Last Chance For Candidate Viewing Before Election

TWO FORUMS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING

With the final televised City Council Candidate Forum behind us and two non-televised events ahead over the next couple weeks I thought I'd provide (with the permission of CMTV) the schedule of replays on Costa Mesa Television (CMTV) Channel 24 on Time Warner Cable for the events "in the can".

BE AN INFORMED VOTER

I think each voter serious about the future of our city should take advantage of this opportunity to see your candidates respond to important issues. So far, more than 300 of your neighbors have seen the three forums conducted to date in person. You can join them by viewing the replays to become informed about the candidates.

City Council Candidate Forum - 10/9/08

Hosted by Eastside Costa Mesa Neighbors, Inc.

Schedule Information

(Length - 1:05:37)

11/1/2008 at 6:00 PM

11/2/2008 at 8:30 PM

11/3/2008 at 7:00 PM

11/4/2008 at 2:00 PM

City Council Candidate Forum - 10/15/08

Hosted jointly by the Costa Mesa Chamber

of Commerce, Churm Media and the

Daily Pilot

Schedule Information

(Length - 1:26:11)

10/31/2008 at 7:00 PM

11/1/2008 at 4:00 PM

11/2/2008 at 10:00 AM

11/3/2008 at 9:00 PM

11/4/2008 at 4:00 PM

CRAMMING BEFORE THE ELECTION

Additionally, beginning on Monday, November 3rd, all three of the televised forums will be available for viewing. They will be televised on Monday the 3rd and Tuesday, the 4th sequentially.

Monday, November 3, 2008

5:00 PM - City Council Candidate Forum of Aug. 21 - 01:53:22

7:00 PM - City Council Candidate Forum of Oct. 9 - 01:05:1

9:00 PM - City Council Candidate Forum of Oct. 15 - 01:26:11

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

12:00 PM - City Council Candidate Forum of Aug. 21 - 01:53:22

2:00 PM - City Council Candidate Forum of Oct. 9 - 01:05:13

4:00 PM - City Council Candidate Forum of Oct. 15 - 01:26:11

STREAMING VIDEO AVAILABLE, TOO

Additionally, all of those events may be viewed at your convenience on streaming video on via the City of Costa Mesa web site. This link, HERE, will take you to the city web site, then just click on Archived Videos under the "Costa Mesa TV" button, then select the forum of your choice for viewing. You will need a high speed internet connection - DSL or Cable - to view these items.

WATCH AND EDUCATE YOURSELVES - THEN CHOOSE.
I think, as you watch these presentations, you'll agree with me that we have several solid candidates from which to choose on Tuesday. As you know, my votes have gone to Katrina Foley, Bill Sneen and Jim Righeimer for all the reasons I've previously stated on this blog, HERE, and in the Daily Pilot, HERE. Those are my choices... it's up to you to make your own.

MORE REASONS TO REJECT MONAHAN AND BEVER
I think recent events make it even easier to NOT vote for Eric Bever and Gary Monahan now. Bever, in an amazing show of arrogance, failed to show up for the Daily Pilot interviews and the last two candidate forums. Monahan has this new dark cloud of suspicion regarding a "campaign donation/consulting fee" from Surat Singh hanging over his head. As I write this he has still not satisfactorily explained this issue. It's all a matter of trust, isn't it?

Monahan vs. Singh - Show Me The Money!

IT'S "DIRTY TRICKS" TIME
As we make the far turn and head for home in this campaign cycle we're approaching that time when campaign hit pieces may land in our mailboxes - negative mailers designed to punch the voters squarely between the eyes with some allegation, half-truth or pure fabrication about a candidate, who then has virtually no time left before the election to respond.

SNEEN SOUNDS THE ALARM
Some might say that Bill Sneen raising the flag about a suspicious campaign contribution that showed up on Gary Monahan's Form 460 fits into that definition, but I don't think so. Sneen was doing his homework - just as he has done ever since filing his papers to run for city council. He saw a curious entry in Monahan's campaign disclosure form and decided to investigate it. From the time this story first broke in the Daily Pilot, HERE, there has been plenty of time for Monahan to sort it out and provide us with the truth of the matter - plenty of time. This story has also been covered by the Orange County Register, HERE.

WHENCE "CHINO HILLS COUNTRY CLUB"?
When the name of a contributor - Chino Hills Country Club, with an address on Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa - popped out at Sneen it piqued his interest so he looked for the location. It wasn't a "country club" at all - it was Angel's Auto Spa. He simply walked up to the owner, Surat Singh, and asked him about the "country club" and Singh told him about it. You may recall that Singh is a successful local businessman who has a history of philanthropy in our city, as demonstrated by being bestowed the "Mayor's Award" in January, 2004 by then-mayor Gary Monahan.

CONSULTING FEE OR CONTRIBUTION?
According to Sneen's account - subsequently backed-up by Daily Pilot reporter Alan Blank's own investigation and conversation with Singh - Surat Singh told him the $7,000.00 in question was NOT a campaign contribution, but rather was the payment of a consulting fee to Monahan for the work he and fellow-former mayor Peter Buffa did on his behalf in the acquisition of land in Chino Hills where he planned to build the still-mythical country club.

CONTRIBUTION NOT DEDUCTIBLE
According to the news reports, Singh stated that he was a businessman and wouldn't just hand someone a $7,000.00 non-deductible campaign contribution.

CONSULTING FEE TAXABLE INCOME
Apparently Monahan has denied that the $7,000.00 amount paid to him by Singh was, in fact, a consulting fee for services rendered. He is quoted as stating unequivocally to Blank that it was a campaign contribution.

