“Faced with a gaping budget deficit, Orange County officials disclosed plans Tuesday to lay off nearly 60 Probation Department employees and to start releasing some juvenile criminal suspects rather than holding them in juvenile hall,” according to the L.A. Times.
Unbelievably, the announcement about the latest cutbacks came as 1,000 Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) members protested at the O.C. Hall of Administration. They were angry that over 200 other workers had previously been cut.
Nick Berardino, the head of the OCEA, had this to say about the protest on the OCEA’s website:
I want to personally thank the more than 1000 employees who came out to have their voices heard. We are going to face even more difficult times in the future so we must stay focused and committed!!!! We can’t ever give up or stop fighting…..and I promise you I won’t, your Board of Directors won’t, and the OCEA staff won’t. Together we are one voice and the Board of Supervisors will continue to hear it, louder and louder. I know this is not a cheery holiday message, but it is a proud message; because we are not only fighting for ourselves but every working American that has lost his or her job while their executives have showered themselves with raises and luxuries.—In Solidarity and Happy Holidays——Nick Berardino
As one might expect, there was no word about the protests or the cutbacks in Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s latest e-newsletter. She had this to say in that newsletter:
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I want to take this opportunity to extend my warmest holiday wishes to you and your family. Let us remember all those serving our country around the world and say a special prayer for these brave men and women. And let us also remember those still recovering from the recent fires and other catastrophes everywhere. I would encourage all to lend a helping hand to loved ones, friends and neighbors during this difficult time. May we all be a part of this season of giving!
Nguyen also failed to mention the expensive remodeling going on at the County Hall of Administration and the fact that she voted to protect unsanitary restaurants by voting against proposed restaurant ratings. And she failed to wish the OCEA members well, even as so many are being laid off.
I think there IS a lot of waste at the County. But I have no faith that the County CEO, Tom Mauk, and the Board of Supervisors will cut that waste. Instead they will lay workers off. I bet they will have a party to celebrate their remodeled lobby too!
That remodeled lobby party will likely also be a fundraiser for their reelection campaigns.