The Buzz

Email from Larry Gilbert, forwarded by a Mission Viejo watchdog: “It's bad enough to take thousands of dollars from developers to campaign for re-election but I think I've seen a first in our 24 years of cityhood. Mission Viejo Councilman Frank Ury must be desperate. He has stooped to a new low. His latest contribution filing shows his borrowing $1,000 from one of our city vendors whose annual contract Frank approved. Frank filed a late contribution report, form #497, which reflects receiving a $1,000 loan from Charles Townsend, President, Townsend Public Affairs, Laguna Hills, on Nov 1. Ironically, if your read or listen to Frank, he always mentions how stable our city coffers are when he can't even control his own election funds and resorts to borrowing money from a man whom Frank awarded a taxpayer-funded contract.”

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Watchdogs intercepted emails from council candidates Frank Ury and Wendy Bucknum to their acquaintances, showing they are trying to raise thousands of dollars at the last minute. Panic-driven fundraising does not come across as confidence. Watchdogs don’t need to pay a pollster to gauge how Ury’s campaign is going. Throughout Ury’s campaign and especially during the past month, he’s been particularly surly, attacking anyone who disagrees with him.

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City Hall propaganda is limited to positive news about the city but never about the need to improve. Watchdogs campaigning at storefronts get an earful from citizens, including criticism of the council majority and City Hall. A noticeable number of business owners say City Hall isn’t business friendly, and that includes complaints that the city offers services that compete with the private sector.

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A Mission Viejo resident reported seeing a campaign sign Wendy Bucknum placed in a pet store. Bucknum says residents should vote for her if they want a dog park. Dog owners would have to wait for a long for the dog park Bucknum is talking about, which would run in excess of $1 million. Candidates Cathy Schlicht and Ed Sachs have proposed a temporary dog park, which could be built quickly at a relatively low cost.

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The latest presidential poll as of this writing was conducted by CNN/Opinion Research, ending Nov. 4. In a poll of 693 likely voters, Romney and Obama were tied at 49 percent. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html

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In addition to Tea Party voter recommendations published on this blog, Orange County conservatives can find voter guides at Robyn Nordell’s website, http://robynnordell.com/