SOMETHING REEKS
Now, I'm not necessarily calling anyone a liar here, but something is very fishy. And, just like a fish that lays around too long, it's only going to stink more the longer the question is unresolved.





DOES THE CAMPAIGN TREASURER KNOW?
I thought that, since there is confusion, perhaps Monahan's campaign Treasurer - a fellow identified on the Form 460 as "Brian Pinkham" - might have an answer, so I called him at 9:00 tonight at the number listed on the form. He seems like a very nice fellow and was very helpful. He told me he's not very familiar with the controversy, but did verify that every contribution check received must be made out to "Friends of Gary Monahan City Council" and is deposited directly into a separate, special checking account which is subject to audit. He confirmed that no cash contributions are accepted.

LET'S SEE THE CHECK - CASE CLOSED!
This really should be a simple issue to put to rest. The payment was made August 29, 2008 - plenty of time for a check to have cleared the bank. Even if Surat Singh doesn't normally have canceled checks returned to him, almost every bank these days will produce the image of that check, front and back, upon request. If the check was made out to "Friends of Gary Monahan City Council" - the name of his campaign - the problem is resolved. If the check is made out any other way, then the issue is still foggy.

WHAT'S THE TRUTH?
If this was simply an innocent mistake by one of the parties, then we need to know that. If Surat Singh, acting as Chino Hills Country Club, inadvertently issued a corporate check to Monahan for consulting services, but made it out to his campaign, we need to know that. It does stretch credulity that he would make that kind of a mistake, considering his obvious wealth and business savvy. So far, based on the reports available, both parties are sticking to their stories.

CAN YOU TRUST HIM?
Perhaps the most important character trait we should be seeking in elected officials is HONESTY. If Monahan is not being truthful about this situation, how can we trust him with the responsibility of elective office? If this was simply a case of sloppiness with his campaign finances, maybe that explains why he recently had to lay off 3 people at his bar - something he mentioned in a recent forum. Can we trust him to do the right thing as part of the elected body that must consider and approve a budget of nearly $145 million? Heck, can we trust him, period?

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
This issue needs to be resolved fast. If Monahan screwed up he should fess up, pronto. That fish is getting riper every day...

Final Forum In The Can

FINALLY!
Whew! That's it! The final candidate forum of the 2008 cycle is done, finished, in-the-can!

ANOTHER GOOD FORUM
Last night's forum, held at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant on Fairview, was another success. The sponsors - faith-based groups - did a fine job of conducting the event before an audience of nearly 70 people total. Around 50 people stuck it out to the very end. You can read Daily Pilot reporter Alan Blank's account of the meeting HERE.

SOMEONE'S WATCHING
The tone of this forum was quite civil - perhaps because the candidates were seated in front of that large cross...

DE BOOM IN CHARGE
The moderator, Daily Pilot columnist and long-time community activist Jim deBoom, did a good job of firing the questions at the candidates. With only a minute for each response, the candidates had to be quick with their replies. Since this is the final forum they all had learned the mechanics of the process by now. Having had most of the questions in advance helped - it gave them a chance to prep for their answers.

ARROGANT BEVER A NO-SHOW - AGAIN
Again, Mayor Eric Bever was a no-show. I guess he must feel he's got this election in the bag because this is the second forum in as many weeks - neither of which were televised - that he has failed to show for. Talk about arrogance! The editors of the Daily Pilot were right when they chose to ignore him when preparing their endorsements.

MR. U. KNOW-WHO LURKED BRIEFLY
And, again, Old Grumpy from Mesa North made only a cursory showing, arriving more than 15 minutes late and leaving after around a half hour. He immediately slithered back to his Mesa North cave and wrote a scathing comment on a pre-existing blog entry - he's getting lazy that way lately - denouncing forum participants as a "bunch of phony blowhards". Of course, since he only stayed for a few minutes, took no notes, then bugged out, he really has no idea of the nature of the questions or comments after he left. This is his style - fabricating facts and outright lies. He followed that up with another fear-laced attack on those candidates who pose a threat to his troika with the specter of rampaging gang, bars on doors and windows in Mesa del Mar, etc. The guy really is a racist fear-mongerer.

FOUR QUESTIONS, PLUS
The hosts of the forum presented each of the candidates with four questions, plus a couple composed by members of the audience. The four "canned" questions were: 1) How each candidate would educate themselves on the needs of the community, particularly the youth?; 2) In light of the current fiscal uncertainty, which budget items should not be reduced and which are the most expendable?; 3) Do they support or oppose a gang prevention program as well as enforcement?; 4) who do they feel is the most under-represented group in our city?

BUDGET
Alan Blank's article covers many of the details of the answers. In the case of the first one, each would do some form of "reaching out" to the community and/or staff. On the subject of budget plans, the consensus was that public safety can't be touched. Foley emphasized the fiscally conservative nature of our city staff. McEvoy suggested eliminating the pay for City Council members and instituting a city-operated towing operation to generate income. Reedy again bemoaned the loss of the opportunity for the public to consider an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT).

GANGS
On the subject of a gang intervention program, most candidates supported that concept, acknowledging that enforcement alone isn't enough. Righeimer said we need programs that work - duh!

WHO IS THE MOST UNDER-REPRESENTED?
The final question from the hosts, about which group in our city they feel is the most under-represented, evoked some interesting responses. Moss, Sneen, Reedy and Foley all said it was the youth of our community. Bunyan said it was the seniors and homeless. Righeimer said it was those in our community who were "least, last, lost" - the homeless. McEvoy said it was the Latinos, which represent 38% of our population, and cited the fact that there were no Latinos running for office. Monahan, predictably, said it was the seniors and those with physical or developmental disabilities.

