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Found in today’s bulging Orange Juice Inbox (our emphases) :
Bought-off councilman Bilodeau, tireless for-hire wordsmith Cunningham, Ridgeline Land-Grab boosters.
Hi Vern,
Sometimes one side goes too far in a political fight. In the City of Orange, developer John Martin and his investors have done just that.
Mr. Martin received approval from the Orange City Council to develop 39 multi-million dollar homes on 51 acres, which is zoned as recreational open space. His approval came after he and his companies donated $40,000 to support key candidates in the recent City Council election.
Furious at the Council’s decision, Orange residents organized an all-volunteer petition drive to place the plan directly before the voters. But the developer was not content to let democracy run its course. Mr. Martin’s team has hired people to circulate false petitions to confuse Orange voters. These petitions have nothing to do with any real policy actions taken up by the City Council, and are not intended to be submitted to any government official for any purpose. The developer also actively discouraged voters from signing the real petitions, and even urged voters to rescind their signatures on the real petition with the Registrar of Voters, again, all to confuse voters.
Martin even took the petitioners to court in an effort to prevent the Registrar from certifying signatures to place the referendum on the ballot. The judge flatly denied the request this week, supporting the ability of local citizens to exercise of their democratic rights.
Even in a hard-fought political fight, these tactics cross the line.
This coming Tuesday, August 9th, the Orange City Council will face two choices: rescind the General Plan Amendment that paved the way for Mr. Martin’s development or let the voters decide through the referendum that has qualified for the ballot. It’s time for the public to know the truth about these dirty tricks and to let their voice be heard. Developers should not be allowed to squelch a democratic process just to make a buck, especially when they have to resort to lies and aggressive tactics to prevent a vote of the people.
I hope you will consider shining a light on this damaging situation in the City of Orange. It’s in the best interest of all Californians to ensure that residents have a fair shake at shaping land use priorities in their communities.
Sincerely,
Sev Williams for
Orange-Needs-Parks.org
510-336-9566
Just this morning I received yet another of the developer’s misleading door hangers on my Old Towne doorknob.
This one tells quite a yarn of a fictional couple (attractive stock photo!) on the verge of retirement, Tom and Mary Martin.
The Martins are trying to sell their home, but the OPA HOA (which doesn’t exist) declares that the Martins backyard pool (the site of many fun pool parties and Mary’s free swim lessons!) is recreational open space, and demands they build a neighborhood swimming complex (with putting green!) at their expense on an empty lot they also own. Further, the fictional OPA HOA demands that the Martins deed the swimming complex to the City.
Attached to this fairy tale plot of property rights run amok is a postage-paid card from the developer – “Paid for by the So. Cal Taxpayers Assn – sponsored by and with major funding from Ridgeline Partners LLC” – urging citizens to rescind their votes.
FYI: Southern California Taxpayers Association has no known officers and is NOT the same as the Howard Jarvis California Taxpayers Assn.
The truth of the matter is that the developer bought at the height of the real estate bubble, and purchased property zoned recreational. I am all for people making money, but the citizens of Orange should not have to compensate for the developer’s business blunder.
Funny – they use the surname Martin? I guess developer John Martin is afraid that if he’s TOO subtle, you rubes won’t make the connection with HIS travails.
Pardon my ignorance – but what is Jerbal’s connection to this?
I was stuck at a different computer and used the image from the last time I wrote about the Ridgeline Land Grab, a month or so ago.
I should make another image combining Bilodeau and Dumitru instead.
Matt WAS working for the developer in May & June, he says he’s not any more.
Still, just his picture up there on the front page gets extra clicks. People LOVE stories with Matt in them, I don’t know why.
Here’s the old story: http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2011/07/land-grab-fallout-orange-republicans-mutiny-against-their-corrupt-party-and-jerbal-pops-his-head-up/
When I get home, if I remember, I’ll put up a different image.
He was working for the developer? Really? Is that legal, I mean he voted for their project when he was on the Orange Planning Commission, didn’t he?
Should I call the DA?
Hm. As I mentioned in my previous article, my friends who are involved in that issue – I’m deciding whether to name them or not, I might later – saw him and Laura running around at a couple council meetings rallying the pro-developer troops – trying to make it look like a buncha local citizens really wanted the area they’d grown up using as recreation turned into housing. You know, Astroturf organizing. Making sure they all had signs and stood together in a way that made them look numerous.
After I wrote that first article Matt told me a couple of little mistakes I had made which I fixed. But he did admit that he’d been working for the developer, John Martin, in May and June. And said that as of then – July – he wasn’t any more.
Sure it is a fictional example, but I think it makes a valid point. The fact that the City decided to slap a recreational zoning limitation on the property does not foreclose development either by the property owner who owned it at the time or the investor who bought the property. No less than the US Supreme Court has confirmed in the Palazzolo decision that a property owner who buys property subject to regulation has the right to challenge that regulation. Think for a moment what the result would be if that were not true. A local government could selectively down zone an empty lot you own for “open space” knowning you are not in an economic position to challenge what is, in reality, a confiscation of property for public use. The reality is that if a local government want to preserve property for parks or open space, IT SHOULD BUY IT, not render it valueless by placing zoning restrictions on it. When you get right down to it, this is about local governments attempting to confiscate property without paying for it by imposing zoning restrictions.
The orange city council members that voted for this should be recalled! The required number of signatures for a recall is the same number for a referendum. Put both issues on the ballot and let the voters decide! Get rid of them! Recall! Recall !! Recall !!!
It’s in the air, why not? At least recall Bilodeau and F Whitaker who were most obviously paid off. It’s in the air – Wisconsin TUESDAY! And the three Repugs on the Fullerton Council who are covering for the six murderous cops – conveniently those are also three of the four votes for developing Coyote Hills.
If only recall fever would spread to Costa Mesa!
I wish Supervisor Nelson would fire Bilodeau, who is his Chief of Staff. Bilodeau’s corruption is starting to look poorly on Nelson’s office. I know I won’t be voting for Nelson any more just because of who he associates with.
I see, in my crystal ball, many Bilodeau articles … once we stop the waste of paying John S Williams bank for doing nothing.
Well I proposed to organize “recall coalition party” and no one even burp.
So back to petitions which no one will sign for fear of identity theft…… as claimed by labor unions. (Vern Nelson’s friends)
I say Hunger!! Hunger!!! Hunger!!!! that is only moving force.
I did burp, Comrade Stanislav. I did burp.
More likely fart.
“I did burp, Comrade Stanislav. I did burp.”……. Hmmm
So finally you have solicited the Beer in these latest demonstrations comrade Vern?….. Huh?
Please start a recall in Costa Mesa, please, as soon as possible. It is crazy what is going on over there, repairing their streets I hear. This money could be going to pensions to avoid layoffs. Seriously, the real issue is that Sandy Genis is now coming to our council meetings again and brought another chick with her (who was a little nervous speaking). Please keep Genis occupied in her own town. She is an odd duck with a quirky delivery and a sneer of “i gotcha” when she finishes even thought she proves nothing. Weird person, we have our own don’t need another one. Get her busy on a recall in Costa Mesa.