Mailbag: Candidates are right about a water district’s woes, but what should be done?

It sounds odd, but based on the inexperienced candidates running against the well qualified and experienced incumbents (Mike Scheafer, Bob Ooten, and Arlene Schafer) at Costa Mesa Sanitary District, it appears that the Mesa Water District is in real financial and organizational trouble.

The trouble comes from the need to repair and replace hundreds of millions of dollars in old and failing infrastructure the district has put off properly funding and working on for years. The inexperienced candidates seem to know this because of their bias toward a hostile merger with CMSD. Also, they probably know that due to decreased revenue resulting from the drought-driven reduced water consumption and MWD’s current indebtedness, MWD isn’t going to borrow money for the infrastructure at as favorable a rate unless it continues to raise rates or get access to some additional money — or both.

MWD getting access to additional money could be by hostile takeover. If the inexperienced candidates get elected, based primarily on a study done six years ago that has at least 15 serious flaws, they will vote for a hostile merger with CMSD and take their reserve funds to get a better borrowing rate. However, this will leave CMSD in a very unstable position with the inability to deal with its financial needs, such as its asset replacement plans.

The organizational problem that MWD faces is the potential of being taken over by Irvine Ranch Water District. This merger makes some sense due to the efficiencies of scale of similar functions and skill sets, in other words, the same size organization could manage a larger water district without increasing costs to the same degree. These same economies of scale would be unlikely by a merger of MWD and CMSD, considering their obviously differing skill sets and job functions.

If MWD takes over CMSD, we will sacrifice the well managed CMSD organization and gain two poorly managed ones.

Instead, I support the election of the CMSD incumbents (Scheafer, Ooten and Schafer) who oppose the merger and will let MWD solve its own self-inflicted problems.

Charles Mooney
Costa Mesa

With age comes vanity?

Wednesday’s issue of the Daily Pilot had a pretty good read and facts provided by the eight candidates running for Newport Beach City Council. The group was split half and half between the two genders with pertinent facts for each candidate. All four of the guys running for their position ranged in age from 38 to 74 with a wide dispersion of background and education. The four gals ranged in age from three of them declining to provide their ages to 44. The three undisclosed gals did however state the time they have lived in Newport Beach ranging from 35 to 60 years. And so the female candidate who has been in Newport Beach for 35 we can safely say that she is at least 35 years of age. And the same goes for the one who has lived in Newport for 60 years with her being at least 60 years old.

The old saying regarding never ask a woman her age may be fine and dandy for everyday use, but someone who is running for a political office in which important decisions are made frequently, it would appear that the public who places people in office and pays their salary, should have as much pertinent knowledge regarding who is elected. And age, regardless of old wives tales about asking a woman to divulge how old she is, would be something to ponder when going to the voting booth. Politics should be the last place where the concept and proliferation of vanity, an almost useless form of excessive pride or conceit, should prevail.

Bill Spitalnick
Newport Beach

Mosher knows Newport

Well, what do I know about Newport Beach City Council elections? I ran for the City Council twice and lost both times! But one thing I do know is that Jim Mosher is the very best candidate running in 2022 for a council seat, and maybe the best council candidate that we’ve had in over a decade.

Jim is the most knowledgeable person in Newport Beach on the workings of our city and its many ordinances, city policies, and every city code. Over the past 12 years, if not longer, Jim has attended most every City Council meeting and the many different commission meetings. He really knows our city inside and out.

If you want knowledge and not egos, please vote for Jim Mosher on Nov. 8.

Roy Englebrecht
Newport Beach

Rounaghi would be good for Laguna

It would be a missed opportunity for Laguna Beach if Alex Rounaghi is not elected to its City Council this November.

It is infrequent that a political candidate, regardless of age, is so well-equipped for public office as Alex. As a policy advisor for Supervisor Katrina Foley, he has advanced initiatives like an innovative Fly Friendly program to reduce noise and pollution from John Wayne Airport, cracked down on illegal sober living home operators, and conducted oversight over the county’s $8-billion-plus budget. He has also served on two Laguna Beach City Council committees — Parking and Traffic and Housing and Human Services — so knows how our town operates in a way many people who run for office do not.

Alex has received an incredible number of endorsements (the only candidate endorsed by both our police and firefighters) because he is capable of effective political leadership. He has the patience and perseverance to accomplish the trying work of negotiation and governance. He has both a strong viewpoint and the capacity to hear other opinions. And his integrity is exceptional.

