Here is another roundup of some of the most thought-provoking reader comments of the week. Comments are selected by our editors and subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity and length.
Click on each topic’s headline to see the article in question.
Cutting Funding for Latino Health Access
If there is a problem with Latino Health Access — and I do not know if there is or not — it just might be Ms. [America ] Bracho’s hyper, in-your-face type speech delivery in her public appearances. She often comes across as a bit out of control and overly excited or angry, and that is poor for PR and does not instill confidence in her or her organization.
— News Hound
It was really poor judgment for the LHA administrators to push the “promotora” [Spanish for “promoter”] label. The program was meant for all county citizens, and let’s face it, this is still America where the primary language is English. So if what they say is true — and we don’t know that for certain — their pride cost them $500,000. When in Rome do as the Romans do until you figure out a way to own Rome. Then you can call the shots.
— Beelzebub
Development Money in the Lake Forest Election
Every story I read in Voice of OC solidifies it more: Lobbyists and corporate interests run this county.
It’s why still nobody has been indicted in the attempt to sell the fairground. It’s why all these elected officials line up to outsource work; they see huge dollar signs in their campaign war chests.
Keep up the good work exposing this corruption, Voice of OC.
— Stunned
I find it ironic that [City Councilman] Peter Herzog should say, “This city should not be for sale.”
More than anyone else on the council, Herzog has accepted tens of thousands of dollars from “vested interests” who contribute to his campaign re-election committees and then come before him and the council with requests for projects.
According to my records — a 100-page report available to anyone interested — he almost always votes in their favor, and during the discussions neither he nor they mention the fact that money has changed hands. It looks like the new council members are simply following a well-worn path that Herzog laid out.
The bottom line is that no City Council members should be accepting money directly or indirectly and then voting on projects from the people and/or businesses who gave them that money. Technically it is not illegal, but everyone knows what’s going on.
If they want to take the money, then admit it and recuse themselves from the discussion.
Better still, don’t take the money.
— Jim Gardner
A Tale of Two Anaheims
Diana Lopez, president-elect of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association: “And basically the City Council doesn’t care. Perhaps another riot will get their attention.”
To me, that’s the bombshell in the article. What an irresponsible message to put out in public, and the Hispanic Bar should be extremely worried that this was said. Its a black eye to our entire Hispanic community to suggest that the only solution is a violent one.
The reality is that the best way to help the Latino community is to support economic growth in the area that will create jobs. The “Hi Neighbor” program and other feel-good efforts make for great PR but do little to get to the root of the dissatisfaction in the community.
It’s great the Mayor is having these press conferences and community meetings and is engaged in a listening tour. That’s important. But so is the hard work of encouraging businesses to stay in Anaheim and hire Anaheim residents, which is what the rest of the council is rolling up their sleeves to do.
— Responsible Orange
The Lopez comment came off differently in the room. I’m pretty sure what Ms. Lopez meant was, “What’s it going to take to get their attention? Another riot?” At least, that’s how I heard it.
It’s easy for things to come out wrong when you’re not reading a prepared text. And it looks different in print. And I agree that unless the majority on the City Council stops disrespecting and disregarding the Latino Anaheim, more civil unrest is a real danger. They should be healing the community, not inflicting more wounds. They should be bringing people together, not driving a wedge between the Two Anaheims.
— Danaruns
You are exactly correct, Responsible Orange. Unfortunately Mayor Tait has bought into the myth of a polarized America and even somehow seems to be enjoying the cultural war he has started in Anaheim.
So tell us, Mayor Tait, what is your end vision for Anaheim? Is it balance you seek? Should the residents on Ana Drive magically convert their neighborhood into a guarded, gated community such as yours? Or will you be better satisfied once you see graffiti, gang violence and prostitution in your own neighborhood?
Playing the race card in Anaheim doesn’t promote change, it promotes hate.
— Ground Control
Actually, unorganized little riots will do very little to create positive change unless there is a full-scale revolt or better yet calculated civil disobedience at targeted locations. (Disney’s front door?)
Riots create a media circus and get people entrenched into different sides fearing for their safety and property. The law enforcement agencies will just use the incidence of “violent” civil unrest to apply for more Homeland Security grants and such in order to “secure” the country from domestic terrorism.
More money will go to the security apparatus, and the city and state and nation will still not be able to come up with solutions for education and job opportunities.
— Got your back
County’s Affordable Housing Projects
An outstanding effort by Karen Roper and the Board of Supervisors to help at most five families of eight people or about 40 people. Out of 21,000 homeless!
This is really a way to make sure that about 10% of the total, or about $300,000, goes to developers as fees. Wouldn’t making sure that all Orange County toddlers are housed on an emergency basis be a better use of this money?
And why haven’t we done that yet?
— Dwight Smith OCCW
Did Anaheim Plan to Deceive Feds and Gain a Grant?
How can they possibly deny that this wasn’t a deliberate attempt to deceive?
Typical political move: Deny all wrongdoing until it becomes obvious it’s true, and then resign in disgrace. All of which will probably occur in a month’s time.
The Masters of the Universe think they can get away with anything. Not this time it looks like.
— SaveAnaheim
Raining on the LGBT Parade
I support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, but here’s the deal …
The [Tet] parade [in Westminster] receives a permit from the city for the use of the public property. That actually excludes the LGBT community from having claims to use that public property during the period the permit is valid. If the LGBT community had a permit for a parade, how would they feel about some hate group demanding they get to march in their parade?
Now the “proper” approach for the LGBT community has to do with the permitting process. They might want to question Westminster City Hall as to the grounds and conditions under which the permit was issued.
Certainly pressuring the parade organizers is politically proper, but ultimately they can refuse unless there is something about the permit issued by the city that provides leverage. (Or something in the laws about the permitting process.)
The next step would be to pressure City Hall for the following year about the grounds under which the parade permit is issued and whether it should be issued to an exclusionary group.
— Kburgoyne
Why do you analogize the presence of LGBT Vietnamese celebrating Tet with their brothers and sisters to the presence of a hate group? A hate group? Really?
— Greg Diamond
The Lunar New Year parade was the most wonderful thing the Vietnamese community put together every year for our kids to watch and learn about the traditional celebration on Lunar New Year.
I’m sure the Vietnamese community will pull this off perfectly, because they have contributed a lot to the city and the community overall. They always step up when others needed help in critical times.
I have confidence that this parade will happen beautifully and safely. I’m supporting them all the way. Keep up the great work.
— Lovable person