KIDS THESE DAYS:

The groups that sponsor candidate forums in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa are to be thanked for arranging these meetings.

In order, however, to have attendees get to know how the candidates really think and how they would react in certain situations, it is important for the queries to move away from “website questions.”

A website question is any question that can be answered by visiting the candidate’s website.

Having sat through two Costa Mesa forums thus far and extensively reviewed one Newport Beach forum, it is imperative that future meetings heed the following request: Please do not ask any more questions that can be answered by visiting the candidates’ websites.

For example, please don’t ask any more questions about:

1) Crime. All candidates will be tough on crime. Just check their websites.

2) Gangs. All candidates will work to eliminate gangs. Just check their websites.

3) Traffic. All candidates will work to reduce traffic. Just check their websites.

4) Quality of life. All candidates will work to improve our quality of life. Just check their websites.

There’s more, but you get the idea.

In either of the two Costa Mesa forums, the only interesting moment came when City Council candidate Gary Monahan was dissing cul de sacs as a way to reduce “cut-through” traffic on the Eastside.

Those of us who live on cul de sacs wondered what Monahan was talking about. I’ve lived on a cul de sac or dead-end street for 22 of the 23 years I have lived in Costa Mesa, and that type of street has been a deciding factor in choosing the home both times.

I will gladly trade the rare errant driver turning around in my cul de sac for the thousands of cars passing through on an open street.

In response to Monahan’s whining, fellow candidate Chris Bunyan suggested he ride a bike.

That, folks, is as good as it got. The rest of the forum would have made a DMV line seem exciting.

What has been asked or said is far less notable than what has not. The hosts and the moderators, or whomever it is that is generating these questions, seem to have forgotten that we have a lot of children in both cities. Yet, I have not heard or reviewed a single question about the future quality of life for our kids.

Discussing children is as important as it gets. So to assist future forum hosts, I am humbly requesting that you ask the following questions in one form or another — questions whose answers are not found on any of the many websites I visited:

1) The sale of fireworks in Costa Mesa is the most explosive issue each year, even for Newport Beach. But not one forum has asked any of the candidates about their positions. So here’s the question: Fireworks sales in Costa Mesa generate huge sums of money for youth sports. Do you favor the continued sales of fireworks, and if you do not, what are your specific, feasible alternatives?

2) There is a shortage of fields for youth soccer, baseball and football. What are your specific suggestions to provide more places for kids to participate in league play?

3) What do you believe should be the city’s specific role in directing the Police Department to detain truant students?

4) What is the specific role the City Council should play in working with the school board to try to improve grades and test scores and reduce drug and alcohol use?

Please note the use of the word “specific” in each question. I’m seriously thinking of appointing myself the “Specific Sheriff” for each forum to help keep responses accurate. Anyone who replies with an answer that includes the phrase, “I will work with (fill in person or agency here) to find a solution,” has to ride a bike to Gary Monahan’s house.

These are just a few suggestions. I am certain that the bright minds behind these forums can come up with more. But please, for the love of Pete, please don’t ask anyone about Banning Ranch, about continuing the 55 Freeway or the candidate’s vision for the city.

That’s what websites are for.

STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer. Send story ideas to dailypilot@latimes.com.