Nanny Keeps City Safe

Mission Viejo residents who watched the city council meeting on Mar. 18 heard an amazing explanation of why Mission Viejo is among the nation’s “safest cities.” Such rankings are determined by the number of specific crimes: homicide, rape, robbery, assault, residential burglary, commercial burglary, theft/larceny and stolen vehicles.

On the council’s Mar. 18 agenda was the city’s contribution of $760,000 to the Saddleback Valley USD after-school program. Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht asked if the city’s cost could be reduced by having parents pay a higher percentage for their children’s care. She cited the cost to parents at $20 per child for the upcoming nine-week summer program. She said taxpayers are picking up the real costs, $163 per child for the program. Councilwoman Trish Kelley agreed, saying she was concerned about the city’s rising costs. She indicated scholarships are available for families if they can’t afford to pay.

Then Councilman Frank Ury spoke in favor of increasing the taxpayers’ burden by $48,000, bringing the city’s payment to $760,000 to SVUSD. After insulting anyone who disagreed with him, he said the program is the type of thing “that makes Mission Viejo the safest city.”

Since the upper age limit for children in the childcare program is approximately 10 years old, what is he saying? Again, the crimes that determine safe-city rankings are homicide, rape, robbery, assault, residential burglary, commercial burglary, theft/larceny and stolen vehicles.

As proof Ury’s remark was ridiculous, Hee-Haw Councilman Dave Leckness agreed with him, claiming children would be “spray-painting walls and breaking into homes” in Mission Viejo if such programs ended. This is the same loon who said during a council meeting in 2012 that children attending his campout in a city park should be given rifles.

Councilwomen Schlicht and Kelley didn’t say the childcare programs should end. They said participants should pay more to offset rising costs. Councilwoman Schlicht also reminded the staff that government programs should not undercut the private sector to the point businesses offering similar services cannot compete.

If more residents were to watch even one council meeting, the results on Election Day would be quite different. Voters will now have to wait until the November 2014 election to remove loons from office.