Neil Lonsinger, former Chairman of the Mission Viejo Planning & Transportation Commission, has just met with our City Clerk and joins the growing list of the 2008 City Council candidates. He will challenge incumbent council members Gail Reavis and Frank Ury in the November General election.
Neil, a 25 year resident/retired business owner, has been in the arena before and told me that he is throwing hit hat in the ring at this time for a number of reasons starting with our council’s “lack of money management (that) is absolutely obscene.” He said there are “a multitude of expenditures such as the cost overrun on the Murray Center” adding we have a council majority engaged in “out of control spending.”
During the interview Neil mentioned the Rose Parade float stating “it’s ridiculous–it doesn’t make any sense–it brings no value to the city.”
He also expressed his concern that this council is “locking out the citizens from their rightful participation in the process” pointing out the numerous costly Change Orders that are rubber stamped by this council majority without question.
Note: This is in reference to the decision by this council to change a City Policy in which any member of the public could pull routine Consent Calendar items for discussion without first getting one of them to accommodate that request in advance of the meeting or be forced to address those items along with your public comments where the impact is greatly diminished.
Neil stated “it’s time for a change.” In his closing thoughts he told me that “there is too much at stake for this to be a part time job. I will give it my undivided attention for the best interests of the citizens.”
With this hat in the ring–there still is a need for more outstanding candidates.
The only thing sure is that the two incumbents have either done nothing or have been the center for the ongoing council “cat fights”.
The two incumbents should go.!!!
Neil has a genuine business management background, which is what Mission Viejo needs. No one currently on the council has demonstrated the ability to take care of business.
This election should be another one of throwing out incumbents. It’s hard to throw them out if there are no qualified people to throw IN. Having Neil in the race changes the dynamics, and voters have a choice.
When seeing Neil out on the campaign trail two years ago, people noticed he was always a gentleman and a diplomat, which will be welcome qualities on the council.
MV Citizen.
Having been his neighbor for over 20 years I can attest to your comments about Neil.
As chairman of the Mission Viejo Planning and Transportation, Neil spearheaded efforts to tighten up wording in the city code to preserve the 20-foot front yard setback requirement that distinguishes Mission Viejo from adjacent communities. He was instrumental in updating of the sign code to make it more workable and enforceable.
He chaired a public hearing on a mixed-use housing ordinance. Several citizens in attendance said it was the best public hearing they had attended in which speakers were allowed to finish their statements, yet the meeting moved along and was completed in a reasonable time.
As Larry’s interviews show, both Neil and candidate Cathy Schlicht are committed to small, open government and would not be compromised by the system to support special interests at the expense of public interests.
what is Neals’s position on legalized marijuana?
Robert.
While I interviewed Neil, Prop 19 was not on our radar screen.
He does not read nor post on the Juice. Therefore I cannot provide his response.