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Read the fine print: Fred Jung’s ads mislead on his record and Tim Shaw’s

May 26, 2026

“Career politician Tim Shaw defunded the police in his city not once, but twice,” blares an attack ad, referring to when Shaw was on the La Habra City Council. “Even Los Angeles only cut their cops once.” Next comes a graph showing Shaw cut the La Habra Police Department by 8.3%, compared to 4.3% by “the liberals in Oakland.”

The ad intones there’s a “better choice. Join police officers across Orange County supporting Fred Jung for supervisor.” The print at the end says the ad is paid for by “Jung for County Supervisor 2026.” A button at the end of the hosting website reads, “Share this ad.”

With Democratic Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut almost certain to lock up one of the two finalist spots for the Nov. 3 election, the battle for the second slot comes down to Shaw, a Republican, Jung, a former Democrat turned independent, and Democrat Rose Espinoza, who also serves on the La Habra City Council. But because Espinoza isn’t running much of a campaign, the November runoff will most likely feature either Shaw or Jung facing off against Traut.

So now, the Democrat-turned-independent Jung is trying to attack the Republican candidate to try and earn the support of Republican and conservative voters. Throughout the attack ad, you need a magnifying glass to read the small print: “FY 09-10 + 10/11 Budgets.” And the source can be seen only on a computer screen, not on a smartphone with even tinier script, the way most people see it. I’m probably the only one who bothered to check.

The years quoted, as we remember with pain, were the aftermath of the Great Recession, which slammed almost every government budget. California state budget general fund spending was slashed from $103 billion in fiscal year 2007-08 to $91.5 billion in 2010-11. That’s an 11.2% cut, more than the 8.3% cut in La Habra.

Shaw pointed out that the city’s police association actually backed him in his subsequent races for council. “Police shifts, instead of overlapping by two hours, overlapped by one,” he said. The police were happy because they kept their jobs in a tough time for everybody. And although their pay got a haircut, they enjoyed more time off.

Shaw’s La Habra also has a lower per capita violent crime rate than Jung’s Fullerton.

But Fred Jung hopes no one looks at the fine print or checks the record.

Meanwhile, there’s another ad by the Jung campaign in which he is presented as a “fighter” for taxpayer interests. The actual financial reports tell a different story. As I noted in my March 12 column previewing this race, the county’s finances are a mess and in need of better management. According to the county’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for June 30, 2025, the Unrestricted Net Position, the key number, was a negative $957 million.

Under Jung, Fullerton’s ACFR for the same period showed a UNP in the red by $116 million. But Shaw’s OC Department of Education ACFR for June 30, 2025 impressively showed a positive $259 million UNP, more than quadrupling the figure from 2020. That alone suggests Shaw, not Jung, can be better trusted with handling taxpayer funds.

Then there’s the fact that Fullerton under Jung is now putting forward tax increases. As the editorial board pointed out in April, “The city is looking at a budget deficit — and is now scrambling to come up with the cash. Fullerton’s reserves have been obliterated. Accounting errors this large are troubling. But Jung’s solution is even more disturbing: Jung is backing a transportation tax to avoid making major service cuts.”

Fred Jung isn’t a fighter for taxpayers. He’s fighting taxpayers.

If the economy continues to erode, as I fear, who is more likely to resist the siren calls from the public-employee unions for tax increases?

“Former” Democrat Fred Jung, joining with two Democrats on the board, Vicente Sarmiento and, if she’s re-elected, Katrina Foley? Or Tim Shaw, the Republican who has actually proven he can make tough budget decisions without compromising public safety?

John Seiler is on the SCNG Editorial Board

Orange County Register

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Read the fine print: Fred Jung’s ads mislead on his record and Tim Shaw’s

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