LATINOS - JOBS AND HOUSING
The first two questions submitted by audience members dealt, in broad terms, with affordable housing and the demise of the Job Center, primarily as those issues effect the Latinos in our city. All candidates agreed that we need affordable housing, but the practicalities of where it would be placed is a big stumbling block.

JOB CENTER
The Job Center was a a more contentious issue. Some of the answers were predictable. Monahan does not support re-opening a Job Center. Foley voted against closing the old one. Reedy, Sneen, McEvoy and Bunyan think we should open another one. Bunyan said we need better rules and enforcement. Sneen thinks a training element should be included. Moss said we should look to private enterprise to provide job placement services.

EASTSIDE REVITALIZATION? WHAT?
An audience member submitted a curious question about what the candidates would do to revitalize the Eastside - implying that all the attention had been paid to the Westside. Most responses had to do with infrastructure - traffic improvements, alley improvements, etc. Reedy mentioned the fledgling Eastside Costa Mesa Neighbors group.

JWA, LIBRARY, PAULARINO PARK
Jim deBoom asked a series of "yes or no" questions. All the candidates supported caps on flights out of John Wayne Airport, building a new central library and all agreed, if elected, to meet with the sponsoring group of this forum. None of the candidates felt Paularino Park should be returned to a state where soccer could be played.

FOLEY, RIGHEIMER AND SNEEN GET MY VOTES
This final chance to see and hear most of the candidates only further cemented my decisions on how to mark my ballot - which I will be doing today. I will vote for Foley, Righeimer and Sneen. The Daily Pilot ran an abbreviated version of my recent blog posting on my choices yesterday, which can be read HERE. I'm still very impressed with all the candidates. Both Chris Bunyan and Chris McEvoy continue to impress me with their insightful, and sometimes quirky, solutions to problems.

MONAHAN/SINGH AND $7,000
The buzz around the meeting room last night was all about the recent article in the Daily Pilot about the "donation/consulting fee" paid to Gary Monahan by businessman Surat Singh. I don't know how this issue is going to shake out, but it seems to me that it is easily resolved - just give us a peek at the check Mr. Singh wrote to Monahan. If it was made out to Monahan's campaign, case closed. If not, then more explaining is necessary.

MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE ON NOVEMBER 4TH
That's it, my friends. Time to contemplate how you will mark your ballot. Remember, this weekend CMTV will have a forum marathon going, with the first three available for viewing. The Daily Pilot has their video interview clips available for viewing. Take some time to view these items and make an informed decision.

Hispanics Among Us - Managing The Tsunami

A NEW PEW CENTER REPORT
Last week the Pew Hispanic Center, a Pew Research Center Project, produced a new report for our consideration in which they tell us that Hispanics account for half of the U.S. Population growth since 2000. Mull that fact over just a little, then click on the link, HERE, to go to the site.

A WEALTH OF INFORMATION
Once at the site you will find a wealth of information and links to other segments of this report, including some fascinating interactive maps and interactive databases that provide demographic information about Latinos in each of our 50 states and 3141 counties.

DRAMATIC GROWTH REFLECTED
For example, in 1980 the 14.6 million Hispanics were heavily concentrated in the 47 (out of 3141 counties) that had Hispanic county populations of at least 50,000. In 2007 the 45.5 million Hispanics cover a much wider area and the data provided on some of their maps detail 57 counties that have large Hispanic populations or rapid growth in their Hispanic populations in the new century.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY #1 - NO SURPRISE!
The interactive maps present a very interesting mountain of information. For example, Los Angeles County Ranked #1 in total Hispanic population, with 4.7 million or 47% of the total. It also ranked 1st in growth of the Hispanic population (850,971) from 1990-2000 - 27% and 1st (435,198) from 2000-2007 - 10%.

ORANGE COUNTY #6
The same information for Orange County shows it ranked at #6 in total Hispanic population with just over 998,000, or 33% of the total. It ranked #7 in growth of the Hispanic population (310,751) from 1990-2000 - 55% and 15th from 2000-2007 (122,453) - 14%.

NUMBERS 2-5
It won't surprise many to learn that Harris County, Texas (Houston) is ranked #2 nationally and that Miami-Dade County in Florida is ranked #3. I was shocked to learn, though, that Cook County, Illinois (Chicago) is ranked #4, ahead of Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix) at #5.

CALIFORNIA NUMBERS ARE INTERESTING
In California Hispanics represent 36% of the population, have a median age of 26 years and represent 47% of all K-12 students. In the 12 month period prior to the survey there were 236,000 births to Hispanic women ages 15-44. 26% of Hispanics 17 and younger live in poverty while only 9% of Non-Hispanic Whites live in poverty. These are powerful numbers, and that's only the tip of the iceberg in the Pew Center Report, as you will see when you visit the site.

CONTEMPLATE AS YOU VOTE
As we think about casting our ballots in the pending election - many of us may have already mailed ours in - I think it's important to contemplate what these numbers really represent. We here in Costa Mesa share our city with a Hispanic population estimated to be in excess of 35% of the total. If history bears us out, most of those folks won't vote, but will certainly be impacted by the votes cast on November 4th.

MANAGING THE TSUNAMI
The Hispanic folks in our community are a growing proportion of the residents of this city. There are those in this city who have done their very best to make life miserable for our Hispanic neighbors, including some folks on, or running for, the City Council. As I have written many times before, this wave of Hispanics - mostly immigrants - is the "wave of the future" in our little part of the world - a de facto tsunami. If we don't figure out ways to manage this wave we are destined to be drowned by it.

