And purposely, I've kept my mouth shut...
But...
I feel as though I need to come to Mayor Ed's defense on this one.
First off...as a Tax Professional (or Tax Unprofessional as some of my past, and probably current, clients might say), are Tax Liens bad?
Sort of.
Regardless of what you did, if you owe money, even if you have a payment plan, a Tax Lien WILL get filed against you. It's how the Government guarantees that they will get their dough.
It's part of the deal.
Now I know what you are saying...
Why did Newporters for Ethical Government bash Councilman Steve Rosansky for his ONE lien, and I am not going after Mayor Ed for his numerous liens?
Simple.
Election/Silly Season politics dictates that the smallest bit of truth is blown up, stretched, and exploited for every voter to see and read.
Steve Rosansky sent out half-truths supporting his cause, Newporters for Ethical Government sent out half-truths supporting their cause, the Republican Party of Orange County sent out all kinds of half-truths supporthing their causes.
It's part of the game. For anyone who reads an election mailer and believes 100% of it...well...I'm sure that Bernard Madoff will have some fund that he'll want you to buy...
Anyway...the Election is over...and guess what?
No one ran against Ed Selich.
Ed Selich ran unopposed.
Are these tax liens brand new?
Were they not public documents?
Did the entire community not already know about them?
I knew about them.
...and the people behind the Tax Lien hit piece on Steve Rosansky knew about them.
So, if there is soo much distrust and acrimony towards Mayor Ed, why didn't anyone run against him in November 2008 and make this an issue?
Hasn't Mayor Ed been a GREAT Mayor?
His first liens came YEARS before he became Mayor, and yet he still did a GREAT job as mayor right?
Gee...I guess he WAS capable of doing a great job even though he had those numerous Tax Liens against him.
The only person to run against him in his TWO elections (and no offense to Bob) was hardly a Candidate.
Hardly a threat (remember...he was both FOR and AGAINST Greenlight II and was both FOR and AGAINST the General Plan Update).
And these Tax Liens were PUBLIC INFORMATION back in 2006.
Shoot they were even PUBLIC INFORMATION WHEN HE WAS:
- Appointed to the City Council
- Chairman and 10 year member of the Planning Commission
Making this an issue, based on incomplete information (I'll get to that later), after the election is futile and actually sounds like a bit of sour grapes (if someone had actually run against Ed).
Now to the incomplete information part.
Do I know why Mayor Ed had all those Tax Liens?
No.
But I can give you some insight about what MAY have happened.
And believe me, this is 110% speculative.
I just went through a divorce, involving minor children.
A really civil divorce, mind you.
But still, a divorce nonetheless.
A divorce which pretty much wiped out any dollars I had, or hope to have in the future.
Will I suffer financially?
Will I fall behind on my bills?
Will liens be filed against me for some of those past due bills?
Did I do things in order to provide for my kids which may compromise my position...?
Maybe.
Now imagine an extremely messy divorce.
Involving kids.
Involving really slick attorneys.
Involving public auctions.
Which still are having financial repercussions STILL...even after more than a decade.
...and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Things happen.
People Fall Behind.
Especially now.
I'd say all those naysayers are two months too late for making this an issue.
Just like those who DID NOT vote for President Obama...he's our guy now.
Deal with it.
Live with it.
Accept it.
And if he still bothers you four years for now...grow a pair and run against him.
Or how about, put your money where your mouths are and fund an Independent Expenditure Committee against him...
...have the Press ridicule you,
...have a Planning Commissioner call you a liar in the soon-to-be extinct Daily Pilot,
...have a Guy Named Beek call you a Chicken...
But going after Mayor Ed for something no one knows the whole story about...well...too little, too late.
19 comments:
Dear "Connected", what a bunch of diatribe you spew in this blog!! Blah blah blah is all one can say. Of course many of us did not know of the Selich liens until recently! Why else is it now getting traction? The issue is not Rosansky or your divorce but transparency on the part of Selich. Sounds almost like you are "paying to play"!!
