MAILBAG:

It may or may not cost $6 million to $7 million to move dirt at the park site.

It may or may not cost $7 million to buy land in the 500 block of Newport Center.

Both of those cost estimates are a non-factor if city hall is rebuilt on its present site.

Height-restriction issues at the park site? There are none at the present City Hall site.

Lost in a sea of high-rise buildings at the 500 block site? The present City Hall site defines itself and the character of historic Newport Beach.

Has the issue devolved into a clash of egos? It seems so.

Does the average citizen need time to step back and look closely at the alternatives? Yes.

Should the citizens vote themselves and the present/future City Council into a box? What a silly use of the initiative process. Lost in the rhetoric are questions we should explore:

1) The fire station at the current site must be rebuilt to make it seismically safe at a cost of about $9 million no matter where the new city hall is built.

2) Will the present site be sold, generating more peninsula traffic?

I advocate a no vote on Measure B. There is no need to move ahead into a $50 million project when so many questions have not been answered.

CHUCK REMLEY

Balboa

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