It was predicted. Dana Point Councilmember Lisa Bartlett pushed through a plan last year, as Mayor, that made hotel taxes in Dana Point even higher than New York City’s. For that, she should have been automatically disqualified for endorsement for re-election to the Council by the Orange County Republican Party. I had warned Scott Baugh and Jon Fleischman that Bartlett would nevertheless be knocking on their door, and had a very bad vote sitting out there. But Scott and Jon soon forget the warning, and local CRA volunteer Craig Alexander, a member of the endorsements committee, who lives in Dana Point and knows Bartlett is a tax raiser, nevertheless quietly cleared her for the endorsement. With that, Bartlett’s manager, Scott Hart, who also produces the “Continuing the Republican Revolution” slate, produced a mailing for Bartlett littered with references to her Orange County GOP endorsement, including the official seal of the party. In the meantime, Baugh called Bartlett, and as I understand subsequent events, she pledged to never raise taxes again. But last night, less than one week after her re-election, Bartlett simply walked out before a council vote on extending her outrageous hotel tax scheme. She didn’t vote on her tax this time, rather, she simply walked out of the meeting when the agenda item came up. Her walkout and lack of opposition and lack of opposing vote allowed a tax to be extended. That clever act reflects poor character as a policy maker. Bartlett’s pledge to not raise taxes should of course include opposing taxes put on the agenda. If one has to parse a “no tax” pledge, then what is the use of the pledge other than to deceive? Now Bartlett is not only a tax raiser, she is a liar. Bartlett wants to succeed Pat Bates in four years as County supervisor. Scott Baugh, Jon Fleischman, I know you want to do the right thing; and especially Craig Alexander, who is the person most responsible for the mess of this OC GOP endorsement: take note, your job is to stop people like Bartlett, not enable them.
