CITY OF LAGUNA NIGUEL FIDDLING WHILE THE CITY BURNS?
When Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus built his last great theater in AD 68 the people of Rome began to revolt. Why is no one out picketing on Crown Valley Parkway the foolish spending of probably thirty million dollars for a palace that has no purpose? Is the City on happy pills? Are we unaware of the Great Economic Recession (heaven forbid I use the word Depression that we all think but hold in silence)?
Municipal buildings, brick and mortar structures and monuments to glory generally collect a good deal of dust. The tax revenue from Commercial business in Laguna Niguel does not support such and enormous expense. Laguna Niguel has little remaining vacant land to worry about the necessity for a planning department which is seperated from neighboring South County Cities.
The surrounding cities make more sense to be consolidated into centralized tri-city operations. Our water, power, gas, Sherriff, Fire Departments and two school districts all cross over and serve a variety of city lines. It makes far more sense to organize three sets of tri-city organizations which would manage more efficiently and save great wasted costs. For that matter we could easily consolidate both school districts into one modest centralized center. Cities ought to be realistically budgeting for tough times that will not quickly be corrected and be more responsible to long range planning.