Editorial

Followng an Election Day that is being called “historic,” “incredible’

and “amazing,” Costa Mesa voters did their part to provide some shocking

results in their own City Hall.

The biggest is the election of perennial candidate Chris Steel.

Steel ran against the city’s plans for the West Side, against

maintaining the social service programs that exist there, against the

city’s job center. He believes U.S. citizenship should be required to

receive city-supported services, which would include Share Our Selves,

Save Our Youth and the Shalimar Learning Center.

He talked at length about eliminating city policies that, he claims,

make Costa Mesa a magnet for ‘noncitizens and transients.’

Those positions have us concerned. They are divisive policies at a

time when the community has a number of serious issues -- revitalizing

the West Side, traffic on East 17th Street, plans for Home Ranch -- that

will require careful, united decision-making.

Steel, who also has emphasized that he has remained “consistent” in

his positions, will need to learn that compromise is more often the key

to getting things done at City Hall than stridently sticking to fervent,

even extreme stances.

Steel is just one vote, but he could be a very loud voice that divides

this community.

The other shock was the apparent narrow defeat of incumbent Heather

Somers, who trails Karen Robinson by 100 votes, though there still are

some absentee ballots to count.

Robinson, much like Somers before her election four years ago, has

been a strong community voice at council meetings. Robinson has the fire

and the knowledge from her job as an attorney for the California State

University to handle the intricacies of the council.

She voices strong support of residents and their concerns, a trait

needed on the council. Like Steel, she will have to learn to balance her

stances to do what’s best for the city.

Speaking to the Pilot, Robinson said one of the things that attracted

her to Costa Mesa was that it was a town where she felt comfortable

asking her neighbors to look after her house while she was vacationing.

Her neighbors now have asked her to look after the city for them. We

trust their faith has been well placed.

It wasn’t a clean sweep of incumbents, we should point out.

With Libby Cowan’s reelection, the council will still have her strong

leadership abilities to count on.

The Pilot endorsed Cowan because of her ability to work as a team

player and because of her experience.

Reflecting on Tuesday’s results, both of those assets seem even more

important than ever now.