- June 9, 2023
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Scott Hansen9 Posts
Scott Hansen is a technology attorney and former research engineer. He's been a partner in an international law firm and an in-house attorney at a Fortune 500 corporation. He and his family have lived in Irvine since 2000.
Hundreds of Millions in City Budget to Be Discussed on Finance Commission Agenda
Overview $11.5 Million Budget Deficit: The City ran a surplus of $3.1 million in 2019-20. The outlook for 2020-21 is less rosy. The City tentatively expects an $11.5 million deficit. The money will come from the $54 million contingency reserve. Air Quality Funds: The City now has over $500,000 for reducing air pollution, encouraging alternative means of transportation, improving […]
Ethics Complaints: Use and Abuse
“Corruption!” is a common battle cry against government officials. Sometimes it’s just exaggeration. But sometimes there is evidence of legal wrongdoing. Where can the public turn with a genuine ethics complaint against a candidate or public official? The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regulates campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics. The FPPC […]
Preview of the Finance Commission Meeting Of October 19, 2020
Overview Despite the COVID-19 crisis, the City has a surplus of over $3 million for Fiscal Year 2019-2020. The Commission is asked to recommend putting that money into Contingency Reserve to pay for an expected shortfall next year. The Commission is also asked to recommend assigning a police officer to a violence prevention program for […]
Tips for Evaluating Election Information
It’s election season. Irvine voters will be hit with a great deal of information. Some of it accurate, some not, some in between. To evaluate it, ask some questions: Where is this information coming from? Who is paying for it? What do they want to accomplish? What is their track record? How transparent are they […]
Op-Ed: Innovative Low-Cost Solution to Grocery Store Dilemma?
Irvine is home to brilliant minds, kind hearts, and a positive, problem-solving spirit. Can these qualities be applied to solving a significant problem – the lack of everyday shopping in the new neighborhoods north of the Great Park? I put on a business school hat and have a proposal to spur discussion. Problem: Developers hesitate […]
Planning Commission Zones for a Gym, Will Neighborhood Retail Follow? (Transcript Excerpts & Video)
These are excerpts from the two-hour Planning Commission meeting of October 3, 2019. A highlight of the meeting was a dialogue on whether the Irvine Village Concept would be better implemented in new Irvine communities. The specific item on the Agenda appeared innocuous – a FivePoint parcel of land along Irvine Boulevard. The Commission considered […]
Op-Ed: Protect the Irvine Village Concept in Neighborhoods Near Great Park
New neighborhoods near the northern edge of the Great Park lack village-style shopping nearby. To date, the developers have not implemented the “Irvine Village” system – in which housing, parks, schools, and shopping are all within a village. The City has a brief window of time to step in and require plans for the area […]
Op-Ed: Why Irvine Candidates Should Pledge Not to Accept Developer Campaign Contributions
Candidates are already raising money to run for Irvine Mayor and two City Council seats. The election is November 3, 2020. A list of declared candidates and statements disclosing campaign contributions can be found here. Will candidates for Irvine elective office pledge not to accept campaign contributions from developers and their proxies in the run-up […]
Op-Ed: Some (Very) Basic Information about FivePoint
Introduction Five Point Holdings LLC (“Five Point”) is one of two primary developers in Irvine. The other is Irvine Company. In this article, we examine basic facts about Five Point. This is just a little of the information a potential investor would routinely look into before investing. Our goal is not to be critical, but simply to […]
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