Redevelopment Ends

Citizens don’t often get a surprise from the government that’s good. Last week was an exception when a state Supreme Court ruling abolished redevelopment in California. The OC Register’s Dec. 29 editorial outlines the details, http://www.ocregister.com/articles/agencies-333535-redevelopment-legislature.html

The positive effect on Mission Viejo is huge. Suddenly, the city council majority has no redevelopment dollars to use as bait in attracting developers of high-density housing.

Mission Viejo watchdogs have been outspoken against the abuse of redevelopment. With redevelopment’s alleged purpose of eliminating blight, Mission Viejo has no “blight” that cannot be adequately handled by enforcing city codes.

For more than a decade, many Mission Viejo city council candidates promised during their campaigns to oppose redevelopment. Once in office, nearly all of them sold out to developers at the first opportunity. A noteworthy exception is Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht, who voted “no” to earmarking $10 million for UDR and Watermarke. In the most recent test, on Sept. 15 Councilwoman Schlicht cast the lone vote against an attempt to save the city’s redevelopment agency.

While California’s dysfunctional officials are already trying to come up with an end run or a new assault on taxpayers, Mission Viejo homeowners can at least take a deep breath with last week’s Supreme Court decision. The ruling is effective immediately, and no new redevelopment agreements may be approved.

OCR described the issue of redevelopment: “The state's nearly 400 redevelopment agencies, including 25 in Orange County, created ostensibly to reverse urban decay, all too often have confiscated private property and displaced residents and businesses to subsidize new developments, lining the pockets of a favored few while doing relatively little to renovate ‘blighted’ areas.”

Would You Raise the Ceiling?

Someone figured it out:

Why the U.S. credit rating was downgraded:

• U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
• Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
• New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
• National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
• Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000

Let's now remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:

• Annual family income: $21,700
• Money the family spent: $38,200
• New debt on the credit card THIS YEAR: $16,500
• Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
• Total budget cuts: $385

OK now Lesson # 2: Here's another way to look at the Debt Ceiling:

You come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in your neighborhood...and your home has sewage up to your ceiling.

What do you think you should do ......

Raise the ceiling, or pump out the cr*p?

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 and non-profit groups.

Mission Tour, Thurs., Jan 5, 10:30 a.m., led by the Mission’s executive director. Tours require a minimum of five guests. Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1300, http://www.missionsjc.com

First Thursday Art Walk, Laguna Beach, Thurs., Jan. 5, includes an informal artist talk at the Laguna Art Museum at 7:00 p.m., 307 Cliff Drive at North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 494-8971, http://lagunaartmuseum.org

Pageant of the Masters open casting call, Sat., Jan 7, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sun., Jan. 8, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Thurs., Jan. 12, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Call for an appointment after Jan. 12, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (949) 494-3663, http://www.foapom.com

Laguna Art Museum, “UCI and the Development of Contemporary Art in Southern California, 1964-1971,” through Jan. 22, open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and first Thursday of each month from 11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., 307 Cliff Drive at North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 494-8971, http://lagunaartmuseum.org

“Replace Your Lawn with Native Plants Workshop 1, “Kill the Grass,” Sat., Jan. 7, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 728-0685, http://www.californianativeplants.com

Mount of Olives Church, “Share – Food Collection,” Sun., Jan. 8, bring non-perishable food donations and place them in marked bins around campus, collecting for South County Outreach and Southwest Community Center, Mount of Olives Lutheran Church, 24772 Chrisanta Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 837-7467, http://www.info@moochurch.com

“Top Dog/Under Dog,” Pulitzer Prize-winning comic drama, Jan. 8-Jan. 29, South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 708-5555, http://www.scr.org

Classes: “Create a Succulent Wreath,” (reservations required) Sat., Jan. 14, 10:00 a.m., and “Plant a Bird Cage” on Sun., Jan 15, 11:00 a.m., 31720 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano, (949) 493-3920, http://cottage-home-and-garden.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

Political and Government Events Calendar

The 2011 Holiday Festival of Trains at the Nixon Library, through Jan. 2, 2012, Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 464-1161, http://events.nixonfoundation.org

“Music of the Magi” concert at the Nixon Library, Sun., Jan. 8. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Concerts are free and open to the public. Schedule is subject to change. Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 464-1161, http://events.nixonfoundation.org

