FOCUS: ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY NEWS : LAGUNA WOODS

The board governing Leisure World’s co-ops will meet today to discuss how to fight a proposed increase in its residents’ monthly dues. Last week, the United Laguna Hills Mutual board approved its own separate budget, which noticeably excluded a $5-per-resident raise in fees proposed by the Golden Rain Foundation, the group that manages Leisure World’s amenities.

The raise in dues would cover an extensive building project, said Bob Ring, Golden Rain Foundation president, in an interview last week. Golden Rain, which includes representatives from all of Leisure World’s homeowners groups, doesn’t need United’s approval to pass its budget. But United plans to vote against the Golden Rain budget anyway, said board member John Lathrop.

“It’s a stronger statement,” Lathrop said. “We believe that it will make them consider coming to the negotiating table to work out a compromise.”