We’re live from OC GOP Central Committee where the second round of endorsements are being considered. The first round of endorsements is listed here.
In this second round, the contests were considered at two Endorsements Committee meetings, one on August 24 and one yesterday. They are listed below (those recommended by the Endorsements Committee are marked with an asterisk; ballot measures bypassed the Endorsements Committee, so they went straight to the full Central Committee) and will be considered by the full Central Committee tonight:
City Council
Anaheim, District 1
Denise Barnes
Steven Chavez Lodge
Orlando Perez
Anaheim, District 4
Hon. Lucille Kring
Anaheim, District 5
Stephen Faessel
Mark Lopez
Dana Point
Michelle Brough*
Fountain Valley
Hon. Steve Nagel*
Fullerton
Larry Bennett*
Garden Grove Mayor
Hon. Steve Jones*
Huntington Beach
Patrick Brenden*
Joe Carchio*
Mark Rolfes*
Lyn Semeta*
Irvine Mayor
Hon. Don Wagner*
La Habra
Tom Beamish*
Dawn Holthouser*
Tim Shaw*
Laguna Hills
Janine Heft*
Lake Forest
Francisco Barajas*
Los Alamitos
Hon. Dean Grose*
Mission Viejo
Brian Goodell
Trish Kelley
Alex Naghibi
Hon. Cathy Schlicht*
Newport Beach, District 5
Mike Glenn
Lee Lowrey
Newport Beach, District 7
Fred Ameri*
Phil Greer
Will O’Neill
Placentia
Chris Bunker
Rhonda Shader
Ward Smith
Tom Solomonson
Placentia Treasurer
Hon. Scott Nelson
San Clemente
Hon. Bob Baker
Dan Bane*
Yorba Linda
Hon. Craig Young*
School Districts
Capistrano Unified School District, Area 5
Jake Vollebregt*
Santa Ana Unified School District
Angie Cano*
Water Districts
Municipal Water District of Orange County, Division 6
Hon. Jeff Thomas
Hon. Frank Ury
Orange County Water District, Division 6
Hon. Cathy Green*
Yorba Linda Water District
Andrew Hall*
Hon. Richard Collett*
Community College Districts
North Orange County Community College, Area 7
Ryan Bent*
Rancho Santiago Community College, Area 5
Steven Nguyen*
South Orange County Community College, Area 3
Kimberly Clark (postponed)
Ballot Measures
No on Bond Measures
No on Measure J – Anaheim Elementary School District $318 Million Facilities Bond
No on Measure P – Garden Grove Unified School District $311 Million Facilities Bond
No on Measure Q – Huntington Beach City School District $159.85 Million Facilities Bond
No on Measure R – Ocean View School District $169 Million Facilities Bond
Yes on Increasing Tax Thresholds
Yes on Measure U – Anaheim 2/3 Vote of the Council to Propose Taxes (Instead of Simple Majority)
Yes on Measure MM – Newport Beach 5/7 Vote of the Council to Propose Taxes (Instead of Simple Majority)
No on Tax Increases
No on Measure LL – Laguna Beach 2% Hotel Tax Increase (from 10% to 12%)
No on Measure OO – San Clemente 3% Hotel Tax Increase (from 10% to 13%)
No on Giant Politician Pay Raises
No on Measure PP – Santa Ana 700% Pay Raise for City Council (from $125/mtg to $1000/mo for Council and $200/mtg to $1000/mo for Mayor)
Yes on Tax Repeal
Yes on Measure QQ – Stanton 1% Sales Tax Repeal (from 9% to 8%)
Yes on Term Limits
Yes on Measure RR – Stanton 2-term Lifetime Limit on City Council (No Current Limit)
No on Voter Approval on Development Projects
No on Measure Y Costa Mesa initiative to amend Municipal Code to require voter approval of certain changes in land use, retroactive to July 17, 2015.
No on the Yorba Linda Water District Recall of Directors Bob Kiley and Gary Melton
Live Coverage
The meeting is now underway.
Roll call establishes 51 of 60 members (or their alternates) are present.
5 new alternates are sworn in.
The endless candidate and officeholder introductions have begun.
Chairman Fred Whitaker notes that the endorsements process began in 2004. He urges caution in endorsing.
