LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Correcting a Newsletter

To all San Juan Voters,

In the latest issue of Capistrano Common Sense, City Council Candidate Kim McCarthy has a front page story that once again is incorrect in many “facts.” Ms. McCarthy has a right to her opinion, she does not have a right to create facts. She states “Urgent Strategic Priorities for 2012” that the City Council has outlined and then gives her spin as facts on the issues.  

One strategic priority is: Improve the East Open Space and Northwest Open Space into their best use. Ms .McCarthy infers that Reata Park was created for the benefit of the Ranch rather than for the citizen of San Juan Capistrano. Real Fact: Reata Park is for the use of all citizens of our city. I guess Ms. McCarthy missed the free movie night at the park. The contracted events will benefit the city with much needed revenue.  

Another strategic priority is: Finish Historic Town Center Master Plan. Ms. McCarthy wants to know why a source of funding to implement the plan was not in place. Real Fact:  It is a master plan; an idea of how to best revitalize our downtown during the years that construction of the Ortega interchange is taking place.  When the plan was first proposed there was redevelopment money that could be used to help finance the revitalization. The governor has taken away the redevelopment agencies from local cities, so there is no longer any funding for revitalization. But the Master Plan is still in place, so that when developers want to come into our town they can see what the city envisions for the future.  

And yet another strategic priority: Get Our Fiscal House in Order. Ms. McCarthy states, ”We need to stop spending money we don’t have.” Real Fact: Members of the Capistrano Common Sense editorial board and Ms. McCarthy have cost the city thousands of dollars in staff time, paper and ink for thousands of pages of information under the Freedom of Information Act.

A number of the documents that they have requested are available online and they could download the information themselves, but instead they choose to have staff do their work. Yes, they have a right to request this information, but they cannot then claim the city is not being fiscally conservative when they are creating staff inefficiency.

And these same people have cost the city thousands and thousands of dollars in frivolous lawsuits for legal fees and staff time. I say frivolous because they have not won one of these suits.  

In a recent mailer, Ms. McCarthy infers that the Ranch is duping the citizens of San Juan Capistrano and that Sam Allevto and Ginny Kerr are supporting the Ranch over the residents of San Juan Capistrano.

Real Fact: The Ranch is private property! They could build a million homes on the land that they own. Have you noticed what used to be the Irvine Ranch with all of its growth?  The Ranch is not within the city limits of San Juan Capistrano. Ortega Highway is not a city road. It is a state highway. No company doing business in San Juan Capistrano has been more supportive of our city than the Rancho Mission Viejo Company.  The Mission, the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society, the Boys & Girls Club and Shea Center are a few of the organizations in San Juan Capistrano that benefit from the generosity of the Ranch.  

So before you vote remember that opinion and spin are not facts.  

I am supporting Sam Allevato and Ginny Kerr because they have the best interest of San Juan Capistrano.     

If you agree with me, please pass this memo on to your friends and neighbors. This is a very important election for the future of our city. 

Jan Siegel