Fund-raising more useful than criticisms Councilwoman Elizabeth...

Fund-raising more useful than criticisms

Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson and Councilman Wayne Baglin placed

agenda item 23 on the May 6 City Council meeting -- “Political Action

Committees -- Discussion of local campaign provisions, political

action committees and their role in the recent election.”

Since it is much easier to destroy than to build, instead of other

groups going out and creating a successful fund-raiser, it seemed a

deliberate and mean-spirited attempt to undermine the Village Laguna

Charm House Tour fund-raiser. This was accompanied by efforts to have

the Festival of Arts deny the use of the front of the Irvine Bowl

Park that the tour has used as its starting point for 23 years.

I have been involved as a volunteer in the Charm House tour for

many years, and it is much more than a fund-raiser. It shows off

Laguna Beach, it celebrates Laguna Beach, particularly with a focus

on historic Laguna Charmers. Perhaps thanks to the extraordinary

publicity, this year’s tour was the best yet -- a sell-out by noon,

and a joy to be part of.

It was inappropriate for this agenda item to have been placed

before the City Council. It consumed a tremendous amount of City

Council and citizen time. However, at the end of the agenda item I

was dismayed but appreciative of Pearson’s comments which revealed

the true underling motivation for agenda 23. In her final statement

on this item she said that there is a perception in town that Village

Laguna goes out and raises $35,000 thousand a year through the Charm

House Tour and a lot of people don’t understand that some of the

Charm House Tour money is used to try to elect candidates. Also

there’s a perception that there’s not a level playing field because

of that. People felt that the word should be gotten out and to let

people know that Village Laguna supports some candidates and not

others.

It is easier to tear down than build-up. However, other

politically active groups like the Lincoln Club or the Taxpayers

Assn. who seem to be so envious of Village Laguna’s fund-raising

efforts could create their own fund-raisers. Those funds could then

be used to support their candidates and causes. Surely this would be

a less painful and more productive alternative for everyone concerned

-- those whose valuable time was consumed on the agenda item and

those waiting for it to be completed.

It’s now time to move on and to put an end to using City Council

meeting time for political advantage. It’s time to learn to

appreciate and respect our differences and to place the focus where

it should have been all along -- on working together for the

betterment of our community

JOHANNA FELDER

Laguna Beach

Time to fight tunnels is now

Just about the time when we “Lagunatics” were feeling pretty smug

about the future of our unique village by the defeat of the airport

at the former El Toro Marine Base, another crisis rears its ugly

head.

This time it is the “Three Tunnels.” This crisis is just as big as

the airport was and may be even bigger ... much bigger. We can never

become complacent about what is happening in the areas about us. Who

would have ever thought that happenings in towns 50 or more miles

away, in other counties, would impact Laguna Beach.

If you have ever seen the Riverside Freeway during rush hour, it’s

obvious that something has to be done to relieve that horrible

traffic congestion.

Today, this daily log jam of traffic is bringing some 200,000

vehicles each day into our county (and polluting our air quality).

Add to this situation more than 90,000 new building permits being

issued in Riverside and San Bernardino counties the first three

months of this year, and think of what this freeway (and the toll

road between the San Diegoand Riverside freeways ) will be like when

these building permits become homes with at least two cars each.

Compound this with the continuing issuance of building permits in

these communities at an astonishing rate, and you have a traffic

problem of unimaginable proportions just around the corner. What kind

of tomorrow will we have? We will have a predicted flow of 410,000

vehicles per day into Orange County from the Inland Empire by 2010.

That’s a problem of herculean proportions.

But, to even think that we in Laguna could be even remotely

affected by the problems of the Inland Empire communities seemed so

far fetched. Then Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman dropped the bomb on us

at the last council meeting. The toll road agency may be at it again,

but not with another toll road. Even the widening of the Laguna

Canyon Road by Caltrans had not stirred our suspicions of what kind

of future the agency had in store for us. This time the agency is

considering three tunnels aimed at the toll road and Laguna Beach.

Kinsman sounded the wake up call for Laguna. The gun is loaded

cocked, and is aimed Laguna. We are the target, make no bones about

it. The quaintness and charm that people come here from all over the

nation to enjoy is under attack.

We can’t allow this “monster tunnel” project to destroy our

village in the guise of solving the traffic problems of the Inland

Empire. We have to get organized and in a big hurry. A committee at

large must be formed at once. We need to raise money and to start a

public relations campaign to arouse public awareness and sympathy

throughout the state for what will surely become the death of our

quaint village should the tunnels be built. We need to propose a

viable and economically feasible alternative to the tunnels.

We need to do it in a professional way and this will be costly.

Should we work within or outside of the transportation agency? Let’s

not jump off the deep end pro or anti agency. Let’s continue to

explore our alternatives and study the advantages and disadvantages

of membership.

Every Lagunan should ask “How can I help? And where do I send my

money to fight to preserve our unique village and the quality of life

that we all enjoy?” Let’s get organized and start actively opposing

this project in an intelligent way.

DON KNAPP

Laguna Beach

Plan for low-income housing necessary

My parents moved to Laguna Beach in 1959. I attended both junior

high and high school in Laguna (graduating in 1966). I hold a

master’s degree in fine arts and support myself and my family as an

art instructor and exhibiting artist. In 1979 my wife and I purchased

our home on Locust Street. We still live there.

During the past 30-odd years, I have participated in the Sawdust

Festival and Festival of Arts, and have developed a keen awareness of

the growing disparity of those who can afford to live in Laguna and

those who have been forced to relocate elsewhere because of the lack

of affordable housing here.

In my opinion, there is little consideration for artists, teachers

and seniors who would, if given the opportunity, like to live in

Laguna. As you know, the history of our city is colorful,

environmentally friendly and sociologically diverse. Because of the

high cost of living here, I feel we are in jeopardy of losing the

very people who once added to the unique character of Laguna Beach.

The affordable / workforce housing proposal for the inland portion

of El Morro Village is a wonderful first step in this direction. It

is with this vision in mind that those who cannot otherwise afford to

live in Laguna, will be able to soon. Let’s not lessen the uniqueness

of Laguna Beach by only allowing those who are wealthy to live here.

I support Councilman Steve Dicterow’s El Morro Village motion.

PAT SPARKUHL

Laguna Beach

Thanks for picking up the recyclables

The other day at the post office, I noticed a plastic container

thrown away in the parking lot trash can but decided it was too much

trouble to take it home and put in my recycle barrel.

After I picked up my papers, I came out to see a young man putting

it in his large garbage bag. He quickly traveled on to the trash bins

next door.

I understand that what he was doing is against the law, but I say

more power to him and thanks.

ANDY WING

Laguna Beach

The Coastline Pilot is eager to run your letters. If your letter

does not appear, it may be because of space restrictions, and the

letter will likely appear next week. If you would like to submit a

letter, write to us at P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, CA 92652; fax us

at 494-8979; or send e-mail to coastlinepilot@latimes.com. Please

give your name and include your hometown and phone number, for

verification purposes only.