Rick Reiff On Tunnel Trouble

OCBJ Executive Editor Rick Reiff reports on the controversy over the proposed Santa Ana Mountains tunnel:

More trouble for The Tunnel: The Laguna Beach and Lake Forest councils have come out against the proposed Riverside-OC connector through the Santa Ana Mountains. “That’s just what we need, another 100,000 people on a summer weekend,” a Laguna resident complained at a public hearing. Former assemblywoman Pat Bates, heretofore favorable toward the tunnel concept, is now “undecided” and “shares the concerns” expressed by residents. Bates’ move follows a highly-charged, anti-tunnel mailer from Laguna Niguel Mayor Pro Tem Cathryn DeYoung, who is competing against Bates for Tom Wilson’s county supervisor seat ...

DeYoung goes around with three cell phones—one that’s personal, one for city business and one for her supervisor campaign: “Thank God I don’t have a Blackberry, too” ...

Comments

[Allan Bartlett]

Maybe Mrs. Deyoung can erect guard gates around every street entrance to Laguna Niguel and only let in city residents. That way her precious streets won't get overcrowded. They can also build a monorail in her city too that no one will ride while they're at it. Gotta spend that money wisely, right? In the meantime, most of us want more capacity for all of our county roads and the tunnel should be studied extensively to see if it feasible. I have a hunch that it is.

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[Rehabing Allan]

The more Allan gets away from the Gilchrist Kool-Aid the more sence he makes.

[Eldad Taylor]

I agree - Allan is not as crazy as we all thought. I think he has a future in politics!

[Allan Bartlett]

Me, a future in politics? That's funny. I like my job too much right now helping people make money.

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[Logical]

My comments on another thread relating to this tunnel issue:
New Candidate, Old Politics

I don't consider a $2Billion boondogle like the tunnel will likely turn out to be:
"make(ing) something out of nothing" >Publius<

I dismissed the tunnel over a year ago and I'm definitely not out of touch:
"To dismiss the tunnel idea so quick just shows how out of touch this woman is" >Allan Bartlett<

It seems some Conservatives are attacking this issue simply because they prefer another candidate; when you see something like this you may need to re-think:
"I find myself agreeing with Publius and Bartlett" >Left winger<

I'd like to see Bates discuss the short comings of the tunnel plan and take the issue away from DeYoung; I won't attack one candidates issue(s) simply because I prefer the other candidate.

[Bindi]

I'm all for the tunnel. Let more people move east and take a drive into town for work. They won't want to commute all the time for fun every weekend too. But regardless, as many people who want to should be able to access the coast. It is a beautiful place.