Received this from State Rep. Sharon Quirk-Silva today and it deserves your attention because it relates to her efforts to have a state veterans cemetery and memorial placed in Orange County.
March 24, 2014
Dear Dan:
As the new chair of the State Assembly Committee on Veteran’s Affairs, my first action was to call for a Veterans Cemetery in Orange County.
As the third most populous county in California, Orange County is home to almost 120,000 veterans. These brave men and women have served our country and I believe we need to honor their service. My bill, AB 1453, provides language to design, develop, and construct a Veterans Cemetery in Orange County.
Six cities, including: Anaheim, Buena Park, Brea, Fullerton, Irvine, and Huntington Beach have all passed resolutions in favor of AB 1453. Local Veterans advocacy groups have also been overwhelmingly supportive, and their voices have been instrumental in moving this bill forward.
A recent article by the OC Register highlighted the need for a “collaborative effort” among local government and community groups to make this vision a reality.
That’s where I need your help. We need to show that support in Orange County is real.
Please contact your local representatives and let them know that we need to honor the service of our Orange County veterans.
To find your legislators, click HERE!
Let’s show Sacramento that we support honoring those who have served our country.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sharon Quirk-Silva
Assemblymember, District 65
Now that’s all fine and dandy. But Irvine residents need to do more than just contact their state legislators. We need to remind Mayor Steven Choi and Councilmember Christina Shea that they represent Irvine residents which include a number of military veterans. Both Choi and Shea pushed for an alternate motion to study the idea of placing the cemetery at the Great Park. When he realized he’d be on the losing side, Choi hopped on the bandwagon and voted yes. Both the Mayor and the Chair of the Great Park made it abundantly clear that when it comes to anything associated with the Great Park, they represent developer Five Points.
In a letter Shea read from the developer, Five Points asked to be involved in the planning of any veteran’s cemetery. The city of Irvine ALREADY HASD A PLANNING DEPARTMENT and there is Great Park land that Five Points has nothing to do with. But placing the memorial in the “wrong” spot might mean some of the pricey mini-mansions the developer and builders plan to sell won’t sell for as much.
Council member Shea remained a “no” vote, admonished veteran’s in the audience to be quiet and respectful and reminded them she “has always supported them.” Except when it came time to do the obviously right thing. She has a blog and we encourage you to send her some hits and leave some comments. You can read it here.
Mayor Choi is up for re-election. His literature will no doubt say “he voted for the Veteran’s Memorial” but his words and his support for the substitute motion made it clear he’s on the side of Five Points here. Veterans need to remember this come November.
Since the President is coming to Orange County to be the commencement speaker for the UCI graduation, should we take some bets on whether or not Mayor Choi will wear that mock up of President Obama with the Hitler mustache on his back? Or will the Mayor show a little tact and a little class? If he can’t, he ought to stay home.
