On the Fourth of July, you can...

On the Fourth of July, you can not go home again

In all the rhetoric that has gone back and forth about the Fourth

of July in West Newport this year, the one thing I have never heard

mentioned is the impact the closing and fencing of streets in the

affected area has on the owner/resident.

My husband and I fall under this category, and if we choose to

leave our home to avoid the parties, etc., we must leave shortly

after noon on the Fourth and are unable to return to our home until

the following day. In the past, we have done so several times and

have had to rent a hotel room each time at our own expense. I do

think this is against our civil rights as law-abiding, taxpaying

property owners.

As an owner/resident, I would be interested in knowing what gives

the city of Newport Beach the right to stop me from returning home in

my car at any time I choose.

PATRICIA BABINEAU

West Newport

Let’s make Irvine Avenue signs more visible

Why don’t we try putting the speed limit signs on the pavement

instead of the small roadside signs on Irvine Avenue? People seem to

see those a lot better.

JACK PERKINS

Costa Mesa

Tax cuts touted by Rep Chris Cox are a misguided wreck

Once again Rep. Chris Cox cannot help himself (“The Political

Landscape,” Thursday). He is again touting the big lie of this lying

administration. The previous, staggering tax-cut did nothing except

lose the nation another couple of million jobs, further deflate the

economy, enrich a lot of the already-rich and cause terrifying

deficits. But we are assured that, for sure, this one really will

create jobs and help all manner of average Americans. Yeah right. Cox

dares to claim that this latest cut will benefit seniors, while

ignoring the monthly double-taxation of pathetic Social Security

benefits. Anyone who has read anything about President Bush’s

financial history, prior to his appointment to the presidency, would

not trust him to recommend a best-buy in laundry detergents, much

less shape the economic destiny of the U.S. for decades to come.

The rubber-stamp Republicans in Congress, like Cox, are doing the

nation a huge disservice and even the fairly oblivious American

electorate cannot fail to take notice eventually. Once more

Republicans are shoveling money at the richest Americans while

calling it the deficit. Guess who is saddled with paying-down

deficits? The beleaguered middle-classes.

I hope that everyone read the editorial comments on this latest

tax-cut debacle in Thursday’s Los Angeles Times. Trickle-down

economics didn’t work for America under Reagan and they most

certainly are not working for America under Bush.

WALLACE WOOD

Costa Mesa

If not here then just where does the buck stop?

I am calling in response to Paul James Baldwin’s Community

Commentary in the forum (“The buck doesn’t stop here,” May 6). It is

a joke, I’m hoping. I am hoping the whole thing is a joke, because

this is the mentality that we see too often in the Newport Beach area

of “hey, somebody gets hurt, I sue somebody else instead of taking

responsibility myself.”

It has got to be a joke.

MARY LAVELLE

Corona del Mar

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Baldwin’s commentary was reacting against the

“mentality” mentioned above.

Many more deserve honor for KOCE success

I was surprised that in B.W. Cook’s article, “Honoring KOCE’s

contributions,” only slight reference was made to the presence of

Norman Watson in the “distinguished crowd of some 500 citizens” who

had come together to pay tribute to the 30 years of community

services provided by KOCE.” Actually, there would have been no public

television station had it not been for Watson’s vision as chancellor

of the Coast Community College District to bring this station into

his district’s academic fold.

Although the KOCE-TV Foundation, along with pledge drives, has

provided a sizable portion of is operating budget, by far the

greatest money has come from general funds that have been allocated

by the governing board of the district. Since the television station

has been a component part of the educational services provided by the

district, KOCE-TV has been able to survive a number of funding crises

over the years, largely due to the generosity of the tax-paying

public.

Cook’s article could also have given members of the public their

justified recognition for 30 years of their contributions.

LEFTERIS LAVRAKAS

Costa Mesa