BEWARE THE RACIST RANTS
There are those who will react to this information with proclamations that those who wish to consider it are "soft on crime" and/or "lefties", intent on making our city another Santa Ana. Horse manure! The fact is that the Hispanic population of our country, and our region in particular, is growing. Those who wish to pull their heads back into their shells like some misguided turtle and hope it all goes away are delusional and just not facing reality. It's time, in my opinion, to elect leaders that understand the realities of life in southern California today and are prepared to deal with it like leaders, not vigilantes.

Money, And Lots Of It...

CAMPAIGN FINANCES TO CONSIDER
Within the past few days the Daily Pilot has provided us with some very interesting issues to consider as we head for the home stretch in this years municipal elections.

THE TROIKA DOMINATES FUND RAISING
HERE, they provided us with the most recent campaign contribution information on the Costa Mesa candidates. The "CM Press Troika" - Jim Righeimer, Gary Monahan and Eric Bever - have collected more than $140,000 between them - more than $100,000 greater than the next candidate, Katrina Foley, who has raised just over $30,000. Riggy is the BIG DOG on this list, with just under $60,000 raised so far.

DOLLARS VISIBLE ALL OVER TOWN
I'm not surprised at these numbers. Bever spent $50,000 in his campaign four years ago. Campaign signs, many of which violate our municipal ordinances on the placement of such signs and their size, for the "Troika", are plastered all over town and our mailboxes are filled with slate mailers for those three.

MONAHAN'S DILEMMA
Even more interesting is the article, HERE, that presents an interesting dilemma for Gary Monahan. This one tells us that local businessman, Surat Singh, has provided a $7,000 contribution to Monahan's campaign according to sworn statements on Monahan's Form 460 - the campaign finance disclosure forms. Opponent Bill Sneen thought that contribution was curious - it was apparently from an entity identified as the Chino Hills Country Club, which showed a Newport Blvd. address. So, he nosed around a little and spoke with Singh, who told him that he had paid Monahan $7,000 for consulting that he and fellow-former mayor Peter Buffa did to help him acquire land in Chino Hills where he plans to build a country club. He told Sneen the money was not a campaign contribution because he couldn't deduct it as a business expense as such.

DAILY PILOT CONFIRMS STORY
The Daily Pilot got wind of this issue and reporter Alan Blank interviewed Singh, who confirmed the facts as presented above. However, Monahan says that money was, indeed, a campaign contribution on which he is not obligated to pay income tax.

WHO'S LYING?
Somebody's not telling the truth here. I cannot think of a single reason Surat Singh would lie about this issue. He is a highly respected member of the Costa Mesa business community who Monahan recognized with the "Mayor's Award" in 2004 for his philanthropy. That leaves Monahan, who has filled out these forms many, many times over his previous 12 year tenure on the City Council. It's unlikely that the inclusion on the Form 460 was a simple mistake - which Monahan is not claiming, by the way.

TRUST IS IMPORTANT
I mention this because trust is very important when considering the votes you will make on November 4th. I've already said I'm not voting for Monahan, and listed the many reasons for that decision. This new information only affirms my decision... trust is important.

***

FINAL FORUM ON TUESDAY
A reminder, Tuesday, October 28th, is the date of the final Costa Mesa City Council Candidate Forum. This event will be held at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 2850 Fairview. It begins promptly at 6:30 pm and is scheduled to conclude at 8:00 pm. The candidates have been provided the questions in advance, so one can hope for a polished performance by each of them.

WHO WILL SHOW UP?
I find myself wondering if they all will show up. Eric Bever, for example, stiffed the good folks at Halecrest and Mesa Del Mar last week when he failed to show up for their forum. I wonder if he will take a pass on this one, too. I also wonder if Monahan will duck this event to avoid questions on his financial situation?

See you there...

Daily Pilot Unveils DP 103 for 2008

(Photo by Mark Dustin
Photo Illustration by Hamlet Nalbandyan)

FAVORITE EVENT
One of my favorite events each year is the annual presentation by our local newspaper of record, the Daily Pilot, of their so-called DP 103 - a list of 103 (actually many more) people, entities, groups, etc. that influence the lives of the lucky folks who live, work and play in the Newport-Mesa area.

PRODUCED UNDER PRESSURE
We're especially lucky this year to have this edition because the Daily Pilot has seen better days. Since the acquisition of the Tribune Companies - the parent of the Los Angeles Times and Times Community Newspapers, of which our Daily Pilot is a part, there have been draconian cuts in staff. In fact, as the DP 103 was being "put in the can" long time staffer, Tony Dodero, was laid off - a truly tragic blow to the Daily Pilot and our community. Still, the staff soldiers on, producing the best product possible under the circumstances.

LINK TO THE LIST
This year's edition has many familiar faces and some new ones. This link, HERE, will take you to the proper page online so you can scroll down and select your favorites to read what the editors and reporters of the Daily Pilot think about your friends and neighbors who made the list. I'm not going to try to write about all of them, but there are a few that I do want to mention specifically.

NUMERO UNO (S)
I cannot comment on this edition without giving my opinion of the choice for #1, Frank Barbaro and Scott Baugh. These two gents are the top dogs in the Orange County Democrat and Republican parties, respectively. They call the shots for their parties in all things political. In Baugh's case, that apparently means their attempt to virtually colonize Costa Mesa and use it as in incubator for their political fetuses. I'm not happy about that. I must say, though, that City Editor Paul Anderson's article on them is an interesting read.

