included for Positive Train Control, GPS based satellite control system for trains which can stop a train if a red signal is ignored and bypassed.  Positive Train Control is now required by federal law because of the Chatsworth crash in 2008 where a rush hour Metrolink commuter train collided head on with a Union Pacific freight train. 25 people were killed in the crash.

The breakdown of the over 6000 jobs that could be created if Governor Schwarzenegger signs the bill are: 

• 522 jobs for the Fullerton Transportation Center Parking Structure
• 297 jobs for the Tustin Rail Station Parking Expansion
• 828 jobs for the Sand Canyon Avenue Grade Separation 
• 2754 jobs for the Metrolink Service Track Expansion and Grade Crossing Improvements
• 424 jobs for the Orange County Metrolink Fiber Optics Installation
• 1328 jobs for Positive Train Control

Health Care Rally Outside Rep. Campbell's Office Shows Support for Much Needed Reforms

Post has been updated on January 28 and Jan 31, 2010 with new information from Lou Penrose.  

 Health care reform rallies sponsored by MoveOn were held at the offices of Rep. Loretta Sanchez in Garden Grove and Rep. John Campbell in Newport Beach. Sanchez has been a supporter of reform to bring affordable health care to the middle class.  Campbell has not supported the reforms proposed by President Obama.  Campbell has supported a "birther bill"  HR 1503 which would require Presidential candidates to prove they were born in the United States.  Campbell was also a cosponsor of a House resolution congratulating "investigation" of ACORN conducted by James O'Keefe III and Hannah Giles.  

 

Dan Jacobson and Hon. Larry Agran Welcome Melissa Fox - Jan 27

On Wednesday, January 27, 2010, join Dan Jacobson of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County (DFOC) and the Hon. Larry Agran at an event for Melissa Fox, candidate in the 70th AD.  The event will be held from 6-8 PM at the Offices of Jacobson and Associates, 315 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780.   RSVP on Act Blue.

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

Tustin Votes to Apply for Grant to Fix Rawlings Reservoir - Gavello Votes Against Grant

On Tuesday, January 5, 2010, the Tustin City Council voted 4-1 to apply for a grant to rebuild the collapsed Rawlings Reservoir.  Tustin is applying for $10 million, the maximum allowed under the program, to go towards the estimated $16 million needed to rebuild Rawlings Reservoir.  Tustin's water system needs about $45 million in repairs just to keep the system running at a sufficient capacity to pump and store groundwater to avoid buying more expensive imported water.  

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Deborah Gavello, the lone Democrat on the Council.  The vote is consistent with her pattern of voting against previous rate increases which would have provided funds to fix the aging water system.  During meetings in September and October 2009, Gavello refused to provide the third vote needed to allow any rate increase, along with repairs and financial stabilization of the system, to occur. The two consistent votes to fix the water system came from then-Mayor Doug Davert and Councilmember John Nielsen, both Republicans.  

There is also the unanswered question about what is there not to like about having a ready supply of cheap water on hand. Also, during an economic downturn like the one we are in now, public works projects provide a significant boost to the local economy as tax dollars turn into construction paychecks which turn into groceries, clothes, cars, gas,  and restaurant meals.  And remember that public works jobs train apprentices, which gives upward economic mobility to many people (some of whom are single mothers like Deborah Gavello.) The money spent is multiplied in the community while the community also gets improved water service.  Maybe the next time the vote comes up, there will be a more thought put into the matter and the water system will get fixed.

Let's Can Campbell! - Jan 23-24

It's time to can John Campbell - he does nothing for his district.  He won't meet with constituents. When his constituents do get thru to his office staff, they are berated by office staff for bothering to call the Congressman.  So far, the only two groups Campbell has worked to benefit are car dealers (he rents land to dealerships) and the birthers (Orly Taitz's son was an intern in his office and she is a donor.)

Beth Krom wants to take that seat from him so she can go to Washington and work for the CA 48 district.  

Let's Can Campbell! takes place Saturday and Sunday, January 23-24, 2010 in cities in the district.  Beth will be meeting with constituents to hear their concerns and canned food will be collected to help out fellow  Orange County residents.  The schedule is here.

Saturday January 23, 2010

Dana Point 11AM - Noon at Heritage Park, 34400 Golden Lantern

San Juan Capistrano Noon - 1 PM at Descanso Park, 32506 Paseo Adelanto

Laguna Niguel 1 - 2 PM at Hidden Hills Park, 27802 Springwood

Aliso Viejo 2 - 3 PM at Home of Heather Pritchard, 10 Santa Clara St

Laguna Hills 3 - 4 PM at Home of Taylor and Stephen Davis, 26602 Dapple Grey Dr.

Laguna Woods 4 - 5 PM at Clubhouse 6, 5365 Algarrobo

Sunday January 24, 2010

Laguna Beach 11 AM - Noon at Home of Audrey Prosser and Debra Quam, 230 Beverly St

Newport Beach Noon - 1 PM at Home of Susan Kopicki, 511 El Modena 

Lake Forest 1 - 2 PM at Serran Creek Community Park, 25101 Serrano Rd

Tustin 2 - 3 PM at Camino Real Park, 13602 Parkcenter Lane

Irvine 3 - 4 PM at OC Plaza, 2575 McCabe Way

Santa Ana 4 - 5 PM at Orange County Catholic Worker - Isaiah House, 316 South Cyress Ave

Find out more about the event in your city at [email protected]    949-870-9154

Facebook http://snurl.com/bethkrom or Friend in Beth Krom

Twitter @krom4congress

Do You Want to Buy a Water District?

