MAILBAG:

The two of us have been here in Costa Mesa a very long time.

One of us has seen all of this city’s mayors come and go and, no, we do not remember all of them. So, it is with some interest that we follow this latest race to the finish.

The Pilot recently spent a half page of ink on its favorite blogger (“Foley, Righeimer, Sneen deserve votes,” Oct. 28). This allowed him to deliver his trademark distortions regarding both his political favorites and his not-so-favorites. Distortion of the facts can sometimes be the basis of humor, but it is not amusing when it belittles and misrepresents the dedicated work of our City Council members, and ignores the accomplishments of those whom he just doesn’t like.

This makes the reader wonder about the veracity of any or all of this blogger’s writings. It also appears to us the blogger believes that only he and the Pilot have the authority to anoint whom they think we must vote for. Pretty silly. With a small amount of study, we can all come to our own conclusions and make our own good decisions.

As is usual of the style of this particular gadfly, he has chosen to litter his screed with negative adjectives, in particular singling out two of our most faithful and ardent civil servants, current Mayor Eric Bever and former Mayor Gary Monahan. In the spirit of fairness, and having known both men for several years, we’d like to throw a few of our own adjectives at these two guys: dedicated, committed, thoughtful, creative, effective, intelligent, down-to-earth and courageous.

Both Monahan and Bever showed courage in the face of loudly voiced opposition in supporting the screening of all who pass through the Costa Mesa jail.

Their steadfast support of this screening process sent a message to ICE that they were not going to be shouted down by rude, out-of-town agitators, and the ill-informed. Their efforts, to date, have been quite effective. Consider that well more than 800 illegal-immigrant criminals have been flagged for deportation since this program began in 2007. Could the 15% reduction in violent crime that we have experienced have anything to do with this program? We think so.

Bever initiated a number of creative programs, including the award-winning Rresidential Remodeling Incentive Program and the Westside Overlay plans. Monahan showed his dedication to the community by supporting these programs that meet the needs of Costa Mesa residents. Both are programs that are helping to upgrade the area and eliminate blight, without having to use the sledgehammer of redevelopment.

Monahan and Bever are strong advocates of finding creative solutions to the community’s request for more open spaces, parks and youth sports venues. Monahan pushed hard for the newly dedicated soccer field at the Fairview Developmental Center. Monahan set in motion the Bristol Street project, and if reelected, both he and Bever will continue working on that project.

Bever led the effort which doubled the park area of the Eastside’s Brentwood Park. After this achievement, Bever has continued to collaborate with Newport Beach, NMUSD, and Banning Ranch LLC, to work toward establishing a sports complex for our cities’ shared leagues.

Bever got the ball rolling on an ongoing discussion and analysis for a potential public-private partnership to create an all-weather “speed soccer” complex for our community. If kids could vote, this alone would win Bever the election!

We appreciate how both Bever and Monahan have thoughtfully considered the traffic issues of our community and over the years have initiated and supported projects such as the ongoing SR-55 terminus study to solve the problem of the 55 Freeway, which literally ends in our downtown.

Both of these men have shown leadership in supporting plans that would separate the traffic headed for Newport Beach from our local traffic. By the way, their approach will reduce by 50% the cars on our downtown streets, and effectively reduce the annoying “cut-through” traffic that the Eastside is now enduring.

Bever and Monahan have been effective in working with their peers in all areas of public service. These include neighboring cities, county, state and federal bodies. Our county champion, Supervisor John Moorlach, has consistently worked with and enthusiastically endorsed both Monahan and Bever.

Bever has been a member of a great City Council that has effectively voted together 5-0 94% of the time! The intimation by some of those running in this current race that this council has been contentious and ineffectual is simply untrue. What they may not realize is that “contention” is part of discussion to reach a consensus, which they accomplished the vast majority of the time with a unanimous vote.

Personally, I want to see some lively discussion among my council members; that tells me they have done their homework and that they are thoughtful and intelligent.

For all of the above reasons and more, we will cast our vote for Bever (No. 8 on the ballot) and Monahan (No. 5 on the ballot) and look forward to seeing the improvement that they have started continue for all of us.

Costa Mesa needs these two leaders.

CHRISTIAN and KATHLEEN ERIC

Costa Mesa

Otting would be better than Curry on the dais

Regarding reasons given why Councilman Keith Curry should be reelected, the reasons are flawed. Here’s why.

