The Orange County Register published a countywide editorial yesterday attacking the Mission Viejo City Council for spending over $300,000 in public money for its Rose Parade Float. Instead of a diving pool representing Lake Mission Viejo, Senior Editoral Writer Steven Greenhut wrote the water feature should have been a “giant toilet flushing greenbacks away.”
Monday’s lead editorial carried the title “The Spendthrift City Award for 2008″ and reviewed a history of spending fiascos in Mission Viejo.
The Register critique pointed out the other two OC cities with Rose Parade Floats, Anaheim and Huntington Beach, had different situations. First, both of those cities are tourist destinations which might realize some commercial benefit, unlike Mission Viejo. Secondly, Anaheim spent only one-half the cost of Mission Viejo’s float and financed it from the Convention Center Fund.
Huntington Beach, winner of the Mayor’s Trophy for most outstanding city entry, spent no taxpayer money on its float because the $200,000 cost was raised from private donors. It appears the total taxpayer cost of Mission Viejo’s float project will exceed $350,000.
“Unfortunately, local city officials see tax dollars as their own private stash that can be spent however they choose,” wrote Greenhut. “We’ve found over the years that cities often neglect their basic responsibilities and prefer to spend as much money as possible on themselves (salaries and pensions for public employees) and on attention-grabbing projects. Even “conservative” council members behave like spendthrifts.”
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When this Council looks back at thier political careers will they be able to say they were good Stewards, or will our city remember them as self-interested, and guided by special interest values. Will we ever see any of thier names on the street signs, plaques on pathways, schools or parks? Will they be remembered as a council that made a difference for the better during thier time? When all is said and done, legacy is all anyone has left. Our job as involved citizens will be to ensure this council gets the legacy they deserve. Sadly most of our fellow citizens are largely apathetic to local politics. Involved citizens need to speak out, inform your friends encourage involvment. Shine the light on these deeds, and share it with others.
I’m a resident for 31 years. Yes, when times were better and the M.V. Company was footing the money for the float, we were proud to see our City involved in the Rose Parade. How foolish now to spend $350,000 just to show off. There are so many wonderful things the Council could have invested in that would have benefitted all the residents of our wonderful City!
The mayor’s rationale for spending this money was absurd.
The spending of this $350,000 of our money on a float in a parade is not a legitimate expense for a government entity.
If they can waste this much of our money on a float then what else can they waste money on? My guess is anything they feel like if it will make them look good.
When oh when are we going to realize that all this spending is going to ruin our community and our country.
Please throw them all out of office when they come up for election and find someone who will look at this public money the same way they look at their own money.
No more of this kind of public waste of our money.