The East Orange County Water District (EOCWD) has put itself up for sale.  The district is selling the retail and wholesale parts separately. EOCWD covers about 10,000 acres and was formed in December 1961.

Why would I want to buy a water district?  

If you buy this district, you can receive water from the Colorado River Aqueduct and the State Water Project.  EOCWD is a contracting agency of the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), and is a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which imports water.

EOCWD History

 In July 1985, EOCWD assumed the operations of the County of Orange Waterworks District No. 8 (OCWD #8.)  In 1951, OCWD #8 had acquired the assets of the El Modena Mutual Irrigation Company after the bankruptcy of El Modena Mutual.  The combined OCWD #8 and former El Modena Mutual service area became the "Retail Zone."  The original EOCWD zone is the "Wholesale Zone."

Retail Zone is Mostly Customers

You get customers in Panorama Heights (bounded by Hewes Ave on the west, Foothill Blvd on the south, Newport Blvd on the east, and Crawford Canyon and Chapman Ave on the north.)  You also get 1.5 million gallons of capacity rights in the Wholesale Zone.  Bids to buy the Retail Zone were due by October 1, 2009.

Water Rights Go With Wholesale Zone

Buy the wholesale zone, get water rights.  You will get 16 cubic feet second (cfs) treated water capacity from MWD using the East Orange County Feeder #2, 9.47 cfs treated water capacity to the MWD Allen McColluch Pipeline (AMP), 10.0 cfs in untreated water capacity in the V.P. Baker Pipeline (formerly the Santiago Aqueduct or SAC line), 4.27 M gallons in a 6.0 M gallon below ground reservoir, 1.0 M gallon in a tank reservoir, and 10.0 M gallons in the Andres Reservoir.  Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) also owns part of the water coming from the SAC and below ground reservoir.  With this purchase, they will throw in the pumps and transmission lines.  

The service area includes parts of Tustin, Orange, North Tustin, East Tustin, Red Hill, Lemon Heights, Cowan Heights, Orange Park Acres, and Panorama Heights .  The area is east of the 55 Freeway, north of the 5 Freeway, west of Jamboree Road, and south of Santiago Canyon Road.

Bids on the wholesale zone are due by March 1, 2010.  EOCWD is located at 185 N. McPherson Rd, Orange, CA 92869.  

Regulators Seize Another Recipient of TARP "Healthy Bank" Bailout

by Paul Kiel, ProPublica

This article was published by ProPublica

Regulators seized three banks yesterday, bringing the toll of failed banks for the year to 123. As always, we’ve updated our list of failed banks.

One of the banks closed yesterday was a TARP recipient: Pacific Coast National Bank of San Clemente, Calif., received $4.1 million in taxpayer funds in January. That investment, made through the Treasury Department’s program to invest in “healthy banks,” will be wiped out.

It’s the third TARP recipient to topple this month. Last week also was tough for two companies the government recently deemed “healthy” and thus worthy of TARP money. CIT declared bankruptcy, wiping out  the government’s $2.33 billion investment, and regulators closed United Commercial Bank, wiping out another $299 million.

Last month, we reported that all three institutions were foundering, raising questions about how they’d been approved for government money meant for only “healthy banks.”

Only a few months after Pacific Coast received the TARP investment in January, the bank announced that its loan portfolio, especially construction and commercial real estate loans, had deteriorated significantly. The bank warned that its portfolio would sink even more if Southern California’s real estate market continued to plummet. Soon, regulators criticized the bank for “unsafe and unsound practices” and ordered it to raise capital. But it was too late. Regulators seized the bank, according to last night’s announcement, because there was “no reasonable prospect that the bank will become adequately capitalized without additional Federal assistance.”

The FDIC struck a deal with Sunwest Bank of Tustin, Calif., to assume Pacific Coast’s deposits and assets. Pacific Coast had only two branches. The failure will cost the FDIC $27.4 million.

The other two banks seized Friday were in Florida. The failure of Orion Bank of Naples, a community bank with 23 branches, will cost the FDIC $615 million. Century Bank of Sarasota will cost the FDIC $344 million. IberiaBank of Louisiana assumed all the deposits and part of the assets of each.

Tustin Won't Fix Water System and Risks Defaulting on Bonds

In a move that benefited no one in Tustin, the Tustin City Council voted 3-2 on all 6 proposals presented by staff to fix the water enterprise system.  Currently, Tustin's water system needs $45 million in improvements, including rebuilding a collapsed reservoir, fixing wells dating back to 1926 and rebuilding cash reserves.  As of tonight, Tustin's water company continues to operate at a loss and is subsidized by the General Fund.  On all motions on the 6 rate proposals, Mayor Doug Davert and Councilmember John Nielsen voted in favor; Councilmembers Jim Palmer, Jerry Amante and Deborah Gavello voted against all proposed fixes to the water system.

