Mission Viejo Buzz - 02/25/12

The Buzz

The gerrymandered State Senate redistricting plan will be on the ballot. Leaders of the effort to qualify the referendum succeeded in getting more than 700,000 signatures to give California voters a chance to decide. Fairness & Accountability in Redistricting (F.A.I.R.) consultant Dave Gilliard wrote, “As we anticipated, over 700,000 Californians have overcome great odds and succeeded in placing the gerrymandered State Senate redistricting plan on the November ballot. FAIR will be asking voters in November to vote NO on these faulty senate maps, so that new, fair and competitive districts can be drawn and put into place for the rest of the decade.”

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A Mission Viejo resident claims City Manager Dennis Wilberg says UDR no longer has to provide affordable housing in its high-density apartment plans for the former Kmart property on east Los Alisos Blvd. The resident heard Wilberg make the statement at a Rotary Club meeting.

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The council majority – not citizens of Mission Viejo – got the city into such deep trouble over affordable housing it resulted in a lawsuit, which the city lost. Councilman Frank Ury created the situation by throwing out the city’s affordable housing plan, which was in progress. Brad Morton was a planning commissioner at the time, and he was working on the plan, which was in compliance with state guidelines. In 2011, Ury made a PowerPoint presentation during a council meeting in which he falsely claimed Morton was ultimately responsible for the lawsuit, and he said citizens added to the problem by supporting Morton’s leadership. In fact, it was Ury’s throwing out the plan that brought down the state’s wrath on Mission Viejo. Citizens have no vote on housing projects, rezoning or anything else related to affordable housing, and THEY COULD NOT have caused the lawsuit. Citizens can, however, vote liars off the council, which they should do on Nov. 6.

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With redrawing of lines for State Assembly Districts, Diane Harkey became Mission Viejo’s representative in the Assembly. Harkey has a commendable voting record as a fiscal conservative, and she has been recognized for identifying and eliminating wasteful spending. From her Website: “At a recent press conference, Assemblywoman Harkey called for support of her new bill AB 1455 which would stop spending on California's high-speed rail project. The increasingly unpopular project has been plagued by rising cost estimates, rosy ridership numbers and millions spent on public relations - all without laying a single inch of track.” Kudos to Mission Viejo Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht for inviting Harkey to the Feb. 20 council meeting. Harkey gave a presentation about her bill to stop bonds to fund the high speed rail project, and Schlicht ‘s agenda item in support of Harkey’s bill passed 5-0.

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Here’s a link to a great editorial written by Mission Viejo resident Kim Farris-Berg in the Feb. 24 OC Register about Barcelona Elementary School and charter schools. She begins, “When schools close, it is a terrible experience for students, families and neighborhoods. For many, the neighborhood school is a major reason why they bought their home. Moreover, families consider their school as a part of their ‘home.’ It's where they've befriended their neighbors; where their children have grown up and learned well.” http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/schools-341797-school-students.html

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Barack Obama’s supporters point to his recent “improvement” in the polls. On Feb. 26, the Rasmussen daily presidential tracking poll shows 27% of the nation’s voters strongly approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-one percent (41%) strongly disapprove, giving Obama an approval index rating of -14. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_ poll

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From the Tea Party Patriots to Obama: Our shovels are ready for Nov. 6, 2012.