EDITORIAL -- NO ON MEASURE T

They claimed it would block the city’s progress.

It marked the end of all development in Newport Beach, they said.

It was too drastic, even draconian.

No, those arguments from business interests and developers were not

against the Greenlight initiative. Those words were spoken about 20 years

ago against Newport Beach’s Traffic Phasing Ordinance, which is now

championed by those same business interests and developers as the

solution to the city’s traffic woes.

Other than a few notable exceptions, we must say it’s hard to believe

the sincerity behind the support of Measure T.

The petition-gatherers reportedly told half-truths to get signatures.

The campaign has been generously funded by builders, who have been

portrayed as the bad guys on the wrong side of the fight to preserve the

quality of life in Newport Beach.

The initiative itself doesn’t propose anything new -- it won’t improve

traffic flow, it won’t bring any extra money into city coffers and it

won’t limit the expansion of John Wayne Airport.

To top it off, it isn’t even as if its proponents believe in Measure

T. They merely don’t believe in Measure S. And two bad ideas don’t make a

good one.

The city’s Traffic Phasing Ordinance -- originally penned by some of

the authors of the Greenlight initiative -- was a startling salve for a

city that was starting to feel some growing pains 20 years ago.

It was vehemently opposed at the time. The ordinance was highly

unorthodox, although other cities have since modeled their traffic laws

after it.

But it has worked.

Over the years, it has added millions of dollars in road improvements

around developments that have generated extra traffic. Measure T

proponents even say traffic has improved over the past decade -- and so,

perhaps the insinuation is that nothing more needs to be done.

But something was done. In 1999, the City Council altered the law --

and in some eyes weakened it.

The ordinance, in its amended form, is still on the books. Passing

Measure T would not add anything the city doesn’t already have, although

it could make it more difficult to ever bolster the traffic law.

So why now do developers, the Newport Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce,

the Irvine Co. and other Measure T proponents want to woo voters? If they

want to defeat Greenlight, why not simply run an anti-Measure S campaign?

That would have given the campaign a clearer focus and a much nobler

cause.

Knowing those who are behind Measure T, it must be said that like the

supporters of Measure S, we have immense respect for them.

We don’t doubt for one minute that their intentions and goals for

Newport Beach are pure and heartfelt.

And while we know many of them to be thoughtful and intelligent

leaders, we find it perplexing that they are working to pass an

initiative that proposes little more than to create a blur between the

residents and Measure S.

Thankfully, voters don’t have to look too hard to see that Measure T

doesn’t deserve their support.