Tustin is now is a very difficult and potentially dangerous situation.  The bonds used to finance previous improvements to the water system have covenants regarding the solvency of the water enterprise. Tustin could default on bonds, which can trigger a whole set of financial problems for the City.    Tustin is also left with a potential safety problem if there is a large fire or other disaster requiring large amounts of water in a short period of time.  Tustin is missing a reservoir (the collapsed Rawlings Reservoir) and could lack surge capacity.  Even though there are interconnects to other water systems that could be turned on in an emergency, those valves cannot be opened without permission, and there is no guarantee that permission would always be given.

The possibility of the IRWD taking over the Tustin water enterprise was brought up by Councilmembers Palmer and Gavello.  There are several issues that make the takeover by IRWD difficult.  One is that IRWD receives property taxes from the users of their system.  The other issue if IRWD would actually want to take over the aging Tustin water system.  The reality is if IRWD were to take over the Tustin water company, Tustin users would still see a rate hike to pay for making the $45 million in improvements needed.  Doesn't matter who operates the water system, the water system still needs to be fixed and paid for.  

Orange County Sanitation District to Address Cost Recovery and Potential Chemical Shortages

The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) treats the wastewater from the cities of La Habra, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, La Palma, Buena Park, Los Alamitos, Stanton, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Westminster, Garden Grove, Cypress, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange, Villa Park, Tustin Placentia, Yorba Linda and Irvine.  OCSD is the agency responsible for maintaing the outfall pipes offshore. and is the third largest wastewater agency west of the Mississippi River.

OCSD is working on an update to the strategic plan to address the potential shortage of chemicals and getting better cost recovery from other agencies.  Both of these issues are key to the successful future operation of the District.

A reliable supply of quality chemicals is a requirement of operating a wastewater treatment facility.  Chemicals are used to mitigate odors, enhance settling of solids, reduce bacteria formation, and disinfect then dechlorinate the effluent prior to discharge.  

OCTA Looking to Eliminate Routes - Give OCTA Feedback on These Proposals

OCTA is looking to restructure bus service to fit the available budget. Staff has prepared several proposals for bus service reductions and have taken the presentations to public meetings to get input.  OCTA has also bought ads and put comment cards on buses to get feedback on proposals.  

If you use one of these buses, please tell OCTA what will happen if the bus is no longer available to you. These routes are targeted for possible elimination.  When you buy a bus pass, drop off a comment card or a letter.  Attend the public meeting on October 26 at 9 AM at OCTA headquarters in Orange. Fill out a comment card and drop it in the mail. But, please, for your sake, let OCTA know if these bus service cuts will impact you.  If your school is impacted, have your teachers, professors, principals and deans call.  If your business is impacted, have the managers and human resources department call OCTA to let them know this is a problem.

The routes listed for elimination are given below, along with the major landmarks along the route.  If implemented, the routes will be eliminated starting in March 2010.

Route 20 - La Habra to Yorba Linda via Imperial Highway - Yorba Linda Middle School, Yorba Linda Community Center, Downtown Yorba Linda, Brea Gateway Center, Brea Promenade, Brea Mall, Imperial Middle School, La Habra Marketplace

Route 21 - Fullerton to Huntington Beach via Valley View St/Bolsa Chica Rd - Buena Park High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Centerpointe, Cypress High School, Cypress College, Hilton D. Bell Intermediate School, Marina High School, Boeing, Huntington Beach Industrial Area, Sunset Beach

Fire Departments Have Open Houses This Weekend

National Fire Prevention Week is during October 5 thru October 10.  Visit a firehouse near you during this weekend during an Open House. These events are always a favorite with the kids because they get to meet firefighters, see the firetrucks close up, and learn what an important job firefighting is.  The firefighters also teach families and business owners how to protect themselves and their loved ones in the case of emergency.

All events are on Saturday, October 10, 2009 unless noted.

Aliso Viejo OCFA Station #57, 57 Journey from 9 AM to 2 PM.

Anaheim from 10 AM to 2 PM at:

Euclid Fire Station #6 - 1330 S Euclid

Stadium Fire Station #7 - 2222 E Ball Rd

Weir Canyon Fire Station - 8270 E Monte Vista

Twila Reid Fire Station - 3078 W Orange

Brea from 10 AM - 2 PM at Fire Station #2, park in downtown parking structure and walk across Brea Blvd using the signal at Ash St

Buena Park OCFA Station #61, 8081 Western Ave from 9 AM - 2 PM

Costa Mesa  from 10 AM to 2 PM at:

Station #1 - 2803 Royal Palm Drive

Station #2 - 800 Baker St

Station #3 - 1865 Park St

Station #4 - 2300 Placentia Ave

Station #5 - 2450 Vanguard Way

Station #6 - 3350 Sakioka Dr

Cypress OCFA Station #17 - 4991 Cerritos Ave from 9 AM - 2 PM

Dana Point OCFA Fire Station #30 - 23831 Stonehill Dr from 9 AM - 2 PM