Headline News

Supes Begin Process to Receive 20,000 Open Space Acres

At today’s meeting, the Orange County Board of Supervisors directed staff to begin discussions with the Irvine Company regarding the donation of just over 20,000 acres of undeveloped land. All zoned open space, the land will be subject to future improvement as active parkland while other acreage will be left as limited access wilderness.

Centered on Irvine Lake, the land extends from Anaheim Hills south to the City of Irvine. The County would pay nothing for the land and will lose only about $40,000 annually in property tax revenues. Current budget constraints limit immediate parkland development, but the land will be held in permanent trust for future generations to enjoy. Even with this dedication, the Irvine Company will remain the largest private landowner in OC.

Jails Vacancies Grow as Crime Declines

Empty cells continue to rise as Orange County jails experience a significant and much welcomed depletion of inmates. Currently, we hold 5,681 inmates in all County facilities, about 87% of which are male. Last year at this time we held 6,184, while the 2007 figure was 6,555.

This represents a 13% drop in our inmate population in just two years. At an annual cost of about $30,000 per inmate, this represents a tremendous savings to County operations and the taxpaying public.

Even more importantly, the inmate reduction signifies a continued drop in Orange County’s crime rate. The Sheriff’s Department reports a 30% drop in auto thefts for areas under their jurisdiction this year. Despite dire predictions that the recession would cause a crime spike, the opposite has been true. Improved safety technology and expanded use of DNA evidence make crime solving—and deterrence—much more effective than in yesteryear.

Tougher economic times mean job losses for many younger men—especially illegal alien males—who have left the county in great numbers. They still account for a disproportionate number of inmates, but their overall numbers are down.

4th District OC Commission Vacancies:

PFAC: There is a current vacancy on the Public Finance Advisory Committee. Created following the 1994 OC bankruptcy, PFAC advises the Treasurer on public financings. The committee meets twice monthly and receives no stipend. Applicants should have some background in finance.

Human Relations: Meets 2nd Thursdays of the month at 7:00 p.m.

Senior Citizens Advisory Council: Meets 2nd Fridays at 9:15 a.m.