First, Curry made a campaign commitment to a special-interest group before his election and before the council’s April 3 decision on the City Hall in the Park.

The reason we have the public hearing process is to reveal and consider current facts and secure public input. Council decisions are supposed to be made after, and as a result of the public hearing process.

Second, some note that it was inappropriate for Rosansky not to support the majority that appointed him. Wow, this is how the council is supposed to cast its votes? (Fact is Rosansky was elected in 2004, and two of the council majority of four were newly appointed.)

Curry’s exaggerations during the Measure B election — which city consultants have proved to be untrue, such as a river flows under the proposed city hall site and the city hall will create traffic gridlock — brought about unnecessary divisiveness during the election.

This, and his leadership in creating a massive borrowing program for the city, without voter approval, and his support of ad hoc committees that exclude citizen input, are reasons why he should be replaced by Dolores Otting, who will pursue openness and transparency on our City Council.

RON HENDRICKSON

Newport Beach

How to make ‘right’ decision every time

After many years of research I have developed a voting guide for dummies like myself. I feel I must share for we need all the help we can get. And, my answer to the L.A. Times organization endorsements.

On any public issue: Public employee unions (teachers, fire department, etc), AARP, environmental groups (Sierra Club to Surfrider Foundation), political parties, print media, TV media and all other public policy groups, if you oppose what they support, support what they oppose, as much as 90% of the time you will be on the right side of the great moral divide.

If you follow these principles you never have to be well-read on the issues and you will be voting like a master of the major issues of our day.

Breakdown: You will be right, a good percent of the time, if you oppose what they support:

 California Teachers Association: 99% accuracy

 Firefighters Union: 91% accuracy

 Sierra Club: 96% accuracy

 AARP: 98% accuracy

 Police Union: 90% accuracy

 Prison Guard Union: 99.9% accuracy

 The Race: 99.9% accuracy

 Democrat party: 89% accuracy

 Republican party: 81.9% accuracy

 Libertarian party: 50% accuracy

 Los Angeles Times: 92.5% accuracy

 PETA: 87.6% accuracy

 Coast Keepers: 72% accuracy

 Unions as a group: 89.4% accuracy

 League of Women Voters: 97.5% accuracy

 Chambers of Commerce: 58 % accuracy

 League of California Cities: 95% accuracy

 State Attorney General: 81% accuracy

 State Library Education Fund: 80% accuracy

 ECCO Political Action Committee: 95% accuracy on candidates, 54% accuracy on propositions

 San Francisco Foundation: 86% accuracy

 James Irvine Foundation: 62% accuracy

 Education leaders in California as a group: 91.5% accuracy

 Do gooders of all types: 94.5% accuracy

Now you can add your own groups as needed for your local area or state. And, I strongly suggest that you do, like the NRA, local chambers of commerce, President Jimmy Carter and all groups that report that they are looking out for your welfare, especially concern for little children and seniors.

If you must lower yourself to actually talk to a politician, ask these questions:

If elected, what laws will you repeal; what taxes will you reduce or eliminate; what government agencies will you shrink or eliminate; what welfare programs will you shrink or eliminate. And then wait for the deer-in-the-headlights stare.

AUGUST LIGHTFOOT

Newport Beach

Palin is intelligent and right for America

I feel angry about the way the media is minimizing Sarah Palin’s ability to be vice president.

The media are supposed to report news! They are not supposed to take sides to promote their choices in this election!

Palin has character. She is honest. She’s very intelligent and we couldn’t pick a better person to represent the American people.

If the RNC would stop treating her like a puppet, telling her how to act and what to wear, she would make a very favorable impression all on her own!

The media are having a ball demonizing her for the clothes the RNC bought for her. She didn’t ask for those clothes and she doesn’t want or need those clothes. She makes a very good appearance by being herself! She knows how to dress!

Some of the female journalists come off too hard on Sarah! They appear to be like catty women.

If more attention were paid to what she says and less to what she looks like these do gooders might discover that we have a real winner!

ELLEN SCHOONMAKER

Newport Beach

Candidates earn more time in council seats

Memories are short, and yesterday’s violent crime or drive-by shooting quickly fade from our minds.

Let me remind you. Costa Mesa has had more than its fair share of such violent crimes and drive-by shootings. Remember?

