ANOTHER Great Day!

SPECIAL EVENT TODAY
This morning, beginning at 11:00 a.m., the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, The Orange County MarketPlace and the Orange County Fair and Event Center hosted the Public Safety Recognition BBQ event at the Fairgrounds.

SAYING THANKS...
This annual event is one small way for the community to say "Thank You" to those men and women who provide Fire, Police and 911 Communication service to our community.  I was honored to attend, and to have the chance to tell those folks how grateful I am for their contributions.  It was a nearly perfect event... more on that blemish later.

OCC CHEER SQUAD
There was food, entertainment, enthusiastic cheerleading by the Orange Coast College Cheer Squad - there were young bodies flying everywhere! - raffles and just the right number of short speeches.

PUBLIC SAFETY STAFFERS
Many firefighters, police officers and 911 staffers attended, both on duty and off.

BEAUTY
Miss American Beauty, 2014 attended and certainly did brighten up the place.

FAWCETT'S LAST HURRAH

Chamber of Commerce President Ed Fawcett made a brief, moving speech at what will be his final such event.  He's leaving the job before the next one.

ONLY LEECE SHOWED
The current City Council was represented only by Wendy Leece, shown here being greated by Officer Kha Bao, our most decorated DUI enforcer.  I guess I'm not surprised that none of the men from the City Council failed to show up.  Mayor Righeimer and Mayor Pro Tem Mensinger certainly may have felt a little uneasy in the presence of the men and women they are suing.  And, of course, Gary Monahan was pulling beer taps.

THE WADDLING BLEMISH
Time to mention that only blemish - in the person of Planning Commission Chairman and Riganista sycophant, Jim Fitzpatrick.  He came waddling in well after the event began, snatched a plate of food, then bent the ear of the lovely representative from Southern California Edison for fifteen minutes before seating himself with fellow Riganista, Mesa Water District President Jim Fisler - shown below apparently playing a game with Police Captain Rob Sharpnack.  Please remind me of this image the next time he refers to me as "Potbelly"... :-)

FORMER (AND FUTURE) ELECTED LEADERS
Candidates for City Council Katrina Foley and Jay Humphrey attended and made it a point to mingle and thank the public safety folks for their service.  Former mayor Mary Hornbuckle - presently the President of the Coast Community College District Board - attended.  This image of her speaking with Humphrey certainly did make me long for the good old days, when the adults were in charge of the City, and the priorities were what was best for the city, not developer buddies.

HATCHLESS
City CEO Tom Hatch was not present, but his Assistant, Rick Francis, attended.

TWO CHIEFS
Fire Chief Dan Stefano and Police Chief Tom Gazsi both attended and helped participate in the short recognition of the VanEs and DeFluiter families for the recent difficulties their families have faced.  Special recognition will be provided to them.

GREAT EVENT, GREAT PEOPLE
This was another terrific event, at which the strong ties among those who provide us with public safety services were evident.  Thanks to all those who participated today to make this such an outstanding event, and a very special thank you to the men and women who work hard every day of the year to keep our community safe.  I had a chance to chat with many long-service staffers and some of the new folks, as well.  We are very lucky to have such a wonderful cadre of public safety professionals working on our behalf.  Too bad the elected leadership can't seem to recognize it.

Leece Vs. Mensinger On Business License Fees

IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM...
For those of you who do not subscribe to the Orange County Register, last Wednesday, June 5th, two commentaries by Costa Mesa council members appeared side-by-side on page 6 in The Current, the Register's Costa Mesa/Newport Beach supplement that appears Monday through Friday.  If you missed it and DO subscribe to The Register, it is still available in the online archives of The Current.

RAISING BUSINESS LICENSE FEES, OR NOT?
Under the headline, "Keeping Costa Mesa Out of the Red", commentaries by councilwoman Wendy Leece and Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger presented their views on the issue of possibly increasing the Business License Fees in response to a much-needed revenue source as the City faces a $12 million budget deficit - which will be discussed in the Study Session this afternoon beginning at 4:30 p.m. in City Council chambers.  You can also view it live on CMTV.

QUOTATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS
I cannot provide you with what Leece and Mensinger wrote word-for-word without violating The Register's copyright, but I will give you a few comments and my opinion of the issue.

A GOOD QUESTION
Leece begins her commentary with this  question, "Which should be more binding, a pledge given in a campaign or the duty to serve Costa Mesa and make the best decision considering all the facts?"  She then goes on to explain that, in her view, the City Council should ask the Finance Advisory Committee to study the current Business License Fee structure and recommend alternatives that might generate new revenue for the city.  She explained, as many of us already know, that the Business License Fee structure in Costa Mesa has not changed since 1961.

