Nichols’ words no surprise to Greenlight

June Casagrande

Members of Greenlight’s old guard are divided on how Councilman Dick

Nichols’ comments about Mexicans might affect their cause, but they

agree that Nichols’ comment was, at best, unwise. And they’re not

surprised that Nichols would make such a comment.

“Dick Nichols is my friend, I admire his honesty and his ability.

It’s unfortunate that he puts his foot in his mouth,” said Allan

Beek, who authored the original Greenlight initiative and who, like

Nichols, ran on a Greenlight ticket in the last City Council

election. “I’ve had two meetings with him to tell him to choose his

words more carefully. I had urged Greenlight not to seek Dick

Nichols’ candidacy. They didn’t listen.”

Beek added that opponents of the Greenlight principles of limiting

growth and traffic might use the Nichols’ incident to their

advantage.

Former Mayor Evelyn Hart, also one of the original Greenlight

proponents, said that Nichols’ comment does not and should not

reflect on Greenlight’s core issues.

“I have no idea where he’s coming from with these comments,” Hart

said. “Dick Nichols does not represent Greenlight when he’s talking,

and this is certainly not a Greenlight issue. ... Greenlight is about

traffic and making sure that our street system works. Any council

member that has supported that philosophy, we have supported, and I

would hope that we continue to.”

Former Mayor Jean Watt declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Tom Fuentes, the leader of the Orange County Republican

Party, has joined the list of local political leaders denouncing

Nichols’ comments about Mexicans and calling for action.

“This is a tragic and appalling circumstance,” said Fuentes,

chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. “I believe that an

apology is in order and that if a suitable apology is not immediately

rendered, I suspect that the direction of the gentleman’s colleagues

will move forward among the people of Newport Beach.”

Some of Nichols’ colleagues have called for him to resign his

council position as a result of the comment.

The party branch is not in the position to strip Nichols of any

privileges because, though Nichols has a long history of activism

within the Republican Party, the party does not endorse candidates or

office holders in nonpartisan elections, Fuentes said.

Fuentes added that Nichols’ comment does not reflect the position

of the party.

“There is nothing that is partisan about this kind of

controversy,” Fuentes said, adding that he had three Mexican

grandparents and that he owns several homes in Newport Beach. “It is

an unbelievable comment by an individual, but the party has no

relationship to this controversy whatsoever.”

Mayor Steve Bromberg and other Newport Beach councilmen are

calling for Nichols’ resignation in wake of a statement Nichols made

in a Daily Pilot telephone interview on Tuesday.

While discussing various aspects of proposed improvements at

Corona del Mar State Beach, Nichols said he opposed expanding grassy

areas there because “with grass, we usually get Mexicans coming in

there early in the morning, and they claim it as theirs, and it

becomes their personal, private grounds all day.”

Nichols claims that this comment was taken out of context. He

maintains that it is a defensible statement.

Corona del Mar State Beach is a public beach owned by the state

and managed and maintained by the city.

Beek, Watt and Hart were among the original proponents of the

Greenlight initiative, which voters approved in November 2000. The

initiative requires voter approval of projects that significantly

exceed general plan guidelines.

After passage of the measure, Beek distanced himself from the

cause because he felt its work was done. Others continued under the

name of the Greenlight Committee as a citizen group to oppose some

developments and other factors that affect traffic.

Beek rejoined the cause in November 2002 as part of a slate of

council candidates. Of the four Greenlight candidates in the 2002

election, Nichols was the only one to win a council seat. Phil Arst

acts as spokesman for the group. Arst has denounced the comment.

In his time on the council, Nichols has drawn criticism several

times for poorly chosen words. Last month, he suggested that a

Planning Commission decision was so wrong that it appeared someone

had taken a bribe.

“I can’t say I’m surprised this happened,” Hart said.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

[email protected].