jquery autocomplete combobox option value set to empty

    (function( $ ) {
        $.widget( "ui.combobox", {
            _create: function() {
                var self = this,
                    select = this.element.hide(),
                    selected = select.children( ":selected" ),
                    value = selected.val() ? selected.text() : "";
                var input = this.input = $( "<input>" )
                    .insertAfter( select )
                    .val( value )
                    .autocomplete({
                        delay: 0,
                        minLength: 0,
                        source: function( request, response ) {
                            var matcher = new RegExp( $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex(request.term), "i" );

                            var select_el = select.get(0); // get dom element
var rep = new Array(); // response array
 var maxRepSize = 25; // maximum response size
    // simple loop for the options
    for (var i = 0; i < select_el.length; i++) {
        var text = select_el.options[i].text;
        if ( select_el.options[i].value && ( !request.term || matcher.test(text) ) )
            // add element to result array
            rep.push({
                label: text, // no more bold
                value: text,
                option: select_el.options[i]
            });

            if ( rep.length > maxRepSize ) {
            rep.push({
                label: "... more available",
                value: "maxRepSizeReached",
                option: ""
            });
            break;
}

    }
    // send response
    response( rep );


                            // response( select.children( "option" ).map(function() {
                                // var text = $( this ).text();
                                // if ( this.value && ( !request.term || matcher.test(text) ) )
                                    // return {
                                        // label: text.replace(
                                            // new RegExp(
                                                // "(?![^&;]+;)(?!<[^<>]*)(" +
                                                // $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex(request.term) +
                                                // ")(?![^<>]*>)(?![^&;]+;)", "gi"
                                            // ), "<strong>$1</strong>" ),
                                        // value: text,
                                        // option: this
                                    // };
                            // }) );
                        },
                        select: function( event, ui ) {

                        if ( ui.item.value == "maxRepSizeReached") {
        //return false;
    }
                        else {
                            ui.item.option.selected = true;
                            self._trigger( "selected", event, {
                                item: ui.item.option
                            });
                            }
                        },

                        // focus: function( event, ui ) {
    // if ( ui.item.value == "maxRepSizeReached") {
        // return false;
    // }
// },


                        change: function( event, ui ) {
                            if ( !ui.item ) {
                                var matcher = new RegExp( "^" + $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex( $(this).val() ) + "$", "i" ),
                                    valid = false;
                                select.children( "option" ).each(function() {
                                    if ( $( this ).text().match( matcher ) ) {
                                        this.selected = valid = true;
                                        return false;
                                    }
                                });
                                if ( !valid ) {
                                    // remove invalid value, as it didn't match anything
                                    $( this ).val( "" );
                                    select.val( "" );
                                    input.data( "autocomplete" ).term = "";
                                    //return false;
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    })
                    .addClass( "ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-corner-left" );
                    var span = $("<span style=\" white-space: nowrap;\"></span>")
      .append(input).insertAfter( select );

                input.data( "autocomplete" )._renderItem = function( ul, item ) {
                    return $( "<li></li>" )
                        .data( "item.autocomplete", item )
                        .append( "<a>" + item.label + "</a>" )
                        .appendTo( ul );
                };

                this.button = $( "<button type='button'>&nbsp;</button>" )
                    .attr( "tabIndex", -1 )
                    .attr( "title", "Show All Items" )
                    .insertAfter( input )
                    .button({
                        icons: {
                            primary: "ui-icon-triangle-1-s"
                        },
                        text: false
                    })
                    .removeClass( "ui-corner-all" )
                    .addClass( "ui-corner-right ui-button-icon" )
                    .click(function() {
                        // close if already visible
                        if ( input.autocomplete( "widget" ).is( ":visible" ) ) {
                            input.autocomplete( "close" );
                            return false;
                        }

                        // work around a bug (likely same cause as #5265)
                        $( this ).blur();

                        // pass empty string as value to search for, displaying all results
                        input.autocomplete( "search", "" );
                        input.focus();
                        //return false;
                    });
            },

            destroy: function() {
                this.input.remove();
                this.button.remove();
                this.element.show();
                $.Widget.prototype.destroy.call( this );
            }
        });




    })( jQuery );

    $(document).ready(function() {
        $( "#userid"  ).combobox({
        });
        $( "#facid"  ).combobox({
        });
        $('input.ui-autocomplete-input').val("");
        $( "#tabstats" ).tabs().find( ".ui-tabs-nav" ).sortable({ axis: "x" });



    });