MAILBAG - Nov. 11, 2006

Money’s influence is a growing worryThe amount of money being spent on campaigns for a City Council office in Newport Beach is obscene. It’s reported that one of the candidates for a District 1 seat had a war chest of more than $100,000, and others have contributions approaching that amount.

Now that the election is over, the new City Council should try to gain some control in limiting the expenditures of office seekers.

Another very disconcerting factor in our city elections is the tremendous amount of money being spent by our city employee unions trying to influence the election. Now, politicians generally claim that campaign contributions are accepted without any strings attached. And what are the election concerns of the city’s fire, police and lifeguard employees? Could it have anything to do with salaries and pensions? And what are the obligations of the candidates they support, if elected?

A classic negative example was reported in the Los Angeles Times on Nov. 1. In an article about the Orange County Board of Supervisors vote on prohibition of smoking on Orange County beaches, this important item failed because of a 2-2 tie vote. Supervisor Jim Silva said he abstained from voting because he had accepted campaign money from the tobacco industry. So obviously campaign contributions have influenced Silva’s actions. (How disappointing!)

Again, what do our fire, police and lifeguard employees expect from their support of City Council candidates who get elected? And how likely are those elected persons who have accepted the city unions’ support going to be able to properly represent their constituents when it comes to salary and pension issues? Will they be influenced by the monetary support they received from the fire, police and lifeguards unions, and react in the same manner as Silva?

RON HENDRICKSON

Newport Beach

Keith Curry will be valuable to councilI am pleased that we have someone on our City Council with the Washington experience and background in municipal finance that Keith Curry has.

It is refreshing that his approach to financing future projects such as fire stations, libraries and a new city hall is to make the money the city has in the capital program reserves work for us by prudently accessing the capital markets and finance.

I am confident and comforted that he will exercise fiscal responsibility as a council member, which will result in savings to us, the residents.

Thank you, Keith Curry, for your continued good work as a member of our City Council. You have my vote in this election.

JACQUE ODEGAARD

Newport Beach