NAGHAVI AT NUMBER 10
Perhaps my favorite choice among the top selections is Costa Mesa Director of Public Works, Peter Naghavi. He was appointed to his current assignment this year following a long and, yes, illustrious career as the city's head traffic guy. Over the years Peter has worked his magic, trying to keep residents happy with traffic issues, but not always successfully. It seems that some people will never be satisfied, regardless the number of solutions presented to them. Still, Peter keeps on smiling and, with an excellent staff to support him, he just keeps on making sure the streets are paved and clean and our parks are in good shape. His recognition is certainly well-deserved.

VOLUNTEERISM PERSONIFIED AT NUMBER 46
Scattered throughout the DP 103 are local and regional politicians, but tucked into the #46 slot, not quite half way down the list, are two women who have made community activism an art form. Cindy Brenneman and Robin Leffler are Costa Mesa residents who take community involvement very seriously and have demonstrated that individuals can, indeed, make a difference. I'll let you read Michael Alexander's summary for more information. Congratulations, ladies, for having your efforts recognized in the DP 103.

PAUL AND MELANIE - FAR FROM IRRELEVANT AT NUMBER 68
I cannot scroll down past #68 without comment. Paul Salata and his daughter, Melanie Salata-Finch, run Irrelevant Week, that Paul started more than three decades ago. What began as one old NFL player trying to give the last man chosen in the draft each year a little fun and recognition has become a huge, nationally-recognized event. This honor - which, like Irrelevant Week has become an annual affair - is well-deserved. Thanks to Paul for the idea and to Melanie for the hard work. In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that Paul and I attended the same high school, but at different times. I did, in fact, attend with his "baby brother", George. Well done, fellow Panther.

THE LION KING AT NUMBER 77
On down the line at #77 is my friend - the ultimate Lion - Mike Scheaffer. I think there has never been a day in his life when Mike has not been a Lion - it's in his genes. He's known, of course, as "Mr. Fish Fry", for the efforts he and his Lion compatriots put forth to conduct the annual event at, surprisingly, Lions Park each spring. There's more to Mike's life than fried fish, though. He is knee-deep in many other volunteer activities, including the Senior Center and the Boys and Girls Club. He grew up here, has a business here and raised his family here. Mike lives and breathes Costa Mesa and I'm proud to call him a friend. This recognition is certainly appropriate and much deserved.

THE MOUTH AT NUMBER 93
Did you ever wish you could undo something you did? Well, that's how I feel when I scroll down to #93. If I had just kept my opinion to myself a couple years ago Old Grumpy might never have made this list, much less three years in a row! Back then the editors of the Daily Pilot solicited input on possible DP 103 candidates. I submitted a list that included most of the "usual suspects" and, at the end, I included this guy. My reasoning was that their standard for consideration was that the person had to be "influential", and this person certainly fit that description. They didn't say "positive influence"... This fellow has influenced politics in Costa Mesa for most of this decade, taking credit, for example, for getting the perpetually inept Chris Steel elected to the city council and then - when Steel turned his back on him - getting him un-elected. I hold this guy largely responsible for the policies and practices that make our Latino community uneasy. However, what is, is. He's still spreading his racist drivel and I'm stuck with having to write about it... Oh, well

CLEANSE YOUR PALATE WITH NUMBER 94
Fortunately, it's nice to be able to cleanse one's literary palate with the next selection, #94. The two women recognized in this slot, Karen McGlinn and Jean Forbath, could be considered the antithesis of the previous person. Their organization, Share Our Selves (SOS) is the gold standard for helping others in our area. We should all be proud of the fine work they do helping their fellowman - I am.

MY MUSE AT NUMBER 102
I cannot close without acknowledging my buddy, Byron de Arakal, who made the list at #102. When I contacted him to congratulate him for this fine award he commented that he was last on the list, #103, about 10 years ago, so he hoped to break into the top 10 sometime after he's been in the ground for 20 years or so. What a guy! Byron is the reason you're reading these words - it was a column of his in the Daily Pilot almost ten years ago that caused me to write my very first Letter to the Editor, which was published. I thought, "Heck, that was easy!", and kept on writing, which eventually evolved into this little old blog. The little blurb that accompanied Byron's photo outlined his contributions to our area as a member and Chairman of the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission, which were prodigious. His personal focus has always been on the kids of our community. I cannot get him to slow down in his consulting practice so he can run for City Council - maybe some day.

KUDOS, ONE AND ALL
Again, congratulations to every one of the people and entities honored by the Daily Pilot as members of the DP 103 for 2008. I love reading about the contributions of so many of my friends and neighbors, and those of folks I've never heard of before. This special section will have a long "shelf life" online, so take your time and read about all these wonderful people who make the Newport-Mesa such a terrific place in which to live, work and play.

THANKS TO THE DAILY PILOT STAFF
Thanks to the men and women of the Daily Pilot, now headed up by Brady Rhoades, for persevering under very trying circumstances to produce this fun, informative Special Section. I'm sure it will remain on coffee tables and in book racks in homes around the Newport-Mesa for a long time. Congratulations for a job well-done.

Well Done, Halecrest and Mesa Del Mar!

BIG SUCCESS IN HALECREST
Last night's Costa Mesa City Council Candidate Forum hosted by the Halecrest Community Association and the Mesa Del Mar Homeowners Association was a big success. Congratulations to the organizers for a job well done.

A GOOD TURNOUT, INCLUDING MR. U. KNOW-WHO - BRIEFLY
Held in an un-air conditioned room - with lots of open doors and fans - it got off to a slightly delayed start, but moved briskly thereafter. The venue was just right for the crowd - probably around 80 residents showed up for this event, including one old grouch from Mesa North who made what he must have felt was an obligatory appearance, then skulked away at least an hour before the event ended. Perhaps sitting on the far LEFT side of the room gave him vertigo - who knows?



