SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Nonprofit Groups Receive $70,000

The City Council last week approved $70,000 in annual gifts of city funds to community nonprofit groups.

The South County Community Clinic and the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce received the highest allocations, $20,000 each. Next highest was $15,000 to the Community Counseling Center.

The chamber was actually granted a total representing 0.65% of the city’s projected sales tax totals, which could grow or shrink depending on the actual tax revenues. “That’s a positive incentive for both the chamber and the city,” City Councilman Gary L. Hausdorfer said.

The $70,000 total fell far below the $120,815 that had been requested from the city and the $111,000 that was awarded to most of the same groups last year.

City Councilmen Jeff Vasquez and Gil Jones came up with the funding recommendations, a task they agreed was a difficult one.

“It was a really tough choice,” Vasquez said. “Unfortunately, this is a very difficult time for business and government.”

Other groups receiving funds include $4,000 to the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society; $4,000 to South County Senior Services; $2,000 each to the South Orange County Community Services Council and the Capistrano Indian Council, and $500 each to the Capistrano Valley Symphony and the Coast Ballet Theater.

A last-minute plea by representatives of South Orange County Patriots Youth Football won them $1,000 from the council. After a request by Jones, the council also increased its outlay to San Juan Seniors Softball from $500 to $1,000.

Among the groups that were left out of funding was the Decorative Arts Study Center, which had asked for $30,000 and a $40,000 rental waiver. Other groups not granted funding include the Master Chorale of Orange County, the CSP Youth Shelter, the American Red Cross and WE TIP.