ANTICIPATING REJECTION...
Anticipating the council majority rejecting her suggestion, she wonders, "Why wouldn't the council majority want to have the committee analyze this?  Or have they already decided they know what is best without looking at all the facts?"  She then ends by saying, "Reminds me of the saying, 'I've made up my mind, don't confuse with the facts.'"

*****

In fact, this item was considered as part of the Consent Calendar at the meeting on Tuesday, June 4th 2013.  The staff report on that item is HERE.  Leece "pulled" it for separate discussion and, as she tried to give her reasons for doing so Mayor Jim Righeimer attempted to quash her comments, stating that this was, "just a simple Consent Calendar item that only requires a yes or no vote."  Of course, he was way, way out of line by doing that.  He did allow public comments and Mensinger to comment and the item was passed on a 4-0 vote, with councilman Gary Monahan voting NO.  So, the Finance Advisory Committee WILL study this issue and report back to the council at some date in the future.

*****

STEVE'S OPENING STATEMENT
In his adjacent commentary Mensinger began with this observation, "As Calvin Coolidge once said, 'Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.'"  He then asks, "So what is necessary?"

SAY AGAIN?
His next statement is bizarre, so I'll include it verbatim.  He says, "The purpose of a business license is to determine whether a business is operating within the applicable federal, state and local laws.  It ascertains that businesses maintain a safe environment for the general public.  It also ensures the location is properly zoned for the activity to be conducted."  Actually, the purpose of the Business License Tax - that's what it is, a tax - is to generate revenue for the City, some of which MAY be used to regulate the businesses through fire, police, code enforcement and monitoring of use permits and the like.  The rest goes into the General Fund to provide for public safety and pave streets.

..I KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU
Mensinger, condescendingly uses the term "the usual suspects" when he implies that advocates of an increase in the Business License Fee are doing so "to pay for ever-increasing public pension costs".  Once again, he demonstrates the disdain he holds for the many residents who study the issues and take the time out of their busy lives to step up and speak to the council on them.  It's clear that he thinks he knows what's good for us, and we shouldn't dare to challenge his views.

COLLECT WHAT IS OWED
He goes on to say that, before hiking fees, "we first should make sure that the current system works and that each Costa Mesa business has a license."  I fully agree with him on that issue.  Until the  City recently purchased software to aid in the analysis, there was virtually NO attempt to insure that (1) all businesses in the city are licensed and, (2) those that are licensed are paying proper fees.  Mensinger mentions the purchase of that software in his piece.  Our municipal code provides for penalties for unpaid taxes, so tracking down and billing scofflaws could result in a one-time revenue jump.

DOESN'T CHANGE THE NEED
That, however, does NOT mean the Finance Advisory Committee shouldn't proceed with their assignment and do an analysis of our current structure and make recommendations to the City Council on whether they feel adjustments are in order, and how those adjustments should be made.

OK, STEVE, BUT...
Mensinger closed his piece by stating, "We can all agree that Costa Mesa is a great place to do business. Let's keep it that way.", assuming a modest Business License Fee would change that perspective.  During her presentation Tuesday night Leece read, in part, a letter from Ed Fawcett, Director of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, that suggested we, in fact, should study the issue before placing it on the ballot.  Apparently Fawcett isn't too worried about the results of a study.

JEFF HARLAN'S VIEW
Daily Pilot columnist Jeffrey Harlan recently wrote a commentary that discussed this issue, HERE.  He addressed these two commentaries from his perspective as a Costa Mesa resident and professional land planner.  I think you'll find his observations interesting.

STAKE IN THE HEART LAST YEAR
Last year, when the issue of increasing the Business License Fees came up, the staff presented the council with some options to consider, one of which spoke of a highest fee of $10,000!  That single comment, in my humble opinion as an observer of these meetings, drove a stake in the heart in the effort to consider alternatives to our current structure.  That number was pulled out of the air as an example, but the results were catastrophic.

DO THEIR HOMEWORK
I hope the members of the Finance Advisory Committee will do their homework and actually study this issue as directed by the council.  I'm sure they won't come up with anything quite as draconian as that "$10,000" number.

EVERYBODY PAYS
In my opinion, anyone who holds a business license in Costa Mesa should be required to pay at least a minimal fee, whether they have income or not.  It costs the city money to process the applications for renewal and those costs should be covered 100% by the fee.  That might mean a minimum fee of $25.00 - $50.00.  The committee can evaluate that.

