Old Dogs, Old Tricks

During the Oct. 3 council meeting, City Hall played the same old trick on the dog park supporters.

Led by Councilwoman Trish Kelley, the council avoided funding the $1.1-million dog park with carryover funds. The chosen site was thrown under the bus as well after a public comment about slope slippage. Councilman Dave Leckness acted as if the instability of the slope is breaking news. Mission Viejo Co. employees have said for more than 40 years that no homes were planned in the vicinity (east of Felipe between La Paz and Oso) because the ground is unstable. Geological maps show the area, particularly the gully below, is prone to liquefaction.

City Hall has again eluded those wanting a dog park.

Until dog park supporters wake up and smell the coffee, City Hall can continue this game. City employees have job security and a license to burn tax dollars in their perpetual search for a site “in response to public demand.” After 15 years and a search throughout Mission Viejo, City Hall has alternated between saying no place in town is suitable or proposing untenable and/or prohibitively expensive choices. During a previous snafu, the council decreed that a dog park should not be built near a park, school or homes. They next approved a site in a park near a school and adjacent to homes (Oso Park). The neighbors immediately filed a lawsuit, ending the process.

How many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been wasted in City Hall’s effort to avoid building a dog park? Then-city employee Rick Howard began an exhaustive site search in 2003 while he was still on the payroll without a real job. Howard had completed the construction of City Hall as project manager. To appear busy, he began touring the city for a dog park site, photographing all the parks. He presented slide shows during council meetings and wasted staff time as well. The Community Services Commission took up the dog park crusade in 2007. City Hall burned through another pile of money on the Oso Park fiasco, plus legal fees to stop the lawsuit. The staff completed environmental studies for its most recent not-a-dog-park site on Felipe. Does anyone want to add all this up?

The best solution to date has been offered by city watchdogs who point to Barbadanes Park as a logical and relatively inexpensive site for a dog park. The obstacle is and always has been that City Hall administrators don’t want a dog park anywhere in Mission Viejo.

Congressional Roundup
From the Office of Congressman Gary G. Miller

Oct. 7, 2011

This Week in Congress:

Continuing Resolution– On Tuesday, the House approved H.R. 2608, a continuing resolution (CR) to provide short-term appropriated funding for discretionary government operations through November 18, 2011, by a vote of 352-66. H.R. 2608 would provide $1.043 trillion in appropriated funding for government operations, the same funding level required under budget caps contained in the Budget Control Act. This level of funding represents a 1.5% cut from FY 2011. Compared to FY 2010 spending levels ($1.089 trillion), this CR would represent a cut of $46 billion. The bill provides $2.65 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund in Fiscal Year 2012. H.R. 2608 requires the Department of Homeland Security to provide a full accounting of disaster relief funding requirements for FY 2012 no later than 15 days after the legislation’s enactment into law.

Cement Sector Regulatory Relief– On Thursday, the House approved H.R. 2681, the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011, by a vote of 262-161. In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule establishing emissions standards for cement manufacturing plants that the agency estimates will cost $2.2 billion to implement. These rules have been referred to as the “Cement MACT rules”. Other estimates however show that the new standards could reach up to $3.4 billion. As a result of these high compliance costs, concerns have been raised that many domestic facilities will be unable to meet the new requirements, putting thousands of jobs at risk. A recent study by the Portland Cement Association concluded that the EPA’s new cement MACT regulations threaten to shut down 18 plants, or 20 percent of the domestic cement industry. According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, increased construction costs resulting from rising cement prices could lead to the loss of 12,000 to 19,000 construction jobs. H.R. 2681 would provide a legislative stay of the MACT rules, and would call on the EPA to re-propose and finalize rules that are technically and economically achievable to prevent plant shut downs and job losses.

Next Week:

EPA Regulatory Relief: Next week, the House will continue consideration of H.R. 2250, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011. The bill would provide a legislative stay of four interrelated EPA rules, commonly known as the “Boiler MACT rules” that govern emissions of mercury and other hazardous air pollutants from approximately 200,000 boilers and incinerators nationwide. EPA officials have estimated that the capital cost of implementing these rules will be $9.5 billion, but a recent study prepared by IHS Global Insight puts the figure at $20 billion. The precise cost of these stringent rules may still be unknown, but they will undoubtedly impose significant new regulatory costs on employers and small businesses that could lead to factory closures and job losses. A study by the American Forest and Paper Association concluded that the boiler MACT rules put more than 20,000 forest industry jobs at risk – 18 percent of the entire workforce at U.S. pulp and paper mills. H.R. 2250 would alleviate the excessive regulatory burden placed by employers by the EPA’s boiler MACT rules by replacing them with sensible, achievable rules that protect our environment without destroying jobs.

