MAILBAG:

After spending $680,000 to move city hall 700 feet, Jack Croul has apparently determined that it is more cost-effective to buy City Council members. Dolores Otting was available.

The so-called candidate of “transparent government” has been funded by a secret big-money effort to take control. Ignoring our $500-per-person contribution limit, Croul has funneled $25,000 to date to Dolores Otting. Beginning in July, and using hidden contributions and anonymous committees from out of town, the lies and attacks have begun.

Otting’s first lie is that I voted to raise fees 136 times. In fact, I was the only council member to vote against the fee increases because they were not accompanied by service improvements to building and planning services.

Otting cites the fee recovery ordinance that targets those services that will charge full recovery and those that would receive a general fund subsidy. The ordinance did not raise or lower a single fee. Otting indicates in her mailing that she would repeal these fees.

Among the fees that Otting would repeal is a registration fee for sex offenders, massage facility inspection fees, concealed weapons permits, Alcoholic Beverage Control license processing, pawn dealer’s inspections and major developer fees such as those charged to the Irvine Co.

Otting is the candidate of hidden, smear-campaign artists, hiding behind of out-of-town secret committees. She is flauting our campaign contribution limitations in a desperate attempt to win office on her fourth try.

This election is now about the question Is our city for sale? Even those who may have respected Otting for her efforts to encourage open government must be severely disappointed by her embrace of these tactics and circumvention of our campaign laws. I believe our city is not for sale, not to Jack Croul, not to Dolores Otting, and not to out-of-town smear merchants.

KEITH CURRY

Councilman

Newport Beach

For the record, no one advocates abortion

Just wanted to call a point to your attention: In the story (“Praised, panned in Costa Mesa,” Oct. 5) the paragraph beginning “a few hundred protesters ... activists and women’s groups advocating abortion ... ”

It is most important for you to know that women’s groups advocate that a woman have complete rights to her own body — the right to choose.

No one advocates abortion! That is a personal decision.

BETTS HARLEY

Costa Mesa