The Damage Has Been Done, Now It’s Time to Restore the County

It seems to me that our misfortune is being borne by those least able to bear the pain--our poor, our youths and our loyal employees. I feel compelled to remind my fellow residents of one of the most beautiful and wealthy counties in the country that we easily have the resources to take care of our misfortune promptly and efficiently.

We must replace the funds that have been so foolishly lost by an immediate levy on the entire population of the county.

I would recommend the immediate borrowing of replacement funds at the interest rate necessary to raise the money. Fair and equitable taxation of an emergency nature should retire the debt over a reasonable period of time.

Damaging our infrastructure and future is shortsighted--and stupid!

DAVID BEAVER

Laguna Hills

* Robert L. Citron, (former) Orange County treasurer-tax collector, invested county funds for years. For 23 of those years he was successful. I suspect that most of us would be very pleased to have a 96% success rate in all of our investments. Citron’s “crime” was not dealing with the investment fund properly when the Federal Reserve started increasing interest rates. Obviously, all of us are going to pay dearly for this error in judgment.

What concerns me more, however, is the cry for various city and county elected officials to resign before being recalled. I suggest we try to act rationally and cautiously during this time of crisis. We are not going to accomplish anything by attempting to remove those officials we think might be responsible for the fund’s failure. True, we could vent our anger, but in the end we could also accomplish nothing.

This is the time for the residents of Orange County to work toward solving our financial crisis and stop seeking revenge. People are now clamoring to recall all the supervisors. Supervisors (Thomas F.) Riley and (Harriett M.) Wieder are retiring. Supervisors (Gaddi H.) Vasquez and (Roger R.) Stanton will finish their current terms in 1996. That will leave only Supervisor (William G.) Steiner, who was just reelected. Why should the county spend over $1 million (that it does not have!) just to show our anger?

Please Orange Countians, be patient and let the normal procedures run their course.

GERALD J. COKER

Orange

* At his final meeting of the board, retiring Supervisor Thomas F. Riley lamented the county’s crisis and regretted that he had not followed the advice of Ronald Reagan, who said, “Trust but verify.”

I wish that the board and other elected officials would instead adopt the motto of Harry Truman: “The buck stops here.”

ANGELO VASSOS

Irvine

* The county needs to move on.

(Michael) Capizzi, (Brad) Gates and (Tom) Uram’s recommendations on budget reductions “leads their own ducks to water,” as the saying goes. The county supervisors should have requested the budget of each department and recommendations for reducing each department, either based on greatest need or a flat percentage rate.

Each county employee’s salary should be reduced by a set percentage rate, including the supervisors. Equipment budgets should be reduced or set aside for one year. Most departments when requesting budgets inflate the amount needed. Vacant positions should remain vacant, promotions withheld, perks abolished before layoffs are considered. Forced retirements should not be considered. Mileage should be paid for use of private vehicles required in county business in lieu of providing county automobiles. County vehicles should be sold. I am sure there must be other ways of reducing costs.

Programs important enough to be established creating county departments should still be important enough to continue.

Also, a program should be established whereby the county can negotiate with the private sector to hire some of the layoffs.

Last but not least--why the panic? The federal government is still operating with approximately a $4-trillion deficit and has as yet to declare bankruptcy.

J.O. IRELAND

Laguna Beach

* Your front page news story of Dec. 23 relates to $40-million Orange County budget cuts. Further, you state that hundreds of county employees will lose jobs.

The Orange County Superior Court system is out of control, and yet their budget is being increased from $40.4 million to $41 million. This would be a very good place to prune some costs. Plaintiffs and defendants would gain by making the Superior Court system more efficient. These civil cases could be required to come to trial more quickly, and court fees could be doubled.

RICHARD T. SHUIRMAN

Orange

* As long as the supervisors neglected to “supervise,” why don’t we get rid of them? Dereliction of duty is always sufficient grounds! We don’t need supervisors--we need an outstanding business executor who knows how to run a big corporation like Orange County.

What about Roger Johnson, if you can get him away from President Clinton?

A.G. STEIN

Laguna Hills

* The continued fallout from the debacle of the Orange County investment fund worsens every day.

Where are the arts patrons, real estate developers, financial tycoons? For years they have obtained variances, exchanged “unbuildable” land for government-owned public land. They have contributed to political campaigns and benefited thereby.

When New York City had financial problems, top business executives moved in with their expertise, lent executives and got the city back on its feet. Do Orange County leaders offer their assistance to help? No, they stand above this and are indifferent.

With help, Orange County and all affected cities and districts could recover and continue offering services to the public. The business tycoons who financially benefited could and should help.

REGINA E. POGER

Cypress