Mailbag: Advertisement mischaracterized Newport’s spending on the arts

The Jan. 24 back page advertisement in the Daily Pilot by resident Bob McCaffrey disingenuously juxtaposed works of art from the city’s sculpture garden with the allegation that the city wants to raise sewer tax rates by more than 100%. These visuals were coupled with the tagline alleging that the city of Newport Beach is more interested in spending money on “shiny objects” than in maintaining and improving infrastructure.

This type of baseless allegation does a serious disservice to those in the community who seek to have an honest and serious conversation about the priorities of our City Council. Creating and maintaining a sculpture garden while simultaneously repairing sewer lines are not mutually exclusive activities, especially when they do not tap the same funding sources.

The city’s cultural activities, from the installation of internationally recognized works of art in the sculpture garden to the presentation of concerts on the green to the presentation of nationally recognized artists at the library, are not funded with tax dollars. They are supported with funds from the visitor and tourism bureau and the hard work and generous support of the Newport Beach Arts Foundation. Anybody who has honestly looked at the city’s budget knows this and, as such, the implication that the arts in Newport Beach are supported by tax dollars, and thus diminish the money available for infrastructure maintenance and repairs, is misleading, deceptive, divisive and just plain wrong.

Over the past 10 years, the elected leadership in our city has developed and followed a vision designed to support the growth and maturation of Newport Beach, moving our community from a sleepy beach town into an internationally recognized community. The continued evolution of Fashion Island, the creation of Marina Park, the expansion of the Newport Beach Film Festival, the establishment of a sculpture garden, the development of Pelican Hill, the ever changing character of the harbor and, yes, even the construction of City Hall, have enhanced the reputation of Newport Beach as a city of sophistication and culture. Some people are against this change and they have a fundamental right to speak out against it.

But remember: It is this sophistication and culture that draws tourists and businesses to our city. And it is these tourists and businesses who, in turn, contribute to the increased tax revenues that allow the city to make repairs to sewers and roads, reduce mooring fees for our residents and expand police and fire services. I grew up surfing our beaches and miss those idyllic, rose-colored days. But let’s be honest, the few bucks I did, and continue to, spend for a schooner and egg at Blackie’s is not going to support the maintenance of our parks and the improvement of roads. Nor is it going to pay for the police and fire services that keep us safe.

It is not only fair, but necessary, to have a continuous, serious, public conversation as to the direction we want to take our city. And maybe, at the end of that discussion, the public sentiment is to go back to being a sleepy beach community. If that is what the people want, then that is what will happen. That is why we have dialogue and why we have elections.

However, that conversation needs to be fair and honest. That conversation needs to be based upon facts, not innuendo, bias and political agendas. And, most importantly, that conversation cannot take the arts, a part of civic life that contribute so much to the ambience and character of this community while taking nothing from its tax base, and make that positive aspect of our community the scapegoat or symbol for those who have a different set of priorities and who are willing to misrepresent and misstate facts to achieve and realize their political goals.

Phillip B. Greer

Newport Coast

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Median improvements are terrific

I was so relieved to see the improvements taking place on the median on the Peninsula! The planted areas have been problematic to both drivers and pedestrians for a very long time. Not only do they create a visual obstruction for drivers trying to see people in the crosswalks, the planted areas force pedestrians into the street as they make their way off the median to the crosswalk.

On too many occasions I have witnessed people, often with kids in tow, nearly hit by cars as they walk around the densely planted median ends. I hope these improvements were made not just for drought concerns, but because the city recognized the liability issues of not providing safe access and good visibility in and around the peninsula crosswalks

Sandy Tupman

Balboa