Fiscal responsibility is an obligation of all Mission Viejo Council Members and Mission Viejo citizens. With the State of California turning down the grant request for a city gym, I know there will be an organized lobbying effort by some folks to get the city of Mission Viejo to pony up approximately $2 million for a gym. Until just recently, this item was not even on the radar screen for city improvements.

The following obligations are staring us in the face and would appear to be far more important than a gym:

1. Approximately $1.4 million for the YMCA buildings' upgrades and deferred maintenance.
2. Approximately $1.3-$2.7 million for fixing the landslide for the seven houses in the south end of the city. (FEMA declined the Laguna Beach request, so why would they help Mission Viejo?)
3. Approximately $5.0-$6.0 million for the city's share of affordable house on the former Kmart site.
4. Approximately $800,000 for the fire damage to the swim complex that the insurance company refuses to pay.
5. Approximately $5.4-$6.5 million to fix the horrendous and very aged landscaping on the following slopes -- Margaruite Parkway, Alicia Parkway, Trabuco Road and Jeronimo Road. (This is another example of the city not keeping facilities properly updated.)
6. Approximately $15-$20 million obligation for affordable housing related to the Target site at Jeronimo Road and Los Alisos Blvd.
7. Approximately $300,000 for decking of the Sierra Pool complex
8. Approximately $2.4 million for the Murray Community Center overrun beyond the grants - for the inevitable cost overruns.

When you examine these numbers, I am sure they all can be questioned -- but, has anybody truly looked at our potential obligations staring us in the face? Just where will this money come from? This is the story of the ant and the grasshopper -- it is time for a reality check. The Capistrano Unified School District has proved to be less than fiscally responsible. Building a $30 million administration building while housing the children in poorly maintained, unhealthy portables is just one of the reasons that a recall vote is going to be held. It is not the time to get into any "joint-agreements" with an administration going out the door.

The proposed gym at Newhart Intermediate School is well down this list of real obligations. It is time to fix the real infrastructure problems in Mission Viejo instead of building another "edifice to an ego.”

Joe Holtzman
Mission Viejo