Council Behaving Badly - Fullerton Observer

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Page 10 FULLERTON OBSERVER LOCAL NEWS MID DECEMBER 2010 Find Out What’s Happening Countywide at VoiceofOC.org The Voice of OC, a non-profit investigative news agency, launched its website www.voiceofoc.org in early 2010 to provide in-depth coverage of the most important stories in Orange County. The reporting team includes Tracy Wood, who also serves as an advisor for the Fullerton Observer. Tracy was one of the few women assigned as a combat correspondent during the Vietnam War for UPI. She also worked as an investigative reporter for the LA Times for 17 years and later became the OC Register’s Investigations Editor. She has won numerous awards and was named LA Print Journalist of the Year in 2001 by the professional journalism association Sigma Delta Chi. She and eight other reporters co-authored “War Torn, Stories of War from the Women Reporters who Covered Vietnam” (2002 Random House). The other editors and reporters on the team, including Norberto Santana Jr., David Washburn, Adam Elmahrek and Terry Francke each have equally impressive backgrounds. The groups list of boardmembers includes former Senators Joe Dunn and Marta Escutia, UCI Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, journalist turned UCI law school professor Henry Weinstein, journalist Daniel Weintraub, and attorneys In just one sign of ongoing Southwest drought conditions, Lake Mead was down to 39 percent capacity in Sept. 2010. From California to New Mexico, the Southwest is in the midst of a drought that just won't quit while experiencing the warmest decades in more than a thousand years, the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) reports. Whether it's caused by greenhouse gases or nature, it's still climate change, said Glen MacDonald, a UCLA professor specializing in drought research and the guest editor of PNAS's new drought issue. From research on devastating historical droughts to climate models from top scientists predicting only a drier, warmer future, the articles spell trouble for the region, he said. “It doesn't matter what side of the debate you're on,” MacDonald said. “We're facing a chronic water shortage. These things can happen. They've happened in the past. We're in the midst of a prolonged drought and we have to plan for it.” The combination of an unusually long drought — 2001–09 so far — that also affects even the region's distant water supplies converges like the perfect storm to make this the “perfect drought,” MacDonald said. Many cities have already enacted water restrictions, he writes in his introductory article, but it's not enough. While the water shortage continues, growing populations mean demand is still increasing. With roughly 80 percent of water use going to agriculture, and 50 to 70 percent of urban water use going toward landscaping, those are the obvious places to conserve, MacDonald said. “We're not talking about cutting back on drinking or bathing,” he said. “I'm all for a pretty landscape, but if we look at where our major urban water savings can be, it's in landscaping.” Stephen M. Garcia, Jess Araujo, Thomas V. Girardi, and James J. Brosnahan. The site is well worth bookmarking for anyone interested in a reliable look at what’s happening within the county. You can also sign up for the news update to come directly to your inbox. Some of the current topics on the site include: •You Don’t Need a Blue Card to Speak Your Mind at Public Meetings •OCTA Tweaks Its Public Comment Policy •Superior Court Judge Denies Request to Halt Fairgrounds Sale •No More Valet Parking in Artists Village •County Computer Contractor Gets $254,000 Bonus •Supervisors Approve DA’s “Spit and Acquit” Program •Appeals Court Blocks Pulido-Involved State Property Sale •Moorlach’s Controversial Ex-Chief of Staff is Back as Consultant •More Bad Budget Medicine for County •CalAware Wants Officials to Check Blackberries at the Door •Irvine to Reform Email Records Policy •OC is Still the Wild West for Lobbyists •KOCE on Fire Authority Layoffs •More Bad Budget Medicine for County •Preparing for Disaster in the OC The Southwest's ‘perfect drought’ means it's time to plan Likewise, farms will have to find ways to cut back. Improved irrigation practices and breakthroughs will help, and genetically modified low-water crops might be another solution, he said. “We still can't attribute this 100 percent to greenhouse gases,” he said. “We need to do more studies before we can emphatically say it's outside the range of natural vari- ability ... What we're seeing in the Southwest is consistent with greenhouse-gas climate change, but being cautious scientists, we can't say that yet. We also can't confidently say it's not.” Whatever's causing it, climate models suggest it's only going in one direction: warmer and drier. “I suspect some people will use the medieval drought to say we don't really have to worry about greenhouse gas, but we don't have evidence to show that, either,” MacDonald continued. “We have to deal with these arid conditions whether greenhouse gases caused it or not. We have increasing demand and decreasing supply. It seems wise to me to start planning now.” Whatever's causing it, climate models suggest it's only going in one direction: warmer and drier. The above is an excerpt of an article by Allison Hewitt. Read the entire December 13, 2010 news release at www.newsroom.ucla.edu Haines Shoe House Continued from frontpage Haines Shoe House was built in 1948 by Mahlon Haines. It is located on Shoe House Road between the Lincoln Highway (state route 462) and U.S. Route 30. The Shoe House is easily visible from Route 30. The building was modeled after a hightopped work shoe. It is a wood frame structure covered with wire lath and coated with