Kristin Winter
Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach needs Alex Rounaghi as a member of our City Council. Serving as the co-chair of the Laguna Beach Housing and Human Services Committee, I see him as vigorous proponent for quality solutions to the problem of affordable housing. As committee chair, Alex has become a proven leader, consistently researching and implementing smart and data based solutions.

Alex’s unique skills make him stand apart. First is his ability to consistently show up and be the most well-informed person on the topic in the room. Alex digs deep to research data-driven solutions to community issues. He spends more time than anyone else delving more deeply into issues than most. His work ethic on behalf of the committee did not shift when he transitioned from a job hunting recent Dartmouth graduate to a full-time policy advisor for Katrina Foley. Alex is more than willing to meet with constituents personally, seeking out their opinions and experiences, until he understands deeply how a decision or vote will affect all members of our community. Not afraid of hard work, he is brave in his willingness to tackle difficult topics; he thinks very carefully about important decisions. Vote for Alex and feel confident that you will have someone looking out for you.

Laura Sauers
Laguna Beach

Election deniers running for office

On Oct. 12, I attended a candidate forum hosted by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce which featured hopefuls for the state and congressional seats for my districts. The state Assembly candidates for the 72nd District were Republican Diane Dixon and Democrat Judie Mancuso. The state Senate candidates for the 36th District were Republican Janet Nguyen and Democrat Kim Carr. The congressional candidates for the 47th District were Republican Scott Baugh and Democrat Katie Porter. As with a similar Chamber-sponsored City Council candidate forums in Huntington Beach, no questions from the audience, written or oral, were entertained.

If I had had the opportunity to pose a question to these candidates, it would have been introduced like this: Candidates for state and congressional office are supposed to reflect the views and concerns of their district constituents and be transparent in stating their positions. My concern is that various candidates for all levels of office have denied 2020 election results and have been inflexibly partisan in their pronouncements. My question is “Will each candidate for state and congressional office disclose their stance on denying election results from 2020, the legitimacy of the current administration and legislature, and how any denying of election results should not be considered an affront to democracy?”

How are we supposed to trust election “deniers” to represent all constituents fairly? Should they be allowed to simply walk back their public statements to the degree needed to avoid voter condemnation? The ample-sized audience never got to hear candidate responses on this important topic. What would some of them have said? Should we allow our representatives to thumb their noses at election results if they don’t like the outcome?

This election will be a test of democracy at all levels, but it will affect everyone who lives in Orange County. Future candidate forums should allow for some audience interaction so that real world concerns can be expressed.

Tim Geddes
Huntington Beach

Lisa Pearson for NMUSD Area 4

One question before voters shortly will be who will take Karen Yelsey’s place on the NMUSD School Board Area 4. Over her tenure on the board, Karen has been an engaged, dedicated and fearless leader for our schools and our community. We need to elect a person who, like Karen, will put the welfare and educational needs of the students above all else.

I believe that the perfect person to fill this seat is Lisa Pearson. I became friends with Lisa when our kids were in school together at Corona del Mar High School. Lisa and I served on the PTA together, and I saw firsthand how effective a leader Lisa is.

Lisa has the credentials and the experience to step into the role as a trustee with a dual master’s degree in education and school administration, as well as many years of hands-on experience as a teacher and volunteer in our local schools. But more importantly, Lisa is the perfect candidate. She will be a voice of reason and logic on the school board. She will use her background and education to improve upon our district’s educational excellence. Lisa will work to ensure each child has access to the best possible resources and educational programs offered.

As our school community emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, Lisa knows that her immediate focus as a trustee will be to address the mental health issues and educational setbacks students have had to endure during that difficult time. I am confident she has the correct temperament and grasp of the situation to ensure a robust recovery for our school district and children.

I’m concerned about the candidates running against Lisa because their rhetoric is to paint the narrative that the school board was harming our children during the uncharted period of the pandemic. Our school board worked tirelessly to reopen our schools safely and earlier than most other districts in Orange County. We cannot continue accepting these false narratives when our children have already lost so much.

Lisa knows her job will be to ensure each and every child in our district receives the opportunity to live and learn in an environment without fear or intimidation and in an environment that allows children to strive, succeed and be happy.

Sue Ellen O’Connor
Newport Beach

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