Endorsements Committee Chair TJ Fuentes delivered the committee report, listing the candidates above.
Whitaker pulled the following due to the vast number of emails and phone calls:
Newport Beach District 5
Newport Beach District 7
Anaheim District 5
Huntington Beach -Rolfes
Placentia Treasurer
Mission Viejo
Baron Night pulls Fountain Valley.
Thomas Gordon pulls Anaheim District 1 and Anaheim District 5.
Jenny Ahn pulls Irvine Mayor.
Scott Voigt moves and Jennifer Beall seconds endorsing the rest of the candidate endorsements.
Brett Barbre attempts to ask for a detailed reading of the Endorsements Report.
Whitaker notes written copies are available instead.
First up is Anaheim District 1.
The Endorsements Committee voted 5-0 for neutrality.
Denise Barnes says she is excited about districts. She wants to make people’s voices heard. She has walked precincts for the past 1.5 months. She has watched 3 years of City Council fighting. She says West Anaheim is a beautiful part of the city. She complains about taxpayer giveaways hurting West Anaheim. She attacks hotel developers and big business. She speaks of the blood, sweat, and tears of being a first-time candidate. She speaks of her family and neighbors believing in her. She believes she can get the job done. She speaks of following Ronald Reagan’s frugality.
Steve Chavez Lodge is a military veteran and 28-year Santa Ana police officer. He is now in the private sector. He is not a fan of districts, arguing districts are to strengthen Democratic control of city councils. He says many elected officials and Anaheim leaders have endorsed him. He argues a police association is not a union. He tried to get Republican candidates endorsed by the police association, but liberals promised generous benefits to the association. He says he is the strongest candidate and wants to keep Anaheim Republican. He warns Anaheim could be the first domino in Orange County if Democrsts take the city.
Orlando Perez says he has been an Anaheim resident for 30 years. He says he listens to city residents. He supports the neutral recommendation. (His remarks were very brief.)
Fuentes notes the Endorsements Committee was concerned that Chavez Lodge was on the police union PAC board and donated to Democrats both through the PAC and personally.
Chavez Lodge states he was kept off the PAC board for years because he is so conservative.
Steve Sarkis asks about the party and racial statistics of District 5.
It is plurality Democratic and Latino.
Kathy Tavoularis argues a police association is a union.
Chavez Lodge says police associations cannot strike.
Cynthia Ward accuses Chavez Lodge of carpet bagging from Murietta and being a lobbyist who profited from Anaheim transportation projects.
Chavez Lodge says he is not a lobbyist, as he is in public affairs. He says he has been in Anaheim for the last 1.5 years and the Murrietta house is for sale.
Deborah Pauly asks who has endorsed each candidate.
Barnes is endorsed by Mayor Tom Tait, Councilman James Vanderbilt, Senator John Lewis, Fullerton Councilman Bruce Whitaker, and the CRA.
Perez is endorsed by Grow Elect.
Chavez Lodge is endorsed by Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, Senator Janet Nguyen, Assemblyman Don Wagner, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Councilwomen Lucille Kring and Kris Murray, former Councilwoman Gail Eastman, and numerous Council members who serve on OCTA.
Kermit Marsh asks how much each candidate has raised.
Barnes says $10,000.
Perez says $692.
Chavez Lodge says $45,000 now but expects to hit $80,000.
Whitaker moves and Barbre seconds to follow the Endorsements Committee recommendation to remain neutral.
Whitaker speaks in favor of his neutrality motion. He says $2 million of Republican-oriented money is going to be spent in Anaheim. He doesn’t want to be forced to spend party money in the race to attack other Republicans.
Cynthia Ward says Barnes and Perez are good Republicans who have lived in Anaheim for years while Chavez Lodge is new to Anaheim. She says Barnes is a solid conservative with years of community volunteerism and numerous grassroots volunteers who can overpower special interests. Ward says paid walkers are walking for Chavez Lodge, Lucille Kring, and Steve Faessel.
The committee voice vote sounds unanimous for neutrality.
OC GOP GOES NEUTRAL IN ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.
On to Anaheim District 4.
