Having just returned from protesting the League of Cities meeting held at the Tustin City Hall I will share a few comments.
The elected members who make up our city councils are as broad brush as you will ever find. While Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle and I had a friendly exchange, other elected officials were not happy to find us holding our signs which read “Hands Off Our Property” to “stop eminent domain abuses” along with some custom signs as they headed across the parking lot to the bar and dinner which followed inside the Community Center. Dinner “and drinks” paid for by you and I the taxpayers of Orange County.
Although he made us remove the stakes which held our signs, Steve Lewis, North Area Commander of the Tustin Police Department, was friendly enough as were his sworn officers who kept an eye on our group.
My sense is that the League event turnout was light due to back to school nights for those incumbents up for re-election. Some of the attendees indicated their support of property rights such as Robert Bouer, M.D. Mayor of the City of Laguna Woods who told us that his council took action to prevent eminent domain “takings.” I may not be in total agreement with him in that eminent domain can be added at a future date in a condition of blight can be justified.
We did chat briefly with Pro 90 guest speaker Ray Haynes as he was crossing the parking lot and shared some of our data and activity update.
Enough said. We greeted them as they arrived. They knew we were there and will be together celebrating after the votes are counted.
PS: While our elected officials dine for free, members of the public could attend if someone would grant you a seat at their table, for $45. So we are to subsize the biased League of Cities twice. I think not.
Larry Gilbert
If Ray Haynes is the best you can do for a speaker, the campaign must be in trouble. He can’t even win outside the I-15 corridor.
This is a winning issue—-try getting winning speakers.
Bladerunner.
Ray Haynes can handle himself on property rights issues. And we did not pick him, the League of Cities did.
I expect more intellectual dialogue from someone with a “moniker” like yours.
Larry
I tagged along with Larry Gilbert to picket for Prop 90 at the league dinner. I am Mr. Inside to Larry’s Mr. Outside. I mused that fellow picketers could spot city officials pulling into the Tustin Community Center parking lot where other events were going on. City officials will be driving luxury imports.
Sure enough a parade of Mercedes, Beemers and Lexuses began streaming into the lot, easily distinguished from intervening Corollas or Chevys belonging to everyday folks.
Maybe only Beemer Brigaders can afford to run for city council, where it costs $25,000-$100,000 to win a contested election in most Orange County cities.
Allan Pilger
co-Orange County director for Californians United for Redevelopment Education.