The Political Landscape:

Newport Beach could announce the name of its next city manager by the middle of next week, city spokeswoman Tara Finnigan said Wednesday.

The city first narrowed a field of 50 applicants down to seven.

The Newport Beach City Council then interviewed the top seven applicants for the job last week.

City Manager Homer Bludau, 63, announced earlier this year he was ready to retire after 10 years with the city.

Bludau is slated to celebrate his retirement at a gala dinner at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa on Sept. 10.

DEVORE TAKES AIM AT BOXER’S STANCE ON HEALTH CARE

Hoping to parlay grumblings from the right about health-care reform into support for his 2010 Senate bid, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore unleashed a new Internet ad this week critical of Sen. Barbara Boxer’s views on the issue.

The YouTube spot, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TERsQ-bra-k, which was just shy of 4,000 views Wednesday afternoon, uses a few sound bites from Boxer and President Obama, as well as some creative editing to get DeVore’s point across.

“Under President Obama’s health-care plan, the government will tell your doctor what’s best for you,” a female voice says in the ad. “Barbara Boxer supports the president’s jagged pill of a plan.”

The ad juxtaposes sound bites from Boxer and Obama.

“Maybe you’re better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller,” Obama says in one clip.

“We have to contain the cost,” Boxer says in another snippet.

“Controlling costs sounds like a good idea, until you understand what she really means,” the announcer continues.

“Maybe you’re better off taking the painkiller,” Obama repeats.

“Senate candidate Chuck DeVore believes your care should come first and that your family should have the right to choose the doctor and insurance plan that’s best for you,” the announcer says, as still shots of DeVore standing at a podium, bathed in sunlight flash across the screen. “It’s time to keep Barbara Boxer out of your health-care decisions. It’s time for Chuck DeVore.”

TAXPAYERS’ ASSN. PRESIDENT CRITICIZES PENSION INCREASE

Costa Mesa’s decision to increase the pension benefits for its firefighters attracted some attention from outside the city.

The president of the Orange County Taxpayers Assn., Reed Royalty, sent an open letter to Mayor Allan Mansoor chiding the city for considering changing retirement benefits from 3% at age 55 to 3% at age 50.

“Other jurisdictions are trying to stem pension-related hemorrhaging of their budgets,” the letter read. “The Orange County Board of Supervisors recently negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with the county’s largest union that would combine the minimum legal defined benefit (1.62% at 65) with a defined contribution in an effort to reduce pension costs. Many pension systems now are considering more reasonable ‘Tier 3’ pension benefits in upcoming bargaining. Please reconsider your reckless proposal to raise pension benefits.”