Editorial

It’s not easy being a politician these days.

No matter how much work they do, no matter how many good causes they

champion, the public often paints them all with the same broad brush of

distrust and scorn.

Still, while polls often show that Americans hold politicians in

contempt, the same often doesn’t apply to their own elected officials.

They believe their man or woman does a fine job, it’s the others who have

problems.

We tend to agree.

And that’s why we want to say thanks. Thanks to Huntington Beach

Councilmen Dave Sullivan and Tom Harman. Thanks to Ocean View school

board members Peg Edey and Linda Kovach. Thanks to GOP Assemblyman Scott

Baugh.

Baugh, who was elected to office in swirl of controversy, wound up

becoming not only the Assembly’s minority leader, but one of the most

respected lawmakers in the state both by members of his own party as well

as the Democrats. He has served his constituents well.

Edey and Kovach helped lead the Ocean View School District through

tumultous times, most notably the bruising battle to build a Wal-Mart at

the closed Crestview school site. They too have done a good job.

Finally, thanks go out to Harman and Sullivan. Both have stuck to

their principles and fought for what they believe in, even when it was

politically unpopular. It paid off for Harman who has been elected to the

Assembly seat being vacated by Baugh.

Sullivan, though, has been especially admirable. Rising up from the

ranks of Huntington Beach Tomorrow activism, the councilman was fresh off

the victory of the anti-growth Measure C initiative, when he decided to

take on a different cause -- government employees artificially boosting

their salaries at the end of their careers in order to get fatter

retirement checks.

Sullivan railed about the practice, known as salary spiking, taking on

none other than former Councilman and Police Chief Earl Robitaille at

council meetings.

Robitaille, labeled by state officials as a salary spiking offender,

squared off with Sullivan often but the councilman never was intimidated

by the blustery former lawman.

He went on to be elected twice, serving his first two years next to

Robitaille on the dais. Sullivan is appreciated for approaching his job

with a conversative flair for fiscal accountability and an eye for

preserving the residential quality of life, battling to save the Bolsa

Chica from development. His efforts are appreciated by many.

To them all we owe a debt of gratitude.

Thanks for not being like those other politicians.

Thanks for remembering just who you were elected to serve.