Lucille Kring says she spent 16 years on Central Committee (as an alternate member, elected member, and ex officio member) and over two decades in Anaheim. She lists numerous community groups she is involved in. She is endorsed by Tony Rackauckas, Todd Spitzer, and Christina Shea. She says precinct walking is her exercise program. This is the first time she has ever run for re-election because she has served non-consecutive terms. She is concerned districts will lead to Chicago-style politics. She notes only Ward 6 in Anaheim Hills has a Republican majority. She warns her opponent is a liberal Democrat who is supported by various unions and the Mayor of Anaheim.
Ward asks Kring if she has recieved union money.
Kring says private sector, police, and fire unions are supporting her.
Deborah Pauly asks Kring why she voted for a resolution in favor of Measure S, the Orange Unified School District bond.
Kring says she voted for it as a courtesy because schools are crumbling. She says there are ten bonds on her property tax bill. She says she opposes the bond in the Anaheim Elementary School District.
Karla Downing asks why the Endorsements Committee recommended neutrality on a Republican incumbent who is the sole Republican running.
Fuentes points to her votes on TOT hotel subsidies and ARTIC. He says she lied in 2012 telling the Central Committee she would not support TOT hotel subsidies. He says she accepted $10,000 in union money when challenging the re-election of the sitting Republican mayor. He says she did not fill out her 2016 endorsement questionnaire, as her consultant filled it out.
Kring says in 2012 she opposed the size of the TOT hotel subsidy and got it reduced. She points out Tom Tait voted for TOT hotel subsidies during his tenure as a Councilman when she was a Councilwoman (before he was Mayor). She said Tait’s former supporters asked her to run. She notes Tait endorsed Democrat Richard Chavez over Kring for Mayor in 2006.
Scott Voigts asks about Kring’s stances on abortion, same-sex marriage, and taxes.
Kring says she is pro-life, anti-gay marriage, and anti-tax.
A Central Committee member asks if she has pursued the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Kring says they endorsed her for Senate, and they do not endorse for City Council races.
Voigts moves and Sarkis seconds to endorse Kring.
Ward says Kring is not in good standing as a Republican. She says Republicans are leaving the party in Anaheim because of stances that Kring has taken. She warns of the party endorsing bad candidates.
Night says on a scale of 1-100, Kring deserves a 60, but her opponent is a -100. Night says he does not want to empower a liberal Democrat Councilmember over Kring for the next four years in the seat.
Fuentes expresses his concern that if the party helps a candidate, the candidate should help the party’s ideas in return.
Marsh says the race is one Republican versus one Democrat. He says he doesn’t care about the Tom Tait faction vs. The Curt Pringle faction. He says he does not care who is aligned with Disney and who is aligned with other groups. He says all Anaheim candidates in both parties have failed to be completely honest. He wants to elect Republicans.
There is a voice vote of 2/3 for Kring to be endorsed.
KRING ENDORSED FOR ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 4.
Up next is Anaheim District 5.
Mark Lopez says he wants to speak about issues. He holds up an anonymous mailer and says he has never been a Democrat or donated to a Democrat. He says he has been both DTS and Republican, but always conservative. He speaks of helping Shawn Nelson. He is endorsed by CRA, OCYR, Shawn Nelson, Denis Bilodeau, and Brett Franklin. He provides a copy of his 2012 donation to Ron Paul to refute the claim that he supported Barack Obama. He speaks of volunteering at the OC Fair to register Republicans. He notes the district is 45% Latino and 45% Democratic.
Faessel is not present, and he has no representative present.
Alexandria Coronado asks Lopez about a photo of Lopez surrounded by Democrats on the anonymous mailer.
Lopez says he is seeking Democratic votes but not endorsements or money. He says he was trying to prevent Democrats from running. He says one Democrat is running and has been endorsed by the DPOC.
Sarkis asks how much money Lopez has raised.
Lopez says $24,000-$25,000.
Whitaker moves and Barbre seconds to uphold the Endorsements Committee recommendation based on the same reasoning as in District 1.
Ray Grangoff moves and Deboah Pauly seconds to endorse Lopez.
Supervisor Shawn Nelson says Faessel came to the Endorsements Committee solely to block Lopez and take a cheap shot at Lopez. Nelson refutes Whitaker. He says Lopez worked for Ed Royce, Chris Norby, and Nelson himself. Nelson says Lopez’s sole sin was being more libertarian than the party. Nelson calls for endorsing young Latino professionals like Lopez. He blasts Faessel for endorsing Connor Traut and Jordan Brandman for Congress.
