Crisis Demands Disclosure, Accountability, Sacrifice

Supervisor Marian Bergeson had an impressive record and did much good during her time in the state Senate and Assembly. However, she underestimated our intelligence in her commentary (“Supervisors Must Regain High Ground of Public Confidence,” Jan. 1) by downplaying the harm of her votes and legislation that enabled Orange County government officials to gamble recklessly with taxpayer dollars.

Bergeson voted for every one of the bills that made the county’s bankruptcy possible, and she presided over the Senate committee whose approval virtually guaranteed their passage.

She authored two of the bills herself, one of which expanded the kind of investments county treasurers could make--including investments with a much lower, and therefore much riskier, rating than was previously permitted under law. She also took more than $8,000 in contributions from the bond traders.

When the Legislature suspended the requirement that county treasurers submit key investment reports, after giving them greater power, Bergeson went right along. It apparently was just fine with her that they sought to shrink their accountability.

I find it incredible that Bergeson would seek to justify her actions by claiming she only sought to increase local control. After all, she has long advocated centralizing more power in regional government and the state.

I certainly agree with what she had to say about a county charter, performance audits and the budget process.

However, I’m alarmed that she still believes local governments “needed” such investment options to generate more revenue. That’s what those who blame Proposition 13 argue, even though local government revenues have gone up greatly despite that initiative.

The message we voters sent in passing Proposition 13 was that we expected less government, not more. It’s about time Bergeson and the rest got the message.

JAMES URE

Costa Mesa

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It’s outrageous that county employees and those receiving services will bear the brunt of Orange County’s financial debacle. A few Republicans recently talked big of volunteerism in the last elections, and I wonder where their voices are now. Why aren’t our county leaders biting the political bullet and implementing some type of short-term tax to get us out of this mess? We all benefited when the investments were produced; it’s only fair that we now “volunteer” to share the pain. No matter who’s to blame, we all need to pitch in on this one.

SUSAN PERLSON

Brea

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In our recent Irvine city elections, Mayor Michael Ward asked voters to reelect him and (two of his) council colleagues, Greg Smith and Barry J. Hammond. Ward’s pitch was that he needed the help of Smith and Hammond to continue his conservative policies.

Well, Irvine voters obliged, and now Ward and his “conservative” team have a lot of explaining to do. How did these elected officials, joined by two other council members, manage to lose more than $50 million of taxpayer funds in a series of wild investment gambits? No city in Orange County has lost more than Irvine. When do we start getting some honest answers --and some overdue apologies?

EDWARD LEVESQUE

Irvine

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In any crisis, there’s no fear greater than fear of the unknown. Since Dec. 6, we’ve all been waiting to hear how the county’s financial debacle will affect us here in Irvine. Unfortunately, that’s still unclear.

This lack of information has been as frustrating to the (City Council) as it has been to the public. The county hasn’t been forthcoming with details of its financial situation. Without these facts, it’s extremely difficult to assess the bankruptcy’s impact on our city.

This crisis involves taxpayers’ money and the public trust. The public deserves nothing less than full disclosure of all the facts. How did this happen? Who’s responsible? How will Irvine be impacted? How can we ensure it won’t happen again? The answers to these and other pertinent questions must be given in an open, honest and timely manner.

We’ll successfully work through these difficulties, but only with full public participation. Public input will be crucial in formulating effective solutions to our financial challenges.

As we work toward those ends, I make the following pledges:

1. This subject will be fully discussed in open sessions of the City Council. No decisions, other than those dealing with litigation, will be made behind closed doors.

2. No public information, either good or bad, will be withheld. There will be complete disclosure of all the facts, including accountability.

3. We won’t wait for the county to get its act together before taking appropriate steps to protect tax dollars.

GREG SMITH

City councilman

Irvine

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I work for a living, specifically, selling my professional interpreting services to the county, and now it turns out I may be donating those services. So you can imagine my frustration at chronic welfare recipients who take taxpayers’ money for nothing and ruin our economy.

Of course, they shouldn’t be yanked off the dole cold turkey. They need a transition period. So I propose we cut the benefits of Roger R. Stanton, Gaddi H. Vasquez and William G. Steiner by 20% for starters, then wean them off their car allowances and other unhealthy dependencies.

The supervisors’ recent offer to cut their pay by 5%, while watching their vendors go unpaid and proposing massive layoffs and deeper cuts for employees, was an affront only they are capable of. But such arrogance is to be expected from people who have no problem holding their “public” meetings on weekday mornings and routinely belittling those individuals who have the guts to confront them at their meetings.

It doesn’t take a diplomatic genius to know that in a crisis, such as the Orange County bankruptcy, real leaders immediately take drastic cuts themselves before daring to ask people of humbler means to do the same. But then humility is what is and always has been lacking in the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

BARBARA CONSIDINE

Santa Ana

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You recently reported that Robert L. Citron is attempting to have Orange County pay for the legal fees he will incur in connection with the recent bond fiasco.

Is it necessary for “Bob” to have the finest in legal representation, to the tune of $240 per hour?

Considering his apparent disservice to Orange County residents in his capacity as treasurer, I object to paying for the finest lawyers money can buy.

JAMES D. LIGUORI

Irvine

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Pardon me, Board of Supervisors, but I believe John Wayne Airport belongs to the people of Orange County, paid for by taxes. It is not yours to sell off or do what you please with.

You got us into this financial mess, so you get us out. Everyone involved in this should resign or be fired--and get no retirement (benefits) from us.

RED RAWLINGS

San Juan Capistrano