Ready, Fire, Aim

The city is short on cash, and can anyone guess how it happened? The misdirection and leadership void are obvious. Council meetings are run by Mayor Hee-Haw, who revealed on another blog that his mantra is “ready, fire, aim.” Did his lifelong problem begin when he started reciting his A-C-B’s?

Phones rang in Mission Viejo a couple weeks ago, as city-contracted pollsters asked residents to choose whether they want to spend tax dollars on things like streets or if they prefer feel-good activities. Since the city cannot afford both, the occupants of City Hall hope to get off the hook by a finding enough residents who don’t care about infrastructure.

During city elections in 2008 and 2010, voters allowed Frank Ury, Trish Kelley and Dave Leckness to remain in office. These three council majority members are poised to approve apartment projects at the north and south ends of Mission Viejo. Slow-moving traffic will get slower, and new students will join overcrowded classrooms.

Residents had an opportunity in the June 2010 Primary Election to stop overdevelopment with Measure D. Instead, they listened to campaign lies funded by special interest and out-of-town money. The poster girl for the “No on D” campaign became Wendy Bucknum. She’s been rewarded by the council majority with an appointment to a city commission. Residents of other cities report seeing her making the political rounds as a prospective council candidate with Ury.

Bucknum and Ury are two so-called Republicans who campaigned for a Democrat in the 2010 city election – documented with photographs of the Democrat’s signs in Bucknum’s yard. Isn’t Bucknum’s employer the scandal-ridden property management company ( http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/01/06/ex-laguna-woods-manager-boss-paid-for-prostitute-with-pdm-funds/71930 )? The Jan. 6 OC Register article describes lawsuits between the company’s employees and former employees, including charges that a manager used company funds for a transvestite prostitute.

Is anyone associated with the council majority NOT elbowing his or her way to the city trough?

On Feb. 21, the city will hold a public hearing with regard to selling 8.5 acres of open space to housing developers. As a parallel example, the cash-strapped Capo school district put four real estate parcels on the market several years ago. In 2009, Mission Viejo liquidated bonds to meet payroll during the same month the council majority approved the Rose Parade float, costing the city more than $400,000.

Running out of cash is no deterrent to council majority spendaholics when they can liquidate such assets as revenue-producing investments and open space.

Non-government Events

Please support private enterprise. Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State.

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

Opening Night Reception, Spring Exhibitions, Feb. 26, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive Laguna Beach, (949) 494-8971, http://lagunaartmuseum.org/spring-exhibitions-opening-night-reception

Hershey Felder: Mosier Chopin, through Feb. 27, Laguna Playhouse, Mouton Theater, $30, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (949) 497-2787, http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com

Create a Fairy Garden, Feb. 27, 10 a.m., Cottage Home and Garden, 31720 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano, call to learn about Wednesday workshops, (949) 493-3920, http://www.cottage-home-and-garden.com

Whale Watching Cruises, daily throughout February, The Harbor Grill. Champagne breakfast every Sunday morning. In March, enjoy Mardi Gras flavors from 3/1 through 3/8, 34499 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, (949) 240-1416, http://www.harborgrill.com

Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” March 15 – April 10, Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (949) 497-2787, ext. 1, http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com

Art exhibit, “They All Come to Look for America,” America Martin, through March 31. Also featuring the Sculptural Works of Jorge Fernandez, JoAnne Artman Gallery, 326 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 510-5481, http://www.joanneartmangallery.com

Lewis & Clark Exhibit, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission Museum Exhibit, through March, 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1315, http://www.missionsjc.com

Renee Fleming, Soprano, Tues., April 5, 8 p.m., Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, (714) 556-2121, http://www.scfta.org/home/Events/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1132&NavID=132

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

Entitlement Mentality
by Voters United

I heard about “Entitlement Mentality” when watching the last Mission Viejo City Council meeting. It was pointed out that through the years of Mission Viejo progressing to reach its planned population, the people and certain members of the city council have developed a mentality that expects the city to provide everything that the citizens desire. Kind of the way Senator John Edwards operated, as shown below.

You could add to his list the entitlement items identified at the city council meeting. They were the “Dog Park” that could easily be funded by the large number of Mission Viejo dog homeowners if they really and truly needed it. The other was the addition of one more tennis court at the Marguerite Tennis Center, along with upgrading the facilities to be up to country club standards. That would cost the taxpayers an “incredible” $3.7 million. Does anyone want to bet that the construction will not ever exceed that amount? I’ll take that bet!

It’s time we the majority of voters in Mission Viejo do something about this unnecessary spending. The incumbent city council members who were reelected by a minority of voters are going to continue entitlements until we use up all the city’s resources. We the majority need to go to the city council meetings and voice our concerns now, before it’s too late.

The council was requested to modify these entitlements by taking the responsibility to back away from the present mentality using the three R’s:

• Rethink the entitlements
• Review the entitlements
• Refuse the entitlements

If you can’t make it to the meetings, then send emails to the meetings as suggested by the mayor. He wants to have us ask questions during real time at the meetings, and that is what we are going to do until they give in to our demands.

