The Liar
We are used to politicians lying to us, especially when they are running for office. Sometimes the lies are more or less fuzzy, but once in a while the lies are staggeringly blatant. So blatant, in fact, that we must assume the politician believes the electorate are idiots.
And so it was last year with then-lobbyist-mayor and humble vessel of God, Jennifer Fitzgerald, whose campaign rhetoric deliberately misled the public into believing everything was just fine with Fullerton’s financial state of affairs. Here are a couple of pearls from her little chest of jewels:
BALANCED BUDGET
While other cities in Orange County are trying to raise sales taxes to prevent insolvency, in Fullerton, our budget is balanced! Our five-year financial forecast shows a balanced budget to 2020. We’ve done this by making the most of our assets and minimizing our liabilities.
REDUCED UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY
With conservative fiscal management and successful revenue strategies, Fullerton has been able to reduce its unfunded liabilities. This is a long-term strategy, with a short-term goal to achieve what is a generally accepted adequate level of funding of 80% of liabilities.
It didn’t take long for that hot-air balloon of happy talk to sail away. Barely three months after Fitzgerald’s re-election she had to listen as the Director of Administrative Services, Julia James, at last week’s budget workshop, tell the exact opposite story. Due to continuing unbalanced budgets and exploding pension costs, the City is following in the footsteps of Stanton and Westminster with a built-in, structural budget deficit. Naturally the cops and the “fire fighters” bloated salaries and pensions are the principle cause of the impending disaster.
James mentioned taxes as a solution. Any takers?
How long will it be before our temporary City Manager, who has absolutely nothing to lose, begins crisis public meetings meant to gin up support for a Fullerton sales tax increase? And how long will it be before the people who voted for her realize that “SparkyFitz” Fitzgerald would have said, and did say anything to get re-elected?
Was the budget buzzard photographed outside SparkyFitz’s house?
That’s recall material right there.
Show me the petition; I have a ready pen
Recall Fitzgerald!
It blows my mind Fitzgerald was telling these lies just 5 months ago.
In a galaxy far, far away.
Lol
I wonder if Pringle will keep her around after her usefulness is gone.
We need a Trump like figure to get this town back in order. Enough of the fake news. I suppose when the streets start getting bad enough people will start paying attention to who they are electing.
No, we need an honest police department that will do its job and clean up downtown – instead of looking the other way for a few free beers and sandwiches.
Uh, it’s a Trump-like disregard for reality that got us in this mess, thank you.
“by making the best of our assets ” Fitzgerald July 2016
Fitzgerald means selling capital assets . Selling 3 properties, “presto”
Selling or leasing properties isn’t going to do anything. And if water facilities are involved, that phony in-lieu fee is going to take a hit.
Speaking of the illegal water tax didn’t Fitzgerald fight to keep from giving it back to the peopl it was stolen from?
Yes, she and Flory and Chaffee wanted to keep it.
About $3M, which was initially budgeted. Julia James stated the sales won’t go through quick enough to be shown in about 6 months from now; Fitzgerald wants and thinks otherwise. A property for sale is the one used by Meridian According to Feltz revenue to the city from Meridian was $50,000 a year at one point. The amount must have been significantly lower in the last years and the company wants out because is not doing well. $50,000 annually times 3 or 4 years just about equals the price the property will sell for!!!!! A link from the OC Register http://www.ocregister.com/articles/city-710118-felz-land.html
Is the city making the right decision or is the city selling the chicken in exchange for a few eggs?
My typo correction. I meant to say $50,000 in 16 or 17 years!! Not sure the figure given by Felz includes the inflows from taxes
Aqua,
A drop in the bucket. Meridian will sell for $1.7M and the other two $1.5 M combined
“Speaking of the illegal water tax didn’t Fitzgerald fight to keep from giving it back to the peopl it was stolen from?”
How much?
$25,000,000 or so. Plus she voted to keep the tax alive at 7%.
Lucifer has a plan for Fullerton and He allows me to be part of it
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+21:8
Hey guys, don’t be too quick to judge — the “Contribute” button on her website is still live, so a balanced budget could still happen!