Now, however, things seem to be turning around. We live in a cause-and-effect universe. Things happen because there is a cause or causes that make them happen.

For many years in Costa Mesa, those with a world view that encompasses open borders and support for illegal immigrants have ruled the day.

That began changing a few years back with the election to the City Council of some improvement-minded people who believe that Costa Mesa should not be an illegal-immigrant sanctuary city. These people started changing the course we were on.

One of the most important things they did was to bring in an ICE agent to the Costa Mesa jail. So far, almost a thousand illegal-immigrant criminals have been deported.

That’s the reason our violent-crime rate has started falling, and that’s also the reason why our schools are starting to show higher student scores.

This year, there are nine candidates running for the Costa Mesa City Council.

Of these nine, only three have the support of the so-called Improvers — the people who were behind electing the current majority that has been turning things around. These three who have the support of the Improvers are Jim Righeimer, Gary Monahan and Eric Bever.

The Improvers believe these are the only three in the race who will keep Costa Mesa on the right track.

They also believe that one candidate on the other side, in particular, is especially bad for the continued improvement of Costa Mesa: Katrina Foley.

Foley is the only City Council member who refused to sign a letter to President Bush asking that he secure our borders and uphold our laws.

Foley is also the only City Council member who went to a meeting of day workers, including suspected illegal immigrants, to talk in support of the job center.

Foley has the support of various charity elites and soft on crime illegal-immigrant advocates. This has caused some citizens to refer to her as Santa Ana Katrina.

If you think Costa Mesa should be more like our coastal neighboring cities and less like some inland inner cities, then you should vote for Righeimer, Monahan and Bever.

On the other hand, if you think Costa Mesa should be more like Santa Ana, then you should vote for Katrina Foley and any two of the remaining six candidates.

It really is as simple as that this year.

M.H. MILLARD

Costa Mesa

Time to step out from silence on issues

I read Clarence Turner’s letter (“Anti-Rosansky mailer inspires donations,” Oct. 13) and Paul Watkins’ letter (“Writers behind fliers should apologize,” Oct. 31) with pleasure and some embarrassment (I have been silent for too long).

The campaign being waged by Jack Wu, Bob Rush, Daniel Weldon, Jeffrey Walsworth and their contributors is shameful and distracting. As President Lincoln said: “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” I write today to add my voice to Turner’s and Watkins’ voices. Also, as with both, I am also increasing my financial support of Steve Rosansky.

I appreciate the concerns of residents regarding rehab homes. The city has a large number of rehab homes. I have always taken a stance to ensure that such uses are regulated as well as possible. Unfortunately, as we have seen from the various lawsuits including those filed by these individuals, there is not much the city can do.

However, Rosansky did not bring these uses to the city and he has worked hard to regulate them within the existing legal framework. He has also attempted to increase the city’s ability to regulate such uses so that any adverse impacts are minimized. Unfortunately, the legal framework and its prohibitions remain in place.

Rosansky is not responsible for this. Those who castigate Rosansky have threatened all sorts of action: exposing conflicts; filing with the Fair Political Practices Commission and other actions. All of this without result. Still, Rosansky works hard for the city, including those who smear him.

Thanks, Rosansky. Keep up the good work. Wu, Rush, Weldon, Walsworth and their contributors, let’s work on solving our problems, not spinning webs of half truths and smears. Thanks.

Robert C. Hawkins

Newport Beach

Putting campaign fliers to good use

I just want to thank the Newporters for Ethical Government for the great big scary Halloween placemats I’ve been getting in the mail every week. They help me and my friends remember to vote for Steve Rosansky.

ANDREA LINGLE

Newport Beach

Debate was fair and gave equal time to all

Was your political cartoonist Michael Lukash at the same debate that I attended?

His depiction of Green Party candidate Tom Lash and Libertarian Party candidate Ernst Gasteiger at the little kids’ table vying for attention while Republican incumbent Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Democratic candidate Debbie Cook clinked champagne glasses did not represent what I witnessed at the debate.

The interaction between Rohrabacher and Cook was anything but convivial. And, frankly, I thought Lash drew the most spirited audience response of all the candidates. The format afforded all four candidates equal time. It was a balanced, fair, informative and revealing debate. Thanks to OCC for organizing it. I’m glad I was able to be there.

Jon Rowe

Costa Mesa