MAILBAG:City Hall in the park initiative just a big lie

I read Jim Righeimer’s column, “City Hall initiative worth vote,” July 14.

He says if City Hall is built on Newport Center Park it will save the taxpayers $21 million. Where did he get that number? It is absolutely not true. It is a “big lie.”

The facts came out last week in the official report. Building City Hall on the transit facility site, one block north of the park, will cost almost exactly the same as paving over the park for a City Hall. It saves nothing to take away the park land for a City Hall. But there is more! If City Hall is built on the park land, Newport Beach’s General Plan requires that the city replace 4 acres of park land. That means the city will not sell the existing City Hall site. That is a $25 to $30 million loss to the taxpayers!

Cost is not the only big lie. The most recent PR piece I saw from the Ficker backers lists 10 so-called “opportunities” the city will get if the initiative passes.

The Ficker backers say the beautiful ocean and bay views from and across MacArthur Boulevard will be preserved. The truth is there is no view protection in the initiative.

The Ficker backers say open space is not endangered. The truth is there is no park protection in the initiative.

The Ficker backers call their initiative “City Hall in the Park.” The initiative does not even mention a park.

The Ficker backers say the park is the only site in Newport Center for a City Hall. The truth is the transit facility site is available just one block north of the park site. It costs the same and if the City Hall is built on the transit facility site, the city stands to make $25 to $30 million on the sale of the existing City Hall site.

The reason I do not want this issue on the February ballot is because the Ficker backers have millions to spend to spread their big lie.

Building a new city hall is a $50 million investment for the taxpayers of Newport Beach.

This is a major investment for our city. It deserves better than slick campaign mailers we can expect from the Ficker backers with their unlimited funds.

BARRY ALLEN

Harman is mistaken about Mass. health care

Senator Tom Harman is correct when he says that the Massachusetts health-care reform plan is “not doing as planned.” (“Prognosis isn’t good for ‘canary’ health care,” July 16). It’s doing better!

More than 155,000 of the state’s 372,000 who were uninsured last year now have coverage. Enrollment in both the subsidized and nonsubsidized plans is ahead of projections.

Prior to reform in Massachusetts, the typical 37-year-old uninsured person could purchase a plan with no prescription drug coverage and a $5,000 deductible for $335 per month. That same person can now buy a plan that has prescription drug coverage and a $2,000 deductible for $184 a month.

As much as we’ve accomplished in a very short period of time, we’re not claiming victory. There is still much work to be done and in the long run our success will depend on our ability to rein in costs. But we’re on the right path.

In truth, the Massachusetts “canary in the mine” referred to by Harman is alive and well.

JON KINGSDALE

HOW TO GET PUBLISHED

Mail to the Daily Pilot, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Send a fax to (714) 966-4667 or e-mail us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length.