Free Trade Agreements: Also, the House is expected to consider the three long-pending, job-creating free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. These agreements would increase exports, lower the U.S. trade deficit, and stimulate much needed economic growth. The independent U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that implementation of the three pending trade agreements would increase U.S. exports by at least $13 billion and add at least $10 billion to U.S. Gross Domestic Product per year. Passing all three pending trade agreements would directly benefit small and medium-sized businesses and the U.S. jobs they create.

Other Trade Programs: The House is also expected to consider next week H.R. 2832, which would extend the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

Federal Funding of Abortion: The House is also expected to consider H.R. 3258, which would prohibit federal funding for abortion or abortion coverage through any program authorized or appropriated by Obamacare. The bill would also protect the right of conscience for health care professionals by codifying and ensuring that private insurance companies are not mandated to cover abortion. While Congressman Miller supports full repeal of Obamacare, until that happens, he strong supports preventing any federal funds from being used to procure an abortion.

Coal Ash: Also next week, the House is expected to consider the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011. The EPA has proposed rules to regulate coal combustion residuals (CCR) as hazardous waste, placing excessive uncertainty on the coal ash recycling industry when these materials do not even meet EPA’s own standards for toxicity. This overregulation would destroy jobs in the emerging byproducts industry and a potential 25 percent increase in costs to consumers. The bill would preclude EPA from regulating fly ash waste, bottom ash waste, slag waste, and flue gas emission control waste generated primarily from the combustion of coal or other fossil fuels under Subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Also of Note:

Congressman Miller’s October Column — Rep. Miller has published his column for the month of October, entitled “Putting America Back to Work”. To read the column, go to http://www.miller.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=262714

Balanced Budget Amendment

• Over the last 12 months, the federal government spent about $1.3 trillion that it didn’t have. That is three straight years with the three highest deficits in history, all over $1 trillion.
• The monstrous growth of the national debt slows our economy and puts investors and job creators on defense.
• With the national debt close to $14 trillion, we need a Balanced Budget Amendment to put an end to this reckless spending and borrowing that puts a tremendous burden on future generations of Americans.
• Only a balanced budget amendment can force the federal government to cut the credit cards and make Washington learn to live within its means.
• Capping spending at 18% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product would keep spending in line with average revenues.
• A Balanced Budget Amendment will also force Washington to do what families and small businesses across the country do every day.
• 49 states have some form of balanced budget requirement. Why is it that the federal government, with over $14.7 trillion in debt, does not?

Unemployment and the Economy

• 2.5 years of the Obama Administration growing government, increasing spending, and placing new costly new regulations on job creators have made our economy worse, not better.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the unemployment rate for September remained unacceptably high at 9.1 percent.
• Only two of the last 29 months have seen unemployment below 9 percent (in February and March of 2011)
• Prior to President Obama taking office, unemployment had not been above 9 percent in 28 years.
• Despite the Administration’s promise that unemployment would remain below 8 percent if their $800 billion “stimulus” plan was enacted, the unemployment rate has remained at or above that level for 32 consecutive months.
• Instead of raising taxes to pay for more failed government spending, House Republicans are committed to working to cut spending, simplify the tax code, and cut through the bureaucratic red tape that is costing American jobs.
• Unfortunately, the President’s latest “jobs” proposal calls for $450 billion more in short-term spending measures that will not lead to meaningful, long-term job creation.
• More stimulus spending and debt won’t cure our ailing economy. Growing jobs and cutting spending go hand in hand. To balance the budget, we need both spending cuts and real economic growth.
• Cutting spending will help the U.S. avoid a job-killing debt crisis that certain European nations are experiencing right now.
• House Republicans are working to cut spending, and tear down the regulatory barriers to job creation.
• Excessive regulations are a huge drag on our economy. Complying with government red tape costs small businesses with fewer than 20 employees an average of 410,585 per employee every year.
• Complying with our confusing tax code cost Americans $160 billion in 2009 and raising taxes will result in even fewer jobs. To help American families and small businesses, we must simplify the tax code and prevent massive tax hikes that will hinder our economic recovery.
• Government must get out of the way so the private sector has an opportunity to grow.

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 enterprise.

