SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Council Members Give Pay for Parade

Facing a tight budget that has included recent city employee layoffs, City Council members voted this week to allocate $3,000 of their own money for a June 8 parade in San Clemente for Gulf War veterans.

The five council members voted to donate their council pay for two months--$600 each--toward the celebration sponsored by the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce.

Other South County city councils have also agreed to donate money, but those donations will come from city coffers. Two of the cities--Laguna Niguel and Dana Point--will donate $3,000 each, while the San Clemente council allocated “up to $5,000 in in-kind funds,” including services such as police and cleanup crews, a chamber representative said. The Mission Viejo City Council will vote Monday on a $3,000 donation.

The celebration will include a parade down Avenida del Mar to the San Clemente Pier and will feature Marine Corps and high school marching bands, plus 500 marching Marines. A barbecue will be offered for Marines and their families, while local service clubs will operate food and drink booths, with profits going to their groups.