November is not that far off anymore

Geoff West

With just about three quarters of a year to go until the November

elections, it’s not too early to begin thinking about what this

particular election will mean to Costa Mesa. Since this fall’s

elections will provide us an opportunity to elect a new majority on

our City Council, it’s also not too early to think about the issues

and to begin considering the possible candidates -- and begin to size

them up.

So, what are the issues that will face this city for the next

decade -- the likely time period in which those three newly elected

council persons will exercise influence over the course of our

community?

Well, right at the top has to be -- or perhaps I should say,

continues to be -- the future of the Westside. For years, this has

been the topic of study after study, and except for some superficial

but necessary infrastructure improvements in a small portion of that

area, there has been no real plan developed.

Critical to the future of this part of our town must be the

burgeoning Spanish-speaking population. At the time of our last

elections, it was estimated by some that this demographic group

represented a large segment of the Westside population, yet I have

seen no plan put forward that includes even an acknowledgment of

their existence. It has been obvious for some time that there are

those in our city with a solution to that situation: the ejection of

this particular demographic group from the city’s borders. They would

accomplish this by shutting down portions of the support system

available to them -- the Job Center and charities, for example -- in

hopes that such action would discourage them from settling in our

city. I don’t know if this is reasonable or realistic, but I do know

that it sure doesn’t feel right.

High on the list of priorities in our city must be the exercise of

some foresight and vision when it comes to development. Since we are

virtually out of large parcels of land, future development will

likely come piecemeal, a few lots at a time. We need leaders in place

who will ensure, through well-conceived, consistent land use policies

and adherence to local codes, that our city doesn’t become a

hodgepodge of strip malls and soon-to-be ghettos. Our policies should

be developer-friendly and yet not give away the store simply for the

sake of development. We literally cannot afford another 1901 Newport

Plaza debacle.

There are many other issues facing our city as the clock continues

to tick away. The ones listed above and others will require strong,

dedicated, competent leaders in our community. We now have the

opportunity to lure the right group of candidates to the ballot --

those with the intellect, energy and foresight to manage the city’s

affairs for the next decade. We cannot afford to elect those with a

narrow focus, seeking to serve only a small, but vocal, segment of

the population of this city. We must recognize past mistakes and not

make them again. Recent history has shown us that simple tenacity

alone does not prepare a candidate for public office. An elected

official must be ready, willing and able to make the personal

sacrifices necessary -- and do the homework required -- to provide

leadership in this town.

As the candidates begin to surface this year we need to do our

best to educate ourselves about them. We need to pay attention to not

only their words, but their actions. This is even more important than

in previous years because each elected council member now has

virtually carte blanche when it comes to appointing members to the

Planning and Parks and Recreation commissions. As a result, we elect

not only three council people, but six commissioners, too. This

potential new super-power base could change this community forever.

The system has become much less forgiving than in years past, when

the inadvertent election of an incompetent, misguided or lazy council

person could be “managed” by the rest of the council. If we make a

mistake this time around, we all will pay the price -- perhaps very

painfully.

We cannot afford to elect well-intentioned but ill-prepared people

this time around. We cannot afford to elect people more concerned

with the frills and ceremonial aspects of public office than the nuts

and bolts of actually getting things done. The issues facing this

city will require leaders of strong character, limitless energy,

intellectual maturity and very broad shoulders, as we ask them to

grab the helm for our trip into the vast unknown of our future. Some

of those candidates might plan to use a position on our City Council

as a stepping stone to higher office. To that I say, “Good for them!”

I would much prefer an energized, competent candidate who is looking

forward than one who is unrealistically trying to return this city to

the days of Goat Hill.

As we consider the potential candidates this year, we must ask

ourselves, “What brings each of them to the table?” Is it a single

issue that propelled them into action? Is it a true desire to provide

public service to all the citizens of this city? Or, perhaps, is

there a hidden agenda lurking behind the curtain until after the

election is over? This is an uncomfortable question, but one that

does exist in our city. Perhaps we will find a way to pull that

curtain back a little in months to come, so we all can see the real

“wizard” behind them.

So, fellow citizens of Costa Mesa, we launch ourselves once again

into the wonderful world of local politics. This is a leap year, but

I encourage all of you to look before you leap when you enter the

voting booth this fall. Much depends on your decision.

* GEOFF WEST is a Costa Mesa resident.