Thursday, September 09, 2010

Services Pending...

INSULT TO INJURY
As disappointing as it was Tuesday night when the Costa Mesa City Council hastily voted to approve an incomplete Fairgrounds lease contract - one with many important issues remaining to be resolved - despite the efforts of Councilwoman Katrina Foley to have those issues addressed and the lease returned for a special meeting for a vote next Tuesday before their Study Session, even more disappointing are the recent comments by Assemblymen Jose Solorio and Van Tran on this issue.

SOLORIO DUG THE HOLE...
Yesterday afternoon, as the City Council was heading into a closed session to discuss the Fairgrounds lease, Solorio issued a press release in which he expressed extreme displeasure with the deal hammered out between the City and Facilities Management West and said he was recommending to the Governor to simply cancel the deal.

TRAN ROLLED THE BODY IN...
Then, Wednesday, Tran tossed more shovels of dirt on the grave of this deal with his first official comment on the subject in months. He is quoted in news accounts as stating, "All vital signs tell me that this entire deal is in intensive care."

ACTIVISTS SHOVELED IN THE DIRT...
Many activists, convinced that this deal was done with the devil, are rejoicing at the prospects of the sale being killed.

LAST RITES COMING
It seems to me that we will soon be seeing a priest at City Hall, ready to offer the last rites to this deal - something that will make many self-anointed "Save the Fair" advocates euphoric.

DISREGARDING LOCAL ZONING IS POSSIBLE
However, even if the Governor does cancel THIS sale, there's nothing to keep the Department of General Services from proceeding with it's new Request for Proposals and consummating an even more onerous deal. That's right - the State could negotiate with interested buyers a much more draconian deal from the City's standpoint - one that might cut out local zoning regulations and the recently-passed Measure "C".

THE "FAIR" CAN GO ELSEWHERE
And, if such a deal is cut, there is no guarantee in the RFP that a Fair must be part of the mix of uses, freeing the 32nd District Agricultural Association (the Fair Board) from seeking new digs for it's Fair. Does the name "Great Park" spring to mind? It should!



A WORSE DEAL IS POSSIBLE

All those activists cheering over the grave of this deal should be careful what they ask for. Some of those folks are avid equestrians. If the 150 acres at 88 Fair Drive are sold to a developer of , say, outlet malls or a chicken farmer, what will happen with the horses?

A TIME FOR MOURNING
No, I fear that if this deal is, indeed, quashed by Solorio, Tran and the Governor, there will be no joy in Costa Mesa as the other sale process moves forward. The DGS professes that they want a deal struck before the end of the year. That gives you plenty of time to have your funeral duds cleaned and pressed in time to say a few words over the moldering carcass of our once proud Fairgrounds.

MANSOOR'S BIGOTRY TO BLAME
Personally, despite Solorio and Tran blaming other reasons for turning their backs on the Costa Mesa deal at this late hour, I think the anger expressed by the Latino Caucus of the legislature about Mayor Allan Mansoor's recent "rule of law city" resolution had much to do with their decision to abandon our city. While that anger is understandable, I'm disappointed in both of them for permitting it to cloud their judgment and potentially place the future of the Fairgrounds in jeopardy.

TRAN HAS BEEN NO HELP...
Tran, has basically been the invisible man in this process. He's the one who should have been crafting the legislation to make this sale work, but he wasn't. No, he can't afford to appear to be siding with Mansoor on any issue right now because that would put a real crimp in his campaign among Latino voters as he attempts to unseat Loretta Sanchez.

SEND SOLORIO AND TRAN A NOTE
So, if this deal is, in fact, killed by the Governor, don't bother sending flowers. Instead, send a little note to Solorio and Tran letting them know how you feel. I'm sure they will appreciate your views.

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15 Comments:

Blogger Bruce Krochman said...

I am not terribly shocked by this. My only question is who was lobbying Van Tran and Jose Solorio? I wonder if we can get their office visitor and phone logs? My guess is that we might be very surprised.

9/09/2010 01:26:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

Bruce, an interesting question, indeed. I suspect much "lobbying" has taken place on this issue.

This whole thing has reeked from the very beginning, with the "Dick Ackerman" involvement, the bogus foundation members of the current Fair Board created and on and on...

Sadly, nothing would surprise me - except the current deal being approved.

9/09/2010 02:52:00 PM  
Anonymous Rule of Law said...

You claim to be a Republican and against illegal immigration, yet you characterize the "anger," which is really craven political opportunism by the Latino caucus (who are sworn to represent the CITIZENS of the United States and California, not foreign nationals), over the Rule of Law resolution as understandable! You can criticize Mansoor's motives all you want, but the resolution itself is completely innocuous and in fact welcome! YES! We are a rule of law city - and that applies to everything, from illegal banners to drunk driving and unwatered lawns, not to mention the entire Vehicle, Business and Professions, health and Safety and Penal Codes, just to name a few.

Solorio and the entire Latino caucaus are disgusting political swine, who get angry about a resolution calling for adherence to the law of the State - the same law they exist to create! How would they feel if we all routinely ignored every law they have drafted?

That you bought into their horse manure is just another example of how thoroughly you have strayed off the path of reason and conservatism in your anti-Mansoor zealotry.

