Community Commentary -- Drew Lawler

Should Newport Beach City Council members vote on issues based on what

they think is best for the city or should they vote on issues based on

what the majority of the residents want?

I would argue that the correct answer is the latter. Like it or not,

Greenlight passed and it is now law. But even more than that, Greenlight

was a clear signal that the majority, not all -- but the majority -- of

Newport Beach residents do not want any more large commercial buildings

and hotels built in Newport Beach, and they most certainly do not favor

hotels being built in residential neighborhoods like the proposed

Marinapark hotel on the Peninsula.

Now, as a council member, you may think that this is an unwise

decision; that the City needs revenue growth to pay for the increasing

scope and/or cost of services. And you may be correct in your assessment.

But what the majority of the residents are saying through Greenlight

is that they value less traffic, less noise and less density over

increased services. As a council member, if your views are out of sync

with the majority of the residents, I seriously question whether you

should even serve on the City Council.

Look, as parents we often times override the will of our children and

make decisions that we think are best for them. But the registered voters

of Newport Beach are not children. They are highly educated and, by

almost every measure, highly successful and affluent. They are capable of

understanding the issues and making reasoned judgments on how they would

like to see growth managed in their city.

On the issue of large-scale projects, the majority will of residents

has been clearly voiced through Greenlight; once in passing the measure

and a second time with the recent defeat of the Koll airport project.

What more empirical evidence does the City Council need?

On a national, state and local level, we are a government of majority.

As elected representatives, the City Council should represent the

majority will of the residents. That’s what they were elected to do.

Council members, we appreciate your commitment to serve and the

demands and sacrifices that are placed on your time away from work and

your family. But if you are unwilling to represent the majority will of

the residents, there are probably better ways to spend your Tuesday

evenings.

Drew Lawler is a 43-year resident and native of Newport Beach.