Obfuscation By The Head Shill
Last week, appropriately on Friday the 13th, Colin McCarthy - in his role as head shill for the OC GOP as President of the Costa Mesa Taxpayer's Association - published another screed on their website, trying to whip up support for his pals on the City Council by begging the members of his organization to speak up in support of this council's bogus schemes. I have included the complete text of his message below, along with comments of mine interspersed throughout. The text of his message is shown in red. My comments are in blue, bold italics.
Update from the President
Our City Council needs your support!
2012 marks the first time in years that the Costa Mesa City Council balanced our City’s budget without utilizing our reserves to pay the bills. Ah, it also marks the first time since 2008 that the economy has not continued to decline! Previous councils - despite all the criticism leveled against them - were wise enough to have put away more than $70 million just for such an event. The Council has begun working at outsourcing some City services in order to cut our long-term labor and benefit costs. Yes, but they jumped the gun, failed to follow their own rules and ended up getting the city involved in a very expensive lawsuit which is still not resolved. They have focused on hiring administrators who live in our City (including Police Chief, City CEO, Assistant CEO, etc.) and have begun the long overdue task of pumping money back into our crumbing City infrastructure. Ah, Colin, our City infrastructure is NOT crumbling. The maintenance of roads and alleys were all on schedule - a schedule carefully crafted by highly-trained staff members and not the knee-jerk reaction for political expediency. They are interested in future of our City and are taking a hard-line against spending money we don’t have. As are the speakers you're trying to paint as radical obstructionists. Each of them are long-term residents and concerned taxpayers who don't like the tactics of this council and its group of sycophants - like yourself, Colin - who twist and distort "facts" and make up others to inflame the residents of this city for no reason.
For all of this, our Council majority has been personally attacked, harassed, threatened and even had their spouses accosted while shopping. Really? Which spouse was accosted while shopping? Was this encounter reported to the police? What damage was done? Was this just another "spray-painted car" event? Which council members were threatened? As a lawyer you should know it's a felony to threaten an elected official. Who did it, when and where? Were the authorities contacted? There is a vocal minority in this City that does not want to see any fiscal reform. Really? Who are they? If you mean those folks who regularly speak before the council - some of whom are members of Costa Mesans For Responsible Government - how do you know they don't want to see any fiscal reform? Quite the contrary, every time they speak they address that issue and others. To them, a QUARTER BILLION DOLLAR unfunded pension obligation is okay. NO, it's not OK! However, that obligation is not due tomorrow and opportunities have been presented to the council to help resolve that gap, but they've been consistently ignored because they don't fit in Jim Righeimer's political agenda. To them, $350,000 a year firemen are okay. That "$350,000 a year fireman" is one Battalion Chief who, because your pals on the city council refuse to permit filling of vacancies, is required to work overtime to provide adequate public safety coverage for this city. That overtime is DIRECTLY attributable to your buddies on the City Council! To them, our money should all be spent on salaries and benefits and not on improving our City. That, of course, is a steaming pile of manure, Colin. Yet another lie to inflame the populace.
We all know that this fringe element represents the small minority of residents in our great City. As does your shill organization for the OC GOP. However, it is this vocal minority that is speaking up. Yes, they are - and doing so very effectively. They speak at City Council meetings, they write hateful editorials in the local media and they effectively pretend that they speak for the majority of residents. And there's that word, Colin - "hateful". NOTHING that any of those folks have said or written can - by the wildest stretch of the imagination - be considered "hateful". That's a word you and your pals have used to describe almost any phrase of opposition. It is not "hate" when one opposes your views. It is not "hate" when a person points out the folly of your actions. As members of a representative Republic, it is their right and duty to speak out against their elected leaders when they feel their actions are wrong. What you want is absolute obedience - a dictatorship.
It is time for Costa Mesan’s to speak out. Colin, Costa Mesans are, and have been, speaking out. Those speaking in opposition are long-time residents of the city, former elected officials and senior members of the City Staff. Each brings not only long tenure and deep ties to the community, but specialized expertise, as well. It is time for those of us who support living within our means to get involved. Actually, Colin, we are involved. We must continue to demand fiscal reform. And, of course, that's been happening, but your pals have been ignoring us. Tell the City Council that enough spending is enough. I agree, such as spending money on lawyers like a bunch of drunken sailors! They're going to spend DOUBLE the budget this year on legal fees on issues that THEY created! Tell them that you support a balanced budget. Actually, Colin, they had a balanced budget last year - including a surplus of more than $3 million that they were not responsible for - the previous council was! Tell them that you support paying down our pension debt and negotiating Police and Fire contracts that are fair to the residents, not just the unions. And yet the council has chosen NOT to offer to negotiate, but took the hard line of the illegal layoff notices. They've rejected overtures by bargaining units (we don't have unions in our city government, Colin) that would have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars. Tell them you are not going to pass the buck onto our children and grandchildren. And yet, that's exactly what they are doing by failing to negotiate.
