Reader Response to Mission Viejo NewsBlog
by Dale Tyler

Allan Pilger responded to the February 10, 2007 Staff Editorial:
The staff editorial of Feb. 10 mischaracterized my comments at the Feb. 5 city council meeting. In recognizing the 10th anniversary of the “Mission Viejo Revolution," I clearly stated the activists helped unseat the old regime. I then pointed out both positive and negative developments of the city council in the past 10 years, covering reserves, debt, redevelopment, corporate subsidies, and construction. In no way did I "indicate" activists influenced the Audi deal or any other council action. Since videos of the city council meetings are available on the city website, any blog reader can see my comments and decide for themselves. My comments did indicate the activists are divided.

Blog staffers disagree they “mischaracterized” the reader's February. 5 public comments, which they believe were consistent with the theme of his public messages over a period of years. However, it is true that Mr. Pilger did not state in a single sentence, that “CIG influenced the council on the Audi deal.” He did mention the Audi deal by name. In reviewing the February. 5, 2007, council meeting videotape, bloggers continue to believe the speaker was giving a 10-year history of activism and its impact, successful or unsuccessful, on the council and making references to specific events to clarify his points.

From the February 10 NewsBlog editorial: “At the February, 5, 2007, council meeting, a former CIG member again made reference to the Audi redevelopment deal, indicating CIG members were involved in the decision-making process.”

The key word is “indicating.” Pilger's reference to city history wasn't a single statement that now should be parsed for specific words. He spoke for approximately three minutes. When viewed in totality, his remarks contained his opinion about the 10-year period of activism in which he participated and its impact on council decisions. In the view of blog staffers, that was the point of Pilger's three-minute public comments. It was not a review of council decisions occurring in a vacuum.

Blog staffers generally agree with and support Pilger's views about city issues. An exception, however, is his reference to the city council's July 2003 decision regarding the $600,000 Audi subsidy.

Pilger has publicly written and spoken many times, claiming the CIG activist group influenced city council decisions. Beginning with the July 18, 2003, issue of Saddleback Valley News, Pilger's letter stated: “Clearly the Mission Viejo Committee for Integrity in Government was instrumental in saving the city $1.5 million by spearheading the grassroots opposition.” The letter heralds the expenditure of $600,000 as a “savings” of $1.5 million because the Audi dealer asked for $2.1 million, which the council twice rejected. The amount on the table was never $2.1 million and after two votes the amount on the table was zero. If one subtracts $600,000 from zero, the result is either an expenditure or a loss. Pilger made similar remarks in a letter published in the July 25, 2003, OC Register, referring to the Audi deal, “The Mission Viejo Committee for Integrity in Government, of which I am a member, spearheaded grassroots opposition.”

What's disturbing to blog staffers is how the CIG's opposition to redevelopment became misrepresented as CIG support for the $600,000 subsidy, including the claim the CIG saved the city $1.5 million. It didn't happen. CIG as a club never took a formal position on the Audi deal prior to the July 7, 2003, council meeting, mainly because everyone in CIG appeared to be adamantly against a subsidy in any amount. There was no consensus on the Audi deal by CIG members after the July 7 council meeting.

At the CIG meeting that was held on July 15, 2003, the meeting minutes reflect that there was significant disagreement about the way a few of the members appeared to turn their back on CIG's longstanding opposition to redevelopment funding by supporting giving $600,000 to Audi.