Final List of Candidates Running for Irvine Mayor & Council
The candidate field is set and the races are on for Irvine Mayor and for four City Council seats...
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Author: Roger Bloom
Councilmembers Kim & Treseder Refuse to Support a Pay Raise for Irvine’s Lowest Paid Workers
A profoundly dishonest political stunt by Councilmember Tammy Kim means that the City’s part-time employees and contract workers will have to wait indefinitely for a restoration of the City’s “living wage” ordinance that ensures those employees earn $20 per hour.
Some of the City’s 150 seasonal and part-time workers (such as janitorial and maintenance workers, childcare workers, and grounds-keeping workers) make about $16.50 to $17 per hour.
The reinstatement of the living wage ordinance had seemingly been sailing through the City’s decision-making process, with Irvine’s Finance Commission endorsing it, 4-1.
But, when it came before the City Council for final approval, Councilmembers Kim and Treseder refused to support it.
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Tammy Kim Feeling the Heat for Taking $150,000 from Public Employees She’s Paid to Oversee
As community members began circulating recall petitions in response to Councilmember Tammy Kim’s efforts to stifle public comments with which she disagrees, Kim set up an anti-recall fundraising committee. (The recall is a political impossibility since Kim ends her Council term in December, and there is no recall on the November ballot.)
Ignoring the City’s $620 campaign contribution limit, the union representing Orange County firefighters endorsed Kim in her mayoral bid and then turned on the “fire hose,” pouring $150,000 into the anti-recall committee’s coffers. (Kim is the City’s paid representative on the OC Fire Authority Board.)
At the August 13th Council meeting, it was reported that Irvine taxpayers are sending about $140 million annually to the OC Fire Authority but only receiving about $60 million in services.
Kim argued forcefully against any discussion regarding Irvine establishing its own Fire Department. Her strong opposition resulted in Irvine residents questioning Kim’s conflict of interest.
Noodoe CEO Hosts Campaign Fundraiser for Tammy Kim After Securing Lucrative City Contract
Irvine Councilmember Tammy Kim steered a lucrative deal for electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the Great Park to Casco Construction and its supplier, Noodoe.
Once the chargers were installed at the Great Park, Noodoe’s CEO and Public Relations Officer hosted a campaign fundraiser for Kim’s mayoral campaign.
Councilmembers Tammy Kim and Mike Carroll pushed for Casco, despite the fact that City staff recommended two other companies following a formal bid process.
Kim added a requirement that Casco purchase Noodoe chargers because Noodoe was based in Irvine and this would create a dramatic boost in Irvine manufacturing jobs.
It was later discovered that all of Noodoe’s manufacturing operations are based in Taiwan, and the $2 million in annual revenue promised to the City never materialized.
Irvine Resident Files Complaint with State & Federal Authorities Against Councilmember Tammy Kim
Longtime Irvine resident and City Council watcher Alan Meyerson confirmed this week that he filed...
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