- June 9, 2023
AUTHOR DETAILS
-
Joshua Moore8 Posts
Joshua Moore is an Orange County native and grew up in Irvine. His chief passions for reform in local government are expanding the size of the Irvine City Council; switching to district-based seats and implementing ranked choice voting; and, ultimately, converting Orange County into a consolidated city-county.
Opinion: Why Irvine needs ranked Choice voting
An official from one of the county political parties once told me that he doesn’t care about voter mandates, and that if a candidate wins with only a minority of votes cast, the voters have in some sense spoken. Sure, I answered him, but how much are we allowing the voters to say? And is […]
City Provides Livestream on YouTube! Now Let’s Increase Access.
A little over ten months ago I wrote my first opinion piece for Irvine Watchdog, in which I called upon Irvine to livestream its City Council meetings on YouTube and store them there for subsequent viewings. Today I’m happy to report that Irvine has provided for half of my ask. For about a week now, ICTV […]
Opinion: If You’re Not Insisting On Democracy, You Might Not Have One — How Minority Rule All Too Often Presides Over The Irvine City Council
There’s a saying that poses a warning to consumers of media: “if you’re not paying for the product, you’re not the customer; you are the product.” It’s a useful reminder to be wary of your relationship to the powers-that-be in that particular market. If there is a rough political equivalent to it, perhaps it is […]
Sunshine Ordinance Saved For Now. Will Agenda Item 4.4 Be Used to Revoke It?
On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, the City Council “deleted” Consent Calendar Item 2.8 “Rescinding City Council Ordinance No. 18-10 [Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance] relating to Brown Act Agenda Procedures” from the meeting agenda. We view this as a temporary victory and thank all those who signed the petition. However, the City Council can add the 2nd […]
Opinion: Fivepoint Lobbyist Patrick Strader Serving on the Irvine Community Land Trust is Like a Fox Guarding a Hen House
When I hear the word “trust” in the name of an entity, it resonates with me. “Trust” is a strong word which speaks of confidence, reliability, and uprightness. It brings to mind honorable custodians of a sacred charge: people sworn to protect and advance interests beyond their own. Perhaps the City of Irvine had something […]
Opinion: Evolving City, Devolving Democracy?
“I view what we do here as a vision,” FivePoint Holdings Founder and Chairman Emeritus Emile Haddad says, redundantly, in a promotional video on the company’s website. “When you lead from the front, it is easier for people to follow” is another Haddad head-scratcher. What it does not say is that FivePoint has reportedly spent over $2 […]
The People Before Pixels: Banning Cell Phone Use During Council Meetings
My Grandpa Dan had a rule: only one person was allowed to get up from the dinner table at a time. He was adamant about it. The story goes that there would come a point during dinners when Granny and their four kids would leave the dining room and dart about after seconds, for dessert, or to clear the table. […]
City Hall in the Age of YouTube: It’s Time to Make Irvine City Council Meetings Accessible
I am very new to the Irvine Watchdog scene, but I have been quickly impressed with this small cadre of volunteers who stand watch over every council and commission meeting to tirelessly advocate for transparency in Irvine government. They are armed with an extensive knowledge of procedural considerations, funding requirements, and all the ins and […]
Public Facebook Page
Irvine Residents Only Facebook Group