Pilot picks for Newport races

In choosing who we believe is right to lead the city of Newport

Beach over the next four years, we had to weigh several factors: the

power and experience of incumbency, community involvement, breadth of

knowledge of Newport issues, vision and most of all leadership.

So we tossed those all together and added a little green to the

mix, and here’s what we have come up with:

Tod Ridgeway, Gary Adams, Bernie Svalstad and Allan Beek.

Let’s begin with Ridgeway in District 1.

The current mayor has certainly made his enemies in the

anti-development Greenlight camp, and for that, he has become a

target. Yet it is because of his bold statements that we believe he

speaks with a confidence in his convictions. He knows what it takes

to make a city run well and has proven that over the last four years.

While some may quarrel with his propensity to mince words, there

is little doubt that Ridgeway cares about Newport Beach.

Next up is Adams in District 4.

Questions have arisen whether he has the time to serve, but Adams

answered those to our satisfaction, pointing out that he has always

found ways to prioritize his time. His accomplishments on the

council, specifically his involvement in the general plan update, are

proof of that.

Like Ridgeway, his skills as a politician are top notch and his

experience and knowledge, based on his years as both a councilman and

planning commissioner, will be an immense boon to the city over the

next four years.

That’s not to say we aren’t impressed with his opponent, Rick

Taylor. Taylor, a member of the Airport Working Group, seems to be

running for all the right reasons and we commend him for that.

But for now, it’s hard not to look at Taylor as a one-issue

candidate, whose expertise and knowledge is largely in the area of

airport issues. Still, we think he has a bright future in Newport

politics and we encourage him to stay involved regardless of

November’s outcome.

Next is a tough race in District 6.

Three relatively unknown candidates are vying to succeed Dennis

O’Neil, a strong two-term councilman. Of the three, though, there is

one who clearly is more qualified than the rest, and he is Bernie

Svalstad.

Svalstad is a former councilman for Fountain Valley and a six-year

director of the Orange County Sanitation District. He knows how city

government works. He has spent the last 18 years living in Corona del

Mar raising a family and knows the town well. He has ideas for

solving some of the most nagging problems, such as traffic and water

quality. He will bring a steady hand.

Finally, we come to District 3 and Beek.

This race was difficult for us to decide because we have so much

respect for his opponent, Don Webb. Webb has been a longtime employee

and resident of the city. He is well versed in city issues and, by

his own admission, is well acquainted with every street in town. He

is easy going and well liked by most everyone who meets him.

But Webb’s connection to City Hall posed a problem for us because

of the potential conflicts that could come with his election. How

would Webb vote on personnel issues, especially if it was a former

co-worker or even a former boss? How would Webb vote on salary

negotiations or city cutbacks? Would he vote with the taxpayers in

mind, or his former colleagues?

Either he would have to recuse himself, or risk the scrutiny that

would come with his vote.

We feel that’s not what the city needs right now. Instead, we

would encourage Webb to find another outlet to serve the city other

than on the council.

Regardless of that, the choice of Beek is hard to ignore.

The son of city pioneer Joseph Beek, the founder of the Balboa

Island Ferry, Allan Beek has blazed his own trail in Newport Beach

history that even his detractors admit is impressive.

He successfully led the fight against Newport Center expansion. He

is the father of the Traffic Phasing Ordinance and Greenlight itself

and has long been a champion for the preservation of open space and

the caps at John Wayne. He is a founding member of the environmental

activist group Stop Polluting Our Newport.

He is a brilliant strategist who cares deeply about his hometown.

While some may argue that Beek need not be elected because he has

already changed politics forever with Greenlight and neutralized the

power of the council to decide big development issues, he argues that

there is a litany of smaller, equally important issues that could use

his expertise.

We agree with him and believe that he deserves his time in the

limelight, even one that has a tint of green.