I read an ad in the O.C. Register yesterday (pictured above) touting a fellow named Donald Ritze (pictured below) for the Third Supervisorial District, which is currently held by incumbent Supervisor Bill Campbell. Ritze took Campbell to task for a number of issues, including the fact that Campbell endorsed disgraced former O.C. Sheriff Mike Carona, not once but twice!
Ritze’s campaign website explains why he is running against Campbell:
This is what drives me to run for the Supervisor seat!
I moved from the City of Orange in 2003 to a little canyon called “Williams Canyon”, near Silverado Cyn. I built our home in compliance with the current fire codes of the Orange County fire Authority. I believed I would never actually have a wild fire, but then the Santiago Fire happened!
The fires were burning closer and I did not have much time to evacuate. I said goodbye to my wife when she left as the hills around us were burning.
I have over 232 Avocado trees that need water every three days, so I decided to stay and fight the fire.
My first battle was a small structure that houses my well. So for six to eight hours I defended my Well house. Once the flames receded, I moved on to protecting my house and my neighbors homes from the encroaching flames, along with the “Very Brave Fighters”, this went on for 5 days!
Then I was asked to allow the fire department set a back-fire to the hill behind my home, The Hot shots (Firefighters) told me they need to do this to protect the remaining houses in Williams Canyon and the Community of Silverado. Without hesitation I told them to do what they had to do.
So for another day and night we fought to protect my house from the back fires that were set. Even though I was wearing protective gear the heat was extremely intense. I had to run back and forth from one side of the house to the other to cool myself down, while at the same time keeping the house wet.
If it was not for these brave firefighters I feel certain there would have been a lot more homes LOST! I lived with the men and women of the Orange County FIRE Dept. and the Sheriffs Dept. I learned of their needs. At that point in time I made the choice, I told them that I was going to run for County Supervisor to make a CHANGE for the better! This is what drives me to pursue this office. Prior to this occurrence I thought of running for years but just did not have the time. Well IT’S Time!!! But it does not stop there I feel that all cities are being pushed aside by the current Supervisors.
Our County Government needs to listen more! The values of Orange County are in jeopardy (OC WEEKLY). Not to mention the name Orange County!!!
1. NO TAX INCREASES
2. Environmental issues
3. Waste
4. Traffic
I don’t know why Ritze went after the OC Weekly. But he is right about Campbell. Not only did Campbell back Carona, he also led the charge against the O.C. Measure D, which would have give our county firefighters the equipment and funding they needed to fight wildfires. Because of Campbell’s help in defeating the O.C. Measure D, many homeowners in the Santiago Canyon lost their homes.
You can read Ritze’s biography at this link. He is a contractor. His wife (pictured above with Ritze) is a Democrat. Ritze is a Republican.
Be sure to check out Ritze’s letters, on his website. Here are a few excerpts:
Kids paying for entry fees at the Orange County Fair while our County Officials dine on lavish meals and entertainment for free!
It is a shame that Orange County was ranked 47th out of 3,141 counties nationwide in releasing the key greenhouse gas carbine dioxide into the atmosphere! Supervisor Campbell sits on the AQMD board. (Air Quality Management Dept.)
Supervisor Campbell has persuaded the Supervisors to keep the Orange County Treasurer, in control of a $7 billion portfolio, while the Treasurer is under investigation! Supervisor Campbell has approved to start the process of enlarging the jails, without approval from the City of Orange or the 3rd District. This would result in the release of state prisoners on our streets.
I don’t live in the Third District, but I like what Ritze has to say, with the exception of the rip on the OC Weekly. If you live in the Third District, please consider voting for Ritze so you can send a message to Campbell. He is supposed to be a non-partisan County Supervisor, not a shill for the OC GOP machine. His behavior with regard to the O.C. Measure D was intolerable and he ought to pay a price for it.
Not only is Supervisor Bill Campbell a great gentleman…that
he and Mary bust their buns on a
weekly basis…for the entire country….but he is also intelligent enough to know when
to scabber his sword….when it
came time to re-deal on the employee Union Pension spike!
Bill does his job and half of what
the rest of the Board of Supervisors “should be doing”. Bill brings class and an innate
honesty….which is really rare
for an elected with as much “time
in grade” as he has.
No sir….we stand with Bill…..
The Sheriff deal is “Old News”,
“Bad Bananas” and “Past Patties”.
There are plenty of deserving
electeds to chose from Art….Bill
in our hearts is great!
Supervisor Campbell represents my town. I can say he is largely absent from the issues concerning the third district.
I don’t know him, but he strikes me as a political hack. He pussed out on the Corona resignation/leave issue.
He for sure is a fair weather politician, molded in the likes of OC.
Not too mention anyone the Winships support………
What’s the REAL story behind this guy Ritze? Who is behind his campaign?
Bill Campbell can’t seem to decide whether he was elected to represent the people of his district or the lobbyist who helped him win. His endorsements of Carona might be “old news,” but what about the persistent rumor he is backing Paul Walters for OC Sheriff because John Lewis still pulls the strings? Why else would the supervisors want to wait on announcing the appointment of the new sheriff until AFTER the June 3 election? Rather than voting for Campbell now and finding out later just how beholden he is to John Lewis, vote him out of office. Someone who can’t be trusted doesn’t deserve a third chance.
Someone should let Mr. Ritze know that to make the plural form of any word (like “question”) one does not use an apostrophe.
Placing a large ad with a glaring spelling error is inexcusable.
PROOFREAD!