So what can you do? There are two key ways to help this important cause. Attend City Council meetings and speak during public comment. The following is a schedule of the next few City Council meetings:
April 17, 2012
May 1, 2012
May 15, 2012
June 5, 2012
All meetings are on Tuesday and begin at 6:00 p.m. and public comment period is shortly thereafter. You do not need to stay for the entire meeting. Of course you don't have to stay and hear what's going on! Why clutter up your heads with details and actual facts? Heck, watching your council in action might just change your minds about things. If you stayed and watched them vilify and berate speakers before them and try to stifle the only voice of reason on the dais - Wendy Leece - you might actually begin to understand what has so many people who actually DO pay attention so angry. Nah, just step up, say your canned talking points and then go home. Speakers are permitted up to 3 minutes. Unless Mayor Bever has a bug up his butt, then he might cut you off. The Council is used to only hearing from critics, not from those who want to move our City forward. Actually, that should read, "The Council is used to only hearing from critics - those who want to move our City forward."
Write a letter to the Editor. The Daily Pilot routi nely accepts editorials from the public on important issues. Actually, they're not "editorials" - those are produced by "editors". It does not have to be Shakespeare. Obviously, or they wouldn't publish the lie-filled pap you and your pals submit. They will generally publish anything up to one p age in length (single-spaced.) Actually, the Pilot has a 500-word limit. You can email submissions to dailypilot@latimes.com or mail them in. Make sure and include your address and telephone number. They do not publish that i nformation to the public, but it is their way of making sure you are a real person and a resident. Actually, Colin, the Pilot will publish comments from folks who are not residents, too. You're so used to spreading lies and other misinformation that you just can't help yourself, can you?
If only 5% of our membership regularly spoke out in favor of fiscal reform, we would drown-out the extremists and haters who are so fiercely fighting change. There's that word again, Colin. Opposition does not mean "hate". The only hate we see these days comes from you and your pals in the form of c omments posted on blogs and the garbage you and your buddies write. But, then, that's what happens when your side of the argument is so weak - you have to try to mis-characterize those who disagree with you. We need your help. Please get involved in whatever way you can.
Please tell your friends and neighbors to add their names to our email list at www.CMTax.org/JoinUs.php and forward our updates to anyone you think may enjoy reading them. And, Colin, do your "contributors" know how you're using their money? Have you explained to them just what your PAC supports? Just asking... You can also visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/CMTax!
Colin McCarthy
President, Costa Mesa Taxpayers Association
Colin@CMTax.org
*****
SPREADING LIES AND DECEIT
So, there you have it. Colin McCarthy - head shill for the OC GOP - spreading lies and misinformation to his members. It's curious that, despite all his rhetoric over the past year, so few of his members actually take the time to give the requested pep talks to the four members of the city council they theoretically support. Obvio usly, McCarthy and his buddies have failed to provide enough red meat to them. We've seen a few of them step up and mutter something from prepared talking points, but they clearly do not actually understand the issues so they embarrass themselves. That's a shame. They seem like nice folks, but are being led down the proverbial garden path by McCarthy and his buddies.
WHO WILL SHOW UP?
Well, let's see how effective Colin's call to arms is next Tuesday. Will "5%" of the membership of the Costa Mesa Taxpayer's Association show up? How many of them will have something to say other than simply recite a page from the Jim Fitzpatrick fanny-smoocher's song book? Will they become so rowdy that our part-time, part-time ma yor, Eric Bever, be forced to turn loose the Sergeant-at-arms on them and toss them bodily out of the building - like his buddy, Allan Mansoor did with Benito Acosta a few years ago? You remember that case - it's still percolating through the bowels of City Hall. Will we end up with more lawsuits?
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THEM
I'm eager to hear from those folks. I want to see how effective McCarthy and his crew have been casting their spell over residents of this city. I want to hear their thoughts and see if any of them have something to contribute to the discussion of these very important issues. Honestly, I really do...
Labels: Allan Mansoor, Benito Acosta, Colin McCarthy, Costa Mesa Taxpayers Association, Eric Bever, Jim Fitzpatrick, OC GOP
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 4/15/2012 12:16:00 PM
32 Comments:
An excellent dissection, Pot Stirrer, of McCarthy’s screed (AKA rant, diatribe, or bitter, sharply abusive denunciation).
