The Buzz column – Nov. 11

The ongoing battle in the Capo school district has taken another turn, with Fleming-era Trustee Duane Stiff switching sides to vote with the three reform-minded newcomers. Following the November 2006 defeat of old-guard trustees and the May 2007 indictment of former CUSD administrators, Stiff now appears awake and ready to jump off the Titanic. Whether or not he’s a real reform convert remains to be seen. He’s at least enjoying improved popularity by exercising his newfound power as the swing vote.

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As one aspect of CUSD’s budget mess, those in charge of finances can’t do the math. They don’t know what funds are available, how much has been spent or how much can be spent on which facilities. During the past two weeks, the “official” story about funding changed several times. Even using the district’s data, the numbers don’t add up. As an example, a parent found documentation that Measure A bond money has been spent, but administrators continue to identify it as funding for future projects. The employee acting as CUSD’s CFO (managing a $500-million annual budget) has a high-school diploma. It’s not a good sign when those responsible for educating don’t place much value on education.

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Blog reader comment: “Newspapers reported that D.A. Tony Rackaukas could have indicted Carona, but he let the feds do it. I’m wondering what Carona knows about Rackaukas and others who are either passing the buck or trying to defend the sheriff. We could see big changes when Carona starts to plea bargain. Undersheriff Jo Ann Galisky is already tainted by association with Carona. When he lied about his trip to London to see Interpol’s DNA lab, Galisky didn’t speak up. She was on the trip and knew better. Between corrupt politicians and untrustworthy employees, how many are involved?”

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Information surfaced on a county blog about Mission Viejo’s rarely used Saddleback Room – which doubles as the city’s never-used Emergency Operations Center. Although unsubstantiated, maybe it’s true that the EOC was actually used in an emergency situation. As the story goes, a former elected official tripped and fell, injuring her chin. She went by ambulance to a hospital emergency room for stitches. Her fall occurred during a city event, with officials and guests eating a taxpayer-purchased cake.

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Councilman Lance MacLean’s diminishing popularity may have reached a new low at the Nov. 5 council meeting. During a discussion about the Casta del Sol golf course, he addressed residents’ suggestion of making it a municipal course. MacLean said the city could form a special assessment district whereby property owners near the golf course could be taxed to pay for such an endeavor. Some hearing the comment were angry. One resident said, “Why would the city start using a special tax for recreational facilities? Do the neighbors near the rec centers get assessed for remodels? Why didn’t we hear about a special assessment district for MacLean’s basketball gymnasium? It’s interesting when council members claim the city is awash with cash for their pet projects but not for what benefits a high number of residents.”