REBUTTAL -- Frank Eisendrath

On Nov. 7, Newport Beach citizens will have the opportunity to vote

yes or no on two measures (S and T). The results will have a profound

effect on the quality of life in our beautiful city.

Measure S (also known as Greenlight) is sponsored by resident

volunteers, whereas Measure T is sponsored by wealthy and powerful

developers.

Measure S would allow voters to approve or disapprove any proposed

major development, which required an amendment (change) to the city’s

zoning plans (commonly known as the general plan). Measure S qualified

for the ballot by obtaining more than 10,000 signatures, all collected by

citizen volunteers.

Measure T was sponsored by developers for the sole purpose of

invalidating that measure.

Another significant difference is that many of the Measure T

signatures were collected by nonresidents who were paid to collect them.

Marion Bergeson, in a paid political ad published in the Daily Pilot,

stated Measure S (if enacted) would force dozens of elections over the

next few years.

The electorate is entitled to know as much factual information as is

available. Bergeson’s statement is grossly misleading, based not only on

Greenlight’s election frequency analysis but also by a second and

independent analysis, requested and paid for by the city of Newport

Beach.

The same Marion Bergeson ad stated that “Measure S abandons

representative government.”

This accusation assumes that the current Newport Beach City Council is

in fact representative government and is therefore acting on behalf of

and for the benefit of the citizens who put them in office. But

representative government means that when citizens’ wishes are

overwhelming, such wishes would prevail over other minority interests,

such as developers.

Do we have representative government today? No. We have

misrepresentative government, as evident by the council’s bias in favor

of the Dunes hotel, and its directive to solicit a bid for a hotel in

Marinapark.

Such a development would uproot the American Legion, a city park,

tennis courts, a Girl Scouts meeting house and a playground. The

citizens’ outcry against both hotels has gone unheeded by the current

City Council.

Citizens’ remedy for nonrepresentative government is twofold: elect

council people whose views unmistakably reflect the wishes of residents;

and secondly, in accordance with California law, give voters the

opportunity to bypass the legislative process by resorting to the

initiative process.

Both remedies are being pursued by the proponents of Measure S.

* FRANK EISENDRATH is a resident of Newport Beach.