A Decline in Leadership on Measure R

* The most telling thing about the recent Times survey conducted among local “leaders” regarding Measure R was just how “unleaderlike” they turned out to be, and how in fact that very trait got us into this bankruptcy mess in the first place.

Of the elected officials that The Times attempted to reach by phone over a two-week period, 20% were either “unavailable” or “declined” to state their position (“Council, School Leaders Hit Divide on Measure R,” May 28). Of those who were reached, 19% could not muster up the courage to answer a simple yes-no question: They were undecided. That leaves about 40% of Orange County constituents without a clue as to how their “leaders” feel about one of the most important issues the county may ever face.

I’d like to assume that people who decide to run for office do so because they are driven by a set of guiding principles, a belief in how things should be. And I also assume that they feel they are capable of making decisions based on those beliefs and then stating them publicly, come what may.

It is often said that the tone is set from the top. And so here in Orange County we have Supervisor Roger Stanton staking out the bold leadership stance of “declined.” At least he’s consistent. He also declined to pay attention to Orange County investment strategies and then declined to accept responsibility for presiding over the county’s biggest financial disaster ever.

A couple of my own Santa Ana City Council members, Miguel Pulido and Patricia McGuigan, took that same gutsy stand. What are we supposed to do with “leaders” like this, who are “unavailable” for more than two weeks, or who can’t make up their minds?

I applaud those officials who made a decision and stated it for the record. It should be an minimum requirement for holding office. They at least contribute to the discussion of important issues. As for the declineds and the unavailables, I suggest we voters take the same position with them next election day.

BARBARA CONSIDINE

Santa Ana