Mission Viejo Buzz - 12/07/13

The Buzz

ACT! for America will meet on Mon., Dec. 9, at the Norm Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and the meeting runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Dr. Michael Widlanski, a political communications expert, will be the featured speaker. The program title is “America and Israel – Fighting Terror: an Israeli Expert on Islamic Terrorism Reveals What Our Two Countries Can Learn from Each Other.” Sign up for ACT! for America chapter announcements at www.act4oc.org

              ***

To read the latest edition of Community Common Sense, go to http://www.ccsense.com/. The newspaper is being distributed to 20,000 homes in Mission Viejo, and city hall can’t stand it. CCS is the only newspaper covering Mission Viejo that doesn’t rely on press releases and other drivel written by city employees. Just when City Manager Dennis Wilberg thought he had quashed any real city news, the San Juan Capistrano paper (formerly Capistrano Common Sense) expanded into Mission Viejo.

              ***

Wilberg was so annoyed with CCS coming into “his” city that he wrote a libelous email criticizing Larry Gilbert, who writes for CCS http://www.missionviejoca.org/html/article194.html . When Wilberg sent his email to San Juan Capistrano’s city manager, it was discovered by SJC watchdogs. While Larry already had a copy, he made a public records request to get Wilberg’s email directly from MV city hall. The first response was that no such document was on file. When Larry pursued the matter, Wilberg changed his story, saying the email had been deleted. Anyone familiar with daily computer backups would know that such documents are still available, regardless of “deleting” an email. CCS readers are informed, despite Wilberg’s ignoring legal requirements of the California Public Records Act.

              ***

Residents who watched the Dec. 2 Mission Viejo council meeting said it was the worst in a long time. A watchdog sent the following message about the meeting: “As a report on the Dec. 2 MV council meeting, Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht tried to bring back an item from the last meeting in which the council approved $75,000 in grants to organizations, as recommended by the Community Services Commission. One organization receiving a grant was a program for teens, which includes abortion counseling. Another organization received funding to give cell phones to homeless people. (Didn't Obama or Jerry Brown already do that?) No one on the council would second Cathy's motion. At the council meeting two weeks ago, Cathy tried to discuss the grants and ask questions, but the other council members iced her. As Cathy's other item, she tried to get the council to pass a resolution in opposition to toll lanes on the 405. Again, no one would second her motion. When it was clear the others wouldn't support the specifics of her resolution, she asked if they would at least pass a resolution to oppose toll lanes on the 405 -- which they would not do.”

              ***

Instead of the city government giving tax money to specific charities (as it did during the Dec. 2 council meeting), citizens should decide which charity to support and donate directly. Here are examples:

Salvation Army of Orange County, http://www.salvationarmyoc.org/

Orange County Rescue Mission, http://www.rescuemission.org/

Goodwill of Orange County, http://www.ocgoodwill.org/

Marines at Camp Pendleton, http://www.asymca.org/camp-pendleton-ca/

Modjeska Ranch Animal Rescue, http://www.modjeskaranchrescue.org/

              ***

Refinancing the 241 toll road will add $1.8 billion to drivers’ cost and extend the number of years it will remain a toll road http://www.ocregister.com/articles/toll-540566-road-refinancing.html . The OC Register article states, “That deal is meant to ease the financial pressure on the toll road, which has fallen far short of the revenue and ridership projections on which it was built. Analysts have said the road risks default if it fails to refinance billions of dollars of debt. … “This refinancing is a significant break of a promise,” said county Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who serves on the toll road’s board of directors and voted against the plan. He predicted that financial advisers will “make a killing” on the deal and added: “Everybody in this deal makes money while the toll-road users are going to be the ones paying for another 13 years.”

              ***

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet on Wed., Dec. 11, 7:00 p.m., at the district office, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano. On the agenda will be a discussion of ending the Mello-Roos district (Community Facilities District 87-1) that has overtaxed portions of Mission Viejo for many years. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting. Also on the agenda (from the website):

Notice Of Regular Meeting Of The Capistrano Unified School District Regarding A Resolution Approving Its Annual And Five-Year Reportable Fees Report For Fiscal Year 2012-2013, In Compliance With Government Code Sections 66006 And 66001

Notice of Public Hearing: 12/11/13 - Pupil-To-Teacher Waiver Request for Capistrano Connections Academy Charter School, Fiscal Year 2014-2015

Notice of Public Hearing: 12/11/13 - Pupil-To-Teacher Waiver Request for California Preparatory Academy, Fiscal Year 2014-2015

Notice of Public hearing: 12/11/13 - Pupil-To-Teacher Waiver Request for Capistrano Virtual and Home School, Fiscal Year 2014-2015

2013-2014 Testing Information