That Time Jeff Lalloway Brought A Gerbil(aka Matthew Cunningham) Into Irvine

Jeff Lalloway says he is not bully or a dictator. I will let all the readers of this blog be the judge of that in a series of posts I am now planning to do. So let me set the scene up here for everyone. It's the middle of May 2013. Irvine Republicans had just retaken the majority on the council a few months prior. The Finance Commission of the city of which I am a Member was going through the annual budget process. Jeff wanted to cut the funding of the Irvine Barclay Theater that the city provides. Christina Shea did not want to cut the funding. That's the set up. Here's the email string....

Jeff: You are going to vote to restore funds? Really? Do you know how hard we fought to cut it from the budget?

Me: It's not my idea. It's Christina's idea. She's insisting on it. Talk to her.

Jeff: Are you just a mouthpiece for Shea or do you have the ability to vote your mind? If I was asked to do something against my conscience, I would resign. Keep in mind Allan, you will be voting with Agran and Krom and against me.

Me: I have a lot of latitude to do what I feel is best on the commission. We don't always get our way all the time even when we are in the majority.

Guess who shows up next in the email string? Our good friend the Gerb(aka Matt Cunningham)

Gerb: Classic! So much for Mr. Speak Truth To Power! If he were as principled as he claims, he would resign rather than vote to increase this subsidy!

Just a reminder for those who don't know Matt Cunningham. He outed sex abuse victims

Me: Really, you are bringing Matt Cunningham into this? LOL. With your sorted recent history Matt, you have a lot of nerve to weigh on what's happening in Irvine.

Gerb: On his Facebook page, he boasts about his 1% across the board cut recommendation. Note a word about shoveling another $500K into the Barclay.

Me: BTW, I am proposing that we cut 1% across the board tonight. That's almost $1.5 million dollars which more than offsets restoring the Barclay funding.

Jeff: So cut funding for police services, a vital part of city services, and give it to the Barclay? Ron Paul is rolling in his grave.

Gerb: Allan, the chuztpah is all on you. Why not post on your Facebook about recommending a half-a-million increase in Barclay funding, and explain that you are just following orders?

Me: Hey Matt, How much are you billing the taxpayers for this email exchange? The going rate still $200/hour? Here's a primer on how Cunningham scams taxpayers

Gerb: Translation from Bartlettspeak: "I have no defense, so I will try to change the subject with a cheap shot." Allan, you have hoisted yourself onto your own petard. Your "I'm casting a vote I don't believe in because she's making me do it" rationalization is pathetic because you have spend so much time and energy claiming other people as unprincipled schemers and holding yourself up as some unblemished, unbending voice of principle.

Gerb: Why not post on your Facebook that you're recommending more than doubling the Irvine taxpayers' funding of the Barclay Theatre, to almost $1 million? After all, you post every other move you make as an Irvine Finance Commissioner.

Christina: Matt no one is adding a half a million to the budget for the Barclay theater This funding, is the amount I desire to maintain for the Barclay theater to operate, yet $100,000 appx less than the past few years This theater is an institution and a City facility we own as partners with UCI. Cutting their budget without notice and when they plan their budget a year ahead, would force closing their doors I am troubled Jeff can't speak to me of his concerns but goes to the press to get his way

We don't need to cut this funding to balance our budget. We have a 10 million dollar carryover at the end of this year and are fully funding our reserves I asked the City Manager to be sure this year we use no reserves to balance the budget and so that is what we have, a lean but balanced budget

I additionally, just recently proposed a "pension liability reduction strategic plan" to address our unfunded liability problem No one has ever brought this up as a directive to staff to begin to address this serious fiscal concern

I brought forward this idea over several months ago.

And at our recent budget workshop, I stated I didn't want our public safety department bringing in any more laterals for hiring and only hire new recruits so we can start to lower this liability.

That is being addressed presently.

The strategic plan for pension reduction, will be coming forward soon for our Council's review and adoption. No one else brought this idea forward, I did.

I appreciate your thoughtful review of our plans for Irvine but it is best not to go to one source For information, as apparently all the facts are being brought forward to you.

Thanks so much and if you desire to talk further with me about City issues I am always available

Gerb: Christina, I am not leveling any criticism at you or making a judgment about your position regarding the level of city funding for the Barclay. My point is Allan delights in passing judgment on others for sins of impurity, real or imagined. He made it clear at the beginning of this e-mail chain that he doesn't personally believe in the recommendation he is making. If that had come from someone on Allan's naughty list, instead of Allan himself, he'd be blasting that person as a hypocrite.

Christina: Thanks for the response. I made it clear to Allan this am he can vote as he chooses. I trust his judgment though I may not always agree with him or others for that matter.

My best