Voters Have Spoken About Supervisors

* Re “Supervisors vs. Voters,” (Orange County Perspective, Dec. 3): I’m not surprised that the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ triple threat has once again decided to disregard the will of the people. However, their arrogance does truly amaze me!

They are chalking up quite a list with Measure F and now Measure H. Their behavior reminds me of the book, “March of Folly” by the famous historian Barbara Tuchman.

In it she describes a number of events in which leaders of nations pursued obviously disastrous policies that inevitably ended in complete and utter failure and the fall of that particular leader. Mr. Smith, Mr. Silva, and Ms. Coad . . . you’re on the march, the march to recall!

STEVE MARINO

Mission Viejo

* It’s the obligation and the duty of The Times to inform and teach Orange County voters how to fight the “Three Blind Mice,” Chuck Smith, Jim Silva and Cynthia P. Coad! Maps of the districts, the towns responsible for the election or recall of these despots, and legal procedures to be followed. Help us cast off this tyranny.

NICK SIDOTI

Tustin

* Your comment on the “arrogance of power” was exceptional. It is too bad that such well-chosen words had to be diminished by the story, “Airport Foes Vow They’ll Be Back on Ballot” (Dec. 3). The article, though well-done, showed a slip in objectivity when it quotes Fred Smoller, professor at Chapman University. Ah yes, alma mater of [airport proponent] George L. Argyros, outstanding benefactor for the college.

I know the professor is aware that, traditionally, the “electors” comply with the will of the voting majority in their respective states. Vice President Al Gore is being chastised for pursuing all the legal avenues open to him in this presidential election. The airport supporters pursued their legal loopholes and achieved a temporary victory. Hypocrisy works both sides of the street.

SOL J. FRIEDMAN

Laguna Niguel

* In Orange County, as in Florida, the voice of the people is coming through, somewhat obscured by the smoke and mirrors and politicians on a mission. When Measure H passed with 65% of Orange County voters deciding that the tobacco settlement should be spent on health care, it was a clear expression of the people’s will. The bipartisan array for Measure H was nothing short of astonishing.

In Orange County, we, the 65% of voters who approved Measure H, will not stand idly by if these three ill-advised supervisors try to disenfranchise us in the courts. We exercised our franchise and voted overwhelmingly to pass the measure. And if necessary, we may exercise our right to recall these three politicians, if they remain inordinate and continue to disregard the will of the people.

FELIX SCHWARTZ

Executive Director

Health Care Council of Orange County

* The fact that the Board of Supervisors is suing to block implementation of Measure H after previously suing to block implementation of Measure F has reinforced my conviction that government is like the common cold: It reduces our quality of life somewhat, but there is nothing that we can do about it.

ROD FREED

Mission Viejo

* Lake Forest electing the county’s first black mayor, OCTA’s new light rail extension, and county supervisors acceding to the will of their constituents on the tobacco money are all budding signs that we may be coming of age.

On the other hand, the fact that despite their dwindling responsibility as more county areas are annexed or transformed into cities, our Board of Supervisors even could conceive the idea of subverting the initiatives passed by an overwhelming majority of their constituents, continues to vote itself big pay raises without adequate public hearing, and fires a CEO whose apparent flaw was a lack of subservience tells me that we are actually a Banana County at least in matters of politics.

It is probably time for us to start a new initiative to revamp the structure of our county government altogether. The board has brought us so far a bankruptcy, unconstrained development and unbearable traffic congestion. Additionally, it has become increasingly aloof to constituents’ concerns. With friends in high places like that, who needs any enemy?

JOHN T. CHIU

Newport Beach