Looking Down the Tunnel for a Light

* Orange County should be examining every avenue toward a permanent solution to our financial crisis. There are a number of committees and citizen groups studying possibilities.

It seems apparent that we must modify our present form of county government to a version that is more effective and less costly. We must have the flexibility offered by a charter form. Once this charter is in effect we might look at doing the following:

Reorganize the county to be administered by appointing a CEO, overseen by three part-time supervisors. Sell all land in the county unincorporated area to cities on long-term notes while at the same time crediting that portion of the unpaid debt already existing from the original pool.

In addition to reducing personnel to a minimum, reorient the pay scale to the salaries and benefits paid by the median level of private industry.

It is probable that state legislative action would be required. Minimized county government would permit the retention of federal grants, while expanding city property ownership and the services already being performed by cities’ staffs.

If we absorb the one-year rollover allowed by Judge [John E.] Ryan, and add the new notes from the cities for land and libraries, and an optimistic court award from Merrill Lynch and our errant auditors, we would have breathing space from our debtors and see a light at the end of the tunnel.

C. EDWARD WOLFE

Newport Beach