Mailbag - Feb. 14, 2002

I have to say it was quite a surprise to read that Ron Davis resigned

from writing his weekly column. Although I certainly respect his decision

and completely understand the circumstances, I must say that I’ll miss

his column greatly. Honestly.

Of all the “local columnists,” Davis not only has what I believe to be

the best writing style, he is creative, imaginative, and writes about the

issues. I never came away feeling that he “bashed” someone personally.

Instead, he chose to tackle the heart of an issue and not the

personality behind it. I deeply respect him for that and I further

believe the community as a whole will be the loser when he is no longer

writing.

BOB BIDDLE

Former Huntington Beach resident

Ron’s gone? Bring him back.

Regrettably, I read Ron Davis’ farewell column. Through the past

several years I’ve read the Independent, primarily because of Ron’s

column. While I haven’t agreed with all of his opinions, I came to trust

him as a source of information and perspective and looked forward to his

humor and insight. Having been an active resident in Huntington Beach for

more than eight years, I am very much aware of the quality of former and

current columnists of the Independent, as well as the other paper in

town. Ron is far and away the best.

I join many of your readers in thanking Ron for his often

entertaining, always informative column and urge the Independent to find

a way to bring him back.

LOU BAKER

Huntington Beach

Davis still has things to say, though

If Diane Lenning was just another reader off the street, who penned a

letter to the editor, I wouldn’t comment. But Lenning’s more than that.

She ran for a City Council seat in 1998 and again in 2000. She also

applied for appointment to the City Council, and told me that she intends

to run for that office next November.

In her letter, Lenning questions why I received three out of six votes

for appointment to the vacated city council seat, noting, “but why vote

for Ron Davis, who has reportedly done no community service [her grammar

not mine], served his career in Long Beach, [and] gains a following

through writing a column.”

I think it is important that future candidates exhibit some basic

knowledge. It is certainly no sin not to know something. But, in my mind,

it is a sin to make no effort to research a subject, and then shoot off

your mouth.

Diane doesn’t personally know of my involvement in the community,

because she escapes to the comfort of the woodwork after every election,

only to resurface with the acumen and frequency of Punxsutawney Phil on

Groundhog Day.

Had Lenning been involved in our community she would have seen my

involvement with the infrastructure, Downtown, communications and myriad

other committees and activities. This information isn’t offered to show

how involved I’ve been, but how uninvolved she’s been.

Lenning implies that I shouldn’t have received support by virtue of

being a columnist. What those who voted for me may have considered and

she failed to consider is that 130 written opinions over a three-year

period required me to research issues, read documents and talk to people.

In short, my work as a columnist required me to be conversant on the

issues affecting Huntington Beach by researching them.

Lenning touts herself as an able servant of the people, but her letter

demonstrates her unwillingness to undertake even a minimal amount of

research before expressing an opinion.

If she wanted to know why three council members voted for me, she

could have asked them. Had she wanted to learn more about my community

involvement, she could have read the application I filed for the

appointment. She could have even asked me. Had she have done so, she

would have learned that I have never worked in Long Beach, and indeed,

she would have learned that I was a prosecutor with the Orange County

District Attorney’s office, practiced law in Orange County for the last

30 years, and during the last six years or so, from an office in

Huntington Beach.

Diane Lenning’s letter demonstrates two things: Her real lack of

involvement in the community, and, her inability to eliminate her

self-imposed confusion by conducting even a meager level of research or

investigation. And these qualities aren’t the qualities I look for in my

elected officials.

RON DAVIS

Huntington Beach

Why ruin a good thing?

Well, every once in a while, we need to revisit our common sense

understanding. The fact that we have a place for lots of people to sit

and enjoy the fireworks show, the fact that we have had all these safe

experiences at the high school and the fact that the beach is a beautiful

place that everyone can enjoy for a full eight miles of freedom on a day

when we have restrictions all over town, could be reasons to question our

intelligence, but I don’t think so. The high school is the best place we

could ever have for the fireworks, so what is the problem?

RICK BUTZEK

Back to the beach we go . . .

I would like to see the fireworks in Huntington Beach move back to the

beach.

PAUL BERNADOU

Huntington Beach

My husband and I, we would love to see the fireworks return to

Huntington Beach instead of paying over at the high school -- we’ve

always thought that was unfair. It would be so fun to sit on the beach

and watch the fireworks.

CORINNE BURTON

Huntington Beach

I’m calling in regards to the question should the Fourth of July

fireworks move back to the beach. My opinion is yes fireworks off the

pier on the fourth -- what an ingenious idea -- where we can all enjoy a

good ol’ time, a sense of community and room for everyone. What a good

idea.

CHARLENE REED

Huntington Beach

Should the fireworks be moved back to the beach -- yes.

Yes move the fireworks.

BOB STUART

Huntington Beach

My bill doesn’t go to far

Bill Orton’s letter in the Feb. 7 Independent called one of my

recently introduced Assembly Bills, AB 1797, “too heavy handed.” He’s

wrong.

This much needed legislation will provide clear and consistent

guidance to public officials once they determine that they have a

conflict of interest and will give the public full disclosure of

politicians’ financial interests. It also requires those with conflicts

of interest not merely to abstain from voting, but to leave the room and

avoid discussion of the issue to avoid undue influence on their

colleagues.

The beneficiaries of this bill will be local officials and the public

at large. The only ones who should be opposed to it are those who hope to

profit by their terms in office. Mr. Orton, who will be my opponent in

the November election, seems to be supportive of former Huntington Beach

Councilman Dave Garofalo, who was convicted of a felony and numerous

misdemeanor conflict of interest violations. One wonders what Orton’s

motivations might be in supporting a convicted felon and opposing

legislation designed to help public officials avoid conflict of interest

violations.

TOM HARMAN

Huntington Beach

State Assembly 67th District