No candidate for city council in Orange County caught more flack than Jordan Brandman. But when the voting was over in Anaheim, residents elected Brandman to the city council along with Lucille Kring. Republican John Leos, who was backed by the OCEA for his second run for the city council, was a distant third.
Rumors about Brandman are far reaching and personally nasty. He was accused of using school resources for political purposes without much evidence at all. There was rumors he was fired from his job at the Clerk Recorders office, when he actually quietly resigned to start his own business. He’s accused of being a corporate Democrat when he actually has a track record of working across the aisle (and has the respect of Republicans he needs to work with).
The award-winning SaveAnaheim blog, which started life as an anti-Jordan Brandman blog, is now reaching out to the new city councilman. In an open letter, Jason Young offers an olive branch and an invitation to coffee.
From the post: ”
I’m hopeful we can both put politics aside to move Anaheim forward. Which may be difficult for you since I have been your arch nemesis throughout the campaign. But please understand that I am very passionate about the city I grew up in. I can’t stand by and allow developers and special interests to steal vital tax revenue. Your support of the $158 million giveaway is why I opposed you.
Going forward I hope we can work together to make Anaheim a better place. The neighborhoods are in desperate need of your attention. Please make code enforcement a priority, increase the graffiti abatement budget, curb garage sales, support a living wage, push through council districts, vote down subsidies for the elite, negotiate terms that turn a profit for us at Angel Stadium/Honda Center, and figure out new solutions for our gang problems. ”
With due respect to Young, the honey over vinegar approach doesn’t work when the honey is laced with poison. More than 20,000 Anaheim voters elected Brandman in spite of all the dirt thrown against him in the weeks leading up to election day. Brandman’s positions were well stated and the number of votes clearly exceeds the number of hits the SaveAnaheim blog gets on a given day.
At this blog, I’m sorry John Leos wasn’t able to displace Kring as I believe Leos was a superior candidate to her. But I’m glad Brandman won. And after he’s sworn in, I’m sure he’s going to pay attention to all of the residents of Anaheim instead of just one.
Anaheim is a majority Democratic city and Brandman has played a big role in this with a strong campaign and dedicated voter registration efforts. Oh he’ll make some mistakes along the way but he is a Democrat who will spend more time listening than speaking.
Dan, with all due respect, you are a buffoon. Brandman is a duplicitous little weasel, and the fact that he was elected does not change that fact. Your rationale justifies the devastation Bush wreaked upon our blood, treasure and economy. Brandman is, to the extent he is a democrat, a corporate democrat. But he is only a democrat because he needs to be for his higher aspirations. He is Mitt Romney in the past election – willing to say anything or do anything he feels is needed for his money sources to fund him, and then willing to lie through his teeth about what he said and what he believes. He is all that is bad in a politician. Your suppport of him despite this says alot about you.
and with all due respect, you’re a coward. And 20,000 plus Anaheim voters disagree with you.
Now you’re becoming a Brandman apologist? Oy vey…
you’ve become a Choi apologist by proxy; makes us even
Dan, let’s be fair. Jason reached out to Jordan at least a year ago, expressing his concerns about Jordan’s connections to Curt Pringle and his votes to defer developer’s fees on the school board. Jason invited Jordan for coffee to discuss his concerns, and Jordan blew him off. Imagine how different things could have been had Jordan sat down to talk it over, explained why he voted the way he did, perhaps even win Jason over to his side, and make an ally of him. It was that arrogance in dismissing a constituent that lit Jason’s fuse, and Jordan then followed that bit of arrogance by vocally supporting the contentious Gardenwalk giveaway, when he nearly never speaks at Council on other items, as pointed out by Dr. Moreno in that Los Amigos video that is circulating. That just threw gasoline on a flame Jordan had already lit, and the explosion has reverberated across the internet, and onto the local newspaper and hit mail.
I am proud of Jason for once again trying to reach out to Jordan, especially given the incredible vitriol unleashed on Jason by Jordan’s friends running the opposition campaign. I hope that this time Jordan accepts Jason’s offer of coffee and they find some way to work together, or at least forge an armed truce. I am tired of being stuck between them, and I would prefer to see Jason’s passion (and money) going into some project they can agree on than continue the bickering.
But should Jordan once again ignore Jason in the belief he does not need him, I also know Jason to be prepared to continue his efforts to educate Anaheim’s residents about the inner workings of City Hall moving forward, and I can tell you that allies have come out of the woodwork to assist in that endeavor. This election woke up a lot of people, especially given the extreme influence of Disney and Pringle, and the rather self-serving projects they are promoting on taxpayers’ dimes. I think the level of vitriol will calm down and a more civilized demeanor will prevail, but the educational opportunities will continue. I think we would all prefer that Jason sing the praises of a kinder, gentler new Council…but one must see it to believe it.
