O.C. FINANCIAL CRISIS : Irony, Outrage at Tax Office : Reaction: One man sees humor in waiting to pay bill from official who resigned. Others say Citron should be jailed.

Dick Hamilton laughed aloud Monday as he held a batch of property tax bills on his way to the Orange County treasurer-tax collector’s office.

“It’s kind of funny,” said Hamilton, 67, of Fullerton. “All these tax bills have his name on it.”

Hamilton was talking about County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron, who resigned Monday amid a growing Orange County financial crisis brought on by some of Citron’s investments of public money.

Hamilton was among several county residents lining up to pay their property taxes Monday before this week’s deadline, and many had thoughts about the financial storm buffeting cities, school districts and public agencies with money in the county pool.

Sky Bassett, 47, who came to pay $71,000 in property taxes for apartments he manages in Garden Grove, said that “Bob Citron should be put in prison.”

“It’s outrageous that he should deny the riskiness of the business during the (June) election when all along we had this problem,” Bassett said.

However, David Salazar of San Juan Capistrano said he is not overly concerned that the investments will be lost. Salazar said public officials have a duty to find ways to increase the value of public funds by looking for “innovative but sensible” investments.

“I’m not opposed to innovative ways to lower the tax burden,” Salazar said.

It was sentiment shared by Genaro Estrada, who said the losses could be recovered. He added that the danger may have been exaggerated.

“I don’t think they are using all our taxes for the investment portfolio,” he said.

But Julie Spangler of Rancho Santa Margarita said that taxpayers’ money should not be used for high-risk investments.

“What happens when there is a huge loss?” Spangler said. “Even if the money goes back to the public, it should be placed in safe investments.”

Beatrice Sidwell said that high-risk investments are like gambling.

“I don’t like the idea of gambling with my money,” said Sidwell, 77, of Fullerton. “I’m very careful with what I have.”