Predictions 2001

El Beek rides again

Newport Beach City Hall watchdog and Corona del Mar resident Dan

Purcell imagines the year ahead for Allan Beek as he continues his

slow-growth crusade:

Senor Allan Beek gallops into 2001 and extends his mission to liberate

the masses from the oppression of over-builders and traffic.

This time, he assumes the identity of Zorro and his message is Measure

Z.

In a show of bravado, Beek rides beyond Pueblo Newport, out into the

countryside. Measure Z is countywide. It is Z end to Orange County

traffic, both ground and air.

From his bay-side hacienda, Senor Don Bren organizes a pack of loyal,

well-paid politicos to prepare for battle.

The head politico proposes a strategy to win the fight against Senor

Beek in the final hour with a blitz of propaganda that will fall from the

sky in leaflets that look like dollar bills. Until the final blitz, the

pack will lay in wait.

Meantime, masked and dressed in black, Senor Beek gallops from pueblo

to pueblo on Measure Z, leaving his mark on city leaders, one-by-one. To

be continued...

A power crunch indeed

Fresh off a comfortable election-day victory, Assemblyman John

Campbell (R-Irvine) has turned his energies toward the coming legislative

session in Sacramento.

At the top of the list -- the state’s brewing power crisis.

Along with the usual load of proposed bills, Campbell expects he and

his peers will tackle the deregulation disaster in a special legislative

session.

The session, expected to be called by Gov. Gray Davis in the next few

days, will run concurrently with the regular legislative meetings.

Campbell, an Irvine car dealer, was elected to the 70th District seat

on a platform of lowering taxes, protecting the environment and

encouraging high-tech businesses.

“That’s what fueled a lot of our growth,” Campbell said of the

technology companies, several of which are located in Orange County. “I

don’t want to see us kill the goose that laid the golden egg.”

Campbell said he’d also like to tackle urban runoff issues that have

provided fodder for environmentalists who say the coastline has been

severely impacted.

Right now, the newbie legislator, who replaced term-limited Marilyn

Brewer, is sorting through a stack of proposals. Campbell must submit any

bill requests by Jan. 26.

School opening?

School board member Serene Stokes had two visions of the coming 12

months for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District:

I really think next year is going to be a really good year for our

district. We have really good programs in place.

Oh, I think Newport Coast may open next year. (The latest date for the

opening, which has been repeatedly delayed, is Feb. 26.)

Business developments

The year 2000 was a good year for business in Costa Mesa, with an

expansion at South Coast Plaza and good profit figures overall. And David

J. Kline, president and CEO of Balboa Instruments in Costa Mesa, was

named U.S. Small Business Person of the Year in May.

Ed Fawcett, Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce president and CEO since

1992, sees an even more colorful 2001 to come.

1. Sales via the Internet will be dominated by “brick and mortar”

retailers that also have an Internet presence.

2. Costa Mesa City Council public hearings will average 7.5 hours in

length, seldom finishing before 1 a.m.

3. There will be seven reasonable purchase and/or development offers

for the Pacific Savings building at 19th Street and Newport Boulevard,

all of which will be rejected. The building will remain vacant, but will

be considered as the landing site for the return of Fox Mulder, former

regular of the X-Files.

4. The State of California will again be awash in excess revenue, but

will still not return funds diverted from city and county governments.

5. Gov. Gray Davis will require that all state income tax refunds be

withheld until each taxpayer sends a personal “thank you” note to him so

California taxpayers will realize that the state is giving them their

money back and are appropriately grateful.

And finally...

Gay Wassall-Kelly, the new president of the Balboa Merchant’s Assn.,

gives these 2001 predictions:

They will start dredging the harbor pretty soon or else wheels will be

installed on the ferry.

You will be able to drive out on the Balboa Peninsula and not feel

like you are in the Outback.

Nobody fools with dynamo Dayna Pettit. The Balboa Theater will thrill

Newport Beach this year. Or else.

The 2001 Newport Beach City Council will listen to the people for a

change.

Rupert and Pearl, Newport Harbor’s black swans, will be parents this

year.

John Wayne Airport will spread its noise, traffic and black soot.

To the tune of “California, Here We Come:” El Toro, here we come /

Right to where our flights should come from.

2001 is going to be fun.

My wish is that everyone would donate eight hours this year at a

school, church, animal care center, hospital, etc., just because you are

needed.