MAILBAG - July 18, 2006

Enough with Santa Ana groups protesting here

Once again, Costa Mesa was the scene for another march (“Immigration policy is target of protest,” July 9). I, for one, am sick and tired of Santa Ana-based groups coming to Costa Mesa to protest the immigration issue.

I support Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor in his efforts to control illegal immigration and all that it brings to our city: extra expense for our schools, medical facilities, fliers on your property at the crack of dawn, and the lists goes on and on.

I see you not printing any letters of support for Mansoor, so I will be extremely surprised if this letter makes it to the paper.

We do support his efforts and his plans for immigration enforcement.

LINDA BEARBOWER

Costa Mesa

City needs to pursue eminent domain path

Newport Beach city officials have not been looking at all their options for a new city hall site.

While the Irvine Co. has stated that it does not want to sell the Newport Center site to the city, recent court rulings indicate that this option may not be a prudent path of action.

City officials have a tool that they can use to force the Irvine Co. to sell the site: the eminent domain ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Not only could the city use the law to obtain the site, it would be obtained at an appraised value, not at a negotiated market price transaction.

Since this use of eminent domain would be for a public building, its application would be difficult to contest.

A wise path of action for the city and the Irvine Co. would be to come to some sort of agreement on the land sale.

KENNETH JAGGERS

Corona del Mar