DeVore tinkers with bills

Alicia Robinson

Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has been tinkering with his

much-maligned -- and perhaps equally-lauded -- bills that would

extend the leases of residents at El Morro Village, the beachfront

mobile home community slated for removal in favor of state park

facilities.

One change would put leases for the mobile homes up for bid, as

well as bidding out the contract to manage the park. That provision

will be added to the bill that earmarks the profits from El Morro to

the state parks department. The other bill -- which would extend the

mobile home leases for 30 years in exchange for a $50 million

up-front payment -- will be altered, so it’s more explicit that “fair

market” rents will increase according to inflation.

DeVore said he hopes the revamped proposals will help shake the

accusation that the bills were motivated by campaign contributions

from El Morro residents and his campaign finance manager’s interest

in the park.

“It’s a typical ad hominem attack where they go after the

messenger rather than the message,” he said. “Let’s completely

de-link it, let’s have a free market determination for the highest

bidder for every space available.”

DeVore will formally propose the amendments when he presents the

bills to a committee. They’ve been assigned to the Assembly water,

parks and wildlife committee, but no hearing date has been set.

PUT ‘EM ON THE FRIDGE

You always remember your first time. DeVore and fellow Assemblyman

Van Tran will never forget theirs, because they’ve got the press

releases to remind them. Both freshman legislators were so delighted

to have their first bills heard and approved by Assembly committees

this week that they alerted the media.

A bill to simplify senior citizens’ tax filings, co-written with

Laguna Niguel Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, became DeVore’s first

legislative victory when an Assembly committee passed it unanimously

Monday.

“Everyone was shocked” because the committee includes five

Democrats and only two Republicans, DeVore said.

Tran’s first bill to pass a committee was one adding 10 enterprise

zones to the 42 such zones in the state. Enterprise zones offer tax

incentives to attract and retain business. The bill was passed by an

Assembly committee on Tuesday.

SIGNING IT ON THE LINE

Rep. Chris Cox had his letter-writing pen -- or at least his

letter-signing pen -- out this week to dash off missives to

California Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer,

asking them to support a piece of legislation to end predatory

towing, or towing cars from private property without notice and

sometimes without permission of the lot owner.

Cox wants the senators to get an amendment on towing into the

federal transportation bill. The House passed its version of the bill

last week.

THE COVER STORY

Newport Beach officials will honor Cox Wednesday for his support

in getting a cover on the 200-million-gallon Big Canyon Reservoir,

which holds drinking water for much of the city. Officials tried for

four years to get federal funding, but were unsuccessful until 2003

when they obtained $867,000 with Cox’s help. The city paid for the

remainder of the $6 million project.

The cover will be dedicated in a ceremony at 9 a.m. Wednesday at

3300 Pacific View Dr., Corona del Mar.