Nixon Library: Celebrate the President’s 99th Birthday, including a formal wreath-laying ceremony, Jan. 9, 11:30 a.m., and the Annual Nixon Legacy Program with a live broadcast of the Hugh Hewitt Show from the East Room at 2:45 p.m., Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 464-1161,
http://events.nixonfoundation.org/2011/12/08/celebrate-the-presidents-99th-birthday/

ACT for America, Mon., Jan. 9, guest speaker will be Jesse Petrilla, and his topic will be “The Leftist-Jihadist Alliance: two grave threats to America and how we can stop them.” Petrilla is a member of the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council. The meeting will be held at the Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, regular meeting Mon., Jan. 9, 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

Orange County Board of Supervisors, Tues., Jan. 10, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. The following meeting is on Jan. 24. http://www.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Investments on Jan. 11, 9:00 a.m., Engineering and Operations on Jan. 16, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Jan. 18, 9:00 a.m., Board of Directors on Jan. 19, 5:30 p.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Santa Margarita Water District meetings: Engineering Committee on Fri., Jan. 13, 7:30 a.m.; Finance Committee on Fri., Jan. 20. 7:30 a.m., and Board of Directors on Wed., Jan 25, 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com/about-us/meeting-agendas.html

Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, Tues., Jan. 17, 6:15 p.m. (moved to the third Tuesday due to winter recess). The board workshop on board policies will begin at 4:30 p.m., and it is open to the public. The district office will be closed from Dec. 19 through Jan. 2 for winter recess, 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us

Saddleback Republican Assembly will meet Jan. 19, 7:00 p.m. Program to be announced. For information call (949) 360-1717.

El Toro Water District meetings: Engineering, Finance, Insurance Committee on Tues., Jan. 24, 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.; Board of Directors on Thurs., Jan. 26, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ETWD, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, January meeting date TBA. 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, https://www.socccd.edu

The Buzz

Reminder from ACT for America’s Mission Viejo Chapter Leader Bruce Mayall: ACT for America will meet Mon., Jan. 9. Guest speaker will be Jesse Petrilla, and his topic will be “The Leftist-Jihadist Alliance: two grave threats to America and how we can stop them.” Petrilla is a member of the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council. The meeting will be held at the Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.

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Tea Party Patriots will continue to fight on for three core principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets. The U.S. debt reached 100 percent of the Gross Domestic Product in 2011. The debt is currently at $15.17 trillion and continues to increase by the second. While Tea Partiers fought to prevent the government from continuing to borrow money, the effects of the “debt ceiling deal” could not have been more obvious last week when Obama asked for another $1.2 trillion increase. He will get it because Congress has now said he can have the increase as long as both the Senate and House do not vote to disallow it. Tea Partiers know now more than ever of the need to make changes and restore fiscal responsibility in all levels of government.

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Excerpt from an email about the national debt forwarded by Tea Party Patriot Lorraine B.: “We now owe more than we produce; our debt exceeds GDP (Gross Domestic Product – the total amount of all goods produced by every person and company in America in a year). That would be ok if you are paying off part of the balance each year, but we continue to add to the debt each day. Here’s the link to the national debt clock: http://www.usdebtclock.org . The numbers are shocking. Spending at this rate is criminal.”

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With California’s redevelopment agencies out of business as a result of a state Supreme Court ruling last week, high-density housing projects in Mission Viejo appear to be in limbo. Palmia homeowners who opposed the apartment project on east Los Alisos say they are cautiously optimistic the apartments won’t be built in the near future. Prior to the ruling, word had spread that UDR Inc. wanted sell the property to another apartment builder. In July, UDR succeeded (with a 3-2 council vote, Frank Ury, Trish Kelley and Dave Leckness in favor) in getting an increased number of units and switching from condos to apartments. Will another developer buy it, given the depressed economy and no financial incentive from the city?

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The year 2011 left a lot of people poorer and more frustrated than ever before. In Mission Viejo, the end of redevelopment gave city watchdogs a boost that the year was ending better than it began. Other optimism stems from the November 2012 election on the horizon.

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Happy New Year to all from Missionviejoca.org.