Planting, crafts and activities classes for families at Living Green Gardens and Design; help with planting and gardening, visit the Website or call for information, Living Green Gardens and Design, 25290 Jeronimo Road (between Los Alisos and El Toro Road), Lake Forest, (949) 768-4733, http://www.yelp.com/biz/living-green-gardens-and-design-lake-forest

Roger’s Gardens, “The Artisans of Christmas,” Christmas 2011, now open and ongoing. Other activities include a Pumpkin Carving Seminar on Oct. 15 and Oct. 23, Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Juan Hills Road, Corona del Mar, (949) 640-5800, http://www.rogersgardens.com

Community Cinema, “Deaf Jam,” Oct. 13, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Pauling 216, and Concert, “Huayucaltia – Music of Latin America, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Soka Performing Arts Center, Soka University, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4000, http://www.info@soka.edu

St. John’s Holiday Boutique, Fri., Oct. 14, 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., and Sat., Oct. 15, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., St., John’s Episcopal Church, 30382 Via Con Dios, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949)888-4595, ext. 374.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Doheny Beach, Sat., Oct. 15, “rain or shine.” Participate by walking, donating and/or volunteering. Other walk events: Anaheim on Oct. 29, Huntington Beach on Nov. 5, Buena Park on Nov. 12 and Tustin on April 21. (800) 272-3900, http://www.alz.org/walk/findawalk_results.asp?FormSent=1&SearchType=zip&ZipSearch=92691&MaxDistance=30&memo ry=&SearchByZip.x=23&SearchByZip.y=14

“Lake Eeeerie,” Lake Mission Viejo, Fri.-Sat., Oct. 21-22, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Halloween activities, limited to Lake Mission Viejo members and their guests. (949) 770-1313, http://www.lakemissionviejo.org

Reef-A-Palooza, Sat.-Sun., Oct. 22-23, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Sat. and 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday; Southern California Marine Aquarium Society show for sellers, buyers, traders, exhibitors and hobbyists, O.C. Fair and Event Center, The Hangar, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, (949) 723-6660, http://www.ocmarketplace.com and http://www.ReefAPalooza2011.org

First Saturday Art Walk, Santa Ana Artist Village, Sat., Nov. 5, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., venues open: Grand Central Arts Center, OC Center of Contemporary Art, Santora Arts Building (28 galleries, restaurants and shops), ample (free) parking is located across the street at the Santa Ana Train Depot on the southeast corner of Santa Ana Boulevard and Santiago Street. Visit the Website for additional information, including a map: http://www.aplaceforart.org/artwalk

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, San Juan Capistrano, Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Historic Town Center Park, (949) 493-4700.

Farmers Market, Laguna Hills, Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Laguna Hills Mall, (714) 573-0374.

Political and Government Events Calendar

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, regular meeting Mon., Oct. 10, 7:00 p.m., 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com

Saddleback Valley Unified School District board meeting is scheduled for Tues., Oct. 11. 6:15 p.m., and Tues., Oct. 25, 6:15 p.m., “if necessary,” 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Investment on Wed., Oct. 12, 9:00 a.m., Engineering and Operations on Mon., Oct. 17, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Wed., Oct. 19, 9:00 a.m., Board of Directors on Thurs., Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m., and Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Fri., Oct. 21, 9:00 a.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Western Political Action Conference, Sat., Oct. 15, 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., free, limited registration; presenters include Congressman Tom Price (R-GA). OC GOP Chariman Emeritus Tom Fuentes will be honored with a lifetime achievement award during a reception. Irvine Hyatt Regency, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, (916) 448-4234, http://www.WesternCPAC.com

Concert, Indian flute music by Scott August, Sun., Oct. 16, 2:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Free concerts are held Sundays, except when otherwise noted, and are open to the public. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m., 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://events.nixonfoundation.org/concerts/

Santa Margarita Water District meeting schedule has not been updated for October (as of this writing, 10-8-11). SMWD, 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com/about-us/meeting-agendas.html

Orange County Board of Supervisors, Tues., Oct. 18, 9:30 a.m., and Tues., Oct. 25, 9:30 a.m. (no meeting on Oct. 11), Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://www.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors

Capo Valley Republican Women Federated luncheon, Wed., Oct. 19, guest arrival at 11:30 a.m., lunch served at 12:30 p.m., program includes “Fashions for Change” by Carved Horse clothing store of SJC as a fundraiser for Advocacy Programs, Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club, San Juan Capistrano, RSVP to (949) 240-6799 or esue39@cox.net

The Great California Shake Out earthquake preparedness drill, “Drop, Cover and Hold On,” Thurs., Oct. 20, 10:20 a.m., organized by California Earthquake Authority, 801 K Street, Suite 1000, Sacramento, (877) 797-4300, http://www.ShakeOut.org

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., program to be announced. Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, (949) -360-1717.

Meet Karl Rove, Thurs., Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 464-1161, http://events.nixonfoundation.org

Taste of Capo, Capistrano Valley High School, Fri., Oct. 21, 6:00 p.m., $15 presale and $20 at the door. More than 20 booths, good-sized samples of food from each restaurant, 26301 Via Escolar, Mission Viejo, (949) 364-6100.

