Mailbag - Dec. 16, 1999

AIRPORT AT EL TORO AFFECTS US ALL

As a community, we must move beyond the idea of whether El Toro will

impact Huntington Beach. The real issue is that it will negatively impact

thousands of people, our South County neighbors. If we concern ourselves

only with issues that impact “me,” then we soon become bankrupt as a

society. Isn’t it time we all begin looking at the greater good for our

entire community? There is no doubt that the airport will be an

environmental disaster for South County, and that looks like a disaster

for all of us.

SPEND MONEY WHERE IT’S NEEDED

The Beach Boulevard of the future? I think it’s just disgusting that the

city would spend all this money on cosmetics when we’re living in filth.

We have stagnant water. We have trees that are pulling up our gutters,

sidewalks and streets. They won’t even help us, but they want to do

cosmetics on Beach Boulevard? I think it’s disgusting, and I think the

city is very irresponsible to even do that.

VOTERS DO CARE ABOUT KIDS

Bureaucrats and politicians just don’t get it, and perhaps never will. We

care about kids, deeply, but the real issue is about how public funds are

managed. The district spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the

[school bond] campaign and was prepared to celebrate at a victory party

with flowing champagne. Those district folks and paid consultants sure

know how to demonstrate “caring about the kids,” but I wish they wouldn’t

do it with the kid’s money.

The consultants and district personnel who participated in the campaign

strategy did not present the issue to clearly demonstrate the need and

justification for approving the bond. For example, enlighten us on the

following:

* The schools did not fall apart overnight. In what ways have the budget

and planning process over the past five to 10 years addressed the need

for ongoing maintenance and repairs? If not addressed, why not?

* Is there a meaningful budget review and evaluation process in place?

When there is a budget shortfall, does the ax fall in order of priorities

based on what is in the best interests of students? What portion of the

budget is allocated to the classroom? Or put another way, do expenditures

for administrative and management salaries and operations pass the smell

test?

If the district intends to try again, and the odds are pretty strong that

they will, then take a page from Sgt. Joe Friday of the old “Dragnet” TV

program and give us “just the facts, ma’am.”

‘SURFHENGE’ DESERVES MORE NEWSPRINT

Instead of riling the public over $10,000 or $20,000 being spent on a

Christmas party for city employees, how about informing us a little more

about the $299,500 that is supposedly going to be spent to build a

“Surfhenge” at Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway?

Maybe you can also help us understand why we need to bring artists from

Santa Fe, N.M., to build this “landmark.” Aren’t there any artists in

Orange County? We could probably find some right here in Huntington

Beach.

You’re very busy being sure that the public knows [about] the fact that a

Christmas party had been planned at Huntington Center with lots of

employees bringing food, when, in fact, the city -- or “financially

strapped” city, which is what you seem to like to call it -- is going to

spend almost $300,000 to build, in Pam Julien’s words, a great photo op

for visitors. I think your priorities are a little bit off.

The party has been on your front page now since Nov. 3. You made one

mention of “Surfhenge” and that article did not include any facts. Please

publish some information on the “Big issue.”

DO OUR VOTES COUNT?

We elect our city officials on the strength of their backbone, business

acumen and willingness to put their reputation on the line for the good

of the majority, but we don’t always get what we voted for. One

councilman has aspirations to fill a state Assembly seat and has caved in

to any controversial issue that might affect his ability to achieve

votes. Another is a lame duck and appears to oppose any action that will

reflect benefit on the majority of his colleagues. Our [former] mayor is

a college instructor and acts like one while presiding over the council

meetings. His inability to act like a mayor instead of an instructor has

already caused the city to lose a lawsuit hinged on freedom of speech.

You asked what we, the majority of the city, think about the action of

the council to attempt to kill projects on Pacific Coast Highway and

adjacent beach because some residents have declared the beach [their]

frontyard and backyard. Need you really ask when the benefits of this

project are so great?

Our city is in the throes of NIMBYism during a nationwide economic

bonanza. Do you think the protests of a few influential dissidents should

hold our city back while our neighboring cities are taking advantage of

the present economic trend?

My first reaction to the blocking of this project was disappointment. But

that feeling has festered into one of disgust, but not resignation. It’s

about time the majority of our city wake up and realize that NIMBYism is

going to stagnate our city.

TIP OF SCANDALOUS ICEBERG?

They say that when you buy a fish dinner in New York City, you’re

donating about $2 to the mobsters. They control the docks and the

extortion of restaurant owners. They parcel off territories for baked

goods, vegetables, linens, garbage hauling, parking, everything going in

or out. All that they’re skimming off jacks the prices up about $2 per

meal.

I had a craving for real fresh fried clams, the real ones with the

bellies that can’t be frozen, and enjoyed them at the Long Board in

Downtown Huntington Beach. The parking cost me a $2 donation. It made me

remember the $1,200 permit that the Hot Dog vendor in front of Home Depot

had to get. That’s a lot of dogs. I remembered the $100 I have to pay

every year to the pension spikers and the money previously allocated to

fix the schools. I think my city and school district have been taking

lessons from the mobsters. They know that the power to tax is also the

power to destroy ... freedom.

What they’ve done here instead is destroy our faith in your ability to

govern honestly. They have: stolen from us in misusing previous school

funds, been a co-conspirator by hiding the spiking as Huntington Beach

city debt, abused power by forcing us to sue ourselves in court and fight

our own city attorney to get financial accountability and salary

information.

Instead of propositions for more funds, let’s have one to sue the school

district and the spikers for fraud; tell them that the check’s in the

mail. Why do I feel that these are just the tip of a scandalous iceberg?

This stolen money could have paid for the sports complex and

infrastructure costs.