I heard today that Time Magazine has chosen the entire Internet community as their “Person of the Year.” I am flattered to be a part of that group, as a resident of the blogosphere, however -is it really that hard to pick one person?
I do however like the idea of talking about the most influential/important people of the year. In that vein, he are my picks for “O.C. Man” and “O.C. Woman of the Year:”
New Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez stands out in a very crowded field. She has come a long way from a very hard childhood and in the process she has become an inspiration to many. Now that she is on the Santa Ana City Council she has stuck to her guns and even brought up mayoral term limits in one of her first meetings. Way to go Michele! She also defeated a very well-funded candidate, in Pulido puppet Tino Rivera, and two other ladies with significant grassroots support – Evangeline Gawronski and Tish Leon. Martinez has also been a gracious winner – she is working with both Republicans and Democrats. Her election, along with that of Sal Tinajero, has brought new hope to Santa Ana for reform and the hoped for end of the Pulido reign.
Other OC women who rose to the occasion this year include termed-out Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher, who almost pulled off a major upset in the 34th Senate District; new OC Supervisor Pat Bates, who had to fight hard to defeat a very wealthy opponent in Cassie DeYoung; Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who rolled to victory again and suddenly found herself in the majority party in DC; new Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche; and Anaheim Councilwoman Lucille Kring, who prevailed against well-funded opponents and is now going to be a thorn in Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle’s side – go Lucille! I’m sure I am forgetting several others – if so I hope our readers will mention anyone I overlooked. I should probably have added political consultant Kim Ward and new O.C. Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson to the list…
O.C. Man of the Year
No contest – this award goes to new OC Supervisor John Moorlach. In one fell swoop he has changed the dynamic of the O.C. Board of Supervisors. And he won by over 70% against a candidate who wasted thousands of dollars of public employees’ union money! I am hopeful that Pat Bates will team with him and fellow Supervisor Chris Norby to overturn the squishiness of their peers on the Board of Supervisor – particularly with regard to labor issues.
Other O.C. men who grabbed the headlines in 2006, include: new State Senator Lou Correa, who sweated out a very hard fought victory against a well-funded opponent in Lynn Daucher; new Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero – the subject of perhaps the most vile political attack mailers I have ever seen – he won despite being outspent by Pulido puppet Jennifer Villasenor; new Brea Councilman Ron Garcia – even though his own party turned against him, unfairly in my opinion, he ran a great campaign and came in just behind the mayor in a very crowded field; Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor, who fought off a very well-organized opposition effort by Democrats and moderate Republicans; new Assemblyman Tom Harman – he was outspent but he won by reaching out to minority voters who were ignored by his opponent; Cypress councilman Mike McGill – he lost to Jim Silva in their contest for the 67th Assembly District, but he proved he was ready for prime time by coming close despite being vastly outspent. I’m sure I left off a few names here that deserve to be included. Again, I will rely on my readers to set the record straight.
Congratulations to all the men and women who worked hard in Orange County this year in the political trenches! Navigating the political waters behind the Orange curtain is never easy – and yet many of the these politicos made it look easy in 2006. Keep up the good work Councilwoman Martinez and O.C. Supervisor Moorlach! And may all of you have a very Merry Christmas/Channuka/Kwaanza/Festivus/etc…
new Brea Councilman Ron Garcia – even though his own party turned against him, unfairly in my opinion, he ran a great campaign and came in just behind the mayor in a very crowded field;
So it’s OK if I vote to trample someone’s property rights as long as I have a Hispanic surname. You are an embarassment to conservatives, Art.
Looks like someone thinks they are a king and queen maker in annointing people of the year. Don’t buy the authority to do so— Delusions of grandeur?
poster 2,
No – I’m just having a little fun with the concept – and trying to start a conversation. There is nothing wrong with that.
I have invited comments from our readers. If you think I overlooked someone, please share with the rest of us just whom that might be.
How about a most improved Woman of the Year to Deputy D.A. and S.A. Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez? Claudia is another woman like Michele Martinez who is willing to stand up to bad elected officials and she also knows how to run a meeting! Hopefully she will get her turn to be Mayor Pro Tem before she leaves the council.
Art.
This is a good concept.
Perhaps you might invite Juice readers to name their top five in each category and see what reaction you get.
Obviously there will be people casting multiple votes for their favorites. As such we can invite Registrar Neal Kelley to oversee the voting.
