Community Commentary -- Allan Beek

The Pilot has done us all a favor (Community Forum, Q&A;, Sunday) by

running Tim Strader Sr.’s argument for Measure G: the office tower on the

Nov. 20 ballot. This gives us a taste of the childish tricks that will

enliven the Measure G campaign.

Four examples:

* First, when Strader argues for a “yes,” he says he is “educating the

voters.” But when we argue for a “no,” he says we “want to tell the

voters what they should do.”

* Second, he describes the “project as the logical evolution for a

long-term master-planned (development) commenced in 1972.” What he does

not mention is that Measure G would scrap that long-term master plan and

replace it with a piecemeal process, which lets Koll make more money (and

produce more traffic).

* Third, Strader pleads that traffic from “this one little project on

this corner” is “insignificant.” If true, this means that the traffic

from every little 10-story office tower is insignificant. Let’s have cute

little 10-story office towers on every corner in town. All the traffic

will be insignificant.

* Fourth, Strader describes Measure G as “Greenlight-friendly,” and

the ballot argument for Measure G says a “yes” vote is “supporting

Greenlight.” The argument is signed by four people who gave no money to

support the Greenlight effort, yet they call themselves the “Greenlight

Implementation Committee.”

Clearly, this will be an entertaining campaign.

* ALLAN BEEK is a Newport Beach resident and Greenlight supporter.