After all, “The city belongs to all of us – not just the people in our city council chamber.”

Here is the email address provided at the meeting: councilcomments@cityofmissionviejo.org

Thank you,
Voters United

P.S. Does anyone know the approximate number of citizens who watch the Channel 30 telecast of the meetings?

Big Changes Are Coming
by Peter Schelden, MissionViejo.Patch.com

Schelden’s article was published on Feb. 17 on http://MissionViejo.Patch.com . View the entire post with photos at http://missionviejo.patch.com/articles/big-changes-coming-for-california-politics-says-blogger-jon-fleischman

Big changes are coming for California politics, says blogger Jon Fleischman
Fleischman told the Saddleback Republican Assembly that California Republicans stand to lose 5- U.S. House Seats as a result of Proposition 14.

The way Republicans choose their future politicians will be the "best of two evils," the Vice Chairman, South, of the California Republican Party told about 20 members of the Saddleback Republican Assembly Thursday night [Feb. 17] at Atria del Sol.

Jon Fleischman, who also founded state conservative news blog http://flashreport.org , talked mostly about the effect Proposition 14 will have on state politics in future elections. He also named conservatives he doesn't care for (Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee) and gave at least one reason he actually prefers Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown to former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Fleischman, whose term with the state Republican Party ends in a month, said he got involved with Republicans to protect conservative values. He listed those values as "faith, freedom, family, free enterprise and firearms."

He said Proposition 14 would allow "big business" and "big labor" to "monkey around with" the primaries that political parties use to choose candidates for state and federal office.

Fleischman said that has forced state Republicans to change their bylaws. Instead of choosing candidates out in the open, they will have to pick them in the "back room" in small caucuses, he said, rather than at large public assemblies. He said that he was against such a system but that it was made necessary by Proposition 14.

Proposition 14, approved by voters last June, allows all registered voters to vote in one big primary election before the general election is held. Under this system, two candidates from the same party could be pitted against each other in the general election.

As for Gov. Brown, Fleischman pointed out that the Democrat has met with state Republicans five times since taking office Jan. 3. He also pointed out that Schwarzenegger hadn't met with his own party's representatives since 2007.

The meeting was attended by Mission Viejo City Council members Cathy Schlicht and Rhonda Reardon, as well as former council member John Paul Ledesma.

The next SRA meeting will be held on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, at 7 p.m.)

The Buzz

Bruce Mayall, Mission Viejo Chapter Leader of ACT for America announces: “It is confirmed! Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer will be the speakers for our April chapter meeting, which will be on Sat., April 9, and will include their new movie on the Ground Zero mosque. The Community Center is not available that evening, but we were able to secure a very nice venue nearby that can accommodate 420 people. Watch for the formal announcement in a few weeks.”

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Animal rescue fundraiser – please help. Modjeska Ranch Animal Rescue volunteers are having a huge garage sale in Mission Viejo on Sat., Feb. 26, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The location is 26511 Via Gaviota, and the cross-streets are Los Alisos Blvd. and Trabuco. Drop off merchandise until Friday evening; donations are tax-deductible. The volunteers put on amazing events with merchandise that is clean and in good condition. Retail stores contribute new products (e.g., imperfect packaging) to MRR’s garage sales. Call (949) 380-4153, (949) 702-3670 or (949) 689-4969 for directions or questions.

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Fashion Show and Fundraiser, Aliso Viejo Republican Women Federated, begins at 6:30 p.m., Thurs., Feb. 24. Arrive for cocktails at 6:30, and the meeting starts at 7:00. Location is the Aliso Viejo Conference Center, 31 Santa Barbara Drive, Aliso Viejo. Reservation deadline is Mon., Feb. 21. Those RSVPing by the deadline pay $30, and late registrations are $35. Proceeds fund the Youth Advocacy Program. Call (949) 859-2818 or (949) 735-0718.

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Profound short paragraph, forwarded by Mission Viejo’s blogfather, Carl Schulthess: “You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." – Adrian Rogers, 1931

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From Tea Party Patriot Linda Dorr: Use this link to email your support to Governor Scott Walker. It's, free and after you submit your signature on the petition, they don't ask you for money! We can't leave our jobs and families and drive to Wisconsin, but we sure can email our support and encouragement to stay the course! http://istandwithwalker.com . In Jo Gonzales' words, "This is huge, and if we fail to support this courageous American who is attempting to end corruption that has stolen this state from us, then we fail ourselves. Act now!” http://istandwithwalker.com/

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A feature story in the OC Register demonstrates why subscriptions have fallen off. A Feb. 17 OCR article is about Brian Goodell, former Olympian turned political hack. He’s been unemployed since 2008, and that’s the story. Throughout the 2010 “No on D” campaign funded by a real estate PAC, Goodell was the spokesman against the Mission Viejo Right-To-Vote. He put his name on nasty letters and other stink bombs that attacked Mission Viejo residents, which might explain why they aren’t interested in his services as a real estate agent.