12 Years of Turmoil. Do We Want More?

Have we had enough? Do you have potholes?  Are your streets and gutters swept clean regularly?  Are there thefts in your neighborhood?  Afraid to go to the neighborhood park? Do the police come right away when you call? We didn’t have these problems in the 70s, the 80s or the 90s. The problems started in 2007, which unfortunately was the year I began my first term on the city council. That was the year Jim Righeimer was appointed to the planning commission by Allan Mansoor who was mayor. Righeimer carpetbagged over to Costa Mesa from Fountain Valley. He’d never been engaged in Costa Mesa, yet he got appointed. And the turmoil began. 12 years. The reason we have so many things to fix is because our priorities for 12 LONG YEARS have been wrong. Instead of fixing things, we’ve been fighting things--two charters, a for-profit baseball field at Tewinkle Park, small lot ordinance, overlays on Harbor and Newport Boulevard, the effects of sober living and homeless persons, and saving Fairview Park from being turned into a sports field. Big dense projects. Traffic. Putting our quality of life here at great risk. The priorities of the council majority of Righeimer, Monahan and Mensinger were not the priorities of the People of Costa Mesa but were the priorities of a developer-friendly city council majority and planning commission. So now the question is, do we want to bring back the good ole boys with their out-of-town developer buddies and anti-public employee agenda? Look at the 3-story stack-a-shacks on 17th between Superior and Pomona if you must think about your answer. I hope your answer is a resounding NO! Never, ever. Not in a million years! I have lived in Costa Mesa’s Westside for 46 years and raised 5 kids here. I want those who come after me to enjoy the same experience I’ve enjoyed in a safe, clean Costa Mesa with good public and private schools where families can raise kids to be good citizens. Our City’s charm, character and citizens make for a good life in Costa Mesa. Which is all at risk with this election on Nov. 6. SO, who will fill those empty seats? Empty seats? We must vote for Katrina Foley for mayor AND Arlis Reynolds for District 5 or there will be 2 vacant seats open to be appointed by the new council to finish the two-year terms for the at-large council members (Genis and Mansoor) if they are elected. (I’d vote for Manuel Chavez in district 4 and Andrea Marr in district 3 if I could.) And it’s quite possible, but God forbid, people friendly to developers would be appointed, if the PEOPLE of Costa Mesa, do not have a majority on the city council. What do we want, more turmoil, or peace? I vote for peace. 12 years of turmoil is enough. I’m tired.