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, Mon., Oct. 24. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5 p.m.., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, http://www.socccd.edu

Republican Club of Laguna Woods luncheon, Fri., Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., featured speaker will be Assemblyman Don Wagner, Clubhouse 5 on Punta Alta in Laguna Woods. For reservations call Barbara Pearson, (949) 770-8377.

El Toro Water District Community Advisory Group Meeting, Thurs., Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch served at 11:30; meeting starts at noon, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com

The Buzz

Reader reaction about the campout Mayor Dave Leckness is planning on the Oso Trail: "I wonder how much the taxpayers will be shelling out to cover the expense of city staffers camping with Dave since it’s unlikely anyone else would want to spend a night down where the transients loiter. The city will probably also offer free food, drink and entertainment to draw the usual crowd of moochers."

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For additional commentary on the campout, look at last week’s edition of this blog, http://www.missionviejoca.org/News/2011_Q4/2011-10-01/article2/article2.html , and posts on MissionViejoDispatch.com, http://missionviejodispatch.com/city-aestheics/coming-soon-camp-oso/

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If residents wonder why they don’t see more campouts in Mission Viejo, it’s because patrolmen spot transients and transport them to the city limits. Occasionally, some slip by them. Four months ago, a transient who was enjoying the great outdoors along Olympiad Road near La Paz lit his campfire, which got out of control. He was taken into custody on June 1. A homeless person was arrested in September for camping out on the roof of Newhart Middle School.

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Two seats will be up for grabs in the November 2012 council election, and incumbents Cathy Schlicht and Frank Ury are running for reelection. A council challenger who recently filed paperwork, Wendy Bucknum, is throwing a fundraiser for herself at a lakefront home on Tindaya on Oct. 24. Bucknum has been campaigning for more than a year, attending political gatherings and fawning from the public microphone during council meetings. Her employer, PCM, manages homeowner associations, and the financial benefit to PCM of having Bucknum on the council is obvious. Bucknum aggressively campaigned against Measure D, the ballot initiative that would have given Mission Viejo voters the final say in major rezoning decisions.

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How’s it working out for those folks who didn’t support Measure D in June 2010? The first residents to feel the pain live near the high-density project on Oso near the freeway. The second high-density project approved by the council was UDR’s switch from 250 townhomes to 320 apartments on east Los Alisos. O’Neill School could be the next parcel to be rezoned for high-density housing. For anyone in denial, read http://missionviejodispatch.com/budget/mv-rejects-leasing-oneill-school/ . Casta del Sol residents should know that Councilman Frank Ury told one of his commission appointees in February about his goal to develop the Casta golf course. Mayor Dave Leckness put his name on an article in Patch.com about revamping the retail center at La Paz and Marguerite (translation: a three-story nightmare with apartments on top of stores). Incredibly, a resident recently commented on a blog that such zoning decisions should be up to a vote of the people. Hello?

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Those who watch Mission Viejo’s council meetings might wonder why Frank Ury wants to stay on the council. If his antagonism toward residents and other council members weren’t clear, his body language confirms his disgust. He pushes back in his chair, distancing himself from the exchange. He rocks back and forth and fidgets, speaking up only to take cheap shots. He sits next to Mayor Hee-Haw Leckness and rolls his eyes at the constant denigration of council business to slapstick and yukking. A year ago, Ury indicated he’s biding his time to run for higher office, but where’s the opening for him?

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To add on to a statement from last week’s blog, those shining a light on city government include two privately owned blogs AND many residents. Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht leads the effort from the dais, and all those who demand open government are to be commended. The city newspaper, Saddleback Valley News, abruptly ended its investigative reporting in 2009 after SVN Lindsey Baggio revealed City Hall’s corrupt role in Easelgate – the trashing of custom-made easels after the city’s failed attempt to engage residents in a photo display. Following last week’s article on this blog about SVN, the paper corrected its list of employees: SVN has no city reporter.

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During the Oct. 3 council meeting, Leckness touted his golf cart brigade on Oso Trail, bragging that 28 people took part. Somehow, he neglected to report how many highly-compensated city employees were among them. Three years ago, a city staffer informed this blog that employees are coerced into “volunteer” participation. They are either paid to take part in city-sponsored activities outside the office or their evaluations reflect their taking part.

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Human Events describes David Limbaugh’s new book, “Crimes Against Liberty.” as “the most comprehensive and devastating indictment of what is turning out to be the most destructive presidency in American history. From exploiting the financial crisis for political gain, to restricting our personal freedoms through invasive healthcare and ‘green’ policies, to endangering America with his feckless diplomacy and reckless dismantlement of our national security systems, Limbaugh proves — beyond a reasonable doubt — that President Barack Obama is guilty of crimes against liberty.” https://members.humaneventsonline.com/order.php?offer=2559

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Check public opinion on Obama’s presidency in a daily tracking poll, http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking _poll