This sort of analysis is a great way to break through the almost hypnotic effect that voluble people can have with their words. Righeimer’s and McCarthy’s lectures, for example, flow nicely and have a persuasive feel to them. If you weren’t used to their style, it would be easy to swallow their message whole hog since they sound so sincere and there’s a compelling rhythm to how they say it … sort of like “Bolero” or a TV Bible thumper.
But break down whatever they say into its components and think about each one – is it true? is it false? – as you have done, and their whole house of cards collapses on itself.
You’ve provided a signal service here, P.S. … thanks once again for helping to keep things transparent.
The mere fact that McCarthy wrote this post seems to indicate that there is no real support on their side of the issue.
With that said, nobody should find any comfort in the state of the budget until the reserves have been restored to the level they were at 3-4 years ago.
Yes, there is no support for Colin and his group. Keep thinking that. You will have a November surprise. And there has never been a hateful comment towards Riggy on this blog either as Geoff has pointed out in his column. Personally I've had it with both sides and the 3@50 pension. Let's privatize where it makes sense, institute a 2 tier pension system, and have a meaningful, intelligent dialog, not the cindy b anger or the whack leffler. Valantine's demeanor is about perfect, maybe he can articulate a vision. At least he let's council know when they get it right, not 100% complaints. And Benito Acosta was a foul mouthed punk anarchist who needed to be removed and have his mouth washed out with soap. Cannot believe Geoff would even bring him up as some mistreated person.
mulva,
I'm not a Benito Acosta fan, but he didn't misbehave until Mansoor cut him off short of his 3 minutes. He was dragged from the auditorium on orders from long-gone police chief John Hensley when he attempted to retrieve his notes. Mansoor caused that ruckus and the resultant lawsuit.
I agree that Perry Valantine could probably articulate a vision for us all. The problem, of course, is that the council doesn't listen... Thanks for your views.
"The Colon is the last part of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body, and is the site in which flora-aided (largely bacterial) fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs. Unlike the small intestine, the Colon does not play a major role in absorption of foods and nutrients. However, the Colon does absorb water, sodium and some fat soluble vitamins."
-Wikipedia
sorry mulva, I have to disagree with you. If there was such overwhelming support for the council as they clearly state every chance they get. Why would he feel the need to write that.
Sounds to me like they are getting desperate the council supporters realize they are losing steam but you said it best..."You will have a November surprise."
mulva...(or whatever you decided to post under today)...Don't try to fool us with your "intelligent dialog". You guys want nothing of the sort. You want Rig, Mens, McCarthy et al to be able to spout out this stuff at council meetings, the Daily Pilot, etc, without any differing opinions. The recent FF OT issue is a perfect example. Vasin shoved it up Rig's you know what and broke it off with facts, dates, etc. Rig had no response because there is none. Would you classify the council's denial of the FF's offer to continue to pay the 5% PERS while negotiating further savings as "intelligent dialog"? Well, you might but most reasonable folks see right through their garbage.
Remember, candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.
once again: MULVA- LOL!
Good job, but a tiny clarification:
The Secretary of State web site indicates that the Costa Mesa Taxpayers PAC was terminated September 20, 2011. The Secretary of State does show an active corporation named CM Taxpayers Association, Inc., at the address 4040 Macarthur, #250, Newport Beach.
Why is this important (other than the Newport Beach address shared by certain local politicians)?
A PAC (political action committee) must file public reports detailing contributions and expenditures. As a corporation,CM Taxpayers Association, Inc., does not. Does their money comes from local residents? From those seeking a piece of the outsource pie? Or from other out-of-town special interests? How much do they get? Do they spend their money just for printing and postage or for paid staff and consultants?
Because they do not file as a PAC, we don't know.
Odd how a council member cross examines members of the community about PAC contributions that are publicly available for all to see but says not a word about CM Taxpayers
Again this Council did not balance the first budget in years. That is a misrepresentation of facts and knowing he misrepresents that claim makes it a lie. Total Revenues rose in fiscal 10-11 to $95.3 million as expenditures were cut by $22 million over 2 years creating in 10-11 a $3.8 million surplus. $13 million in cuts before this council took it's seats. Then another $8 million in the year this council only ruled for half the period. The credit shoudl certainly go to the previous council that made the cuts and got the ball rolling. What this council has done in it's 1st full year in office is raised expenses in 11-12 to where the same revenues that produced a $3.8 million surplus will now only create a 200k surplus. The same revenues are projected for 11-12 as we had in 10-11 and yet the surplus will drop from $3.8 million to $200K. That's the truth if the projected numbers from the city's own financial budget review.
