MAILBAG - Jan. 20, 2000

‘DISGUSTED’ BY BRIDGE PLAN

I was shocked and disgusted over the plans to build a bridge across

Pacific Coast Highway to the beach from the Waterfront Hilton (“Bridge

over Coast Highway to start construction in April,” Jan. 13).

Why is this allowed to happen? Why do we insist on building on the beach?

It is meant to be kept simple and beautiful.

I am completely against having this bridge built, and I think it should

have been put before the voters as to whether they want this or not,

since it involves our beach.

Why has the Waterfront Hilton been given permission to build this? It

will set a precedent for other businesses to do the same thing, and

Pacific Coast Highway will look like a circus.

It is not aesthetically pleasing. You can put all the sea gulls in the

world in the rendering of this project, and the outlook is still the same

-- destruction of the natural landscape.

I want to see a stop to these plans. It is our city. Let the people

decide before building on the beach.

Anyone else agree?

SUPPORT THE KIDS

We need commercial development at Beach [Boulevard] and Talbert [Avenue]

instead of residential development -- $400,000-plus a year for our kids

is essential to make sure that they are getting the best education

possible in a safe environment.

Today’s students will be our future employers, employees and leaders.

Huntington Beach voters need to give the school district the tools they

need to provide our kids better learning experiences. Say no to Measure I

and yes to our kids.

HUTTON SALARY ‘LUDICROUS’

The 17% salary increase -- $12,000 -- to City Atty. Gail Hutton is

absolutely ludicrous.

In my humble opinion, at $116,000 a year, she was overpaid. After 22

years in the office, it is simply a move by the City Council to increase

her retirement benefits. The City Council is in lock step on this matter

... and Dave Sullivan abstaining because he didn’t want to object because

that would send too strong a message is laughable.

A strong message is exactly what was needed. But then what can you expect

from a scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours philosophy?

WELCOME HOME TICKET

Last week, my wife and I returned from a two-week trailer jaunt out in

the Arizona desert. My joy to be back in Huntington Beach was short lived

when in the afternoon I discovered two citations totaling $64 on my

vehicles that I had unfortunately -- and forgetfully -- left on the

street during street-cleaning day. And it was a very clean street, I

might say (“City doles out 2,297 street-sweep tickets,” Jan. 13).

Having lived on this street for 34 years -- during which time the street

sweepers went around parked cars, and those residents who had parked cars

kept their streets clean even when the street sweeper couldn’t -- I find

it hard to understand why, after all those years, that our city fathers

and mothers are now enforcing such a draconian law when it comes to

street cleaning.

To have a citywide parking ban on street-cleaning day is nothing but

overkill, inconveniencing thousands of Huntington Beach residents -- and

also their visitors -- every day.

Of course, a street-cleaning law is necessary because of those few

citizens who do allow trash to accumulate under their cars. But we elect

our city leaders in the hope that they will treat us fairly and

reasonably in enforcing city laws. The purpose of this law, obviously, is

to deal with those slobs who allow a mess to accumulate in front of their

houses. These are the people who this law is aimed at.

When a police officer on patrol sees a traffic violation, the officer,

reasonably, has been given the option to use his own judgment whether to

cite the offender. Why is it then that the street-cleaning traffic person

following the sweeper methodically cites everyone -- even if the street

under the parked vehicle is squeaky clean?

Citing a forgetful person who leaves his vehicle parked on a reasonably

clean street surely must go far beyond the purpose that the law was

enacted to do -- and definitely out of place in supposedly

resident-friendly Huntington Beach.

Knowing most of the City Council members and knowing them to be

reasonable people, I find it difficult to believe that they approved this

wholesale citing as a revenue-raising measure. Surely the City Council

would be wise to consider a more reasonable citing policy on this problem

before citizen anger toward them gets out of hand.