What DO you believe in, Pot Stirrer? Which laws are YOU ok with?

9/09/2010 03:39:00 PM  
Blogger Bruce Krochman said...

Hey Anonymous "Rule of Law" guy, you sound an awful lot like Martin Millard, come on and have the spine to let me know who I am talking to here.

How exactly do you account for Van Tran's position on this? Forget Solorio all together. Forget the "Rule of Law" BS.

Who exactly has Van Tran been listening to and why?

And before you attack me for calling out Van Tran, go look at his campaign donor reports. I like the guy and think he has a chance against Sanchez. That still does not mean that he has not been the recipient of some serious arm twisting. Why? What do you know and are refusing to share?

9/09/2010 06:24:00 PM  
Blogger mesa verde madman said...

Does 'Rule of Law' mean Monahan won't put up code-violating banners for football season, which kicked off tonight?

9/09/2010 08:36:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

Anonymous "Rule of Law", are you trying to tell me that the "innocuous"(in your words) "rule of law" resolution is not a flash point for unrest among Latinos, including Latino lawmakers? Puhleeze! Do you seriously expect anyone to believe that this move on Mansoor's part was not directed specifically at the Latinos in our community? It was pure political pandering to his biased base - red meat for the masses. And what of the other shoe he promised - some more "action" in that regard. What's he waiting for?

This was just another move to fan the flames of discontent in our community on both sides of the issue, and to marshal his supporters who support his ONLY issue - illegal immigrants.

As to my "anti-Mansoor zealotry", my only concern about him is that I just don't think he's smart enough to do the job necessary in Sacramento. He's demonstrated over and over again that he lacks the ability to bring together opposing factions -he's a divider, not a uniter. He will be in the minority in Sacramento and will, therefore, be even more ineffective than if he was a part of the majority.

And, yes, I'm a life-long Republican, but that doesn't mean I'll vote for someone who is not equipped to do the job just because he's a Republican, too. Without exception, when Mansoor gets cornered with a question he either doesn't understand or is afraid to answer he'll default to his "I have questions" mode - but never articulates those questions so they can be addressed.

No, I won't vote for him because I think he's an under-educated, under-achiever who is just not smart enough to do the job. Please feel free to ask any other questions that strike you...

9/09/2010 08:47:00 PM  
Anonymous info spreader said...

Hey Fool of Law guy, every member on the Latino Caucus was informed of Millard and Mansoor's "relationship" and a nice collection of Millard's "essays" were also sent to them.

9/10/2010 09:55:00 AM  
Anonymous info spreader? said...

What a joke! Are you proud of yourself for helping kill the fair sale with innuendo and lies? What "relationship" are you talking about? The only one that exists is the one this blog dreamed up. The Pot Stirrer then spread his cooked-up theory to everyone who asked and most who didn't ask. You're the fool for believing any of it.

9/10/2010 11:58:00 AM  
Anonymous info spreader said...

You can thank your mayor and his questionable ASSociations as well as his many many questionable decisions for killing the fair deal.

Why do you think he was on their watch list to begin with?

But hey, at least our city is a "rule of law city" whatever that is.

9/10/2010 06:18:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

I guess we assume Anonymous "Rule of Law" and equally Anonymous "info spreader?" are the same person - reads like it...

?, that relationship is real, and has been for nearly a decade. I won't even attempt to quantify it for you, since you're obviously one of Mansoor's Kool-Aid drinkers... Suffice it to say that I've watched Mansoor and his former good buddy, Bever, sing directly from that other guy's song book, verbatim, over the years. Not once, not twice, but many, many times over the years. His influence is obvious to any semi-observant person. Only recently, when his racially-charged crap on his blog has become more overt, have they distanced themselves from him. Too late! Thanks for reading...

9/10/2010 08:36:00 PM  
Anonymous Sad but true said...

If one looks at the membership of The Orange County Great Pork foundation, they will see that Jose Solorio AND Alan Mansour show up as "members" of the advisory council.

http://www.orangecountygreatpark.org/who.html

If the Great Pork does get the fairgrounds then this would go a long ways to mask its overall ineptness and actually make the Agranistas look good.

9/11/2010 12:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Dank said...

Potstirer,

For us new to your blog would you mind shedding some light on what your talking about here?

"Suffice it to say that I've watched Mansoor and his former good buddy, Bever, sing directly from that other guy's song book, verbatim, over the years. Not once, not twice, but many, many times over the years."

9/13/2010 01:13:00 PM  
Anonymous kush said...

DANK, try the search feature.

IT WORKS!!!

9/13/2010 04:27:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

Dank, Welcome. Those of us who have watched Mansoor and his pals for his tour on the city council are aware of the influence one angry guy has had on him, and them. You can read more about him by going to my previous blog (the link is at the top of the right column on this blog). Once there, click on Archives and then look for references to "Your Neighbor". I suggest you begin on 8/29/05 and 9/2/05. Please include the entry on 9/22/05.

On this blog, simply enter "Your Neighbor" or "The Mouth" in the box on the left side of the blue line and hit "enter". It will present you with my comments about the guy.

9/13/2010 04:30:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

Kush, you beat me to it! But only by a couple minutes. Welcome... nice to have a couple more four-letter words here.

9/13/2010 04:33:00 PM  

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