Leslie Daigle: Raising Rates One Vote At A Time

Perhaps Mayor Pro-Tem Leslie Daigle, and the Republican Party of Orange County's Deputy Chairwoman for Newport Beach, was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but as Newport Beach's Councilman Don Webb's alternate to the Orange County Sanitation District, Leslie Daigle voted in favor OF INCREASING THE SEWER FEES BY 61.5% OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS.

And while the fee itself isn't a tax, since it isn't based on the value of the property, the fee is assessed on the Property Tax bills.

The Daily Pilot covered this in this article:

"Sewer fees to increase."

The article mentions that a super majority of the Sanitation Board was needed to pass this:

"only after one board member changed their abstention to a “yes” vote, prompting some disappointed groans by those in attendance."

And according to the article, there were many in attendance opposed to the fee hike.

But the Daily Pilot article also conveniently leaves out how Newport Beach's representative Leslie Daigle voted, nor did they ask her why she voted in favor of the fee increase.

The Newport Beach/Costa Mesa centric newspaper instead interviewed Buena Park's representative, Cypress' rep, and Fullerton's rep.

Maybe they didn't notice her there?

Maybe she hightailed it out of there after voting?

Fortunately, OCBlog.net has a couple of great posts:

The first "thanking" La Habra mayor Rose Espinoza for changing her abstention vote to the yes vote, thus giving the increase the necessary 2/3 needed for approval,

and

the second post with how each Sanitation board member voted.

So the next time you pay your increased Sanitation fee, please make sure to thank Leslie Daigle (by email, phone, or just under your breath) for voting for you to pay more.