Welcome to America and the land of Free Speech!
Don't like it? Don't read it.
Upset? Do something about it!
Run for office!
Webb's seat is open in 2010.
Henn, Daigle and Gardner are also up in 2010.
Put your name and reputation out there for everyone else to critique and hammer!
...and stop hiding behind the "anonymous" name!
Anyway, how much more transparent can PUBLIC RECORDS be?
Connected:
How many average citizens even knows to look at the Grantor Grantee lists? and because a person does not have the backing of the IRVINE Co.(which is the only way you can get elected in this City) they should not be able to comment on the things that affect their community? and you speak of FREE SPEECH? I thought that's what we were exercising here on your blog. So basically your are telling us to shut up because you don't like our comments on the Mayor and slam us for putting out information (that for me) has NOTHING TO DO with the last election. The point is, it is EMBARRASSING to have a MAYOR who owes God knows how much money to God knows how many small business' who make him gobs of money, that's the POINT. The point is our Mayor created these problems for himself LONG before his "acrimonious" divorce, this is HIS WAY of doing business and it continues to this day. Do not place your own negative spin on something that should have been made public, but for whatever reason, was not. I was one of those people who knew nothing of these tax and property liens, I'm sure there are plenty of people who still don't but with the article in the O.C. Register it is finally seeing daylight (you know, transparency?) something that is sorely lacking in our City Govt. and many others as well. So try to contain yourself and not shoot the messenger, this information is what is supposed to keep our elected officials (who opted to become a "public person" when they ran for and won a public seat) HONORABLE. As for being "Anonymous" you yourself have posted MANY times in other areas anonymously, so don't throw stones, you might break a few of your own windows. Just a parting question (since you seem to believe this is politically motivated) who stands to gain at this point? if this info really gains traction, who stands to gain? during the election would have been a better time to get this out but it didn't get out, so who do think it was that put this info out to the media now? something to think about.
from:ANONYMOUS
You caught me. You know EVERYTHING.
I didn't tell you to shut up, I told you to stop reading this blog if you don't like it.
Big difference.
...oh, and keep hiding.
Perhaps Beek can send you a letter calling you a chicken too!
I read your blog because you "leak" information in a way that gets the info out without really pinning it to you, you know like when you "are just thinking out loud" so yes, I will remain anonymous or "keep hiding" but of course I'm not really hiding from YOU am I? your able to see exactly who I am by my I.P. address, and I have always felt comfortable posting on this site despite that fact, I believe you really want this site to be informative and would not compromise your integrity by "outing" the poster's.
Don't take it personal connected, I'm just throwing my question out to the great void of the internet hoping someone will be able to answer.
I truly am concerned and embarrassed by the fact that my Mayor has so many problems with his personal finances and yes many people have those same problems but as an elected official I would think it would be of concern to not only his constituents but his also fellow Councilmen. Even honest people are corrupted by power or the illusion of power and many high profile developers in this City would love to capitalize on having a compromised elected official, who on paper looks to be between a rock and a hard place (dark crevices these developers love to inhabit) So I consider it a legitimate concern.
Something you didn't address, something I that has been right up your alley in the past, WHO will gain politically from Mayor Selich's unfortunate financial state, should it become an issue? I think we could both get on the same side of that question if your willing to get past hurt feelings.
"ANONYMOUS"
"ANONYMOUS" many many thanks for YOUR comments within this blog. You are well ahead of the curve in my mind as I don't have a clue who "Connected" is. Maybe related to the Winships? Don't know or care but again thanks for emphases on transparency and the rest. I care less about his divorce or his comments concerning Rosansky as the question remains Selich and what the hell is going on in this city!!!!
Winships here! No, we are not
Connected...to calm the waters....
We do appreciate the fact that someone is willing to stand up for
someone they like, instead of just
attacking those they don't!
Anony...person....where were you
when we had a whole bunch of bad
apples running our city...and we
heard nothing from you. But in
all honesty, that was also back a
ways.