BEVER A NO-SHOW - NOBODY CARED
Eight of the nine candidates made it to this event. Mayor Eric Bever failed to show, which is getting to be a habit with him these days. You'll recall that he didn't show up for the Daily Pilot interviews recently, either. I'm thinking he may have finally run out of jokes or "clever" quips, so felt that he would be making an appearance "unarmed" - like a gunfighter without his pistols. Or, perhaps, his unwarranted arrogance just got the better of him and he didn't feel it was necessary to make another appearance before the voters of this city. He wasn't missed.

EXCELLENT QUESTIONS AND ENOUGH TIME TO ANSWER
Each candidate was given two minutes to introduce themselves - that worked out just fine. Having been to most of these events, I heard nothing new, but many of the attendees were first-timers. From that point on the hosts asked questions that were important to them and their communities, ranging from their approach to balancing the city budget; alleviating speeders in neighborhoods; the vacant property where Kona Lanes once stood; high density apartments in Mesa Del Mar; Banning Ranch and Undergrounding utilities. They each had two minutes to wrap up at the end.

FIREWORKS - THE QUESTION
Along the way Bill Sneen cleverly managed to slide the subject of Fireworks into the discussion, to which several of the candidates chimed in during responses to other questions. Suffice it to say that Daily Pilot columnist Steve Smith, who was sitting directly behind me, and I were the only two people in the room who have taken the position that neighborhood fireworks are a bad idea. We both slid down in our respective chairs as the discussion went on, and on, and on...

GENERALLY CIVIL PROCEEDINGS
The proceedings were quite civil - more so than in previous forums. Bill Sneen came armed with a few big expensive fliers for Righeimer, Monahan and Bever and commented on them in contrast to his campaign. Monahan took a couple mild backhand swipes at Katrina Foley again, but generally it was a pretty darn civilized exchange of views all evening.

REEDY REVVING UP
Lisa Reedy, on her home turf and before a home crowd, took a much more affirmative and active role in the discussions tonight. I found myself wishing she had launched her campaign more aggressively earlier.

UNDERGROUNDING UTILITIES BURIED
I thought it was interesting that, during the discussion of Undergrounding the utilities, all the candidates thought it was a good idea, but too expensive, yet none of them put forward what that cost would be. I expected Foley or Monahan - or both - to tell the assembled crowd that Allan Mansoor's pipe dream of undergrounding the utilities throughout the city would cost more than $1billion and take at least a generation to complete - those were the last numbers we heard when this was being considered. Yikes! And those numbers do not take into account the cost to the individual property owners, who would have to pay to get the utilities from the curb to their homes. In my case, for example, I received a couple estimates in the $11,000 - $15,000 range. Those costs will have certainly gone up since then. That subject is dead and "buried" - sorry, couldn't resist.

BANNING RANCH - YES, AND NO
To no one's surprise, opinions varied on Banning Ranch. Chris Bunyan - who again lead the field in snappy one-liners - is leading the charge to keep Banning Ranch open space. Jim Righeimer, a developer, is more realistic - citing the fact that this is really Newport Beach's issue because the ranch property is within their sphere of influence. He pointed out that Costa Mesa must work with Newport Beach and the developer to obtain funds to mitigate the impact on our streets and other infrastructure during the process.

STRONGER CODE ENFORCEMENT
On the subject of the high density housing in the Mesa Del Mar area, there was unanimous agreement that stronger code enforcement is necessary. Several candidates thought stronger codes were necessary in addition to stronger enforcement of our existing rules. Foley and others felt that stronger positions should be taken with the property owners, including those owning the underlying property in the case of land leases. Monahan opined that eventually those units would simply just be "scraped" and new, upscale housing built in place.

BALANCING THE BUDGET - TOT OR NOT TOT
The issue of balancing the budget resulted in two sides of the issue - those who thought an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) should have been presented to the voters this year and those who thought ANY tax increase, regardless who was being taxed, was a bad idea. Most felt some belt tightening was necessary. There was talk about using the $14 million in emergency reserves, but Foley set the record straight on that issue. The council MAY NOT use the emergency reserves except in the case of a disaster - earthquake, hurricane, etc., and then it takes a four-fifths vote of the council. Chris Bunyan once again quipped that he'd forego his council salary if elected. Monahan didn't make such an offer...

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF....
There were several amusing moments tonight. One came from Nick Moss, the youngest of all the candidates at age 28. During the ad hoc discussion of Fireworks, he talked wistfully about how much he and his neighbors enjoyed the safe and sane fireworks, he said, "We have a blast." and never batted an eye. I'm still not sure he realized the humor in his comment.

ONE MORE FORUM TO GO
So, neighbors, one more forum to be held next Tuesday, the 28th, at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, on Fairview next to the Farm Sports Complex. That event begins at 6:30 according to the revised schedule. I find myself wondering whether Bever will ignore this group, too. Is it too much to expect that the mayor actually attends these things when he's running for re-election? I don't think so. In any event, I'll remind you about that last forum as the date approaches.

BUMBLING BEVER'S BUFFOONERY
As an aside, at the end of the last council meeting on Tuesday Bever demonstrated just what a chucklehead he really is when responding to City Manager Allan Roeder on the subject of shopping in Costa Mesa. Roeder, making light of a comment made earlier by the Mesa North Mouth that folks could soon visit the new Trader Joe's in Huntington Beach, indicating that we should be shopping at our own Trader Joe's on 17th Street. Bever, in an unnecessary and flippant reply, said the one in Huntington Beach was closer and it would take too much gas and he would pollute the air too much if he drove "all the way" over to 17th Street. Yes sir, that's your mayor - advocating driving out of town to do your shopping. "Clueless" is much too kind a word for him.

