A Well-Earned Endorsement: Larry Agran for Irvine Mayor!
As founding publisher and editor of Irvine Community News & Views, I’ve always made it clear...
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Author: Franklin J. Lunding
Publisher’s Perspective: Tammy Kim Puts Her Own Financial Interests Ahead of Irvine Residents
Since being elected to the Council in 2020, Tammy Kim has made it her priority to advocate for those who will benefit her financially. Here are just a few examples:
Tammy Kim is the City’s paid representative on the OCPA board. Although she is supposed to be advocating for Irvine ratepayers, she voted to have Irvine electricity customers pay the highest rates in Orange County while giving herself a 40% pay raise for serving on the OCPA board.
Tammy Kim took a $150,000 political contribution from the firefighters she is paid to oversee as the City’s representative and then argued forcefully against Irvine establishing its own Fire Department, even though Irvine taxpayers are sending $140 million to the OC Fire Authority but only receiving $60 million in services.
Tammy Kim took a political contribution from the head of Business Affairs at Amazon and then voted against the Planning Commission’s request to place restrictions on massive warehouses being built near Irvine neighborhoods (one is the size of 5 Costco stores!).
Publisher’s Perspective: Tammy Kim’s Scheme to Evade Irvine’s Campaign Finance Laws
The person with the most money should not be allowed to buy a seat on the City Council. That’s what Irvine voters made clear back in the 1980s when they passed a ballot measure that put a limit on how much an individual could donate to a political candidate running for local office. In the November election, that contribution limit is $620.
As the former Chair of the Illinois State Board of Elections — an independent state agency responsible for administering and enforcing campaign finance and election laws — I have witnessed how corrupt politicians try to get around campaign contribution limits.
In the race for Mayor, Tammy Kim has received most of her campaign donations — about 60% — from out-of-town business interests. She’s also relying on two newly created big-money political committees to get around Irvine’s campaign contribution limit.
Publisher’s Perspective: Tammy Kim’s “Dark Money” PAC
I am an experienced elections attorney. Years ago, I was General Counsel for the Illinois Elections Law Commission. I also served as Chair of the Illinois State Board of Elections — an independent state agency responsible for administering and enforcing campaign finance and election laws.
Through my work in Illinois and here in California, I have seen the way in which politicians get around campaign finance laws through the establishment of political action committees (PACs) funded with “dark money” to prop up their campaigns and attack their political opponents. I have also witnessed the damage these PACs can do to our local democracy.
That’s one of the reasons why I started this publication … because I believe in the importance of an informed electorate and the need to call out these dangerous dark money committees.
Recently, one of these PACs was established to support Tammy Kim’s mayoral campaign.
Read more here.
Enjoy Independence Day … But Don’t Forget What This Holiday Commemorates!
Independence Day, also called Fourth of July, is America’s annual celebration of nationhood. The holiday commemorates the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It’s a time to come together as Americans to honor our revolutionary history — and our military — through parades, concerts filled with patriotic music, and awe-inspiring fireworks.
The holiday has also become a tradition for gathering with family, friends and neighbors to enjoy backyard barbecues and summer celebrations.
Regardless of how you plan to spend the day, we urge our readers to take some time to reflect on the many sacrifices our brave men and women — both those in uniform as well as civilians — have made these past 248 years to keep our nation free.
