Mailbag - April 17, 2001

Businesses must be given priority over sculpture garden

This is in regards to Councilwoman Linda Dixon’s Community Commentary

(“Public art needs protection,” April 12).

Dixon stated, “It is my desire to protect public art to the maximum

extent possible.”

It is nice to know that Dixon’s main focus is art rather than what is

in the best interest of the city of Costa Mesa. I think that it is about

time that Dixon realizes that the majority of Costa Mesa residents do not

care about the Noguchi sculpture garden, also known as “California

Scenario.”

Dixon is sending a message to the business community stating that

Costa Mesa is going to make it as hard as possible for your company to

conduct business within the city limits. Eventually, the business

community will grow tired of dealing with our anti-business city council

and turn to other cities to operate their business.

Councilmen Gary Monahan and Chris Steel have been doing their best to

assist the business community. Unfortunately, they are the minority vote.

The city of Costa Mesa needs leadership that Dixon cannot and will not

provide. Dixon needs to cast aside her own personal agendas and do what

is in the best interest of the entire Costa Mesa community. Dixon needs

to remember why she was elected to office.

RICK RODGERS

Costa Mesa

Editor’s note: Rick Rodgers was defeated in a bid for a council seat

in the last election.

Residents don’t welcome Costa Mesa’s desire to annex them

On April 2, the Costa Mesa City Council demonstrated its understanding

of representative government. In a 3-2 vote, (“City seeks to annex

island,” April 3) the council majority disregarded overwhelming

opposition to the annexation of the Santa Ana Heights community and

refused to release this neighborhood from its sphere of influence.

Dozens of residents spoke or showed support for the release (Monahan

stated over 90% oppose annexation by Costa Mesa), petitions have been

filed with the Local Agency Formation Commission for release, and

residents have clearly stated they will petition the local agency to

force a vote to block the annexation.

This input was ignored. The City Council majority obviously feels no

need to listen to the people directly affected by its actions. If

residents in the disputed areas needed another reason to oppose

annexation, the council’s arrogance and insulting disregard for public

opinion should be the determining factor.

MIKE MCDONOUGH

Santa Ana Heights

Spread the donated wealth to all schools

I liked your editorial (“Generosity should extend districtwide,” April

8) suggesting that generosity, on the part of parents, should extend

districtwide.

I would prefer that any contributions from parents to make up for

shortages in the district budget would extend to all schools in the

district. But that is not likely to happen.

So your suggestion that a portion of the contributions be kept at the

donor school, and the balance be sent to the other schools where such

financial help is not available is a good compromise.

James F. Helfrich (“Generosity should be encouraged,” April 12) is a

bit behind the times. Yes, property taxes are collected from all

homeowners, but since Proposition 13 passed in the 1970s, there has not

been enough collected in taxes to support the basic needs of our schools.

Since that time, parents’ groups of all kinds have put on fund-raisers

designed to benefit the individual schools their children attend.

Pre-Propostion 13, this was unheard of. All money collected in taxes was

sent to the school board, which had the responsibility of deciding where

the needs were.

These are different times indeed. But the needs of all our children

haven’t changed. Spread the wealth around, and we’ll all be better off.

DOROTHY A. YOUNG

Costa Mesa

Irvine Co. chairman remains consistent with his own home

Regarding “An island unto itself” on April 7: Big surprise. The first

task of Irvine Co. Chairman Donald Bren, the guy most responsible for

devastating the hillsides between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar, is to

clear a grove of 70-year-old trees at his new compound.

At least he’s consistent.

ROGER KEMPLER

Laguna Beach