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.
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