All right, kids (council), knock off that bickering

Costa Mesa City Council members have been sniping at each other, and it doesn’t make any of them look very good.

First Councilman Eric Bever demands an investigation of Councilwoman Katrina Foley after Foley’s use of $1,225 in her personal council slush fund to help out youth and community groups.

The “investigation” turns up the following facts about the use of the slush, or discretionary, fund:

* Bever himself voted to approve the expenditures.

* Foley asked for, and received, approval for the expenditures from the city manager.

* The city attorney reviewed the expenditures and found nothing amiss or illegal.

* Foley and Bever each used the funds for wireless communication services.

* Since there are no guidelines for the use of the fund, council members had the right to use the funds for just about anything related to the city.

For her part, Foley can’t even be accused of an innocent mistake, since she covered her bases and got authorization to use her extra funds for donations.

In fact, Foley just may have incurred some goodwill toward herself and the council among the folks who received the donations.

Bever, on the other hand, can only be accused of slinging mud at a fellow council member and embarrassing not just her but himself as well.

After the investigation was complete, the council voted in a spending policy, limiting members’ use of the discretionary funds to costs associated with attending conferences and seminars.

So, no more goodwill donations to local groups -- and no more buying Palm Pilots with city money.

If the council thinks this will restore the public’s confidence in their actions, so be it. Placing such restrictions on funds that are supposed to be discretionary is a bit like taking away a child’s candy because the child is eating too much of it.

Elected officials shouldn’t have to be treated like children -- unless that’s how they are acting.