Repent at Leisure

Longtime residents might remember years ago when the city mailed activities schedules, primarily of recreation center offerings. Back then, the schedules focused on sports and fitness, with participants paying fees to cover costs. Schedules were printed in black ink on white newsprint, and they looked like government publications because that’s what they were.

The city’s Spring 2011 quarterly activities brochure arrived in mailboxes last week. The 24-page, full-color booklet, “Leisure Time,” should be called “Let Us Entertain You – With Your Money.” Increasingly, City Hall is competing with retailers, professionals and other entities instead of focusing on essential public services. The city has many full-time staff members dedicated to creating festivals, advertising the events and overstating attendance figures.

As an example of a “free” city event, an activity planned in April is “Up in the Air – Mission Viejo Takes Flight.” The description: “enjoy synchronized kites to music, disc dog shows, flying contests, food, exhibitors and entertainment.” This type of event generally draws the city staff, committee members, a few council members and city commissioners, plus 25 or so City Hall groupies who show up whenever they see the words FREE and FOOD in the same sentence.

Federal government officials have a new word for fleecing taxpayers. They call it “investing.” The city on page 2 of the current publication says of its Arts Alive Festival, “Mission Viejo celebrates an investment in the arts, economy, environment, education and a healthy civic life.”

What is City Hall “investing” in except deficit spending? Competing with the private sector does not “invest” in the economy. Trashing hundreds of custom-built easels in a county dump does not “invest” in the environment. There is nothing “healthy” about a bloated bureaucracy of 150 city employees whose jobs consist of coloring in character posters or planning a kite-flying celebration.

Is it true the city is on track to spend $2.4 million more than it will take in this year? The most obvious cause of the shortfall is the bad “investments” city staffers are making, plus the negligence of council majority members who fail to rein them in.

Non-government Events

Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private initiative and businesses that are trying to complete with the city’s so-called “free” (taxpayer-funded) activities.

“Taste of San Juan,” Wed., Feb. 16, 6:00-9:00 p.m., El Adobe Restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, $20. Many SJC restaurants are taking part under one roof to launch the Fiesta de las Golondrinas. (949) 493-4700, http://www.swallowsparade.com/taste.aspx

“Ocean Friendly Gardening,” hosted by Surfrider Foundation, Feb. 19, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 92675, (949) 728-0685, http://www.californianativeplants.com

“Selecting Seeds and Bulbs for Spring and Summer Flowers,” Feb. 19, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., Plant Depot, 33413 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano, free, (949) 240-2107, http://plantdepot.com

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” through Feb. 20, South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, (714) 708-5555, http://www.scr.org

Art Exhibit, “America Martin,” through March 31; also view sculptural works by Jorge Fernandez. Open Wed. through Sun., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., JoAnne Artman Gallery, 326 North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 510-5481, http://www.joanneartmangallery.com

Movies, Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 in Mission Viejo, 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy, (949) 582-4020, get show times, watch movie trailers, see what's coming soon at
http://www.moviefone.com/theater/edwards-kaleidoscope-stadium-10/32/showtimes

Farmers Market, Laguna Hills, Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Laguna Hills Mall, (714) 573-0374

Farmers Market, San Juan Capistrano, Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Historic Town Center Park, (949) 493-4700

Art Exhibit, “Reflections from the Garden,” Joseph Raffel, through April 15, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Soka University, Founders Hall, First Floor, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4237, free, http://www.soka.edu/default.aspx

What Does it Take to Become a ‘Tree City USA’? Part Two

Last week we learned the basic requirements to become a “Tree City USA.” Most outstanding is the need to establish a Community Forestry Program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita. In January 2010, the population of Mission Viejo was 100,725. So in 2010, being a Tree City USA cost at least $201,450 of your tax dollars.

Do we really need a Tree City USA title? According to the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, we do. The benefits as touted on their website  http://www.arborday.org/programs/treeCityUSA/standards.cfm are manifold:

• Public image as a caring community, indicating that the quality of life may be better here.
• Citizen pride may translate to better care of trees on private property or a willingness to volunteer in the future.
• Financial Assistance; Preference may be given when grant money is allocated. Some officials tend to have more confidence in communities that have demonstrated the foresight of becoming a Tree City USA.
• Publicity opportunities abound in the award presentation and yearly celebrations. As one forester put it, “This is advertising that money can't buy—and it is free!”

More than $200,000 was made available for the city’s “Forestry Program” last year. Is that “FREE”? And now, with the construction of high-density housing, the population will increase dramatically, boosting the Tree City USA maintenance budget even higher. 

