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Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Loose Lips: New players in mayor act

Merced may no longer have the epic Ellie Wooten-versus-Rick Osorio mayoral battles that cost a combined $107,000.

Wooten's termed out and Osorio's support has sputtered.

Fear not. We have new actors for this miniseries. It's Bill Spriggs against Michele Gabriault-Acosta.

Spriggs narrowly won the first round with 75 more votes. Gabriault-Acosta hasn't declared a 2011 bid, but Wooten's already determined to be her campaign manager.

Wooten didn't seem thrilled Thursday at the prospect of Mister Mayor running the meetings and lecturing from the dais. Lucky for her, she can sit at home with a martini and hit mute on the television.

Come to think of it, the council meeting length could rival a golf tournament. Besides Spriggs, we'll also have the occasional pontifications by Mayor Pro Tem John Carlisle and probably outgoing Merced County Undersheriff Bill Blake, who at least has a dose of humor and not a dollop of sarcasm.

Think of the children

Adam Cox, a member of the Recreation and Parks Commission, blasted the Merced City Council during a joint study session Monday.

The two boards met to discuss the Youth Endowment Fund, which isn't technically endowed and no longer is much of a fund.

The problem was that the City Council gave $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County. Some of the money came from the principal deposit and not just the interest, depleting the fund to $42,000.

The council members weren't aware they were spending part of the principal, which wasn't supposed to be done. Members of the Recreation and Parks Commission were stunned when they learned what happened.

Cox and the majority of the committee lobbied to have the council promise to return the cash. It failed by a 4-3 vote with Mayor Ellie Wooten, and councilmen Bill Spriggs, Joe Cortez and Jim Sanders voting to not replenish the fund. "I'm thoroughly disappointed with what I heard tonight," Cox said. "All I've heard is talk. Talk is cheap."

Indeed. But given all the talkers headed for office, maybe his complaint will pay dividends.

It's the tax (wo)man

It makes sense the only person excited about residents paying property taxes would be Karen Adams, the Merced County tax collector.

Adams' glee is displayed in a commercial linked on her Web site, www.mercedtaxcollector.org. The blinking icon, a clapperboard, begs to be clicked.

In the short film, Adams reminds residents the second installment is due in April and lists the ways to pay -- at the county building, online or by phone. Lips prefers to bring a big bag of pennies.

We figure the Hollywood production is a year old, as the next tax round is December. We have one question -- how many tax dollars were put toward making this?

Loose Lips can be reached at editor@mercedsun-star.com.