In today’s Register both Jordan and Lucille have expressed an interest in working together as a team with the remaining Council. I pray that this will pan out. Mayor Tait is constantly being attacked by the Pringle team as being divisive, but I invite your readers to go watch some of the contentious City Council meetings online, they are available at anaheim.net going back for years. See for yourselves that it is not Tait that is stirring the pot, the animosity and open disrespect come from Council member Murray’s end of the dais. The last year (coincidentally since Curt Pringle’s one-year cooling off period ended and he was legally permitted to lobby Anaheim leaders) has been Hell on earth for Mayor Tait. If you watch those meetings, you see him being very cautious, asking questions about where we will find the money to pay for pet projects being pushed by staff and especially the pro-Pringle forces. But Tait is NEVER anything but a gentleman. In contrast, watch Council member Kris Murray behave like a harpy. She is mean spirited, and vindictive in the extreme, using her majority voting block not only to push items that could easily wait for the next Council meeting while Tait gets more answers from staff, but also retaliating against him for daring to even question what she wants done. If the animosity and Council split continue it will not be from Mayor Tait’s end, it will be Murray crowing about her 3 vote block, now maintained by the election of Jordan.
So Anaheim watches and waits. How Jordan conducts himself when he gets there will set the tone for the next 2 years. Will he weigh each item for its own value, and we see evenly balanced votes with reason and compromise? Or will we keep seeing the same 3 to 2 split, with the Council majority continuing to spend money like drunken sailors?
My fear is that now Murray and company will use that majority block to shove Mayor Tait into the corner and tell him to be a good boy and sit there quietly while they run the city. The comments we hear from their end in social media make it painfully clear they dismiss him, and his caution, as being obstructive to “progress”. But it was Pringle’s lack of caution in the pursuit of the same “visionary” projects Murray supports that sucked our City dry. Tom Tait came to office and found a city in dire straights that had been living off reserves to pay for make-work projects that offered little to no benefit to the everyday resident, in pursuit of Pringle leaving his Grand Legacy. It is the civic equivalent to the husband wanting to tap the equity from a home to invest in some big new investment opportunity, while the wife wants to cut expanses to pay off the mortgage early. It is a simple matter of different views, and Jordan has pretty consistently backed Pringle’s. If Team Murray cannot agree with the Mayor they should at least grant him the respect of a colleague, which has been painfully lacking.
Under (Jordan’s mentor) Pringle, our budget ran in the red, our reserves were down to nearly nothing, and Tait had to make some hard decisions to get us back in the black-something that Murray now takes credit for. Jordan has a strong and consistent pattern of supporting the same vision, and Anaheim’s finances are at make-or-break levels. We cannot keep spending the way that administration wants to spend, especially galling when the projects tend to benefit their friends. But when Tait steps in to try stemming the tide of red ink, he is demonized. That is where the civil war stems from, and the fear is Jordan will side with the spenders. Excuse me, “investing in public private partnerships.”
It is up to Jordan, I know him to be a good man who wants to do the right thing. I also know him to be all too easily influenced by Pringle and Murray, accepting any information they give him as gospel without always considering another side, I have seen it firsthand, and it is what kept me from supporting his candidacy this year for the first time since we met.
Jordan, how will you conduct yourself? Will you continue to feed the Murray/Pringle civil war? Or will you work to bring healing to Anaheim? We are watching.
I believe Jordan will conduct himself professionally and treat everyone with courtesy. I’m sure once he’s been sworn in, there will be a process for people like Jason to arrange an appointment to discuss whatever he wishes with Councilmember Brandman. As far as Jason goes, I see nothing constructive from him but lots of criticism. Perhaps if he floated an idea every now and then. Trust is a two way street and nice to see Jason show a little humility, but where Jordan has a record of compromise Jason does not. He would have to demonstrate a willingness to hear Brandman’s position on issues and be willing to pick his battles better.
I agree with you Dan, but Jordan never gave him a hearing when Jason was being a lot more civil, so I am not sure how they are going to get along now. Jason does have ideas, but without access to leaders willing to listen, what is one to do with them? I am praying for peace in Anaheim. Let’s see what happens.
Hi Dan,
I don’t for a second believe Brandman won based on merit. Brandman won because the Disney machine was able to paint him as everything he is not. Jordan has consistently ignored the needs of the residents over support for corporate welfare. As Cynthia implored, please watch the video of Dr. Moreno speaking to Jordan at Los Amigos. Might enlighten you a little.
I have reached out many times to Jordan and have been blown off. But, to be honest, I don’t know if it would do much good. My previous experience chatting with Kris Murray have shown that it is futile at best. Murray promised me everything under the sun and has delivered nothing. I expect that might be the same case as Brandman.
Murray, Eastman, and Brandman are just a different breed of politicians. Folks who think the business community needs to be coddled to the tune of $158 million. Who don’t sincerely care about the community but give it lip service consistently.
