Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/sharon-quirk-silva/)
Aggressive police unions, spending on law enforcement over youth programs and few citizen oversight boards — activists and leaders say OC’s debate is years in the making.
In an effort to handle the loss in tax revenue, the money allocated to the cemetery by the state could be revoked to help the projected $54 billion deficit.
The Orange County Veterans Cemetery illustrates a commitment shown by Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva and the California Legislature to give local veterans the option of a military burial site that is closer to home and honors their service. Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has strongly advocated for the Orange County Veterans Cemetery since 2012, originally AB 1453, with Governor Brown. Quirk-Silva remains committed to getting a veteran cemetery in Orange County.
Santa Ana, Laguna Beach, and Bellflower agreed to provide specific amounts of shelter for homeless people and to not enforce anti-camping laws against them unless they’re refusing available beds that are appropriate for their disabilities.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva’s bill allowing a cemetery to be built on one of two sites in Irvine, which could ultimately be decided by Irvine voters if a citywide ballot initiative is successful.
Bill Cook, Chairman of the OC Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, calls on all sides working for a veterans cemetery in Orange County to support legislative efforts in Sacramento to authorize state funds for the project.
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva announced Tuesday she will amend her legislation to include a proposed golf course that could be the home Orange County’s first veterans cemetery after a five-month battle between state Legislators and Irvine City Councilmembers.
Irvine Mayor Christina Shea told residents at a private townhall meeting July 18 that the golf course site was a diversion so the state doesn’t force the veterans cemetery at the original site. But she said, on Wednesday, she was talking about diverting the residents’ anger over the original site.
Irvine City Council members could end a two-year battle over where to locate Orange County’s first veterans cemetery if they decide on a site Tuesday.
Orange County’s first veterans cemetery got $20 million in state funding when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the budget, but the cemetery has yet to find a site in Irvine after battles between the city and the state legislature.