2 Bond Measures Deserve Approval : * New Library, Land Acquisition Will Benefit Mission Viejo Residents

Local bond measures are rare nowadays, but on Nov. 3 two of them will be before voters in Mission Viejo. Both require a two-thirds vote for passage. And both deserve that approval.

Measure I seeks $5.1 million for construction of a new public library. Space in the city’s present library, the fourth-busiest in the county, is so inadequate that when it acquires a new book, it has to get rid of one to make room for it. At an average cost to taxpayers of less than $1 per month over 20 years, the new library is a worthwhile investment.

Measure J seeks $2 million to acquire a 2.4-acre parcel of open space fronting on El Toro Road to prevent its commercial development. The land is the last link needed to complete a scenic recreation corridor that runs from the mountains to the sea. The cost to voters would be only pennies per month (17 cents for every $100 of assessed valuation) over the bond’s 20-year life, a small price to pay to help preserve an irreplaceable environmental resource.

Mission Viejo voters should also guarantee their say in any decision about a new city hall or civic center by approving Measure L. Passage by a simple majority would require the City Council to put an advisory measure on the ballot before it could solicit bids for a new government building.