New method of appointment makes sense

To the winners go the spoils.

That old saying is looking to be truer than ever in Costa Mesa

City Hall now that council members have given themselves the power to

appoint directly their own planning and parks commissioners. Maybe

even more importantly, council members will be able to “fire” their

commissioners if it pleases them.

Opponents, concerned about cronyism and “latch-key” commissioners,

were quick to cry foul last week when the council made the dramatic

change.

“It’s not a bad idea per se, but the implementation and

implications are pretty scary,” said Planning Commissioner Bill

Perkins, who has a stake in just how those appointment are made. “It

causes a lot of hard feelings and makes it very political.”

But that’s exactly what City Hall is -- a political place.

Imagine the president of the United States getting elected and

then having to confer about who the vice president, the chief of

staff or the press secretary will be. Or, even more ludicrous,

imagine the president having to confer before asking someone to

leave.

That isn’t how it works (aside from the back-room politicking, of

course). When voters pick a president, they are picking a leader,

plus all the people that leader appoints. Why should we not expect

the same from our local politicians? We should, for a commission full

of reasons.

First off, the change to direct appointment will solve a nagging

problem in Costa Mesa: disagreement between the Planning Commission

and the City Council. Lately, too much time has been taken up with

re-hearings and overturning votes. Having planners and council

members on the same page will eliminate this -- and if it doesn’t,

then a simple firing will do the job.

The change also will hold council members -- and indirectly,

voters -- more accountable. If a council members’ appointee is doing

a terrible job, it will be easy to point the finger at the right

place. Political heat can be put to council members to make changes

happen. Cronyism, in other words, works in residents’ favor by

bringing the deals out from the back rooms. We’ll know who’s with

whom.

Residents will also have more responsibility when going to the

voting booth. Their votes will not just be for a council member, but

for like-minded commissioners; these “teams” will have increased

power to reshape the political landscape inside City Hall. Three

like-minded council members and their three planning commissioners

will be able to get a lot done during their time in office. As much

as every vote counts now, they will count that much more.

Those worried that too much will get done should feel especially

responsible for the shape of the council and commissions. If you are

concerned about who a council member might bring into City Hall,

think twice about your support. If you don’t like how appointments

have been made, you’ll know whom to call or whom not to vote for next

time around.

It will, after all, be directly apparent to us all.