Whitaker again argues for neutrality, not wanting the party to get involved in Anaheim’s two Republican factions.
By a voice vote, Lopez gets 2/3.
LOPEZ ENDORSED FOR ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 5.
Next up is Fountain Valley City Council.
Steve Nagel defends his vote to put a sales tax measure on the ballot. He says his city has its back against the wall because the state took local money. He says the city reserve will be depleted in three years. He says it is cheaper to maintain FVFD and FVPD rather than outsourcing to OCFA and Sheriff. He says there is a three-tiered pension for FVPD and two tiers for everyone else. He says Westminster has its back against the wall as well. He says the Council is nonpartisan, so he cannot always vote the party line.
Mike Munzing asks who is running.
Nagel says there are five candidates running for two seats.
OC GOP Executive Director Julian Babbitt says every candidate is a Republican.
Whitaker moves and someone seconds to endorse Nagel.
Night argues that Nagel has violated the No New Taxes pledge. He blasts the 50-year, no-bid contract for trash, with automatic increases. Night says Nagel opposed contract transparency and Form 700s online. He says most of his information is from Mark McCurdy.
Nagel says McCurdy is usually wrong. He denies raising trash rates.
Gene Hernandez served on the Sanitation District with Nagel. He says Nagel is an honorable man and good conservative.
Thomas Gordon asks if Nagel voted to put a sales tax on the ballot.
Nagel says yes.
By a voice vote, Nagel is endorsed by 2/3.
NAGEL ENDORSED FOR FOUNTAIN VALLEY CITY COUNCIL.
Next up is Mark Rofles for Huntington Beach City Council.
(Three others were endorsed for three seats earlier this evening.)
Mark Rofles says the incumbent is a Democrat. He notes the Endorsements Committee recommended him. He says he is a fresh face, plans to win, and is honest. He is endorsed by a Medal of Honor winner, a Navy Seal, and Chris Cox of the NRA. He says the party should endorse all four Republicans for the three seats.
Anthony Kuo asks if the party has ever endorsed more candidates than seats.
Whitaker says it has never happened before, but it is not prohibited.
Pauly asks Rolfes why the other three candidates were able to make both the RWF event and the OC GOP Endorsements Committee while Rolfes only went to RWF.
Rolfes says he didn’t want to break the commitment and was uncertain about the length of time of the meeting.
Pauly asks when Rolfes reregistered from Democrat to Republican and why.
Rolfes says Maryland is a traditionally Democratic state. He says he recently became passionate about politics and is very pro-Second Amendment. He became a Republican a couple years ago. He attacks Hillary Clinton.
Diane McGlinchey asks Rolfes is he ever held Democratic office or supported Democrats in Maryland.
Rolfes says he voted for Baltimore Mayor William Schaefer, but that is all.
Scott Potter moves and Anthony Kuo seconds to not endorse Rolfes.
Scott Baugh moves and Scott Voigts seconds to simply be neutral.
The motion passes by unanimous voice vote.
NEUTRALITY ON ROFLES FOR HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY COUNCIL.
Next up is Mayor of Irvine.
Scott Voigts notes that Don Wagner is on the Assembly Floor for end of session. He speaks of Wagner’s conservative values and efforts to elect Republicans dating back to before he served on the college board.
Jenny Ahn says she is Steven Choi’s alternate.
Scott Voigts moves and Anthony Kuo seconds endorsing Don Wagner for Mayor of Irvine.
The voice vote is unanimous.
WAGNER ENDORSED FOR MAYOR OF IRVINE.
Next up is Placentia City Treasurer.
Whitaker states there is an application pending from
Marsh moves and Night seconds to continue the race to the next meeting.
POSTPONEMENT ON PLACENTIA CITY TREASURER.
Next up is Mission Viejo City Council.
Cathy Schlicht says no one was endorsed for her city council in 2012. She says she has supported GOP-endorsed candidates for Mission Viejo City Council. She says she did not vote against the conditional use permit for SDG&E. She says the PUC is also against the permit. She says she is pro-business and attacks Trish Kelley’s stance on e-cigarettes. Schlicht attacks Wendy Bucknum. She says she has a First Amendment right to help candidates. (She runs out of time.)
Pauly asks Schlicht to continue her comments.
