There is a reason I never support bond measures. Today we found out, thanks to the O.C. Register, that “Bond money that was supposed to fund science classrooms and other improvements at Santa Ana College was instead poured into a new, state-of-the-art training facility for the Orange County Sheriff
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I will start off by saying that I was not involved in this bond measure or any other at RSCCD. However, I have worked for firms that specialize in passing bond issues. My guess is that polling was done that showed the public was more likely to vote for a bond that built new math and science buildings and less likely to vote for one that would focus on law enforcement training. So the bond was “sold” to voters with that focus.
And those “oversight committees” tend to be pretty bogus rubberstamps – merely for PR purposes.
Et Tu, Eddie Hernandez?
Sad, sad, sad indeed 🙁
Where have all the good leaders gone?
Why Eddie, Why!?!
I can only reason that the head honchos want an uneducated North County population so that those south county residents can have their cake and eat it too.
The cops always complain they don’t have enough resources to fight crime. Isn’t it a lot better to “prevent crime” with a better educated pulblic than to “fight crime” with a better paid police force? I surmise only the cops and the wealthy will answer “no”
Yes, let’s call it what it is: Class Warfare!
Thank you Eddie Hernandez for perpetuating this elitists-induced war. Are you neighbors with D. Ream or something? This is right up his alley.
Vote “No” on any new bonds. Make these selfish people work their budgets within their means. No more “exclusive playgrounds” from our taxes.
Arturo,
Firstly, all involved here are Mexicans so as to corruption?… whats new?
Secondly you too have your’s pet projects, disregarding your original remiss…. so whats new?
cqt96 –
A more informed and educated public will always be a threat to elected officials. Educate some, just enough, to perpetuate the myth about equal opportunity, access and availability.
Otherwise, you’re spot on with your comments. I agree, vote NO to any RSCCD ballot bond.
Hey stupid Anonymous 1:36 AM,
Since when is Lan Quoc Nguyen a Spanish name you jerk. Figures you are probably a Mexican hating Trannie. In fact it was Lan Nguyen who went on the airwaves during the State Senate election to tell everyone that this was a “Mexican vs. Vietnamese” battle and if Correa wins, the 34th will be ruled by Mexico.
Lan and Van are determined to keep Mexicans as second class citizens and turn their people against us. They also want to keep us down by cheating the Latino population out of a Math and Science center.
Art, you are a piece of work, as usual.
Instead of going after the TRUE scoundrels in this mess (Loretta Sanchez and Lou Correa), you go after Van Tran, again.
Why don’t you put a call in to Van’s office and check his position on this issue and then call Loretta and Lou’s office and do the same thing?
Oh right, that would be called ACTUAL reporting.
Pathetic, as usual.
Other citizens are dying to bring this kind of government to Iraq. Maybe we need a military take over of OC.
Art……..
I can not believe that you drank the Register kool aid and bought into the mierda that was in the article. I expect jumanji journalism from the Register. They opposed our struggle to obtain the 15 acres on the Tustin Air base. They opposed Measure E. They opposed Measure O. I expect more from you. I expected that if you had some questions about the register article you would call me, call Eddie Hernandez, call somebody connected with the District to see what our response was before going off on us.
The basic premises of the Register article were false. Consider these facts that the Register did not let get in the way of a good story:
1) There was no bait and switch. Period. Both the ballot statement and virtually every piece of literature that went out in the bond campaign highlighted the need for training facilities for law enforcement. Sheriff Carona was in virtually every mailer we sent out talking about how Measure E would help fund a facility to train law enforcement and first responders.
2) Funds were never shifted from the proposed new science building to the sheriffs training academy. This is a canard. We have completed three new Santa Ana College facilities, three new Santiago Canyon College facilities and completed numerous renovations. Due to a variety of factors all have exceeded the rough estimates that were made in 2002. By the reporters logic all these facilities and renovations “shifted” money away from the proposed new SAC science building. But of course that fact wouldn’t allow the Register reporter to make a “twofer” hit–attack the bond and attack Sheriff Carona.
3) The dollar figure used in the ballot measure for the training facility was $15.5 million, not $10 million. And the deputies and officers trained at the academy are Santa Ana College students as well. They generate funds from the state that go back into Santa Ana College for the benefit of all students. And the training provides an important community and regional service.
4) All projects went over the original 2002 cost estimates because they were just that, estimates. After the bond passed we hired the architects and contractors and found that many of these projects would cost more money. The enormous appetite of China and a post-Katrina U.S. for raw materials increased our material costs over 30%. The building boom in both the public and private secter this decade has reduced the number of contractors and while we have always had sufficient bids, they have been higher then expected because they haven’t been hungry. Land costs escalated significantly as we had to purchase 18 acres near SCC and 4.5 acres near SAC. There were no state funds available for land aquisition and the bond funds were the only way we could complete our master plans for both campuses. Some projects were expanded to provide more efficient use and generate more dollars for the colleges. Art, here is the language from the ballot ” The budget for each project is an estimate and may be effected by factors beyond the District’s control.” The ballot language also said that the District “will work with the Citizens Oversight Committee on prioritizing those projects in the event factors beyond the District’s control require that projects be reconsidered.”
5) Even if the Training Academy had been built for the $15.5 million, the new science building would still not have been built by now. There was no room. You see Art, we already HAVE a science building on campus and Santa Ana College told the District they did not want us to tear down Russell Hall and build a new building on the site. The problem was there was no where to put this new building. So we embarked on a path to purchase the apartments on the west side of College Avenue. We did not wish to use eminent domain so we had to patiently persuade some of the owners to sell and prices esclated. We were delayed by State regulations requiring relocation assistance which also had to be paid. Then we had to wait for the City of Santa Ana to agree to dedicate College Avenue to the college. This took what seemed to be forever. We could not close the street until the City made improvements to the signalized intersection of Bristol and Washington(of which we paid $100,000 towards the improvements). That was just finished and in November we anticipate closing College Avenue(we will be helping fund improvements at two other intersections nearby). At that time we can begin the process of building the new Maintenance and Operations facility on the new west end of the campus. Once that is done, which would be sometime in 2008-09 we can clear the area where the M&O facility currently exists and then, and only then, would we have space for the new science building.
6) There has been substantial construction and the voters and taxpayers have received full and good value for their investment. In addition to the training academy in Tustin, Santa ana College has seen a new Digital Media Center and a new Exercise Science Locker Room facility. We will break ground shortly on a new 16 classroom building. A new child development center is coming soon and nearly $8 million in renovations have occurred on most of the buildings at SAC. And we will build the science building. Students at SAC are being served well.
7) Measure E also underwrote prjects at Santiago Canyon College, another point not mentioned in the article. In addition to the land acquisition, SCC has a new library, a new student services building, a new Education Center for adult education and workforce training and additional parking. And a math and science building at SCC will break ground shortly.
The faculty, staff and students at Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon Colleges have been supportive of the decisions made during the bond construction process and they should–we are following their lead as to what their priorities are. Do I wish there was more Measure E funds available for the new science building? You betcha. But I make no apologies for the great progress we have made or for the tens of millions of dollars our District has saved the taxpayers through excellent project management by our staff.
Finally, lay off Eddie Hernandez. While he is the Chancellor, the Board hires him and we make the final decisions. I’m Board President now, if you have a beef with us, come see me. I’ll be at Drinking Liberally Tursday around 9:30 if you want to follow up on any of this.
John Hanna RSCCD Board President