Loving thoughts for Valentine’s Day Wise people...

Loving thoughts for Valentine’s Day

Wise people of long ago said that the stars in the night sky are

the great lovers of old. So when you find someone to love, love them

with all your heart and soul. So when you both depart this life, you

will blast out into the beautiful universe and we of this world will

see you both forever. So remember that this world is a beautiful

place to be when you are in love.

Blessings to you all. May love fill your soul with joy and may you

both love and love forever.

BRIAN VINE

Newport Beach

Light rails create a heavy burden

Show me a suburban community in this country that has an

economically viable light rail system, and I might change my mind

about CenterLine. Today’s suburban communities were planned (I use

the word loosely) around the automobile and by extension, public

transportation by bus. Every light rail project I am aware of has not

met the ridership projected during the planning stages by its

proponents. Estimates of construction costs have always been

exceeded, and revenue has never been able to make up this shortfall.

Only in an urban area, where a great many people work in a “downtown”

area, can a light rail work. In a suburban environment, not enough

people are going from or to the same place. To build a line that will

be less than 10 miles long will go from nowhere to nowhere.

As is typical of their leadership (again, I use that word

loosely), the Costa Mesa City Council has again missed the target.

They have not considered the position of the citizens of Costa Mesa

in forming their position on this pending boondoggle. Nor have they

considered the cost to all residents in the form of increased sales

tax. The impact on businesses by construction of this project will

result in disrupted business and lost revenue. An increase in county

sales tax will drive more customers to neighboring counties,

especially for big-ticket items such as autos, boats, furniture and

major appliances. We should be looking for ways to reduce county

sales tax, not increase it.

If the transportation bureaucrats want to spend money, why don’t

they develop a “green” light bus system that is flexible to the needs

of a changing community? They could be on the cutting edge of hybrid-

or hydrogen-powered technology, and lead the nation in the 21st

century in public transportation.

I urge all the intelligent, thinking, rational citizens to make

their position on this joke known to the Costa Mesa City Council. If

you’re a border-line lunatic, like some members of the council, don’t

bother.

R.W. JOHNSON

Costa Mesa

Council members should be civil

Tuesday’s Newport Beach City Council meeting had to be an all time

low as it pertains to civility by certain members of the City

Council. The residents of Newport Beach have an inalienable right,

both legally and morally, to attend City Council meetings and have

their voices heard. This right is the cornerstone of the

representative government that we, as Americans, cherish.

It was with great disappointment, then, that I witnessed the rude

and condescending behavior by members of the council, directed to

speakers with whom they took issue with. Weren’t these the same folks

who, while campaigning for our votes and dollars, always promise to

have an open ear to their constituents?

Admittedly, being a council member isn’t always easy. But it’s

like that old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say

anything at all.” If the council members can’t be civil to the

speakers then they should get out and let some other deserving

individuals take their place.

It is a poor representation of our city government when a council

member waits until a resident sits down, and is unable to defend his

or herself, and then rants and raves, in a tirade with a personal

attack on that individual. It sure doesn’t make you want to jump up

and run to be heard. Who needs that abuse? C’mon boys, if you can’t

be civil and can’t take the heat, get out because you are

embarrassing us with your boorish behavior.

MICHELLE TRAIL

Newport Beach