Community activist or political powerhouse?

STEVE BROMBERG

A couple of weeks ago, the Daily Pilot published a political cartoon

referencing Greenlight’s leader and spokesperson, Phil Arst, and the

cartoon language had the words, “Pain in the Arst.” (March 25, Forum)

Rick Taylor, a Greenlight Steering Committee member recently took the

Pilot to task for printing that cartoon. He suggested in part that

Arst is just a “74-year-old community activist, whose only crime is a

firm and genuine interest in making Newport Beach a better place to

live.” The innuendo, at least by my humble perception, is “Hey, leave

this poor 74-year-old man alone.”

Well, Arst is in fact 74; however, to suggest he is just this

innocent activist who is only trying to do good for his community

really isn’t accurate. For example, Arst will regularly threaten to

sue the city and will cite us his interpretation of the law, but will

then say, quite sheepishly, “But I’m not a lawyer.” This is the same

community activist who constantly says that simply for speaking his

mind, he is attacked by the council -- including me.

What has occurred is that I, as well as others, am not shy about

engaging him in conversation regarding misrepresentations he makes

publicly. He is the same non-lawyer, good-hearted community activist

who has filed seven complaints against the City Council and City

Council members with the District Attorney’s office, all of which

were rejected by the District Attorney. Perhaps there is some type of

a conspiracy with the city and the District Attorney. Hmmmmm.

When I arrived home today from work, there was a political mailer

from Greenlight titled, “Focus on Newport.” Greenlight has, somehow,

determined that the City Council “is going ahead with a grandiose new

City Hall” and how that cost “has already cut services for residents

by $3 million.” I am the chairman of the committee to improve City

Hall and I can tell you that the issue has been on hold for months.

We have never voted to “go ahead” with that project at all. All we

said was that we are going to study it.

Once again, Greenlight is attacking a project that isn’t even a

project and has not even taken the time to communicate with me, so

that it can determine the accuracy of its information.

The mailer then goes on to attack the city government by

suggesting we only want a bigger City Hall so that we can hire more

employees and that we have too many people working here as it is.

Where do they get this information? It’s just nuts.

The mailer also states that it supports the Balboa Theater

project. Personally, being one of the original founders of the

foundation, I am happy to hear this. However, less than two months

ago, Arst said, yes, he supports the project. In the same breath, he

threatened to sue the city over this project because “it sets a bad

precedent.” People in this city took notice of that comment and

responded accordingly. Yikes! What’s real and what’s Memorex?

Why is all of this happening now, you might ask. That’s an easy

one. It’s an election year, and these folks are shopping for issues

because contrary to what they say, they are not “alive and well.”

Greenlight was once about traffic in our city. That has come and gone

quite some time ago, and people have also taken notice of that.

I have said it over and over. The people in this city want the

best, they expect the best and they are willing to pay for the best;

and it is our pleasure to give them the best. As a city, we are not

satisfied with just “adequate.” That is the most significant reason

we are a world class city -- comparable to none. And I am convinced

that the people in this city are pleased with their city government.

Don’t be fooled when you read or hear that they are being attacked

and picked on when they are just a group of innocent hometown folks.

Greenlight is very much a political party, which has a platform and

goal that is very well-orchestrated and thought-out. This

organization knows exactly what it is doing, and to suggest that they

are being “bullied” is just part of an outdated and ineffective

political tactic.

If Greenlight would only approach city issues with sincerity and

honesty, and try and work with this city government, you would never

see a commentary like this. Until directed otherwise, you will

continue to receive the best of the best from this city government.

* STEVE BROMBERG is a Newport Beach councilman.