Colin McCarthy showing his eagerness to misrepresent and lie to the public is not someone I would want running my city. But he will sadly probably be one of our next city council members. How sad is that people?
The one thing Colon has right is his sense of timing.
You can set a clock by his tush-kissing essays.
Thank you Geoff or translating Colon-half-truths into reality.
there actually is a lot of support for council in the community at large. the "huge" mistakes those closely involved see are pretty unknown to most voters. that said, council supporters are definitely not happy with all the reversals of fortune and wish they would get their act together as we like their political philosophies. If the city clerk had not fouled up, or sabotaged the charter we would not be as restless. So, lots of errors by council yes I agree. But I see no viable candidate from an opposing side and I think the opposing side philosophy loses just as they have lost the majority of seats in the last ten years. For me I would like to see a conservative Republican who has stayed above the fray and has a track record in governance come forward and run. Leece would have never even made it to council had she not become a "barnacle" as Geoff called her with Mansoor. Garlich would have won a seat instead. Jeff Mathews might be a good choice. Sam Clark is sharp though hr does not always show it. I think Colin penned this piece because council supporters have been letting the councilmen take all the hits for a year and a half and have not wanted to face that crowd in the audience at meetings. I think they still stay away, not worth it to get marked by unions, cops, and cm4rg. Only grief can come from that.
If a tree falls in the forest and there's nobody there, does it make a sound? I guess if Colon 'Chainsaw' McCarthy comes in and starts choppin' wood, it does. Chainsaw = tool. Get it? My guess would be nobody shows up to support the Fab Four, but then they'll just say the 'majority' was too scared of being heckled, etc.
That said, it's still hard to tell where the true majority lies (double entendre) now. Stay tuned til November.
Wyatt Earp,
CMFD OT in 2011 was $3.5 million, $300k higher than the extremely high 2008 - which a poster on the Daily Pilot commentary by Capt. Vasin named CMFA_President said was due to massive OT related to the summer wildfires. CM was reimbursed for that OT and even made a profit of $700k.
I don't recall a spate of wildfires that CMFD responded to in 2011.
The department is down 9 firefighters - and one deployed to Afghanistan, serving our country, for 10 unfilled positions. How does that equal $3.5 million in OT?
Riggy caused the OT?...very easy. Do you want the MINIMUM amount of FF's working per shift? Or would you be satisfied with less than that? Your council left open 9 positions. CMFD Command Staff then has a choice. Run short and pray nothing happens, or fill those slots with FF's on OT so as to meet minimum staffing requirements to deal with emergency situations. Hence, the OT bill for 2011.
I know your next statement will be the FF's required the staffing in their contract. Remember that the Fire Chief and city staff developed the minimum staffing numbers. The council agreed to those numbers. It should not come as a shock the FF's would want to hold the city to this number for FF and public safety by having it in the contract.
There you go.
As a long time resident and registered Republican, I naively never thought this was a dem vs repub issue...it just seems to be right vs wrong, egos vs correct procedures, personalities vs fact and issues...BUT maybe I need to rethink my political leanings and re-register...if this is a political issue and the Republicans are thowing Costa Mesa under the bus, shame on you..and adios
Take heart Zennymoon. Some Republicans think these guys are mutant freaks! My husband and I do.
La femme wonkita, good to hear from you after all this time. You are being too coy, though. Let's not tease the public, the address Costa Mesa Taxpayers Corporation calls home is .........Jim Righeimer and Scott Baugh's Newport Beach office! Yes this would be the same Jim righeimer who thinks Costa Mesa employees need to live in Costa Mesa. Obviously he thinks it's dandy to pay his business licsense tax to Newport, where the business fees are much higher than in Costa Mesa. But he doesn’t care who gets the revenue. He doesn’t care how much it costs. He likes to use other peoples money, maybe it’s all paid for by campaign donations.
zennymoon...you are correct. There are persons from across the political spectrum who are disgusted with these guys. I have been a lifelong Republican voter as is my wife and extended family. I re-registered as an Independent recently if for no other reason than I simply did not want the OCGOP to count me amongst their voters due to the manner in which these guys are going about their business. I can count at least 15 other persons who have done the same. I am all for reform at every level of government, from the Feds all the way down to these four losers. But, I am not for re-writing history and trying to cast blame on the employees of Costa Mesa for causing any fiscal issues that may exist (as you can see the city has done just fine with some cuts and relying on a contingency fund---god forbid this is what a contingency fund is for).
