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[reprinted from Save OC / No Jordan Brandman]
Dear Anaheim voters:
Tuesday’s election gives you an opportunity to bring independent voices and a fresh perspective to City Hall. It’s time to shift from a city council torn apart by sweetheart deals and special interests towards a cohesive, pragmatic council that is working together on behalf of all Anaheim residents.
Let me tell you why this is important and who can help me put Anaheim on a better path.
For the past year, our City Council has been dragged down by a debate over how best to spend taxpayer monies. The debate boils down to this: Whether we should safeguard limited city funds for traditional municipal services, such as public safety and civic upkeep, or whether we should give one hotel owner a $158 million taxpayer subsidy under the guise of economic development.
I’m a free-market guy who believes that government’s primary role in economic development is to provide greater freedom – through reduced regulation and ensuring a level playing field for all.
But much like the federal government’s “investment” in the solar energy company, Solyndra, this hotel deal is a gift of taxpayer dollars to just one business. It is political favoritism that benefits one company at the expense of all others. We can do better.
With Tuesday’s election, the voters have the opportunity to elect two people who also recognize that government needs to be fair, and who will work on behalf of all the people. That is why I have endorsed Lucille Kring and John Leos for City Council.
Anaheim is arguably the core of Orange County. We are the destination spot for millions of tourists each year. Those of us who are lucky enough to call Anaheim our home enjoy a diverse array of entertainment and cultural attractions that rival those of any large city. We have beautiful parks, good schools and kind neighborhoods.
But we also have a few problems that need our attention. We’ve addressed some of the issues around pension 
reform but more must be done. This summer’s protests that arose from the officer-involved shootings point out that even as we work to protect public safety, we need to unify Anaheim and ensure that prosperity and opportunity exist for all segments of our community. And we can create more jobs by continuing to help businesses get up and running faster, by cutting unnecessary job-killing regulations and ensuring that all businesses are treated equally.
Lucille Kring is an experienced public servant who, as the Register described “has a much-needed independent streak.” As a former business owner and city council member, she will bring knowledge and experience to the fiscal issues we are facing. She believes that government needs to be fair and transparent, which is something today’s voters are seeking.
John Leos will do a great job representing the people of Anaheim. After growing up in Anaheim, John and his wife, Shelly, have chosen to raise their family here. Like me, he is concerned about the feeling people have that their city government is not being run by the people, for the people. His public safety experience, his experience with the Anaheim public school system and his service in the U.S. Marine Corps will give the Anaheim City Council a new, independent voice and perspective.
Those of us who live in Anaheim are blessed. We have a beautiful, diverse city that offers something for everyone. However, there is work that needs to be done to bolster our economy, strengthen the city’s fiscal footing and open up our city’s election process to all segments of the community. I am hopeful that the Anaheim voters will send Lucille Kring and John Leos to City Hall to help me accomplish these important tasks.
Sincerely,
Mayor Tom Tait.
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Orange Juice Postscript
We like our blogger Duane Roberts too. Vote for him if you really think he can beat Jordan Brandman, or if you just can’t stomach Kring or Leos for some reason!
Good to see the Republican Mayor admit that the “free market” is always threatened or controlled by crony capitalism.
Tom Tait’s a hypocrite. He’s voted to give away tax money to help hotels and Disneyland in the past. His own firm, Tait and Associates, makes money off of government-subsidized development. He only opposes “crony capitalism” only if he and his cronies aren’t benefiting from it.
I’ve heard you say this before. I’ve asked him about some of his votes in past years, votes that made Pringle and SOAR think of him as a dependable puppet back when they backed him for Mayor in 2010 and he then proceeded to disappoint them. I asked, have you changed? Did circumstances change, or what? He said that in the past, he had made several votes that he wasn’t really comfortable with as a conservative, and that in the last couple of years, he’s been trying harder to follow his conscience. I say, good, that means he has changed, in a good way. We Americans like that.
As far as whether Tait and Associates profits off crony capitalism, I’ll let Cynthia Ward rip your head off on that, as she always does. How does it keep growing back on?
And just out of curiosity, who are you shilling for anyway? The UNREFORMED corporatists?
It’s only out of morbid fascination that I read all of this foolish political contortionism on this blog now. I’d try to engage on another level, but it’s utterly pointless!
After the election, we’re becoming a cooking show. Come back then.
Gabriel, I’m just hoping that Anaheim moves forward this year to district elections, Let The People Vote, and a citizens police review commission. Wouldn’t that be a lot of progress for one year? We’ll see next year if I’m being a fool to trust the Mayor’s leadership on this…
Setting the terms and timetable? Too late for that.
Anaheimer – The hotel subsidy he voted for in the past was a reasonable deal in an a tourist economy ravaged by 911. $158 million with no community benefits on the other hand is outrageous. Especially when Disney is the ultimate benefactor. Tait and Assoc.’s work on hotel development in Garden Grove has nothing to do with the subsidies given. Why don’t you go back to posting over at Cunningham’s blog.
Mayor Tait,
Why no support for a Latino on city council? Your city is changing. Are you changing with the times?
Tuco, there are two types of people in the world, my friend…
I mean, Leos is Latino. Helluv Latino. Look at him!
Tuco – John Leos is latino.
Leos is a Helluva lot more Latino than Steven Albert Chavez Lodge, that is for damn certain.