"I was against the idea before I was for it"

So John Moorlach's pivotally important Measure J is generating a lot of buzz (including on this blog). Many people, including those very supportive of our policemen and firemen (like me), have long seen the unbelievable fiscal irresponsibility public officials are willing to push through in an attempt to not anger the public employee unions. The past OC Supervisors vote for "3% at age 50" has left our county with an embarrassing unfunded liability. Our city has been no better. Earlier this year, some of us thought we would do what other municipalities in this great state of ours have done with HUGE success - force the voters - you know, "we, the people" - to approve changes in pension commitments. While Reed Royalty of OC Tax, Mario Mainero of John Moorlach's staff, and myself appeared to plead with the council to support this idea going forward, and at least give the voters the mere right to vote on it, a handful of folks appeared with fire coming out of their bellies to oppose it. The usual suspects - a firemen union rep, a teacher's union rep, etc. But, the loudest and most vocal opponent of the idea that night????

Dolores Otting. The opponent to Keith Curry in this year's council race.

And her position on Measure J, an IDENTICAL MEASURE to what we tried to do for the city earlier this year? She is now totally for it. She was against it for our own people., but is for it for the county at large. Go figure.

If one wants to review the video of that night's city council meeting, her exact reasoning was tied in to who did and did not support her in past campaign attempts. I would suggest that our city needs a measure like this, because we need to care for our own children's financial futures more than we care for anything else (regardless of the political ramifications). But Dolores has the right view on Measure J, no matter how incoherent it may be that one was against it for their own city, but supports it for their county. May we all do what Keith Curry and Dolores Otting are doing - vote yes on Measure J.

But when it comes to the council race, my vote has to be for the one that supported it both in my zip code, and in my neighbor's zip code.