ELECTION DAY COUNCIL MEETING CANCELED
By the way, during the last council meeting after about five minutes of discussion the council decided to simply cancel the November 4th meeting. That's election day and most of them will be preoccupied one way or the other. The next scheduled City Council meeting will be on November 18th.

Halecrest Forum, More Dodero and Candidate Intimidation

SEE YOU THERE
Just a reminder... the next-to-last Costa Mesa City Council Candidate Forum will be held tonight. Wednesday, October 22, 2008 the Mesa Del Mar Homeowners Association and the Halecrest/Hall of Fame Community Association will jointly host a candidate forum at the Halecrest Community Center, 3107 Killybrooke Lane, from 6:30-9 PM.

TIME CHANGE ON NEXT WEEK'S FORUM
Incidentally, the start time for the final forum next Tuesday, the 28th, has been pushed back. I've been advised that it will begin at 6:30 PM, not 6, as previously reported. I'll remind you next week.

****

DODERO DEPARTURE, PART 2
A little more news on the departure from the Daily Pilot yesterday of Tony Dodero, Director of News and Online. I imagine the management of the Times didn't just push him off a cliff. I don't know, but I suspect he was able to participate in a buy-out of sorts that may provide a small cushion as he takes this next step in his life. That would be consistent with the way The Times treated folks pitched out onto the streets since Sam Zell began his ham-handed "massaging" of the Tribune Companies.

OC WEEKLY ON DODERO
The OC WEEKLY, those good and prescient folks that recently recognized this humble blog, had an interesting piece on Tony's departure in their Navel Gazing segment. Here's the link to that article, which includes a very interesting comment from Bill Lobdell, former Editor of the Daily Pilot, who recently found himself in similar circumstances.

WE WISH HIM WELL
Again, we here at A Bubbling Cauldron wish Tony Dodero and Lana Johnson, who also was shown the door this week, all the best. Katrina Foley put it so well last night when she paid much-deserved tribute to Tony during her council member comments, indicating that he was an important member of our community beyond his role at the Daily Pilot. He will be missed.

****

A REMINDER AND THREAT FROM "THE MOUTH"
One more thing... this morning the yapping hyena over at the CM Press reminded us all of his involvement with the perpetually inept Chris Steel with this little bit of prose:

"A few years ago we helped elect a politician who did say one thing and do another. That politician even said he believed that we were the reason he got elected.

However, he apparently forgot that we do pay attention and we do attend most meetings and we do listen and we do watch. As soon as it was clear that this politician wasn't walking the walk and was blowing smoke, we began working to make sure he would not serve another term. We went from being his biggest supporter to being his biggest opponent."

A CLEAR THREAT
This should be a reminder to all those he supports in the election that he believes he has the power to get you "un-elected" if you fail to toe his line. Are you listening, Eric, Gary and Jim? You should be!

VOTERS BEWARE!
It should also be a reminder to the voters of this city of just why perpetuating an "improver" majority on our council is not good for this city. It puts them under the thumb of man admired by David Duke, former head of the KKK, for goodness sake. Is this the image you want for your city?

We Bid A Fond Adieu To Tony Dodero

SAD "LA" TIMES
I've written from time to time recently about the sad days at the Los Angeles Times and it's covey of community newspapers, including the Daily Pilot - our newspaper of record for a century.

ZELL, THE DESTROYER
Sam Zell bought the Tribune Companies, including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs and Wrigley Field, plus other media assets - like our local KTLA, Channel 5. Ever since that acquisition Zell, who has no clue about how to actually run media companies, much less in these perilous times, has begun a herky-jerky process of devaluing those assets. I'm not sure how that makes any sense, but that's what he's doing.

PRUNING WITH A CHAINSAW
For example, a year ago the Los Angeles Times newsroom was staffed by 1200 writers, editors, photographers and others so essential to the gathering and presentation of the news. Today it is under 650, with another 200 people to be turned loose this week.

ADIOS, TONY...
Among those dedicated news folks being released this week is my friend, Tony Dodero, Director of News and Online at the Daily Pilot! After 18 years with the organization, Tony will walk out the door today for the final time and into a future with great uncertainty. Sadly, he's not alone in this situation these days.

LOYALTY REPAID WITH A KICK IN THE TEETH
You will recall that when Publisher Tom Johnson resigned in protest of the draconian cuts being manifested on the Times and it's subsidiaries earlier this year it was left to Dodero to grab the helm of the Daily Pilot and it's sister publications to try to keep them focused and functioning. He did a great job with a very difficult situation. His reward for this loyalty is a pink slip. Such is life at the Los Angeles Times these days.

NEARLY TWO DECADES OF SERVICE
Tony began at the Pilot as an intern for a few months almost 20 years ago, was offered a full-time job and progressed through the ranks as his talents were recognized. Over the years he's moved around through the Los Angeles Times organization with stops in Huntington Beach, Long Beach and Santa Monica. He's built new organizations - the Times Community Newspapers were a group of 23 individual newspapers at one time. He became Editor of the Daily Pilot in 1999.

GOOD NEWSMAN AND FRIEND
Throughout his career in the Los Angeles Times organization he became known as a tenacious reporter, excellent writer and editor and a superior manager. Along the way he has also become known as a good friend to many who have worked for and with him.

CREATED AN EXCELLENT ONLINE PRESENCE
When it became obvious that the Daily Pilot needed to develop a better, more professional online presence Tony was the "go to" guy and he responded by creating an online entity that is excellent and serves it's readers well.

