Sauce for the Goose
by Dale Tyler

How many Mission Viejo citizens feel that the city government is better than they are? I bet almost no one feels that way. Yet, our City Council is scheduled to approve a major change to the city's formerly strict sign rules that would put the city above all businesses and private citizens.

This deeply flawed proposal, passed by the Planning Commission on Feb. 26, says in Section 9.29.165 that (in part) “... no provision of this chapter shall be intended to apply to, direct, or restrict the city ... .” Why should our city government not follow the same rules as all other businesses and individuals in the city?

The city staff members, while well-intentioned, are falling into the typical bureaucratic trap. The idea that “we know best” is ingrained in government workers at all levels. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. For example, Mission Viejo has had a policy for some years that all city construction had to undergo the same process as private building. This is the way it should be. If there are rules for parking, neighborhood notice, public hearings or whatever for private construction, the same process should be followed for all city projects.

Yet, someone is trying to sneak this sign exception for the city through as part of a larger modification to the sign code. One reason might be a certain city councilman's desire to have a gaudy, flashing, city announcement sign at the corner of Marguerite and La Paz, replacing the very nice and completely functional sign there now. Community volunteers have been changing the letters on that sign on a near-weekly basis with no problems at all. The proposed change in Section 9.29.165 would allow the city to build the monstrosity while no business could do the same.

Perhaps this councilman wants his name up in lights announcing his many accomplishments and general greatness. If so, he should remember what happened with “Craycraft Park.” That was short lived, as we hope is this idea the city should get exceptions to rules that apply to everyone else.

Other problems with the proposed sign code violations are outlined in the NewsBlog article on March 3, 2007. Chief among these are allowing bare neon signs for the first time in city history and the weakening of Section 9.29.140 that allows signs to merely meet our requirements, instead of “meet or exceed” that was in the old rules. It appears that the city has decided to accept defeat and allow things that have long been illegal, simply because it is too hard to do the right thing.

Hopefully, the City Council, at the March 19 meeting, will amend the Mission Viejo Sign Code to continue the prohibition on neon signs, restore “meet or exceed” and strike the new Section 9.29.165 giving themselves special privileges. That would be the right thing to do. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, or so they say.

OC Register’s Stories are Incomplete
Letter to the editor

The OC Register’s article "Capo to stop paying former superintendent's legal bills" (2/7/07) states that former Capo USD Superintendent James Fleming "kept lists" of people who attempted to recall the then-board of trustees. Fleming's actions went far beyond merely "keeping lists.” He sent two district officials to the OC Registrar of Voters’ office to gather names of petition circulators from confidential recall petitions, which we now know was in violation of a law intended to protect us citizens (and for which OC Registrar Neal Kelley received only a slap on the wrist). Fleming then took those names and directed another district official at the time, Susan McGill, to use our children's private education files to create a spreadsheet with the names of circulators’ children, the CUSD schools they attended, their grade levels, spouse’s names and other confidential information. 

Fleming used district time and resources to create these political lists (there were two that we know of); he used our children's private education files to generate them, and he sent emissaries to the Registrar of Voters’ office to illegally gather names. This was a powerful man in CUSD whose reputation for retaliation against those who disagreed with him was well known. This is why what Neal Kelley did in allowing Fleming access to our names was so egregious and, as many parents claim, damaging to their children. 

Kim Lefner
CUSD parent

Checking for Illegals
by Dale Tyler

On March 5, 2007, Councilman J.P. Ledesma introduced a proposal that would require the city, as well as all of its contractors, to ensure that all of their workers are legally permitted to work in the United States. In the past, this was done by examining documents presented by job applicants at the time they first reported to work. These documents were used to verify identity and either U.S. citizenship or legal U.S. residency. This ordinance is due to be voted on at the March 19 meeting.

The problem with the old system is that it required the employer to become expert in what various documents look like and assess the genuine nature (or lack thereof) for each one. I would imagine that in some cases the employer would like to be able to question documents but is concerned about embarrassing or alienating a new employee.

The new system allows an employer, whether it be the city or a vendor doing work for the city, to access a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) web site and enter the employee's name, Social Security number and date of birth. The DHS server will look up this information in a database and report whether or not the three items match and if the individual has a legal right to work, based solely on citizenship or legal residency.

Of course, there can be problems with the accuracy of any computer system. For example, if people have changed their names, perhaps being recently married, the database might indicate that the three pieces of information – name, Social Security number and date of birth – do not match. Hopefully, in these cases, there will be a way for the employee to continue to work until the matter is straightened out. Also, there should be an alternate way to prove one's right to legally work in the United States. In cases where the DHS records are clearly wrong, a passport or certified birth certificate could serve this need for verification.

I would expect that the mere existence of this new ordinance would practically eliminate any attempts to work illegally for the city or its vendors. The NewsBlog applauds the city for taking a decisive step to ending employment of illegal aliens. If only the rest of the businesses in Mission Viejo would do the same. Perhaps the city could offer a free or very low-cost service to employers in Mission Viejo.

The Buzz column, March 16

What is it? Rusty metal and steel have been joined together and pronounced “art.” Mission Hospital recently installed sculpture on its property at Crown Valley Parkway and Medical Center Drive. A lengthy article in the March 16 Saddleback Valley News tried to explain the visual eruption, which looks like a rusted coil from an oversized mattress entwining stainless steel lips. A hospital spokesperson said the city helped choose the sculpture, which explains a lot of things.

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California is into its third generation of students receiving no formal instruction in art. Those who grew up without training, skill or knowledge are now making artistic decisions so that others without training, skill or knowledge can pay homage to junk on street corners. These are the same folks who want to put an electronic sign on the corner at La Paz and Marguerite.

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According to City Hall, the sculpture placed on the hospital’s corner is part of Orange County’s drivable gallery. Apparently, motorists can contemplate roadside oddities as they are stopped in traffic. Drivers in back of commuters from developments to the east (who comprise the bulk of traffic on Crown Valley) should note how much litter is tossed out by these passersby. The city spends a fortune to clean the streets, gutters and roadsides after these “art appreciaters” pass through while unloading their fast-food wrappers, paper cups and ashtrays.

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The blog’s summary of the March 5 council meeting inspired a reader to respond: “I noted the city manager’s comment about vehicle thefts at the mall. Regarding the lack of reports in newspapers, the city manager said residents could get police reports from the Internet. I disagree. I’ve watched the online sheriff’s blotter for Mission Viejo for a long time, and resident complaints and calls to police, some of which I know about personally, don’t appear anywhere. I believe there’s a huge discrepancy between the number of calls to police and the reports available on the Internet. I don’t remember a high number of auto thefts on the log during the time they occurred, and I’m wondering if anyone has checked this out.”

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Another blog reader had a different take on the city manager’s comment about getting information from the Internet: “If the city manager is suggesting the Internet is a replacement for print media, then stop the presses. Instead of becoming the largest paper-waster in town, our city government can lead the way by putting 100 percent of its information on the Internet.” The City Outlook Magazine” comes to mind.

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Residents who have been following a story about Santa Margarita High School may have been surprised by the dismissal of a teacher. While details are unknown, the termination resulted from allegations following a teacher-led European field trip. Additionally, an administrator is stepping down at the end of the school term. The school dealt swiftly with its problem, despite the popularity and lengthy tenure of the teacher.

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Capistrano U.S.D. has a new superintendent, Dennis Smith, who will take charge in July. One person quoted in a news story said Smith is known for his honesty. Such an abrupt change of direction could cause whiplash for some of the long-term school board trustees.