Schlicht says she wants to outsource IT.
Mary Young says Schlicht does not support GOP candidates. She says Schlicht attacks the OC GOP.
Schlicht said she has phone banked and stuffed envelopes for the past 25 years. She says she volunteered at the Laguna Niguel GOP headquarters. She says her OC GOP attack was actually quoting an OC Register article and arguing how she could help the party if elected to Central Committee.
Whitaker asks if Schlicht supported the ballot box zoning measure, Measure D in 2010.
Schlicht argues Rhonda Reardon supported Measure D and was endorsed by the OC GOP in 2010. She argues the whole Council voted for a moratorium on zoning changes.
Jennifer Beall asks Schlicht why she refused to support conservative Mike Munzing.
Beall moves and Young seconds for neutrality.
Beall states Schlicht has a position on property rights is completely wrong. She blasts Schlicht on weakening decorum at the City Council. Beall wants neutrality with four Republicans running.
Thomas Gordon argues for endorsing incumbents. He is unhappy with her property rights stance.
Mike Munzing says Schlicht opposed endorsing him at the Saddleback Republican Assembly solely because Munzing would not repudiate his endorsement from Republican Frank Ury.
Scott Voigts says Schlicht has walked precincts since the early 1990s for school board candidates and two of his own City Council races.
By a voice vote, neutrality prevails.
NEUTRALITY FOR MISSION VIEJO CITY COUNCIL.
Intermission.
On to Newport Beach District 5.
Mike Glenn is a former OC GOP Alternate. He is founder of the Republican Liberty Caucus locally. He volunteered at the OC Fair to register Republicans. He notes there are three Republicans running for one seat. He urges neutrality.
Lee Lowrey has been a Republican since he was 18. He is a movement conservative. He calls the GOP home. He speaks of being an alternate for Dana Rohrabacher currently and for the late Tom Fuentes previously. He speaks of purchasing Flag Day tables. He was the OC GOP Volunteer of the Year in 2002. He was OCYR President from 2002 to 2005, growing the membership from 75 dues-paying members to 300. He helped found Atlas PAC, which has raised $1.3 million. He is endorsed by Rohrabacher, Steel, Harper, Bates, Brough, Choi, Mensinger, Muldoon, Peotter, Duffield, and numerous others.
Baugh asks when Glenn was an alternate on the Central Committee.
Glenn says 2015 and 2016.
Marsh asks how much each candidate has raised.
Lowrey has raised $28,000. He has a large fundraiser next week where commitments have reached $31,000.
Glenn has raised $24,000.
Peotter asked Glenn how long he has been a Republican.
Glenn says since 2012 when he switched from Libertarian.
Baugh moves and Young seconds to endorse Lowrey.
Baugh says Lowrey “has been in the trenches forever.” He speaks of always being able to rely on Lowrey during his 11 years as OC GOP Chairman.
Gordon says both candidates would be outstanding. He points to Whitaker’s argument in Anaheim of not tearing the party apart, though Whitaker notes his argument did not prevail.
Kevin Muldoon speaks of a close 3-3 council with 1 swing vote and argues they need Lowrey to help build a conservative majority.
Pauly speaks of being a big tent party and bringing libertarians over. She notes Glenn sat behind her at Central Committee. She wants neutrality to be welcoming.
By a voice vote, Lowrey is endorsed overwhelmingly.
LOWREY ENDORSED FOR NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5.
Next up is Newport Beach District 7.
Fred Ameri speaks of working his way through college. He grew his company. His business partner and political mentor was the late Tom Fuentes. He says he donated thousands of dollars to the GOP. He helped register 5,000 Republicans through the Iranian American Republican Council that he founded. He speaks of raising money for Young Kim, Ling-Ling Chang, Bob Huff, and Janet Nguyen. He held 13 fundraisers at his house last year. He says he helped build Coto de Caza, Newport Coast Drive, and other Orange County locations.
Phil Greer is not present and lacks a representative.
Will O’Neill praises Amer for being a good and decent man. He says he was a Stanford College Republican (Go Cardinal!) and was a Republican in San Francisco when he was a student at UC Hastings. He worked for Supreme Court Justice Marvin Baxter. He speaks of never donating to Democrats. He speaks of his work on the Newport Beach Finance Committee. He lists numerous endorsements by Republican elected officials. He has raised $65,000.
