It’s official. We are in a recession here in Orange County. That is rather obvious to most of us, however now we now have the results of actual research that proves the point:
“At a local level, we are in a recession,” said Esmael Adibi, director of the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research at Chapman University in Orange. “For the state economy there is no clear label of a state recession. But we can look at job growth rates, and when they stay negative for two quarters, that’s a recession.” (L.A. Times).
In Orange County’s poorest city, Santa Ana, the news gets worse. Our lame City Clowncil has raised water rates twice in 9 months – even though it is a fact that Santa Ana spends a third of its water budget on administration while other similar sized water districts spend as little as 19% on administration.
And Santa Ana Clowncilman Sal Tinajero, as a member of the O.C. Sanitation District, was a key vote in increasing our sewage rates by 60% over the next 5 years. Way to go Sal.
And ALL the Clowncil Members have blood on their hands as they endorsed the fraudulent SAUSD tax increase, Measure G. So now we are paying for THREE bond measures locally. (Two SAUSD measures and one Rancho Santiago Community College District bond). How many bond measures are they paying for in Irvine? None.
And, as I have previously reported, the City Clowncil is considering placing a parcel tax on the November ballot, the SAUSD is looking to float ANOTHER school bond and the equally lame RSCCD is also aiming to put another bond on the ballot, since they blew the last one on the Carona Sheriff Training Center and Santiago Canyon College – now they are saying this new bond will be for Santa Ana College, while we continue to pay for the last bond that didn’t do much for SAC.
Get a clue people! We are in a recession! This is NOT a good time to be raising people’s taxes and fees! The rub is that almost all of these elected officials are Democrats – the party that is SUPPOSED to be for the poor. Yeah right. Not here in Orange County and certainly not in Santa Ana!
And maybe not in Sacramento either. Consider what the O.C. Register’s editorial board had to say about Chapman’s recession announcement:
Unfortunately state government is still in denial. Even with prospects of a better economy in 2009, the state budget picture over the next few fiscal years looks grim. If spending is not capped soon, higher taxes will become the only option. That of course will further dampen long-run economic growth at the state and local levels.
And the Democrats rule the roost in Sacramento too. I’m glad I’m an Independent! I would be ashamed at this point to be in the blue party…
Neither does the Orange County Tax Assessors office. They raised the value or tax basis 2% even though we all know that ALL homes have devalued in the past year. Do they think we’re stupid and won’t appeal it? Or is it just one more time we get screwed if we don’t stand up and scream. Do they live in a vacuum, devoid of news?
All we want is fair and transparent govt. is that too much to ask for?
Looks like Ms. Martinez did not get the memo about wearing dark clothing for the group photo.
Older Than –
Ironically, darker colors make one look slimmer.
SMS
Looks like ALVEREZ did not get the memo to wear make up an high heals
#4,
I should have Photoshopped red noses and clown wigs on the lot of them!
#5
I think a poster of the old show F-Troop with every-one face on it, I guess that would go over real good with Mr. Walters? ha!ha! They think that every one is doing as well as themselves. When you see things from the lowest rung of the ladder, the GANGS in the barrios are no diffrent from the white collar GANGS of the city. They also tax the community to no ends. I guess they are probably trying to make up for the free water that these developers receive for the hooking up the low income people with million dollar homes in our neighborhoods. They get a low income tax break for being in the Barrio and fixing the sewers and the poor get the taxes.