These guys would have you believe the employees intentionally put the city in dire straights and that simply is not true. They then march out someone like McCarthy, mulva and Riggy caused the OT to continue to spew misleading information and often outright falsehoods to support their goals. Again, I simply did not want my name associated with local political party allowing and encouraging their people to do this.
Uh, Wyatt, we do want an intelligent dialog but you obfuscate. YOU don't want it, you just want to drive your shiny firetruck. Lafem didn't fill out her PAC forms correctly last election. Missing info, boxes not checked. Odd. Go back and fix your stuff b4 attacking others (and get rid of your illegal front yard fence.)
bigdawg....Really? Intelligent dialog like refusing the FF's offer to continue to pay 5% while negotiating further savings? That was your unfab four council that ended that dialog and grandstanded for political reasons. Oops, that was another fact. I know how you guys hate those. It was your boy Righeimer who attempted to make the FF's look bad with the OT issue and it blew up in his face again with facts. Facts, that nasty word again you guys hate. Nice try though.
That monkey looks like spineless Hatch! I can't tell if the monkey is kissing butt, on his knees or bending over.
Wyatt Earp,
9 positions doesn't equal $3.5 million, not by a long shot. You can't keep making that statement.
Barry, "we" are all for intelligent and informed dialogue too! You are somebody's little lap dog and amateur code enforcement is your hobby. Here's a pop quiz for you: Do you know how many legal non-conforming old walls are in the city?
Now you or one of your doggie friends are experts on legally completing filing forms? I’m sure someone you know does understand just what it takes. It’s not rocket science, just tedious. Whoever posted about it did not look at the forms but took someone else's word for something they have no clue about. Every form is self explanatory. Here’s another pop quiz for you. Clue: the answer is easy if you are actually viewing the paperwork. 2 questions: Which boxes have to be checked and which are optional? What information has to be legally provided and what does not? See. Easy. You were misin“formed”.
So, Wyatt, "Riggy caused the OT... spew misleading information and often outright falsehoods"?
That information came straight from the 2011 employee comoensation report.
Fact is, $3.5 million in OT is partially due to 9 fewer positions, but that still leaves a whole lot of money on the table - $2 million or so. You can keep dodging and weaving, but the numbers do not lie.
I for one would love to see Colin man-up and show all of us how he would be an effective leader on this Council. Take all that knowledge that he got from running that lame Taxpayer organization and use it the real world.Please run Colin, and show the union thugs how you're going to make this City better, you Jackass.
Numbers don't lie/numbers don't add up..Wake up gentlemen....Riggy's issue was with this past year's OT. Try playing the same game next time.
Also keep in mind that is 9 positions at OT, time and 1/2 24 hours per shift. That adds up rather quickly. If you think you know something then let's hear it. Put your money where your keyboard is.
Numbers don't lie... but you do.
Nobody has ever said that the nine unfilled positions on the FD are responsible for the total overtime bill. There is also a understaffed PD that has been force hired in addition to all of the other costs of running a understaffed city.
The fact that Righeimer refused to allow the FFs to pay more after they offered, is undeniable evidence that the council has been willing to waste tax payers money to make the employees look greedy.
This is just dirty politics, plain and simple and you're a part of it when you come here and spin your lies. Question is... which one of them are you?
Colin 4 Council,
This is the best comment I have read in a while. Made me chuckle. Please run Colin!
I would also add that it is not only 9 unfilled positions. What do you think you have to do when a FF takes a vacation day, a sick day or is at mandatory training? Again, the choice is run short and risk your career if you are the Battalion Chief or Fire Chief who made that decision, or pay OT to insure you can provide the service when called upon. Keep it coming guys.
I love how colin posted the link on Facebook to this blog post for all his "supporters" to read. He went on to call the citizens a monkey because of the picture.
If their are so many supporters, why dont they show up to speak at CC when there is nothing on the agenda that the "unions" or "haters" (hey thats me) would even consider showing up for. It seems like that would be a great time to fluff up the fab 4. But no one does.
Finally, @ Colin 4 Counsell, that made me ROTFLOL! His platform will read "I will vote how Mr. Righeimer tells me too. Whoever doesnt I will call a cotton-headed ninny-muggins."
Wyatt Earp,
I could care less what Riggy says. I'm looking at CMFD OT that equals roughly half of TOTAL salaries, based on the 2011 employee compensation report.
You tell me how that is effectively running a department?
Is it because a people covering each other's shifts due to minimum manning requirements as you state? If so, why isn't that done in a way that doesn't maximize OT? It is in almost every other industry.
A very simple Google search will show you that this isn't a problem in Costa Mesa alone. Stop blaming the messenger and deal with the facts.
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