Lawyers have been called into Irvine’s Great Park project to erect a legal wall around an anticipated $1 billion-plus in future tax revenue. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to disband California’s redevelopment agencies—such as the one that would finance public improvements at the Great Park—and divert their “tax increment” revenue to other state priorities. The Great Park’s main contention: Tax increment financing is built into its development agreement and other contracts that predate and take precedent over Brown’s plan. Irvine, Tustin and a dozen or so other California cities doing military base conversions have written Brown urging an exemption. (The Great Park formerly was the El Toro Marine base, while Tustin Legacy was a base for Navy blimps and Marine helicopters) …
Many ex-Angels ballplayers live in OC, and so does a star contingent of ’60s and ’70s Baltimore Orioles: Doug DeCinces and Bobby Grich (who both also played for the Angels) and Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Jim “Cakes” Palmer. Tom Nicholson (Nicholson Cos., Newport Beach) is building a home in Corona del Mar for Palmer, who has been a part-time resident since his stepson attended school in Irvine a few years back. “It’s a nice bubble. It’s close to the airport, the quality of life is great, people are very friendly,” says Palmer, who also has places in Palm Beach and Baltimore. The 65-year-old former pitcher is an Orioles broadcaster and workout fiend who looks like he still could pitch Jockey underwear, too … Along with extending its market reach as the rebranded PBS SoCal, the KOCE-TV Foundation has been beefing up its board. Recent additions: Emile Haddad, Jim McCluney, Julia Argyros, Kelly Mazzo, Maureen Zehntner, Bill O’Hare and Robert Romney. Chair Jo Ellen Chatham says the next step is to recruit board members from L.A. …
Mr. Connected, Gary Hunt (California Strategies, Irvine), has joined the board of Aliso Viejo-based CT Realty Investors …
Superstar Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Philharmonic perform Takemitsu Saturday in Segerstrom Concert Hall, followed by Midori in recital March 9 in Samueli Theater. The performances are part of the months-long Japan OC Festival …
Gulf War vet Quang Pham, entrepreneur (Lake Forest-based pharmaceutical marketer Lathian) and former congressional candidate, was marking the war’s 20th anniversary by getting together with Marine buddies Joe Heneghan, OC sales rep for Direct Medical Solutions, and Eric Schroeder, senior veep with Aon Risk Insurance Services in Irvine: “We definitely will not eat government-issue food, and alcohol will be served” …
Who’s brainiest? County DA Tony Rackauckas and Sheriff Sandra Hutchens compete against other pols, profs, lawyers and Broadcom, Irvine Company and Taco Bell reps Wednesday in a trivia contest benefiting the public-interest work of UCI’s law school. Details at www.law.uci.edu/pilf.
