Council does a good job at picking ranks
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Tuesday night, for the third time in as many years, the Newport Beach
City Council has the daunting, important task of appointing a new
member to its ranks.
The council’s last two appointments, of Councilman Steve Rosansky
and Councilwoman Leslie Daigle, proved good ones, we think. Both
council members have been active, decisive and unafraid to lead on
issues important to them and their constituents. Our opinion of
Rosansky was echoed last fall by voters, who elected him to a full
term in office. Daigle will face the voters in 2006.
Also facing voters that year will be whomever the council picks to
replace Mayor Steve Bromberg, who is leaving his seat to become an
Orange County Superior Court judge. This position will have the
unenviable task of running for the seat earlier than it normally
would -- Bromberg was reelected in the fall and had until 2008 before
he was termed out -- and then having to run again in 2008, to set the
district elections back in order. Of course, the person will be
running from a position of obvious strength as an incumbent, which is
part of what makes the appointment so important. It also is what has
some in the community complaining, as they have in the past, that the
council should send the open position to a special election right
away. Council members have shown no particular inclination to do so,
so unless four of the six are unable to agree, don’t count on it
going to the ballot.
The encouraging factor is that most of the applicants have
extensive experience in City Hall, serving on a number of the city’s
commissions, and several have deep roots in the community.
Those factors, we think, should play the most significant part in
the council members’ decision as they answer this question: Which
candidate has the best understanding of the city and the best sense
and knowledge to make tough decisions?
And if they choose poorly, then it will be up to voters to tell
the council just that.
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