As for my ideas, they’re not original. In fact they’re items the city should have been addressing all along:
1. Enforcing the code so property owners are held responsible for their properties curb appeal.
2. Hire a full-time graffiti abatement crew. Did you know we have only part-time folks handling a full-time problem?
3. Curb the amount of garage sales allowed per year. Many of my neighbors seem to think they can run swap meets on their front lawns.
4. Increase the use of community policing in high crime areas.
5. Renegotiate contracts at the Honda Center and Angel Stadium so they actually generate revenue.
and so on . . .
I’m still hopeful however that Brandman won’t simply be a tool for Pringle. But if he turns out to be one, SaveAnaheim and my PAC will make sure residents hear about it.
Jason
Jason, you wrote: “I don’t for a second believe Brandman won based on merit.”
Jordan walked neighborhoods, went to football games, graduation ceremonies, community events, sent mail, managed a website, held fundraisers, and got the word out. He most certainly did win on merit.
Brandman has now surpassed Kring for first place overall.
CITY OF ANAHEIM Member, City Council
Number To Vote For: 2
Completed Precincts: 165 of 165
Vote Count Percentage
JORDAN BRANDMAN 23,745 19.4%
LUCILLE KRING 23,535 19.2%
JOHN LEOS 17,134 14.0%
STEVEN ALBERT CHAVEZ LODGE 12,768 10.4%
LINDA LINDER 12,126 9.9%
JENNIFER RIVERA 11,919 9.7%
BRIAN NEIL CHUCHUA 8,640 7.0%
RODOLFO “RUDY” GAONA 6,682 5.4%
DUANE ROBERTS 6,116 5.0%
I suspect Jordan will reach out and and attempt to work with those who did not support him this election cycle. For example, despite a year and a half of behind the scenes muscle attempts and IE attacks this election cycle by some in labor, Jordan continues to support labor on their primary wage-hour and building trade issues. He’s turned the other cheek and perhaps to the frustration of some, continues to show up at labor events. Hopefully, he’ll work with or without Mr. Young on those neighborhood issues that Mr. Young mentioned.
Working together is what is supposed to happen after elections(I know, the Republicans in Washington D.C. and Sacramento didn’t after 2008 but look where that got them). It helps if people don’t pump up the ideological volume. Throwing around phrases like “union bosses” or “corporate welfare” may sound good in the echo chamber but they do little to set the table for the discourse that facilitates constructive state action. Ms. Ward has for the most part the right tone and points to a pathway for reconciliation. But we all must remember that demonization rarely is a recepie for sucess.
Jordan and Tom Daly are facing the same test. They claim to be Democrats and not beholden to the benefactors who funded their campaigns. The results of their actions once they take office will determine who they really are working for. Both Tom and Jordan claim to be on the side of the middle and lower income residents of their districts, not just those who are well off. Based upon who his backers are, Jordan has far to go to demonstrate whether he is worthy of our trust.
There is a simple question that he has yet to answer…
Does he stand with the OC Taxpayers Association, a lobbying group for corporate interests hell bent on the destruction of public employee unions, or does he stand for the basic rights of Public Employees to organize and negotiate for fair wages and benefits including maintaining defined-benefit pensions for all current and future public employees?
“.. including maintaining defined-benefit pensions for all current and future public employees?”
DB pensions are fine – but who is going to pay for the unfunded liabilities? You want a DB plan? – fine, pay for ti.
“it”
Jordan is a paying MEMBER of the OC Taxpayers Association. Stand up to them? I do not think so. Despite Dan’s man-crush on Jordan, this was an election bought by Disney and the big developers to whom Jordan prostitutes himself. He will be the same arrogant boy he was during the election cycle on the Council, and he has no ability to think for himself. When someone wants his opinion, he will have to call Lucy Dunn to get it for him.
I completely disagree. I have met with Jordan several times and find him very engaged and knowledgeable on the issues. Disney didn’t vote in this election. Voters did. And they voted for Jordan in spite on some very negative mail, news stories and flat out nastiness. Voters in Anaheim *know* Jordan. They see him in the community regularly.
The only question Jordan has to answer is whether he will stand with the people of the City of Anaheim. That includes the workers and the businesses of Anaheim. The voters can decide whether he passes this test.
I know things didn’t go too well for labor in the city and school board elections covering Anaheim but it might be a good idea to revel in the one win(versus 5 losses)labor had in Anaheim–Jordan Brandman. A congratulations and request to work together might be a better tack than telling Jordan what he needs to do to be worthy of your trust. Bad form.
I think Anaheim going after big business is simple what’s known as economic development and successful economic development programs that attract big business usually mean good jobs for labor union employees. Small businesses are not going to hire union employees.
Organized labor in OC had only a mixed bag of success this election cycle. I was sorry to see that Julio Perez did not back Tom Daly for AD-69; it was such a contested race and I just think when you lose a primary, its smart to back the candidate of your party who won. If Julio is thinking of running again for assembly, I hope he gets his personal finances in order