I had an interesting chat with a source close to the developers of the Great Park last week. I referenced the communications between Irvine Planning Commissioner Anthony Kuo and the Chinese Immigrant community and whether or not the Veteran’s Cemetery and Memorial would still be on track now that Sharon Quirk-Silva will be leaving her assembly seat for Young Kim, who could care less. With Larry Agran also off the Irvine City Council, the Cemetery doesn’t have a champion and my source indicated the Memorial wasn’t a sure thing anymore.
My source had an interesting theory that Quirk-Silva never really cared about Veterans or this project and that it was thrust upon her to give her an issue to run on. My answer back referenced bovine excrement.
So I contacted Ms. Quirk-Silva and she posted this note on Facebook this afternoon for everyone to see:
“Some have asked me, “What will happen with the OC Veteran’s Cemetery, now that your term is over?” We are doing everything we can to make sure that our elected leaders in Orange County continue to move this project forward. There is still work to do. Assembly Member Tom Daly has informed us he will be happy to help navigate this project. Please voice your support to the Irvine Council to ask them to stand behind their unanimous vote in July. This is not political and should stay on track, if all of our Orange County Elected Delegation: Local, State, and Federal Leaders stand up for this historic project. I will continue to be an advocate for this project and hope you will also.”
State Assemblyman Tom Daly won his AD-69 race comfortably and has already proven himself a good team player for OC’s assembly delegation but also an advocate of Quirk-Silva and a reliable voice for Democrats in OC. His experience in Anaheim and the Clerk Recorder’s office shows he knows how to work with Republicans and he is in the safest assembly district for OC Democrats. Daly’s time as Mayor of Anaheim resulted in several city parks built and he has a good reputation with his peers. Daly can always count on Quirk-Silva to lend support for this project.
But heed Quirk-Silva here Veterans; it’s time to hold the new council majority’s feet to the fire and make sure they deliver on their promise for this cemetery and memorial. Because it sure looks like the developer, who spent about $700,000 to elect a Irvine city council majority and dictates what they do, doesn’t want that cemetery period.
Dan says: “My source had an interesting theory that … this project … was thrust upon her to give her an issue to run on.”
I believe tha is the absolute truth. SQS is fnished in state politics. She knocked off a fairly easy mark through hard work – but that’s it – no where for her to go from where she is at.