Fairgrounds Swindle Bombshell: Jose Solorio Bails on the Sale!

This is a brand new press release from Assemblyman Jose Solorio, but THIS AIN’T THE LIBERAL OC, so you don’t get it without a little context, explanation and commentary first!

And it looks like a developing tradition that a new bombshell will be thrown from Sacramento right before each Costa Mesa meeting regarding the Fairgrounds deal.  But this one (unlike the last one promising a new auction) is one we like.  Jose, who until now had been working hard to try to make the deal between Costa Mesa and Facilities Management West as “good” as he could (which us derailers deemed to be coating a pig with lipstick) has finally and suddenly come out against the deal, making many of the same criticisms we’ve been making for a while now.

I THINK this will kill the bill, as he was the only member of the OC delegation to back the deal, the only member of the Latino Caucus to support it in spite of Mayor Mansoor’s race-baiting, and I’m pretty sure the only Democrat to support it – and it needs 2/3.  As you see now, he’s dropping his support.

Now, someone could still try to slip it through quietly during late night budget negotiations where it will only need a majority vote, late at night when only the crooks are wide awake, just like they did last year with the original sin bill.  But WE ARE WATCHING and so is the whole OC delegation.  Remember, as we’ve learned, the price of the Fairgrounds is eternal vigilance.

Then the next and final chapter will be the Governor following through with his threat to auction it off again.  But – haha – we stopped one auction and we’ll stop another, we still have arrows in our quiver we haven’t used yet.  Onward to the Final Battle!  Heeeeeeeeer’s JOSE!

Assemblyman Solorio Issues Statement Regarding

His Current Position on the Sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds

SACRAMENTO, CA – State Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim) issued this statement today regarding the legislation necessary to authorize the Orange County Fairgrounds sale agreement between the City of Costa Mesa and the State of California.

“I have offered several legislative ideas to the City of Costa Mesa that would make their proposal to buy the Orange County Fairgrounds more acceptable in the Legislature.

In particular, I provided them with suggestions on ways to strengthen the governance provisions, protect employee jobs during the transition, and prioritize their rental income for use in the impacted area. I also requested that they remove the tax loophole that would essentially take money from schools throughout the state so the operator can pay the city rent money.

The City has responded to these ideas, but as it stands now, there is still a gap in how far they will go and what I think would be minimum concessions to enable me and others to defend the proposal in the Legislature. As a result, I am now recommending to the Governor that he consider dropping the sale altogether.

Since the Legislature is working on budget bills now, there is still time for Costa Mesa to pursue legislation to purchase the fairgrounds. However, I can’t defend their current proposal or justify why the State should allow them to make so much money from property that belongs to all Californians.”

State Assemblyman Jose Solorio is the Chair of the Assembly Insurance Committee and serves on the Assembly Appropriations, Local Government and Transportation Committees. He represents the Sixty-Ninth Assembly District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana. For more information about Assemblyman Solorio, visit www.assembly.ca.gov/solorio.

Phone: (916) 319-2069 • Fax:(916) 319-2169

District Office: 2400 East Katella Avenue, Suite 640 • Anaheim, CA 92806

Phone: (714) 939-8469 • Fax:(714) 939-8986

E-Mail: Assemblymember.Solorio@assembly.ca.gov

Web Site: www.assembly.ca.gov/solorio