OC UNFAIR

A recent blog post on OC Progressive noted that due to a provision in federal law, the state might not get anything for the sale of the fairgrounds.  Thanks to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, if the fairgrounds are sold to a developer, the property reverts to the U.S. Government.

Assmeblymembers Solorio and Tran [...]

The state sent the City of Costa Mesa a letter stating that they are not pleased the City is considering a Specific Plan to limit the ability for a bidder of the fairgrounds to build homes, high-rises, or anything else they see fit. Sorry guys! Our quality of life in Costa Mesa is more important [...]

Kristina Dodge, the chairwoman of the Fair Board… er, the Foundation Board… er, both actually, recently penned an op-ed article claiming that this new non-profit board is looking to buy the fairgrounds so they can keep it as is.

But wait a minute.  If you want to keep the fairgrounds as is, then why should the [...]

As reported by the Daily Voice, the new OC Fair Foundation has stonewalled the public and stated that all of their meetings will be held in secret.  No public input is needed or wanted, thank you very much.

In the short term, however, they do have to hold public board meetings as State Fair Board Members.  Maybe [...]

Jim Righeimer reported on Friday that he’s never had as many e-mails to any of his columns as he did regarding his column questioning the sale of the fairgrounds.  In his column on Friday he reported that “hundreds of comments and responses” were overwhelmingly supportive of keeping the fairgrounds as they are.

He has launched a Facebook [...]

The Costa Mesa City Council seems ready to fight to protect the residents from a potential buyer who would be looking to build new homes, a strip mall, or an “L.A. Live-south” on the fairgrounds.  However, unless they can somehow find a way to lock in the zoning as it is now forever or require a vote [...]

In this week’s Orange Coast College “Coast Report,” Costa Mesa City Councilmember Katrina Foley came out against the sale of the fairgrounds saying, “…it’s not a good thing (the fairgrounds) have been put up for sale.”  She also pleaded to the public to stand up against the sale saying, “It’s time for the community to [...]

There is a natural assumption by many that selling our fairgrounds will help our state out of its fiscal mess. The reality is that the proposed $30 million sale price wouldn’t cover the interest on the state debt for even 24 hours.

The fairgrounds have been public land for more than fifty years.  Is it worth [...]

Dave Ellis is a seasoned veteran at influence peddling in politics.  He made contributions to and ran the campaign of a San Bernardino Supervisor who then directed staff to reconsider Ellis’ client, the infamous electronic voting company Diebold, in an effort to provide them with the $13 million contract with the County.

Ellis also used his [...]