Obligations on O.C. Funds
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* Orange County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier says [county lawyers believe] the county has no legal obligation to disburse recovered funds from Merrill Lynch among the more than 200 cities and school districts that lost money in the Orange County bankruptcy (July 19).
What about ethical obligations? What about moral obligations? It was Orange County officials who caused the bankruptcy, not city and school district officials. It was Orange County officials who tried to cover up the mess. So how is it now that only Orange County should benefit from the recovered funds?
Ethics and morals in government are long overdue. Let’s start with Mittermeier. Instead of posturing behind “legal opinions,” [she should] stand tall and recommend to the Board of Supervisors that the money be distributed on a percentage basis of what was lost to each and every agency.
SCOTT SMITH
Costa Mesa
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