Look for real reasons for election...
Look for real reasons for election outcome
The elections are over, and the time has come for changes to be
made.
Mayor Linda Dixon lost in her bid for a second term to Allan
Mansoor, a first-time candidate. Both should be pleased with their
campaign efforts and both should take the outcome with dignity.
Unfortunately, it was somewhat disturbing to read in Thursday’s
Daily Pilot that the soon-to-be ex-mayor was quick to place blame
based on silly arguments:
For one thing, she made comments suggesting that somehow Katrina
Foley may have cost her the election by splitting the vote. While
this may have been true on a limited scale, how does that compare
with Gary Monahan splitting votes with both Mansoor and Perkins?
Wouldn’t a three-way split in a two-seat race be worse than a two-way
split? Mansoor and Foley both received a lot of votes because they
both ran intelligent and well-articulated campaigns. I believe
Mansoor’s commitment to putting Costa Mesa first in regard to John
Wayne Airport, traffic and crime garnered him the widespread support
he needed.
Dixon also called the practice of voting for only one person
“unscrupulous.” Well, with her and Foley a “team” and Monahan and
Perkins a “team,” why wouldn’t one expect some people to only cast
one vote for Mansoor. How is that dishonest? Would you expect people
to vote for two candidates just because there are two open slots?
Anyway, I really doubt the practice was that wide-spread.
The voters of Costa Mesa have spoken. We have proved that money,
while a big help in getting a message out, does not always beat the
hard work of active citizens from all corners of our city in electing
our leaders. I urge Dixon to take a cue from how Mansoor and Foley
accepted their outcomes.
They both earned my respect through both their actions and words.
JOEL FARIS
Costa Mesa
* Joel Faris is a former Costa Mesa City Council candidate.
Election brings good news for airport issues
Last March, everything that could possibly go wrong for El Toro
supporters did. Measure W passed, Measure V passed, and Supervisor
Cynthia Coad lost. Then, there was more subsequent bad news in
September, when a judge upheld Measure W.
However, this recent election was a pretty good outcome for El
Toro supporters. For starters, Proposition 51 went down in flames. It
lost in every single county in the state. In Orange County, it lost
very badly 65% to 35%. It looks like people gagged when they actually
saw the price tag for the “tax-free” Great Park that they voted for.
Proposition B passed 60% to 40%. This was despite a pro-airport
statement submitted by “V Plan” creator and Newport Beach resident
Charles Griffith, followed by anti-airport activist and Monarch Beach
resident Len Kranser countering with an editorial and mass e-mail
urging a “No” vote.
Measure B states that no land can be transferred at El Toro until
Base cleanup is complete, which will stop an immediate Irvine land
grab. With the Navy’s horrible past cleanup record with Hunter’s
Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, it’s a good thing this measure
passed.
Maybe people do want to take a look at the V plan. Beforehand, it
was just that this wonderful “tax-free” park sounded so great, until
the voters got the invoice in the form of Proposition 51.
In the past, it was widely believed that being pro-El Toro was
politically risky, while being anti-El Toro was politically
enhancing. Let’s look at the results for pro- and anti-El Toro city
council candidates.
In Costa Mesa, newcomer Allan Mansoor defeated incumbent Linda
Dixon. I guarantee you this upset happened because Dixon refused to
fight for El Toro and protect her constituents from the double threat
of John Wayne and Long Beach expansion. Mansoor came out swinging for
El Toro, and will now provide Costa Mesa the 3-2 majority needed to
fight for El Toro. Attention, Karen Robinson and Lobby Cowan, you had
better take notice, or you will also be toast when you are up for
reelection in 2004.
In addition, the following Orange County Regional Airport
Authority board members were reelected: Council members Lydia Sondhi
of Cypress, Steve Simonian of La Habra, Harry Dotson of Stanton, Jack
Paris of Westminster, and Patsy Marshall of Buena Park. Also, Garden
Grove has been a very strong supporter of El Toro, and all three
incumbents, Bruce Broadwater, William Dalton, and Mark Leyes were
reelected. Finally, Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly has more to celebrate
besides a hometown World Series victory. He was elected to become the
county clerk recorder.
Let’s look at some anti-El Toro candidates. The Great Park
visionary, Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, was re-elected by less than a
mere 54%. So much for any ambitions of higher office. Where’s the
love and gratitude by all those Great Park supporters? Sure, it would
have been nice to see Agran go down in defeat. But, I think it will
be even more torture for him to have to deal with newly elected
councilwoman and longtime adversary Christina Shea! That will sure be
fun to watch.
Over in Mission Viejo, incumbents Susan Withrow and Sherri
Butterfield were badly defeated and will not return. Both were
outspoken El Toro airport opponents, and look how much that helped
them.
As one can see, being pro-El Toro is not so politically risky and
can even be very helpful, as was the case in Costa Mesa. On the other
hand, being anti-El Toro guarantees nobody any loyalty. It looks like
the tide has turned in our favor. We must seize on this and keep the
momentum going.
However, let’s not make the mistake of reviving the flawed and
widely hated county plan, which was inefficient and would send jets
over residential areas. It is high time to take a good look at the V
Plan, which can be a win-win for all and, best of all, not stick us
with a nasty tax bill like Agran and his Great Pork attempted to do
via Proposition 51.
REX RICKS
Huntington Beach
Time to get down to business on Westside
Surprise, surprise. Once again the Westside activists,
underestimated by this writer and much of the remaining populace of
our fair city, have mounted a successful campaign to get their
candidate elected. This time they managed to unseat a popular
incumbent mayor with another untried newcomer -- an astounding feat.
Congratulations to them all for a job well done.
Now the real work begins. Assuming Allan Mansoor’s success in the
election will provide a very different power base on the City
Council, this certainly looks like the time for the Westside
activists to tighten their focus and make some real progress on those
issues they feel are critical to the improvement of their part of
town. We can only hope that Mansoor follows through on his campaign
pledge to work for all the people of Costa Mesa, not just those who
got him elected.
GEOFF WEST
Costa Mesa
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