Dr. Mike Moodian, an educator and a candidate for the South Orange County Community College District, contacted every Orange County candidate for school board and community college board (119 total) and asked them to sign the 2012 Public Service Pledge. By signing the pledge, the candidate promises that he or she will refuse all health and retirement benefits if elected next week.
The following candidates signed the pledge:
- Robert “Bob” Ausmus, Orange Unified School District
- Gina Clayton-Tarvin, Ocean View School District
- Bob Gardner, Anaheim City School District
- Jose Alfredo Hernandez, Santa Ana Unified School District (Incumbent)
- Mike Moodian, South Orange County Community College District
- M. Tony Ontiveros, North Orange County Community College District (Incumbent)
- Cathey Ryder, Huntington Beach Union High School District
- Mark Wayland, Orange Unified School District (Incumbent)
Copies of their signed pledges are available here.
Two notes:
Tony Tapia, candidate for Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees, pledged to refuse health and medical benefits via email. He said he could not send a signed copy because he had issues with his printer.
James Vanderbilt, candidate for Anaheim City School District board (and incumbent), also pledged to refuse health and medical benefits via email. He cannot send a signed copy because he is currently serving in Kuwait as a captain in the U.S. Army.
Please Dr. Moodian with any questions at drmike@moodian.com.
This is a good start, but it needs to go one step further. Incumbents like OUSD’s Mark Wayland need to cash out their retirement funds and donate any money contributed on their behalf by their respective Districts. Just agreeing to forgo health and retirement benefits doesn’t mean past contributions can’t be used to fund a future retirement. The only way to stop lifetime retirements for current incumbents is for them to pledge to cash out their existing accounts.
Does that mean they will take the cash instead?
It’s interesting the biggest abusers in the Rancho Santiago CCD did not respond. And Rancho Santiago CCD candidate, Thomas Anthony Gordon did not submit a pledge – probably because he is supported by one of the county’s biggest abusers of District-paid health insurance – anti-tax crusader, Phil Yarbrough who taxpayers fork out $23,000 to pay for his health insurance as well as his family’s health insurance.
Tony Tapia has pledged to refuse all benefits and will donate his stipend. His competitors did not pledge.
The choice is clear:
VOTE FOR TONY TAPIA FOR RSCCD AREA 3
I am all for this and think that all the money that is saved should go to the members of the Police Union.