QUADRUPLE IT!
Then, they could simply recommend quadrupling the remaining fee structure, with a maximum fee of $800, up from $200.  These fees have remained stagnant for more than a half-century and I doubt if those in the highest brackets - the Nordstrom's, Sax Fifth Avenue, Tiffany and the like - will balk at $800.  Such a modest change could generate more than $3 million in additional revenue for the city and allow us to hire more police officers and fully staff the fire department, for example.

HOPEFUL
I'm looking forward to seeing how this analysis proceeds, and what kind of recommendations the committee generates.  They have plenty of time for this project - an increase in the Business License Fee must appear on a General Election ballot and the first one available is November, 2014.

A Bittersweet Morning At City Hall

PASSING THE BADGE
This morning more than 100 family, co-workers and friends (that may be redundant) gathered in the City Council Chambers at City Hall for the "passing of the badge" ceremony for retiring legendary School Resource Officer, Jess Gilman.  I'm sure the event turned out to be everything Jess hoped for and more.

GAZSI AS MC
Police Chief Tom Gazsi, shown here with former Chief Dave Snowden, was the master of ceremonies and recounted Jess' long and illustrious career.  He became a police officer in Baldwin Park - hired by then-chief Snowden.  When Snowden moved to Costa Mesa Jess followed him to our city, where he served in a variety of policing roles.  His biggest impact, though, has been the last thirteen years as a School Resource Officer.

 CURRENT HONCHOS
In addition to Gazsi honoring Gilman, City CEO Tom Hatch, Newport Mesa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Fred Navarro, Estancia High School Principal Kirk Bauermeister and the aforementioned Snowden also spoke in glowing terms about Jess' impact on our community.

 SLIDE SHOW WAS A HOOT
In addition to the speakers a short, very funny, slide show was presented to the audience that covered his career from beginning to the end.

FAMILIAR FACES
I'm sure I'll miss someone, but among the dignitaries attending the ceremony were retired City Manager, Allan Roeder - looking like retirement agrees with him - School District Trustees Katrina Foley, Dave Brooks and Walt Davenport, Chamber of Commerce honcho Ed Fawcett and many of Jess' Costa Mesa Police Department co-workers.  I also met several people who had worked with Jess before his tour in Costa Mesa.  Clearly, he's a man with many friends.

POLICE FAMILIES SUFFER
As the speakers and Jess recounted stories I noticed many in the audience dabbing their eyes with tissue... it was a very emotional morning.  For me, the most moving part was when Jess - near the end of his speech - looked down at his children sitting in the front row and apologized to them for not being with them as much as he and they would have liked as they were growing up.  I know the toll being a police officer can take on families, so his remarks really hit home for me.  I hope Jess finds a way to make up for that lost time now.

GOOD-BYE AND GOOD LUCK
So, congratulations to my friend, Jess Gilman, on his retirement and thanks to him for his service to our community.  We at A Bubbling Cauldron wish him and his family all the best in the future.  Due to staffing constraints - the current City Council still refuses to permit Chief Gazsi to fill vacancies - there are no plans to replace Gilman as a School Resource Officer.  The impact of THAT decision will be felt for at least a decade if not remedied soon.

*****

MEAN-SPIRITED GLOAT-FEST
In an unfortunate and mean-spirited usurpation of the Gilman ceremony, Jim Fitzpatrick - unemployed president of the Costa Mesa Taxpayers Association, the OC GOP shill organization - held a press conference only a few yards away from council chambers at the same time.  I did not attend his gloat-fest, so I don't know first-hand what he said to the one or two members of the press who attended.  We must assume he chose to, once again, identify the person caught on tape damaging campaign signs last weekend.

 VIOLATING THE RULES - AGAIN
I do know, however, that he flagrantly violated the rules by displaying campaign signs on city property - again.  And, once again, he had to be chastised for it.  This time Hatch did a wind-sprint from his office on the 5th floor of City Hall to Fitzpatrick's location to remind him of the prohibition.  I watched from the Council Chambers porch as he begrudgingly removed the signs - and I smiled.

 SAD IRONY
In an unfortunate bit of irony, members of the Costa Mesa Police Department - including Jess Gilman -  were forced to walk directly past Fitzpatrick and his new lackey, Kent Mora - the temporarily presumed plagiarist - who joined Fitzpatrick at his farce/press conference.  I can only imagine the thoughts going through their minds as they passed that location.  I suspect they might not be suitable for publication here.