ORANGE COUNTY IN BANKRUPTCY : The Quotable Mr. Popejoy

Feb. 10, on his vision: “The goal is to have a process in place that will have a broad grass-roots support in the county. What we need is the community at large behind us.”

March 8, to Board of Supervisors on budget-cutting plan, layoffs: “It hurts me to present this plan . . . because I know it will cause serious pain to so many innocent people. This is not the thanks [county employees] deserve.”

March 21, on Measure R option: “What you have is a choice to vote for a sales tax or a choice to vote for bankruptcy, one or the other.”

April 12, on the Board of Supervisors: “A dinosaur organization which lends itself to a lack of responsibility.”

April 13, on Measure R’s chances: “I do think the sales tax would have a greater chance of going through if the supervisors who were involved at that time said, ‘We don’t plan to run for reelection.’ ”

April 30, on Measure R as bankruptcy fix: “For those of you who want this county to sink into Third World status, go ahead and vote against the tax.”

April 30, on scope of bankruptcy: “In all honesty, I must tell you that the situation is much worse than I expected.”

June 23, on Supervisor Roger R. Stanton’s comment that county’s $1.2-billion Merrill Lynch suit might be settled for $500 million: “What he has done is nothing short of criminal. He’s out there short-circuiting the process by mentioning an irresponsible settlement figure.”

June 28, on Measure R’s defeat: “One of the things that’s been asked all along is, ‘Bill, what’s your Plan B?’ Plan B is prolonged bankruptcy. Plan B is Plan A less $1.3 billion. Plan B just doesn’t make it.”

Key Dates in William J. Popejoy’s Tenure

Feb. 10: Board of Supervisors appoints Popejoy chief executive officer. The highly touted CEO promises to guide the county out of its bankruptcy woes.

March 7: Popejoy announces plans to lay off 1,040 county employees and eliminate 563 vacant positions.

March 15: Popejoy recommends Measure R, a half-cent sales tax increase to help pay for the county recovery.

May 17: Popejoy secretly travels to New York and meets with Merrill Lynch & Co. executives about the county’s $2-billion suit against the Wall Street giant. He offers settlement of $1.2 billion, but investment firm declines.

June 22: Popejoy asks the Orange County Grand Jury to oust Supervisor Roger R. Stanton for undermining lawsuit against Merrill Lynch.

June 24: Gov. Pete Wilson lobbies Supervisors William G. Steiner and Marian Bergeson to support Popejoy, even if Measure R fails.

June 27: Voters overwhelmingly reject Measure R, the proposed half-cent sales tax that Popejoy insists is key to getting county out of bankruptcy.

June 29: Supervisors hold emergency closed-door meeting to discuss Popejoy’s ouster.

July 1: Popejoy agrees to supervisors’ request to stay on to help after permanent CEO replaces him in August.

July 8: Investors vote one-year extension of $800-million county debt repayment due in July, making default unnecessary.

July 12: Popejoy gives notice of resignation, says supervisors are making his position powerless.