City Circus Update

Mission Viejo City Hall’s primary technique of “balancing” the budget is to ignore the infrastructure. There’s enough money either to continue the activities at City Hall for the bloated staff of 150 employees or to take care of the city, but not both.

Last December, a busload of Laguna Woods residents drove through neighborhoods of million-dollar homes to view Christmas decorations. For the grand finale, the bus drove along three blocks of trees wrapped in lights on La Paz in Mission Viejo. While no city staffer has stated the annual cost of Mission Viejo’s Christmas decorations, the estimate is more than $100,000. And that was prior to another $16,000 (thus far) on the check register for new lights this year. City contractors begin blocking lanes of traffic in October for their annual wrapping of jacaranda trees.

Here’s some insight from a discussion on July 6, 2009. “The Proposed 2009-11 Budget reflects a $25,000 reduction in the holiday lighting program by eliminating the installation of lights on the trees around the Civic Center perimeter. If Council does not want to draw down General Fund reserves by the proposed $1.5-$1.6 million each year, then staff would propose to further reduce the holiday lighting program by $85,000 per year by not installing lights on the jacaranda trees on La Paz Road and at the La Paz and Marguerite quad.” http://dms.cityofmissionviejo.org/sirepub/cache/2/lixpuf555jrm5b3rtegsbg55/20621371217201109220942 1.PDF

Reaction of the Laguna Woods residents on the bus: “Oooooh, it’s beautiful.” For $85,000 of jacaranda wrapping, it should be beautiful.

Council members – at least the council majority – are supposed to hold the City Manager accountable, but they don’t. At least three members of the council are directed, instructed, informed or influenced by the city staff. The City Manager is supposed to direct the staff, but he doesn’t. From all appearances, contractors are running the city while administrative chiefs are focused on festivals, decorations, press releases and controlling what goes into the Saddleback Valley News and OC Register.

During the Dec. 5 council meeting, Councilman Frank Ury was selected by other council members to become the mayor for 2012. For nearly eight years, Ury has indicated he’s sitting on the council while waiting his turn to run for higher office, but what office? His record as a Republican is abominable. For example, he voted to give himself lifetime healthcare benefits, and he endorsed a Democrat twice in 2010. No one seems to know what he does for a living or who he works for – information he is required to provide as an elected official. In his most recent disclosure, he says his employer is Lake Servicing – try Googling it.

As another of City Hall’s budget-balancing techniques, it identifies money on paper (e.g, in-lieu fees from developers it has never received) and spends it. Because the money doesn’t exist and it’s still on paper, the city can spend the same money again. With the city’s diminishing revenue and dramatic increases in operating expenses, residents should ask how long City Hall can continue its spendathon. City Manager Dennis Wilberg is nearing retirement, and the shell game could go on until he’s out the door – if he leaves fairly soon.

As with other levels of government, the biggest problem is the high number of voters who aren’t paying attention.