Put plans for new civic center up...

Put plans for new civic center up for a vote

What better way to quantify dissent or concurrence than to have an

election on the financing for a new civic center?

ED VAN DEN BOSSCHE

Newport Beach

A vote would, of course, come up no

It would be interesting to find out many residents of Newport

Beach even know where City Hall is. The only exception are

contractors, real estate agents and those who want to hear the

council’s decisions on specific issues, such as the St. Andrew’s

expansion.

It is really hard to do business with some of the departments, as

they have small, cramped quarters to do their work. Why don’t we

leave the final decision on redoing City Hall up to those we have

elected as our representative? It is obvious to me that a citywide

election would come up with a no on doing anything with the City

Hall. I have worked in many cities in Southern California that are

not considered as wealthy as Newport Beach, and they have city halls

that are outstanding and modern.

ROBERT L. WHITE

Newport Beach

Editorial shows Pilot’s misunderstanding

Sunday’s editorial (“Council can do its job”) is both naive and

misleading.

That’s not unusual, considering the paper’s wrong-sided position

on nearly every matter of significance related to growth and

development of our city over the last several years.

Does it say anything about your (and the City Council’s)

understanding of resident wishes when voters repeatedly strike down

proposals you’ve both endorsed by a two-thirds majority? Is there any

message there regarding the confidence of the residents in the

judgment of the council over the last few years? I have difficulty

relating these results to your comments about the “small group of

residents ... [who] hype doomsday scenarios in an effort to get their

way.”

As to being unable to get “dedicated and loyal members onto the

council,” perhaps you’re losing sight of the fact that three of our

council members got there without public involvement. That seems to

be a quite effective way of controlling the situation doesn’t it?

Do you really think that a 73,000--square-foot civic center, plus

a 350-car parking structure and a fire station, which together will

cost at least $100 million, is so insignificant a package that

getting the residents involved ruin “the credibility of such votes

when they truly are needed”? On what sort of more significant issues

do you think a vote will truly be needed?

I can say only that with your ill-chosen hyperbole, you continue

to demonstrate failure to understand the issues and the territory.

JOSEPH F. O’HORA

Newport Beach

Let city make the planning decisions

As one who has on occasion had business at City Hall, I know that

the facilities are woefully inadequate, both the buildings and

parking. As a longtime Newport Beach resident, I trust the City

Council, for whom I voted, to carefully study the options available

and to ultimately select the best one.

Certificates of participation appear to have worked well before,

so I don’t understand the sudden outcry against them. The idea of

having to pay for a costly vote any time the city needs to borrow $3

million is ludicrous, considering that many Newport homes cost more

than that. To me, Newporters for Responsible Government has not

adequately studied the matter and is not acting responsibly. I say

let the City Council go ahead with its planning.

JOHN WALTER KRAUS

Newport Beach

If it looks like a bond and walks like a bond

I’m no financial expert, and I’m confused. If the city charter

requires a two-thirds vote of the residents for approval of a bond

issue, how can our elected officials justify an end run around this

provision for voter approval by using an expensive financial

instrument that walks, quacks and looks like a bond? So our tax bills

won’t increase? Give me a break. City service costs will go up and

quality will go down. After all, money for debt service has to come

from somewhere. Doesn’t that count as a “tax?”

If everyone agrees with Councilman Tod Ridgeway that Newport Beach

deserves a new city hall, the council shouldn’t be afraid of bringing

it to the voters, should it?

Count me as a dissenter.

MARY DEASEY

Balboa Peninsula

Someone voted down growth measures

There must be a lot of “grievance mongers” in our city. They have

defeated the last two ballot measures relating to development

(Measure S and Proposition L) by two-thirds majorities. They’ve also

won a lawsuit blocking the city’s attempt to avoid compliance with

the regulations enacted by Measure S. That doesn’t speak well for the

Tod Ridgeway- and Steve Bromberg-dominated council’s feel for the

community, does it?

Am I airing a “grievance” when I wonder if we should let these

guys, who supposedly are the best informed, make decisions worth $100

million?

Am I mongering when I ask why the city would issue more costly --

by its own admission -- certificates of participation for this

project instead of bonds? Is there any other reason besides being

able to avoid a vote?

I think Mayor John Heffernan understands this and is looking for

public support to send this project back to the drawing boards.

He’s got it.

MAUREEN AHEARN

Newport Beach

Better planning would help the whole city

I am opposed to having the city of Newport Beach spend upwards of

$80 million on a facility that is poorly planned and not needed.

If the council would consider better management of current

facilities, investigate outsourcing city jobs to responsible

contractors, and do a thorough study of alternative available sites,

it would be in the best interest of the taxpayers, not just seven

local people’s narrow view of what’s needed.

PHIL DRACHMAN

Newport Beach