What sign are we, anyway?

It might be the result of a letter-writing campaign, it might be an

unexpected Zeitgeist caused by June gloom skies or it might just be a

meeting of the minds, but readers of the Independent clearly like one

of four proposed Huntington Beach city logos the best.

No. 1, as assigned on the cover of the paper last week, is getting

a lot -- let’s repeat, a lot -- of support via e-mail and phone

calls. As a reminder, it was an oval, black and orange, with the

outline of the pier.

The logos, which will be part of a marketing campaign by the

city’s Conference and Visitors Bureau, include the details you’d

probably expect: surfboards, waves, the pier, the sun. All read “Surf

City USA,” the trademarked moniker owned by the bureau. (We won’t get

back into the Huntington vs. Santa Cruz debate on that motto just

now.)

We’re all for the city embracing its surf roots, and if city

leaders think this simple logo is a good way to bring money and

tourists in, we say go for it. Increasing those dollars is

terrifically important, especially in such tough financial times.

We do hope that the leaders of the visitors bureau will at least

consider our readers’ response as they decide which logo they will

use. Logo No. 1 certainly seems to be a classic, easy-to-read design,

one that embraces the city’s beach culture without, how shall we say

this, seeming at all “beach bum.”

We’re not going to pick one, however. (We’ll save such tough

choices for endorsing City Council and school board candidates.) We

are plenty interested to see which one rises to the top, and what the

visitors bureau then manages to do with it. Bumper stickers?

Stationery? ? Flags flying high above City Hall?

Who knows?

We’ll assume we won’t see it flying next to the MTV flag, though.