Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/michelle-steel/)
Orange County’s ethics commission now can legally meet for the first time – over 15 months after voters overwhelmingly approved its creation – after a retired judge was appointed as the third member.
H. Josh Ji, an attorney with Greenberg Gross LLP, was appointed unanimously. More than a year after voters approved the panel, county supervisors have yet to create it.
H. Josh Ji said he will bring his experience as an attorney to the table. The five member commission still hasn’t been formed by county supervisors, more than a year after voters ordered its creation in June 2016.
The latest campaign finance disclosures filed with the county Registrar of Voters show Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who is challenging District Attorney Tony Rackauckas for his seat in 2018, leading in fundraising with more than $1.29 million in his campaign coffers at the end of June.
In a public rebuke, one of Supervisor Andrew Do’s colleagues said Do has been pushing for the takeover because the health plan’s board refused to elect him chairman.
CalOptima provides health care for nearly 800,000 disabled, elderly and low-income Orange County residents. County supervisors are moving to expand their power on its board of directors, but state legislators are moving to block that effort.
Among those who will be subject to enforcement by the commission are the county supervisors and their election opponents. The changes would make it so commissioners “serve at the pleasure of the supervisor” who appointed them, said Supervisor Andrew Do, who supports the effort.
The proposed budget has a large discretionary increase for the Sheriff’s Department and comparatively tiny discretionary increases for social and health services.
A glitch in procurement policy shows why it’s important for the public to stay focused on something county supervisors increasingly don’t handle well: details.
Some supervisors criticized Todd Spitzer’s request as pointless and misguided, while Spitzer called on his colleagues to take action when they learn of corruption allegations.