Annexation could face vote

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- Newport Coast residents who oppose a plan to annex

their community into the city will soon get a brief window of opportunity

to speak up. Those who don’t clearly say “no” will be counted as

supporters.

On the heels of Wednesday’s unanimous decision by the Local Agency

Formation Commission to move the annexation process forward, the final

phase of the approval process will give the 2,600 or so residents 30 days

to object, or forever hold their peace.

If more than half of the registered voters living in Newport Coast

officially protest, the annexation plan, in essence, dies. If more than a

quarter but less than half protest, the matter will be decided by an

election. If three-quarters or more remain silent, annexation is

basically a done deal.

The commission has not yet determined when that 30-day period will

begin, but a representative said officials will announce the date once it

is set.

Allan Beek, a chief opponent of the annexation approval process, said

that residents inside Newport Beach’s city limits should get more voice

in the matter.

“It has never been put to the Newport Beach residents as a question,”

said Beek, also a leader of the successful push to make the Greenlight

slow-growth measure into a law. “This has been my concern all along, and

it remains a concern.”

City officials have denied Beek’s request to put the annexation issue

on the ballot in November’s upcoming election.

The city’s biggest challenge now is to educate Newport Coast residents

about the plan, said Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff.

“There’s some misinformation out there that we need to dispel,” Kiff

said. “There’s some natural skepticism that people think we’re doing it

for the taxes. But we can’t raise taxes without their approval.”

He noted that 95% of the property taxes paid by homeowners in the

unincorporated area of the county will continue to go to the same places

-- mainly county bodies, such as schools, community college districts and

for county-contracted services such as pest control.

The other 5% -- which today goes to the Orange County Library

District, the Orange County Fire Authority and the Orange County general

fund -- will go to the city of Newport Beach, according to a statement

issued by Kiff. Those tax dollars, he said, will be used primarily to

provide services now being provided by the county, such as garbage

collection.

Kiff also said some Newport Coast residents are under the

misconception that their addresses will change. Not so, he said.

Addresses there will still be “Newport Coast, 92657.”

But for some residents, these assurances fall short of assuaging their

fears. Some have voiced concerns that the annexation could bolster

opponents of an airport at El Toro. Others say that, regardless of

whether the annexation takes place, the democratic process has been

compromised.

“Why not have sent out a flier with the water bill to the residents of

Newport Beach to say, ‘What do you think about this?’ If they would have

done something like this, I would have felt better,” Newport Beach

resident Judy Brosener said.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .