High Cost of Weak Leaders
by Bo Klein

Once again, the city of San Juan Capistrano has done its job protecting the interests of its citizens instead of advancing the personal interest and gains of its leaders.

The issue I refer to is San Juan Capistrano’s recent approval of a resolution that would prohibit a new access road from the ranch development to a connection of the 73 Toll Road (San Joaquin Hills State Route 73). As a result, San Juan Capistrano will carry no burden of the additional traffic load within its city limits. All of the anticipated traffic congestion from development of the proposed ranch plan will be directed to Mission Viejo for eternity or as long as it matters.

What does matter is that people like Council Members Lance MacLean and Trish Kelley wholeheartedly approved the ranch plan with its impact of a designed gridlock of our town. San Juan Capistrano, a much smaller town in resources and population, will suffer no hardship whatsoever from new development. Our leadership in Mission Viejo put our city into a position of being completely dominated by the ranch and the toll road board. Both the ranch and the toll road agency are known to produce heavy political donors from their affiliates, and you can bet both MacLean and Kelley have been at the doorstep of the moneybag holders.

The city of San Juan Capistrano practically boasts about its actions, and its residents take pride during public comments in how they are shifting the burden to Mission Viejo. This latest resolution, though not needed because no access relief road is budgeted by the county or toll road board, was passed as a coup d’‚tat to make sure such a future proposal for a new road won’t be considered.

One should note that the San Juan Capistrano City Council and some of the challenging candidates for its city seats read like a roster of ranch hands from the ranch itself. They proudly boast of being associated with the ranch in one way or another. You can expect most of their council candidate fundraisers will be held at the El Adobe Restaurant, owned by ranch patriarch Dick O’Neill.

I have no issues with the ranch or its people. I have no issues with the politicians in San Juan Capistrano protecting the best interests of their voters. I have a problem, however, with my elected officials in Mission Viejo who lack guts, intelligence, integrity, commitment and duty to do the same for our residents.

Our town had its beginning with the ranch. That’s ancient history, but ties to the landowner have never been cut. Our council members didn’t and don’t have the leadership to defend and represent the city of Mission Viejo. The ranch has continued to run over our city, and San Juan Capistrano has taken advantage of our council’s weakness.