The Buzz

Thank you to Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht and community watchdog Brad Morton for challenging Councilman Frank Ury’s false ballot statement. A Superior Court judge ruled last week that Ury’s ballot rebuttal against the Mission Viejo Right To Vote (Measure “D”) contained false or misleading claims. Before filing a public-interest lawsuit, Schlicht asked the city clerk to challenge Ury’s statement. When the clerk declined to act, Schlicht enlisted legal help from Morton, an attorney, to file a Writ of Mandate to remove Ury’s false claims from the June 8 election material. Read the details on Morton’s blog, http://missionviejodispatch.com/?p=15820

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Among statements disallowed by the judge, Ury falsely said the Casta del Sol Golf Course was never in danger of being developed for housing. Do Mission Viejo residents remember receiving a letter and color brochure from Sunrise Assisted Living, proposing 350 residential units on the golf course? Golfers said the developer staked the property for housing, and the project was moving forward until the developer ran into financial trouble. As a strategy to deflect residents’ concern about destruction of the golf course, the council created a phony moratorium on rezoning. The moratorium expired shortly after the Feb. 2 election to recall Lance MacLean from the council.

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A Mission Viejo resident responded to blog articles about street conditions: “I can’t imagine other streets are worse than Via Escolar, Plata, Jacinto, Mirar Vista, Poco, Oliva, Boleada, Oso Rojo, Consuela, La Quilla and De La Luna. Please add them to the list. Does the city not have funds to maintain the streets or do city officials not care?”

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The city apparently has money for more pillars. Despite public outcry against the pillars on Crown Valley Parkway, the council majority of Ury, Kelley and Leckness recently voted to place pillars on medians along Oso Parkway. Drivers have noticed that the asphalt on Marguerite Parkway adjacent to the pillars (just south of Crown Valley) is in poor condition.

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City hall is a happy place where only good news is spoken. For example, city newsletters each week talk about new businesses opening but rarely mention any business closing. If such spin were true, all retail centers in town would have 100 percent occupancy.

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Forwarded by Carl Schulthess, Editor-in-Chief and founder of MissionViejoCA.org. Words of wisdom from an unknown author: “Like most folks in this country, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes, and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, in my case, I am required to pass a random urine test (with which I have no problem). What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. So, here is my question: Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check when I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, however, have a problem with helping those doing drugs while I work. We could call the program URINE OR YOU'RE OUT."