The Buzz

An ordinance regarding Fire Hazard Severity Zones is back on the agenda for the June 18 Mission Viejo City Council meeting. This ordinance has potential liabilities for property owners in the designated fire zones. From an email forwarded to this blog alerting residents: “Once again, the staff report fails to disclose the legal ramifications to the homeowners and the duties of the Orange County Fire Authority, so here is the Government Code link that applies to Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=51001-52000&file=51175-51189 . Of particular importance is Government Code Section 51182. This is the code section that needs to be disclosed by a seller on all real estate transactions and gives very specific details on maintenance requirements of the property owner.”

***

Only three council members will vote on the fire zone issue after Councilmen Frank Ury and Dave Leckness recused themselves, although neither lives in the fire zone areas being discussed. Councilwoman Trish Kelley, Cathy Schlicht and Rhonda Reardon will make the decision, and a 3-0 vote is needed to adopt an ordinance. In February, a similar situation occurred in Laguna Niguel when three of their five council members recused themselves because they live in the affected areas. Laguna Niguel did not approve any ordinance and concluded there were no negative consequences of the council’s action/inaction.

***

Those who oppose SB 48 have 30 days left to put CLASS Act on the ballot. Organizers are trying to do what many say cannot be done -- gather almost 700,000 signatures without a million-dollar budget. SB 48 uses all social science curricula, including history books and other instructional materials, to teach children as young as five to accept and endorse transgenderism, bisexuality and homosexuality. SB 48 has been misrepresented to the public and passed as a bill aimed to end bullying. SB 48 went into effect in January 2012. To get involved, visit the website, http://www.stopsb48.com/

***

June 5 Primary Election results: the OC Registrar of Voters provided no link after June 15 to show if any votes remain uncounted in Orange County. Some contests for OC GOP Central Committee seats were close, but no outcome has changed from the last report on this blog, http://missionviejoca.org/html/entireissue19.html

***

The 45th Congressional District candidates in the Primary were Republican Congressman John Campbell, liberal Democrat Sukhee Kang and John Webb, who changed to Republican in 2011 to run for office. Campbell, who usually casts conservative votes, angered family-values supporters with his 2010 vote to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Those who recruited Webb included anarchists and other non-Republicans who got a sham candidate into the race and then tricked people into voting for him – not as a protest vote against Campbell but with a pretense Webb was a vetted Republican conservative. Webb changed his voter registration two times in four years. He claimed he changed to Republican in 2010, but voter information shows 2011. A candidate for Congress might not want to remember how recently he became a “Republican,” but he should at least remember where he lives. Webb lives in Dove Canyon, not Rancho Santa Margarita. In his speeches, he made jokes about his candidacy, lack of money and support, and he offered no examples his community leadership claims. Legitimate candidates have campaigns, and credible voter guides do not tout sham candidates.