Comments on: What can we learn from Bell?

By: Larry Gilbert

Larry Gilbert — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:06:48 +0000

CQT 96. $300,000 for that job is too high.

Some of my files contain data that may be as old as some of our readers.
In Dec. 1994 the local OC Register published my council comments addressing this very question. This was at the time of the pending O.C. bankruptcy where the county might be losing $1.5 billion.
Quoting from that letter (which I found today):

“Let me share some facts with my fellow MV residents and taxpayers. I just contacted the governor’s office in Sacramento for some data.
Governor Wilson ‘s base salary is $120,000. He took a 5 percent pay cut this year and therefore, was paid only $114,000. He is responsible for 165,000 to 170,000 full time personnel. The governor’s fund budget for 1993-94 was $39.8 billion. By comparison, City Manager Fred Sorsabal’s base salary is $115,886. Fred is responsible for 77 full time employees and his city of Mission Viejo budget is approximately $33 million.

With the governor making less than our city manager, and with his overwhelmingly larger scope of responsibility, can anyone in his right mind justify this ridiculous proposal..

Get involved. Attend City Council meetings and go on record that you demand that our elected officials practice fiscal responsibility and a conservative philosophy consistent with their campaign rhetoric.”

Immediately below my letter to the editor is an Editors note: “Fred Sorsabal’s proposed raise(d) has been shelved indefinitely.”
This proves that old expression that “one person can make a difference.”

By: CQT96

CQT96 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:49:06 +0000

Since this story broke, I’ve been asking myself this one question…
apparently an $800,000 yearly salary is way too high, why isn’t a $300,000 salary for the same job NOT considered high?

With all the double dipping going on in the municipal level plus all the expense accounts enjoyed by public officials on top of the 90%+ pension programs, I find it all very disturbing and economically devastating for the whole nation for the next 20 to 30 years to come…

By: been around a while

been around a while — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:11:33 +0000

Yes, Larry. It seems to be a universal condition, unfortunately.

By: Larry Gilbert

Larry Gilbert — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:09:19 +0000

BAW. FYI. Janet Nguyen won her 1st District BOS seat by nine votes.
As an observer in that recount I did see some of the rejected paper ballots.
At the following BOS meeting I chastized the 150,000 voters who were too busy to participate in that election. My point is that Bell is not the only city in CA where voter apathy exists.

By: been around a while

been around a while — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:01:12 +0000

Well put by Smoller. I would quarrel with his blaming the media for lack of local coverage, etc as a causative factor. Generally, the media is not to be trusted either. Bottom line is the citizenry needs to make their local government as big a priority in their lives as watching Dancing with the Starts, The Bachelor, etc. As Pogo so eloquently stated long ago, we have met the enemy and it is us. Starting with failure to vote in elections, treating electeds like rock stars, etc. The electeds often succumb to that adoration and the tendency to want to be liked by everyone. In some cases, electeds cross the line in part due to that adoration and commit crimes, thinking they are special because everyone treats them that way. Treat them like what they are, our elected representatives, and supervise their actions like you would any other employee! Yes, eternal vigilance.