cement stucco. It is 48 feet long, 17 feet wide at the widest part and 25 feet high. The interior consists of five different levels and contains three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. Originally the Shoe House was used as a guesthouse. Haines invited elderly couples to spend the weekend. He also let honeymooners stay there. Mahlon Haines, known as the Shoe Wizard, was one of York County's most colorful citizens. From his first consignment of $127 worth of shoes, he built a shoe sales empire in central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland that included more than 40 stores. Throughout his life he was an enthusiastic supporter of Boy Scouts, staging safaris that brought thousands of scouts to his Hellam Township "Wizard Ranch". Go to www.hellamtownship.com for more info. Tax Move Deadline Looms The Internal Revenue Service reminded taxpayers on Dec. 14, 2010 that they have about two weeks left to make their final financial moves for the 2010 tax year. Taxpayers may find tax planning done now may well save time, and money, later. Several key points to consider: •Charitable Contributions – Make 2010 deductible charitable contributions no later than Dec. 31. If the taxpayer’s goal is a legitimate tax deduction, give to a qualified public charity and keep a paper trail. Clothing and household items must generally be in good used condition or better to be deductible. Donations charged to a credit card by Dec. 31 are deductible for 2010 even if the bill is paid in 2011. Taxpayers must be itemizing deductions on a Schedule A in order to benefit. •Winterize Now, Save on Taxes Later – The Energy Tax Credit provisions from the 2009 Recovery Act are set to expire at year’s end. Two credits provide tax incentives for individuals to invest in energy-efficient products. Up to $1,500 can be claimed in 2010 for qualified home improvements such as adding insulation, energy efficient exterior windows and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems. Taxpayers may convert other IRAs to a Roth IRA in 2010 regardless of their income. Those who convert before Dec. 31, get two choices to pay the taxes due... Also, taxpayers can take a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost for qualified residential alternative energy equipment, such as solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and wind turbines. •Sell the Losers – Check investments and consider a portfolio adjustment. Up to $3,000 can be deducted in capital losses each year. •Retirement Account Contributions– The maximum 2010 IRA contribution is $5,000 ($6,000 if age 50 or over). Eligible taxpayers can also take a tax deduction for making an IRA contribution. The Retirement Savings Contribution Credit or “Saver’s Credit” is also available to taxpayers who contribute to a retirement plan and whose income is generally less than $55,500. This underthe-radar tax credit may be worth up to $2,000 for eligible taxpayers. •Required Minimum Distributions –. Taxpayers 70.5 or older must take 2010 required minimum distributions from IRAs before Jan. 1, 2011. This requirement was suspended in 2009 but for 2010 they must be taken. •Consider a Roth IRA Conversion – Taxpayers may convert other IRAs to a Roth IRA in 2010 regardless of their income. Those who convert before Dec. 31, get two choices to pay the taxes due from the conversion: Pay in entirety when filing their tax year 2010 return next year, or divide income from the conversion between 2011 and 2012. •Gift Giving – Taxpayers can give a gift worth as much as $13,000 in cash or property in 2010 to another person without having to file a gift tax return. Gifts to individuals are not deductible. •Save Receipts and Paperwork –Accurate recordkeeping is a must and also provides a good reminder. For more year-end tax information and to access all IRS forms and publications, visit the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov
MID DECEMBER 2010 Council Behaving Badly Continued from frontpage Although he is a master at backroom deals, and having just pulled off a backroom coup, he stated that he disliked such deals. Having just voted against a logical rotation, he said that he favored such a system (but apparently not until he has satisfied his appetite for revenge). It now appears that may take some time. Will he go along with the agreed-upon succession procedure for mayor next time, or was that to work only for his buddies? As we have seen elsewhere, the rules are to be inviolate when it benefits the Bankheads of the world, but when they do not they can be ignored. Don has had no hesitancy in voting for himself in violation of the rotation system and indeed has been mayor far more often than his years on the council would justify. At his age one would expect more gracious behavior. His diatribe was a dose of cold water after Pam Keller’s inspirational goodbye (see page 4) and Sharon Quirk’s measured acceptance of her disappointment and betrayal (see Council Notes page 4). This meeting was not a good start for Pat McKinley. He was elected to the council by a margin of only 90 votes and only with the endorsement of Sharon Quirk-Silva (and Molly McClanahan and Jan Flory). And even with the tens of thousands of dollars of outside money being spent on his behalf, he would not have been elected without Councilmember Selecting the mayor protem is one of the least significant things that a council does... the City Clerk says that in the instance that a mayor resigns, council should follow the succession policy. Quirk-Silva’s support (her endorsement is worth at least several hundred votes). She believed that he had committed himself to support her for mayor pro tem. It should have been an easy vote. McKinley is largely an unknown political quantity to most voters and this vote would have demonstrated that he was an person of independence and integrity, and not just another party hack. It is often said that all you have in politics is your word. He gave away so much for so little. McKinley may yet be a commendable council member, but he has a big hole to dig himself out of. To his credit, Bruce Whitaker voted for Sharon, stating that logic suggested her selection and that was most likely what the previous council intended. Of course, there is probably no love lost between Whitaker and Bankhead, since Bruce was part of the group that successfully recalled Don in 1994. LOCAL NEWS Big changes are in store for Cal State Fullerton’s K-12 special education program, with the support of a multiyear, $1.