Comments on: Letter: Recall Election Tells Deeper Story

By: Shripathi Kamath

Shripathi Kamath — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:05:31 +0000

Adriana Brady wrote:

I do not believe we wasted taxpayers money on this recall. The cost of the recall is equal to just one year of the lifetime health benefits Lance voted for him and his co-workers after only 12 years of part-time service.

The cost of the recall was some $250 K.

One year of healthcare for five council members costs more than that? I doubt that is accurate, since at $50K per member, even under a family plan sounds preposterous. But even if it somehow did, would we not need to

a. Recall most of the others who voted for that provision, and further
b. Have the newly elected repeal that vote?

Recalling Maclean may or may not have other savings and benefits, but it appears unlikely that it will recoup the cost of the recall election until several other events unfold.

[Editor's Note: No further action is needed to eliminate MacLean's lifetime medical benefit, valued at $270,000, since 12 consecutive years of service is necessary to qualify. If he is recalled, he doesn't qualify, and the savings are realized.]

By: Adele Dragovich

Adele Dragovich — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:21:13 +0000

This is all too similar to what is going on with CUSD and their school board. We can only hope for the same success with the recall process. We need to regain PRIDE in CUSD also! Don’t sit back and watch your taxes be spent on attorneys, litigation, and private agendas instead of the children, classrooms, and schools! Hopefully, a strike can be avoided!

“RECALL, RECALL, RECALL!”

By: Adriana Brady

Adriana Brady — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:51:50 +0000

I do not believe we wasted taxpayers money on this recall. The cost of the recall is equal to just one year of the lifetime health benefits Lance voted for him and his co-workers after only 12 years of part-time service. I think the cost of keeping silent and doing nothing is much greater.

The message here is very clear: those who are informed and paying attention are not going to put up with this kind of blatant abuse of power and complete disregard for the needs of our community.

When my 12-year-old wanted to know who Lance was and why he was being recalled, I explained to him, in no uncertain terms, that here was a man who was voted BY the people to provide a service FOR the people. I then went on to explain what he did that made us want to vote him out. I only had to get as far as the health benefit situation discussed above. My very bright 12-year-old then said “But mom, dad’s been working FULL-TIME for almost 30 years and he has to pay a lot for our health insurance!” Point made!

When we ran across McLean supporters touting their “keep Lance” signs at the corner of Alicia and Marguerite, my son was the loudest one yelling out my car window: “RECALL, RECALL, RECALL!!!”

By: Robert Stone

Robert Stone — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:53:53 +0000

What a waste of taxpayers money to recall someone with a few months left in office – reminds me of the wasted funds for the Float!

By: Joe Zambito

Joe Zambito — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:42:18 +0000

We, the people, spoke and the recall was a success.

Let this be a lesson to future council members that the residents of Mission Viejo will not tolerate:

spending money we do not have
doing things that we do not want . . . with money we do not have

Fiscal Responsibility is the answer.