At any rate.....those without sin
can caste the first stone...they
say! We don't know the in's or
out's of the Selich deal....but we
will monitor it closely....and
maybe something significant will eventually be revealed.
Blame liens on nasty divorce of Selich's for over a span of over 20years? I don't think so. You cannot deny Selich's behavior over his entire lifetime has been to avoid responsibility. No justification a bitter spouse caused his character flaws. Face value=rotten apple. Honeymoon in Japan/Europe care of taxpayers due to sister city being in Japan is just another example. Shame on such conduct. This is what is wrong with the economy in our country- abuse.
Lousy article on Selich in today's Pilot (12/17) by Brianna Bailey. Where's the beef? Didn't she learn in school when one majors in journalism you ask the tough questions and dig? Article like reading the funny papers....yawn ........oh! maybe her major was accounting.
Anonymous at 6:07 - Do something about it (sound like a broken record, I do) and fix the abuse.
Bring "transparency" back to the City.
Bring "honesty" back to the City.
Bring "uncompromising leadership" back to the City.
Either s**t or get off the pot.
You cannot affect change without getting off the bench.
Unless all you anonymous posters are:
Bob Schoonmaker
Barbara Venezia
Dolores Otting
Marcia Dossey
Brenda Martin
Ron Winship
Bernie Svalstad
Bob Wynn
Gloria Alkire
Mike Henn
Nancy Gardner
Don Webb
Tod Ridgeway
Steve Bromberg
Dick Nichols
or anyone else who has actually STEPPED UP and run for City Council (without being appointed first) in an effort to affect change...
...unless you've put yourself out there (Jack Croul, Bob Rush, Dan Welden, Bill Ficker, amongst many others) and put your money (REAL money) where your mouth is and taken countless articles/political cartoons/letters to the editors attacking your motives, calling you liars and trying to "Buy" political office.
...unless you actually DO something other than post anonymously here and on Freenewport.com.
You have no credibility and are only viewed as malcontents who will never get the "change" they soo desire.
Step up and make a REAL difference.
Connected,
You're right, the people of this City should get off their duffs and stand up for what they believe in or try to effect change in our City leadership.
The above named people have all worked hard to better our community but you cannot discount the years of hard work, blood, sweat and yes a few tears by the regular residents who stood up to big business trying to ruin our neighborhoods.
There are numerous residents who put their "money where their mouth is" and their reputation on the line and fought hard to stop profiteers from taking over our neighborhoods. Some of that hard work actually paid off but without the political will of our current council, not much else can be done and trust me when I tell you, we tried EVERY avenue.
Most of those same people rolled up their sleeves and started putting up signs, attended Council forum debates (where they were openly attacked) and opened their check books to try and get people with integrity elected to our City Council.
So again, don't discount the little people who choose not to run for office, but instead back the people who have the guts and heart to "step up" and take the heat. I will be forever grateful for their bravery.
Who in the hell is "Connected"? He wants bloggers to insert their names? Connected you have one strange name for sure! End of Story.....
Regardless of who anyone posting here is, the facts remain the same. Abuse is abuse, whether in a marriage or at work. Can't change the stripes on a zebra.
Again......... who is "Connected"??????????????????
"Play dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies!" backwards...maybe you will find out who "Connected" is...
but then maybe not.
OR.....sing the following song a few times and..then run for office!
Teddy Bear Picnic
words by Jimmy Kennedy in 1932, music by John W. Bratton in 1907
If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.
Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home.
For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout;
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies,
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
Don't go down to the woods today in case the teddy's are all there to great you;
if you go down to the woods today
the teddy's will be sure to
EAT YOU!
If you want to know who connected is, just run for office, HE WILL FIND YOU!
Did you mean "GREET" You?
Yes, connected will be sure to meet and greet and...
EAT YOU!
So be careful, you probably don't want to know who connected is, but he knows who YOU ARE :)
Cute!
If you run for office...you are correct...I will find you, greet you, and...no comment...
But primarily I will THANK you for stepping up to the batter's box and swinging away.
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