A new Political Action Committee (PAC), called “Liberate Laguna,” spawned by the controversial Citizens United case that sanctions unlimited money in politics, has been formed and funded primarily by three Laguna and Newport Beach real estate developers who want control of Laguna’s City Council. They have quickly raised over $72,000, nearly all of which came from only three contributors. They want you to think they are here to help. They are—they are here to help themselves get big real estate development projects through the local development approval process faster and easier. The only thing this PAC hopes to liberate is real estate developers from those bothersome requirements meant to protect the community and the people who live here. If you think parking, traffic and congestion are bad now…just wait and see what Laguna will be like if they get their way. They might also plan to liberate your pocketbook in the near future of the money to pay the cost of a new parking structure that will let Laguna commercial property owners increase those already high rents on the struggling retail merchants who rent space in their buildings. This is inappropriate for Laguna. Wake up Laguna!
John Thomas, Laguna Beach
Of course you can buy an election the Village has been doing it for years! Thanks to the uniformed resident and visitors they have been funding this political group for years through the Charm House Tour. Rules must change look at the Hotel Joaquin residents put up with construction for months and when they go to dine at the new hotel in the neighborhood they are told the bar and restaurant are for guests only, that’s a great example of how Village Laguna push for restrictions on development and parking hurt residents first!
Thank you for a helpful letter, instead of a bunch of whining and high school style politic.