Muldoon asked how Ameri can work with Team Newport when Ameri has criticized them repeatedly for disappointing him. He argues he donated money to Scott Peotter and held a fundraiser for Diane Dixon. He supported them but is disappointed by them.
Barbre asks Ameri if he donated to Peotter before or after the election.
Ameri says he donated to Republicans who would do a good job, like Planning Commission colleagues. He does not recall if he donated to Peotter before or after.
Baugh notes the party spent a lot of money for Team Newport. He is trying to figure out why Ameri wants opposition to the conservative governance of Team Newport. He asks Ameri how he differs from them on policy.
Ameri says he is his own man. He says he follows procedure. He doesn’t want to bring opposition but an addition.
Baugh asks again what policy differences Ameri has with Team Newport.
Ameri says they haven’t gone far enough on pension reform. He again says he wants to be his own man without any group controlling him.
Gordon states that Ameri should be endorsed for the criteria that Lowrey was endorsed for.
Peotter says Ameri has given money to Democrats. He acknowledges one Democrat was a relative, but his company’s PAC donated to numerous Democrats in partisan office.
Ameri says the company had 1200 employees. Seven people owned ninety percent of the company. Two of the seven were hard core Democrats. He says many of the contributions were done while Tom Fuentes was an owner of the company.
Peotter asks Ameri why he says he supports property rights but opposes Banning Ranch.
Ameri asks O’Neill what Ameri said. O’Neill says Ameri supports Banning Ranch.
Whitaker moves and Fuentes seconds for neutrality, praising all three candidates and repeating his faction argument again.
Peotter moves and Muldoon seconds for endorsing O’Neill.
Kathy Tavoularis warns Peotter not to insult Tom Fuentes’s company.
Peotter says the donations from the company came after 2002.
Muldoon asks, “With friends like Fred Ameri, who needs enemies?” He says they are fighting liberals. He calls Ameri a turncoat.
Gordon reiterates the Lowrey argument for Ameri. He asks how much each has raised.
Ameri says he has over $200,000 and wants $350,000. O’Neill says he has $65,000 and only needs $150,000, which is more than enough.
Peotter clarifies the donations were after 2002, after Fuentes had left the company. Peotter says he received the contribution from Ameri after the election. Peotter speaks of fighting for conservative causes.
Whitaker reiterates his arguments on neutrality that he has used in Anaheim and numerous other cities.
John Warner says he has worked with O’Neill on the Newport Beach Finance Committee. He says O’Neill is smart and does his homework.
Fuentes says there are two good candidates. He does not want the party to pick between two good Republicans.
Someone called for a roll-call vote.
Peotter withdraws his motion.
The Whitaker motion for neutrality remains.
Baugh calls for the question and Marsh seconds. The vote is unanimous to call the question.
By a voice vote, neutrality passes overwhelmingly.
NEUTRALITY RECOMMENDED FOR NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 7.
Ameri screams an obscenity and says he is gone, walking out of the room.
Supervisor Shawn Nelson moves and Scott Baugh seconds for reconsideration after a suggestion by Scott Voigts.
The voice vote is close.
Voigts calls for a standing vote.
Baugh calls for debate on the reconsideration motion as a point of order.
Motion-maker Nelson concedes the floor to Baugh.
Baugh says Nelson said it best that Ameri is talking himself out of it. Baugh had lunch with Ameri, who said that TJ Fuentes should endorse him because of Ameri’s relationship with his father. Baugh says TJ has been consistent on his pushes for neutrality. Baugh says Ameri threatened to leave the party if he was not endorsed, and it appears he has.
Marsh argues the reconsideration is unfair to Phil Greer, who is not present and thought the Endorsements Committee recommendation would stand. Marsh agrees that Ameri was in poor taste, but argues the reconsideration is unfair to Greer. He notes all the candidates are Republicans.
Peotter withdrew his motion because he wanted to extend an olive branch to Ameri. With Ameri storming out of the room and Greer not present with serious questions about his stances, Peotter argues O’Neill should be endorsed.
Gordon blasts a racist email about Ameri. He calls for neutrality.
Erik Weigand raises a point of order requiring conflicts of interest be revealed.
