Department Heads Must Change or Go

* If, at the Orange County supervisors’ meeting, the department heads truly behaved in the way that the newspaper described (“O.C. Services Sliced About 50%, Work Force 12% in New Budget,” March 31) then the department heads must go, for they are living in the past. Times have changed. They must change also.

Instead of whining and competing with each other for money, department heads must look for ways to operate their departments more effectively with less money.

They must remind themselves that their departments do not belong to them, but belong instead to the taxpayers of Orange County. They must remember that they are employees of the taxpayers and that they should be doing what the taxpayers want. I am willing to bet that taxpayers do not want more taxes.

Let’s be clear. The taxpayers have not withdrawn their support for Orange County. Without the proposed sales tax increase, the county has the same revenue it had before. Revenue has not been cut. The county does not have a revenue problem.

Instead, what we have is an expenditure problem and a management of county assets problem. County personnel took foolish gambles with county funds.

Other county personnel with oversight responsibility failed to note and report these foolish gambles. Other county personnel with responsibilities for auditing the books didn’t--or didn’t audit effectively.

Times have changed. County personnel must change with the times, or be replaced. County personnel need a new spirit. The negative attitude displayed by (Sheriff Brad) Gates, (Dist. Atty. Michael R.) Capizzi and others is unacceptable. They must change or go.

GEORGE W. CARLYLE

Newport Beach

* This is in reference to the March 31 article in the Times concerning the $4-million cut in the Orange County sheriff’s budget and Sheriff Brad Gates’ concern over what that will do to his department.

Solution? Let Gates and/or his ardent supporters pay back to the county the approximately $3 million that the doting Board of Supervisors paid out on the various civil judgments that were rendered against him.

The additional million? Board of Supervisor perks! No! No! There’s a line that even doting won’t cross.

NICK NOVICK

Irvine