Republicans Turning Away From Mayor Kelley?

   Last week the Republican Party’s OC Endorsement Committee interviewed Mission Viejo Mayor Trish Kelley and rejected her bid for re-election to the City Council.  Kelley, a registered Republican, was endorsed by the OC Central Committee four years ago, but likely will be turned away this time after the Endorsement Committee formally reports its unanimous recommendation.

   The endorsement vote took place after Kelley submitted a written profile, made an oral presentation, and answered a series of questions from Committee members.  It is unusual for the political parties to reject entrenched incumbents who can wield power for the Party, but Kelley’s performance has been criticized on a number of fronts.

   Although Mission Viejo does not compare to the egregious situation in the City of Bell, critics say the same self-entitlement mentality was exhibited by Kelley in voting to double her Council compensation and confer lifetime medical benefits for council members and their spouses. 

   Two years ago Kelley voted to rescind the lifetime benefits prior to Ury’s re-election campaign, but both councilmembers voted to restore the gifts immediately after the election.  This year, due to public outrage, she again voted to rescind the benefits just prior to her re-election campaign, but observers expect the issue to resurface if she is re-elected. Mission Viejo would have to become a “charter law city” to follow Bell, and Kelly’s ally, Ury, suggested that change last year.

   Kelley is said to falsely take credit where it isn’t due.  Observers cite the Casta Golf Course, where she claims to have stopped a developer, but the Council’s temporary actions expired, leaving the Course now open to the same potential high-density housing threats posed in 2007. Another example mentioned: She tries to take credit for the City’s AAA bond rating even though she was helping create deficit spending and reduced reserves at the time. The bond ratings are based largely on the wealth of resident taxpayers – and MV is the 3rd most affluent city in OC. 

   A significant factor has been Kelley’s spending habits, indicating she is not a fiscal conservative. One Committee member asked Kelley about the Rose Float in the midst of the economic downturn, an example of other expensive discretionary expenditures.

   Kelley was also questioned about endorsing a Democratic candidate for MV City Council.  She seemed to avoid admitting her endorsement of Dave Leckness for this election cycle – until an email was produced by a Central Committee member.  There are nine other Republicans in the race she could instead support, but Democrat Leckness has shown what some characterize as “puppy-dog loyalty” to Kelley since his election in last February’s recall election, including supporting her on the lifetime medical benefits.

   Although there are three slots up for election on the Council this Fall, the Endorsements Committee has so far recommended only one candidate, Rhonda Reardon, a former Pac-Bell/AT&T business manager who is currently the Board Chair of the Mission Viejo YMCA. The full GOP Central Committee will vote on the endorsements later this month.