FLASHREPORT

Funny how not standing for anything in particular until your consultant tells you what to stand for comes back to bite you--sooner than later.

Cassie DeYoung, a councilwoman in Laguna Niguel is running against former Assemblywoman Pat Bates for Orange County's 5th Sup. Dist.  Presumably at the urging of her consultants, she is pushing an anti-tunnel agenda.  A tunnel proposal would link Orange County with the Inland Empire, reducing traffic and pollution on the 91 Freeway and spur economic opportunities between these growing communities.

What is funny and the reason I suggest hers is a consultant driven life, is that it turns out our handy local editorial writer for the Orange County Register, Steve Greenhut discovered that DeYoung voted FOR the tunnel, before she voted against it.

Greenhut writes yesterday in the Orange Punch Blog:

Cassie DeYoung voted to support tunnel in 2003

On Dec. 2, 2003, the Laguna Niguel City Council passed a resolution by a unanimous vote "requesting full consideration of the proposed Tri-Tunnel express project." Councilwoman Cassie DeYoung, who recently sent out a scare-mongering election flyer opposing the "terrible tunnel," voted yes on the resolution.

It stated, in part:

WHEREAS, Orange County's population continues to grow and the continued success of our economy is dependent upon its ability to move people, goods and services; and

WHEREAS, transportation officials in Orange and Riverside county have been discussing ways to alleviate traffic congestion between these two counties; and

WHEREAS, on November 18, 2003, the Laguna Niguel City Council heard a presentation by representatives from the Tri-Tunnel Express nonprofit, educational corporation; ...

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Laguna Niguel City Council does hereby request Orange and Riverside County Transportation agencies to give full consideration to the proposed Tri-Tunnel Express project when reviewing transportation alternatives to alleviate traffic congestion between Orange and Riverside counties" ...