READERS RESPONDA reasonable group, or not

As 33-year residents of Costa Mesa, we were pleasantly surprised at the large number of present and former leaders of the city who have joined in the Return to Reason coalition to restore pragmatic and constructive government to the city.

While we didn’t always agree with everything they did, we could respect mayors like Arlene Schaeffer, Joe Erickson and Mary Hornbuckle, who were inclusive rather than divisive and consulted with all segments of the city before acting.

We also think it is very significant that the highly respected former police chief, Dave Snowden, is supporting the coalition; clearly he is someone who is in favor of upholding the law ? upholding it in a sensible and effective way.

PAUL and SHERRY EKLOF

Costa Mesa

Upon reading the Daily Pilot article on the Return to Reason group, I was relieved to find out there are at least five or six other people in the city who don’t agree with our Larry, Moe and Curly City Council majority. Hallelujah. I’ve felt pretty lonesome the past several years as even some of my closest friends seem to have gone over to the Dark Side.

It may be in November that the city populace opts to support the current council and their ilk. But I, for one, hope not.

MIKE DUNN

Costa Mesa

I am not surprised by the formation of the group as we are in a campaign year and that always brings division. I can’t say I understand where this group stands on the issues of our city from reading the article. Your article is the first time I heard of such a group. The information regarding what they stand for is vague. I would be interested in publicly hearing what their plan of action will be. We do have problems in our city, but we spend more time looking for who is at fault and not enough time banding together to work as a team toward common goals. Only standing together can we hope to find solutions. We argue about the proposed immigration policy, but what about the large number of sexual predators living in our city near schools. I don’t see articles being written by people concerned about the (sometime large) number of weekly predators placed in our city. How do we protect our children?

I have spoken with many Latinos regarding the proposed immigration policy, and one thing most agree that is not confusing about the policy are the words “illegal felon.” So, agree or disagree on the policy, or parts of the policy, because that is why we live in America. Let’s get all the major issues out on the table (not just one) and see how we as a city can fix them.

Gary Monahan had a good point. If anyone has a plan to fix the issues, now is the time to stand up and be heard.

MIKE BRUMBAUGH

Costa Mesa

Am I surprised that this new Return to Reason group has been formed? Absolutely not. History has shown backers of this group ? Councilwomen Katrina Foley and Linda Dixon ? to be extreme leftist. I am just sitting and waiting for the rest of the circus to begin.

Whose definition of “reason” are they using? Not mine. I am happy with the way the city is running. I am proud that the city is standing up and enforcing laws that have been overlooked for too many years, one example being criminal acts by illegal immigrants. If somebody breaks a law or allegedly breaks a law, their immigration status should be looked at. I don’t understand why this hasn’t been policy all along.

It sounds to me as if Foley and Dixon support criminal activity by illegal immigrants. I do not.

DEBI HANSEN

Costa Mesa

Am I surprised at the formation of the Return to Reason Political Group?

No, I’m not surprised, but I am delighted to learn that so many distinguished Costa Mesa residents are as concerned as I am at the high-handed way Allan Mansoor is running the council meetings. He was quoted as saying: “It’s not how many people are running. It is about who is going to run on the right side of the issue.” Of course, the “right side of the issue” is his side. He needs to replace Monahan with another clone like Eric Bever who will give him his automatic 3--to-2 vote on every important issue. Let’s get two independent thinkers to replace Monahan and Mansoor on the City Council.

BARBARA VYN

Costa Mesa

I’m not surprised at the creation of an organization like Return to Reason.

Ever since the ruling troika of Mayor Allan Mansoor, Councilman Eric Bever and lame duck Councilman Gary Monahan took command of Costa Mesa 18 months ago, they’ve shown themselves to be capricious, devious and flat-out untrustworthy.

The list of their missteps is disappointing and much too long to be repeated in its entirety here. In my view, the two lowest of the low points have been Mansoor’s ill-advised plan to cross-designate all Costa Mesa police officers as immigration screeners, and the scheme he and Parks and Recreation Commission Chairwoman Wendy Leece came up with to destroy 25% of the municipal golf course to make playing fields instead of simply voting to light two more fields at the Farm Sports Complex.

In the first instance, Monahan put forward a modification of the mayor’s draconian plan, which would essentially piggyback the sheriff’s plan and would only involve cross-designation of jailers, detectives and gang unit members. Even so, this is a bad idea that will do no more than our current laws and procedures do to remove dangerous criminals from our streets. Quite the contrary, it would take highly skilled and trained specialized officers and relegate them to administrative minutia following each arrest, trying to determine the immigration status of the arrestee. Every single law enforcement leader in Orange County ? including the two most recent former Costa Mesa police chiefs, Dave Snowden and John Hensley ? understands this and are opposed to the Costa Mesa plan, whichever one is considered.

The Mansoor/Leece scheme to destroy the golf course has angered a wide cross-section of this community. It’s typical of the way Mansoor and his cronies work: They conjure up some harebrained scheme and then are surprised when they are not embraced by the community, only their small knot of supporters.

It’s time to return this city to the hands of mature, professional, reasonable leaders. It’s time to return the leadership to men and women who will listen to the voices of the community and not be swayed by the radical, intolerant few among us. It is, indeed, time for this city to get back on the right path. If the good folks who form the core of Return to Reason can help accomplish that, I will applaud their efforts.

GEOFF WEST

Costa Mesa

I’m not surprised at the Return to Reason campaign group. Many of the people involved in this group were outvoted in what they wanted from the Costa Mesa City Council. Because they didn’t get their way they have formed a political group to put in a candidate that will do what they want. C.J. Segerstrom & Sons took out our ice skating rink and bowling alley in hopes of putting in a Kohl’s Department store. It was voted down. AYSO backed by Katrina Foley wants lights in elementary fields regardless of the neighborhood. It was voted down. So I’m not surprised that they have formed a political group in order to get their own way. This is about special interest groups, not community mindedness.

I will support Mayor Allan Mansoor and parks and recreation commissioner Wendy Leece in the upcoming election. They are the ones who are truly working to improve our neighborhoods.

KATHY ANDERSON

Costa Mesa

Reason? I thought that we were well on our way to “returning to reason.” Just a few of the positive signs that reason, or perhaps common sense, is returning to our landscape are: the passing of the 19 West Urban Plan, Mesa West Bluffs plan, Mesa West Residential Ownership plan and the most publicized plan of all, the SoBeca plan. These plans are for the overall betterment of Costa Mesa. What’s not to like?

Yet another improvement to Costa Mesa was having a blighted area of our city perked up by moving utilities underground and doing reconstruction of roadways. This has resulted in a vastly improved view of an area that had lost its skyline to power poles and wires. But I suppose there are those who will argue that we have now eliminated low-cost housing for all of the pigeons in the area.

I guess the only “surprise” I have is regarding one of the group’s underwriters, C.J Segerstrom & Sons, a name that I have always respected, and which can be credited with much improvement to Costa Mesa in the form of not only a world-class shopping center but the arts. As there really aren’t any quotes from them in this article, I am none the wiser as to why they would support this political action committee?

It appears to this observer that the City Council, and specifically Mayor Allan Mansoor and Councilmen Gary Monahan and Eric Bever, already have our city headed in a “reasonable” and rational direction. Let’s keep the improvement ball rolling along.

Kathleen Eric

Costa Mesa