Anthony Kuo says he is on a payroll of a campaign but did not vote.
Baugh objects that the bylaws require this be disclosed at the beginning.
Alexandria Coronado moves and Dennis White seconds to continue this to the next meeting.
Peotter says he supports a continuance.
Nelson says he speculates that Greer was of the understanding the Endorsements Committee recommendation was for Ameri, not neutrality, so a continuance does not make sense.
White says he supports continuing because he doesn’t know enough about O’Neill or Greer to vote for O’Neill against Greer.
Marsh warns continuing stretches out the poisonous atmosphere of endorsements. He urges a final decision, whatever it is, tonight.
Someone asked if Greer signed the No New Taxes Pledge or the Union Free Pledge.
The Endorsements Committee says Greer did not.
By a voice vote, only Coronado supports the continuance. All others oppose.
On the reconsideration vote regarding neutrality, the reconsideration prevails by voice.
Coronado calls for a standing vote.
There are 17 votes to maintain neutrality with 29 opposed.
On the motion to endorse O’Neill, the voice vote prevails by 2/3.
O’NEILL ENDORSED FOR NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 7.
On to ballot measures.
Whitaker pulls QQ for separate debate.
David Shawver pulls RR for separate debate.
All other measure positions remain on consent.
CONSENT CALENDAR ON BALLOT MEASURES APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
Next up is Measure QQ.
Bucher moves and Warner seconds to endorse Measure QQ.
Shawver moves and Night seconds for neutrality on Measure QQ.
Shawver says Measure QQ is not a tax measure. He says it is an action against Stanton voters who approved funding for public safety. He argues its proponents couldn’t find Stanton on GPS. He argues no residents donated money for qualifying QQ. He says QQ’s passage will leave Stanton without law enforcement or firefighters. He says the OC GOP should not dictate to local voters. He says the state took their money but can’t take QQ. He urges neutrality.
Pauly argues the Republican Party has never been neutral on tax increases. She says would years ago, city leaders misled the voters instead of digging down into their finances. She says the effort is led by a Stanton businessman whose business was there before Stanton existed. She said Stanton’s measure encouraged other cities to pursue tax increases.
On the neutrality vote, the voice vote is close.
Whitaker orders a standing vote.
Neutrality fails.
Bucher moves and Warner seconds to support QQ.
Bucher says if the party doesn’t oppose tax increases on the poor, it should disband. Bucher says Stanton has not cut to the bone and has lots of waste. He says Stanton abused redevelopment.
Shawver argues the city has cut everything down with little money. He argues there will be no police or fire. He claims 158 new businesses have opened in Stanton. He argues 100% of the money has gone to public safety and economic development.
Pauly argues the only way to repeal a tax passed by the people is to allow the people to vote again. She says the people should have the opportunity to repeal the tax. If they think the Council is doing a “ducky job” with city spending, they will defeat QQ, but if they don’t like how the Council is spending, they will pass QQ.
Nagel says this is a tough situation for four cities. He says Stanton and Fountain Valley have cut to the bone. Nagel says everyone in Fountain Valley supports a sales tax increase. He says public safety is important.
Baugh says the proceeds of the sales tax increase are not locked into public safety in the text of the measure and can be used for other purposes.
Andy Whallon says the party has not told Stanton how to cut its spending.
Mike Johnson discloses that he is a consultant for the Lincoln Club, which is the major funder of the measure.
By a voice vote, Yes on QQ appears to have failed.
There are multiple calls for a standing vote.
36 support Yes on QQ. 7 oppose Yes on QQ
YES ON MEASURE QQ ENDORSED.
Lastly, there is Measure RR.
Shawver moves and Kuo seconds for No on RR.
Bucher moves and Pauly seconds for Yes on RR.
Tony Beall moves and Shawn Nelson seconds for neutrality on RR.
Shawver argues RR is against electing more Republicans. He says it will get rid of Republicans on the City Council in the Democrat majority City of Stanton. He says no one runs for Council, so who will run the city? He argues it will affect Young Kim and Ling-Ling Chang.
Bucher says the RR proponents are also the QQ proponents. He notes no one even bothers running because it’s too hard to knock off an incumbent.
By a voice vote, neutrality on RR prevails.
NEUTRALITY ON MEASURE RR.
The committee adjourns at 10:33 PM.