You could also expand the challenge to name “who is the baddest in the land.” I know several names that would immediately make this list.
Best regards.
Larry G
Garcia is a rising star in north Orange County. As a Planning Commissioner in Brea he was involved in limiting a residential project because of the impact it would have had on the traffic in the already congested hills in the northern part of the city. For that he has been mercilessly attacked by anonymous partisans.
“Rising star”? Hah! Because Art Pedroza says so. What a joke.
Lipstick on a pig, Art. You’re good on PLAs, but when it comes to property rights, you’re a big squish. I’ll take you seriously when the Dauchers give you your brain back.
You know what is embarrassing to conservatives? The fact that some of them are supporting Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante for the First Supervisorial District. He has voted for 2 eminent domain deals. One of them involved the seizure of a private property that was then given to a millionaire car dealer. The other involved the seizure of an O.C. Health Department building – and that property was also handed over to a millionaire car dealer.
At least be consistent, Art. You have no probelm with your darling Ron Garcia depriving landowners of the value of their property through a regulatory taking, but excoriate Bustamante for an eminent domain deal. Either way, it’s a taking.
Would you change your mind if the Dauchers endorsed Carlos?
Art stated: “I have invited comments from our readers.”
Why?
So you can censure them?… Huh?
-Stan
Ummmmm Ummmmm Michele Martinez… Woman of the Year. Give me a break Art. Do you think that she deserves to represent Santa Ana outside of the Santa Ana City Council? or Did you not watch the last city council meeting. I was not able to get what she was trying to get across. My vote for woman of the year is Loretta Sanchez. Maybe Ms. Martinez should take a couple pointers from Loretta. or possibly take an actual speech class.
“So it’s OK if I vote to trample someone’s property rights as long as I have a Hispanic surname”
Do you mean like how Republican Councilman Carlos Bustamante did at last nights council meeting by voting to use tax dollars to toss out seven families,upgrade the home, and sell it to a more affluent single family?
Funny how Carlos is willing to spend 1.5 million of taxpayer dollars yet HE’S a conservative?
John Moorlach is the mean man of the year. Taking the food out of the mouths of police officers children.
Regarding my no. 2 and your no. 4 – looks like you got your wish (a conversation – in some cases a raging one). Just question this whole concept of stardom but it is now off to the races ——
I agree Michele Martinez for Woman of the Year! She’s been on the City Council for a very short time but has already shown that she cares about the community. While others (e.g. – Pulido) do not even seem interested in the community, only in making decisions for the community.
Wow Art. You touched a nerve again. Only this time it’s your praise that got people upset.
Anyone who watches Michele Martinez in one council meeting tape and concludes they know her capacities will be in for a surprise later. Remember that she won her race pretty handily and with less cash, little informal support, and a unified phalanx of official opposition. How? Not with a demagogue’s flair for the dramatic but by persuading people that she had their interests in mind. She walked and walked and walked the precincts of this city, talking with people. The results seem to confirm that she can speak and listen as or more effectively than many of us. I think she’s in the populist progressive tradition. But I don’t know her politics all that well yet.
BTW, I don’t think “inconsistency” in governmental politics is surprising or interesting. Only ideologues are 100% consistent, and they can’t usually get elected. And if they do win political power, watchout. You’ll get illegal war, civil liberties abrogations, and ugly social intolerance.
JS
Garcia?????
This guys a maniac, another example of somebody who will say/do anything to be elected.
How can you be “of the people for the people” with folks like Lou Sheldon behind you.
This guy is a sell out pure and simple. like other right wing fundementalists, look for him to try an dinfiltrate central county next.
NO THANKS
My votes for OC Woman/Man of the year go to Debbie McEwen and Tim Rush.
They both have worked hard to harass “Mexican’s” in their neighborhoods and strived to turn back the clock to when Santa Ana was a “white man’s enclave”.
For those reasons alone they deserve this honor.
Woman of the Year?
Pam Keller – ousted an incumbent in spite of 3 hit pieces.
Man of the Year?
Steve Simonian – top vote getter in spite of no party endorsement/support, surviving attack mailers and (I hope) pissing Norby off.
Speaking of a Garcia being nominated for O.C. Man of the Year, where is Mike Garcia’s name on this list? Actually, he could easily qualify as O.C.’s Man of the past 4 years for his service on Santa Ana’s City Council. Santa Ana will miss you on the City Council.