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant. The university has received first-year funding of $295,723 for the “Preparation and Retention of Collaborative, Effective and Successful Specialists” project led by Kristin Stang, associate professor of special education. The five-year project will overhaul coursework and classroom training experiences for the education specialist credential program in mild/moderate disabilities to align with new state standards. FULLERTON OBSERVER Page 11 Supremacists Face OC Smackdown Continued from frontpage posts, among other things, “The latest David Duke video.” Authorities compiled three cases against 14 defendants on state charges ranging from drug trafficking to extortion and murder. In cases where officers couldn’t bag suspects on the usual list of serious crimes, they went for the fine-print jugular, and nailed suspects with sentencing enhancement provisions in state and federal laws that turn a number of misdemeanors into terrorism and hate-crimes, a spokesperson from the D.A.’s office said. Ruthie “Mama Bear” Marshall, a 41-year-old whose co-defendant husband has a swastika tattooed across his belly (and is already in jail for robbery), got angry at one of her cohorts and hit him over the head with a cast on her arm. The OCDA charged her with “assault for the benefit of a white supremacist prison and criminal street gang”, Rackauckas said. Authorities called her husband, Wayne “Bullet” Marshall, a “shot caller” in Orange County racist gangs. ATF officers displayed a blown up photo of Marshall’s tattoos at the press conference, next to a cache of 27 guns and a bullet-proof vest sold to undercover agents during the operation. Officers pooled their collected information and meted out charges based on whose jurisdiction would net the harshest sen- tences, Rackauckas said. Of the arrested, 14 face state charges and 16 face federal charges from different agencies. Agents worked together from ATF, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Secret Service. Authorities arrested another 20 suspects described as gang members or associates for parole and probation violations, nonviolent felonies and one attempted murder, the D.A.’s office said. Orange County has more white supremacist gangs than any region in the nation and Southern California has the largest concentration in the country, said Kevin O’Grady of the Anti- Defamation League at the conference. Of those 10 or so gangs, authorities captured members from Public Enemy Number One (PEN1), the Nazi Low Riders, the La Mirada Punks, the O.C. Skins, the West Coast Costa Mesa Skins and the Aryan Brotherhood. “The results of this task force effort include significant seizures of contraband and arrests of toplevel gang members,” said OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. “The investigators stopped serious violent acts against potential victims. This joint effort has significantly impacted major hate groups in Orange County. With our enforcement partners, we will continue to identify, investigate and dismantle any violent gang in Orange County.” $1.5 Million Grant to CSUF Candidate Shawn Nelson spent $516,610 on his successful campaign to win the 4th District OC Supervisor seat, according to his Form 460 filing. The required filing lists contributions and expenditures made by a candidate’s campaign but does not include independent committee expenditures on behalf of the candidate. Nelson’s total included a $183,000 loan to himself. Many of the contributions to the campaign were made by businesses already doing business with the county or perhaps contemplating doing business with the county. Free office rent to the At Left: ATF shows off AK-47s, .357 Magnums, a Lugar and other items taken from the groups. PHOTO JEANNE HOFFA New courses include six weeks of fieldwork for all teacher candidates, in order to practice collaboration and consultation in a general education classroom. The students are mentored by both a general education and special education teacher at school sites. This semester, students were placed at more than 19 school sites across the county. Plans call for a tutoring center to open in fall 2011 to support teacher candidates in their understanding of content required for the credential program, state credential exams and qualifications to teach mathematics and science. Over Half Million Spent on Winning Campaign campaign was provided by Tony Bushala of Bushala Bros. Largest contributors included: ($3,400): Allergan USA, Inc; Elfend & Assoc Public Relations; Law Offices of Carmen Morinello; Southern CA Investors, Inc; The Irvine Company; ($2,700): Apartment Assoc. of OC ; ($2,200): Goldenwest Diamond Corp; ($1,700): Poseidon Resources (water privatization corp); Assoc. of OC Deputy District Attorneys ; Platinum Bail Bonds; Vintage Marina Partners ; Hewlett- Packard; OC Automobile Dealers Assn; Swinerton Builders; ($1,500): Group Delta Consultants, Inc; UPSPAC.
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Council Behaving Badly - Fullerton Observer

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