By June 2011, the Mission Viejo city budget shortfall is estimated to be $2.4 million. In addition, simply restoring our streets to a reasonable standard will cost an estimated $80 million. Obviously, the city needs to cut back on unnecessary spending.

So, what does it really take to become a “Tree City USA”? A fiscally irresponsible and hopelessly gullible city council and city administrators willing to actively promote municipal bankruptcy.

SRA Meets on Thursday

Saddleback Republican Assembly will meet Thurs., Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. The location is Atria Del Sol, 23792 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. 

Featured speaker will be Jon Fleischman, member of the 71st Assembly District Central Committee and past president of the California Republican Assembly. He will speak about political affairs at the local, state and national levels.

SRA welcomes guests, and there is no admission charge. Arrive early and enjoy refreshments before the meeting begins. For more information, contact SRA President Matt Corrigan, (949) 830-8088.

The Buzz

Comment from Buzz reader G.P.: “The owner of Mission Hospital is a church. At the county level, I have heard the church officials defend illegal immigration. Can anyone connect the dots for the hospital about why it can’t afford to pay its employees enough to pay rent? Hospitals in California are closing their doors because they cannot continue giving medical care to millions of illegal immigrants for free. Now, the Mission Hospital CEO wants Mission Viejo residents to subsidize his employees with affordable apartments. As a citizen who pays taxes, I do not agree that I owe his employees a place to live. The hospital is real conflicted on this one.”

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Blog founder Carl Shulthess circulated an email a while back: “I hope all the people who voted for this bunch in Washington are happy with THE CHANGES. Did you know that if you sell your house after 2012 you will pay a 3.8 percent sales tax on it? That's $3,800 on a $100,000 home, etc. When did this change happen? It's in the healthcare bill, which will go into effect in 2013. So, is this the change you can believe in? The bulk of these new taxes don't kick in until 2013 (presumably after Obama's re-election). This legislation will nail the retiring generation who often downsize their homes. Is this Hope and Change great or what? Does this stuff make your vote more important?”

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Mission Viejo residents may have noticed the city has two wind speeds, 0 mph or 60 mph, depending on whether or not the Santa Ana winds are blowing. Have residents ever seen anyone flying a kite in Mission Viejo? Maybe city officials noticed the severe kite-flying deficit and decided something must be done. On April 2, the city will offer “synchronized kites to music” and flying contests.

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As predicted by this blog, City Hall’s zest for homebuilding resumed shortly after the November city election. Homeowners along east Los Alisos Blvd. received notice UDR Pacific wants to build an apartment compound on the former Kmart property. Residents at the south end of Mission Viejo learned about a potential affordable housing project in the area near the animal shelter.

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Two condo projects have been approved by the council majority, but the current housing market doesn’t warrant condo-building. From this blog’s January 15 edition, here’s the list of potential apartment sites: the former Kmart property on east Los Alisos Blvd., a parcel near the former Kmart property on Los Alisos Blvd., the shopping center at La Paz and Marguerite (Big Lots, CVS, etc.), Casta del Sol Golf Course , undeveloped land near the animal shelter, the parcel adjacent to Target on Los Alisos Blvd., closed elementary schools (O’Neill and La Tierra), the Unisys Property on Jeronimo Road near Los Alisos Blvd., and Viejo Elementary School (CUSD has discussed closing this school).

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Following publication of the above list, blog readers responded that other properties could be rezoned for high-density housing, including city parks and small shopping centers. In 2004, a housing developer attempted to buy the shopping center on the southeast corner of Jeronimo and Los Alisos for a housing project. One reader asked about the Target store near the freeway. Could it become a potential housing site if the two Target stores 1.5 miles apart aren’t performing well enough to keep both of them open?

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The “lights are going on” for some residents who were confused about Measure D, particularly those who live near potential high-density housing sites. The measure on last June’s ballot would have given residents the option of overturning a council decision to rezone property. More than $100,000 in special-interest money was funneled into a campaign to bamboozle Mission Viejo residents to vote against Measure D.

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A Mission Viejo Tea Partier reported that the city conducted an opinion poll last week. Other residents have confirmed they also received phone calls. The city’s polls generally have come at a time when City Hall wants to promote incumbent council members and/or do something unpopular. It creates a phony push-poll and then claims high levels of support, approval or overall satisfaction among residents. Some of the questions in the poll tend to shed light that the city’s financial status isn’t rosy. Read a detailed article at http://missionviejodispatch.com/letters-to-editor/letter-manipulated-city-survey

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City Treasurer Irwin Bornstein is retiring. A resident who is well-acquainted with city business suggests the departure is timely, while the house of cards is still standing. Best wishes to Mr. Bornstein, who has always been a diplomat and stayed above the political fray.