RECOGNIZING AND DEVELOPING TALENT
Throughout his career Tony has hired and nurtured some excellent young reporters and editors, most of whom have moved on to bigger things after earning their spurs at the Daily Pilot. This skill for recognizing and developing talent is one of Tony's strengths. For most of this decade he has taught a Beginning Journalism course at Orange Coast College, where he encouraged and educated young folks with an interest in journalism.

HE'LL MISS THE PEOPLE
During a conversation today Tony told me that he will miss the people the most. He said he's enjoyed getting to know so many wonderful people over the years and especially enjoyed serving our community.

INEXPLICABLE CALLOUSNESS AT THE LA TIMES
As if pouring that last grain of salt in an open wound, the powers-that-be at the Los Angeles Times have refused to let Tony write a parting column - a courtesy he, as Editor, has provided to many former staffers as they moved on. It's a shame they chose not to permit him to say thank you to the readers after all his years of exemplary service. This is a perfect example of the callousness of those in charge of a once-great newspaper.

GOOD-BYE TO MY FRIEND
Since I began writing Letters to the Editor to the Daily Pilot early in 2001 I've gotten to know Tony Dodero and consider him a friend. He's blessed with a cadre of caring, supportive friends and a wonderful family. We know Tony will land on his feet. We thank him for his contributions to our community and wish him, and his family, only the best as he steps off into a new direction in his life.

OK, Now It's My Turn...

STRAP YOURSELF IN...
Fasten your seat belts and get comfy... this is going to be a long one... I had planned to publish my choices for Costa Mesa City Council a little closer to the election, but the Daily Pilot forced my hand today. Originally, I thought I would wait until after the next two candidate forums on the 22nd and the 28th, but many will be mailing absentee ballots soon and - unless one of the candidates really steps in it over the next couple weeks - I already know how my votes will be cast, and why.

DAILY PILOT CHOICES
In the Sunday, October 19, 2008 edition, the Daily Pilot editors provided readers with their choices for the open City Council seats in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. In both instances there were surprises. I'm not going to address the Newport Beach selections - I've only followed them peripherally and I don't have a dog in that hunt. Costa Mesa, however, is another question.

READ THEIR VIEWS, SEE THE VIDEOS
The Daily Pilot editors chose to endorse Katrina Foley, Jim Righeimer and Gary Monahan from among the nine candidates for three seats available. You can read the reasons for their selections HERE. You can also view the video of portions of their interviews HERE, which may help you with your own decisions on November 4th.

BEVER REJECTED - WISELY
The editors, wisely, chose not to support first-term councilman and current mayor, Eric Bever for re-election. Some will speculate that they did so because he snubbed them during their interview process. I seriously doubt that's the case, but even if it is, it would be understandable. Bever has proven to be a petulant, arrogant and capricious member of the city council, more concerned with providing a smug quip for every event than exercising sound judgment in the administration of our city. I concur with the editor's choice to ignore Bever . I will not vote for him because our city deserves much better.

KATRINA FOLEY FIRST
I agree with the Daily Pilot that Katrina Foley, through her citizenship and service to this city as both a planning commissioner and council member over the past nearly a decade, has earned the right to be returned to the dais for another four years. As the editors stated, she seems to be omnipresent, representing our city government at almost every event of significance throughout her term - the only council member to do so. Foley has clearly been the smartest, best prepared of the current council members and, although consistently outnumbered on important votes, she nonetheless has provided solid reasoning and an essential counterpoint to the sometimes-irrational views and votes taken by the current majority. As the candidate who captured the most votes four years ago, she has done an excellent job of insuring that all sides of an issue were heard, giving voice to many residents who's opinions would otherwise have been ignored by the majority. As a business owner/lawyer, wife and mother, she has demonstrated boundless energy and a very special ability to juggle the demands of job, family and city. I whole-heartedly support returning Katrina Foley to the city council.

EXTRAORDINARY POOL OF CANDIDATESFrom here on it gets a little sticky for me. This cycle the voters have had an especially unique group from which to choose their next leaders. In my more than three decades in Costa Mesa I don't recall a panel with so much relevant experience. This year we have three previous council members, including two with mayoral experience, and an uber-operative of the Orange County Republican Party who makes the word "connected" sound strangely inadequate. Combine those with a previous candidate who has become a dedicated activist, two mature, solid citizen business leaders and two bright young men with strong futures in civic affairs and you have an extraordinary group from which to choose.

RIGGY AND MONAHAN
I have been, and continue to be, critical of both Righeimer and Monahan, but for very different reasons. I'll discuss them individually, even though they are being presented to the voters, along with Bever, as a de facto slate. As a check of your mailbox each day will illustrate, the three of them are beneficiaries of mountains of money being spent by the OC GOP on their campaign.

A CARPETBAGGER AND SO MUCH MORE
I have described Jim Righeimer as a carpetbagging opportunist and well-connected political operative who chose Costa Mesa as a safe haven in which to perch awaiting a higher office to open up. I have described him as impatient, to the point that he has verbally abused applicants before the planning commission during his brief tenure. I have described his appointment to the commission by Allan Mansoor, after having resided in Costa Mesa for only a few months, as an act of political payback for the help Congressman Dana Rohrabacher gave to Mansoor and Wendy Leece two years ago in their campaigns. Did I mention that Righeimer is Rohrabacher's campaign manager? I have also said that I don't really believe he has a long-term commitment to Costa Mesa. I still believe all of the above.

PART OF OC GOP PLAN
I also don't like the fact that he appears to be a big part of a grand plan by the Orange County Republican Party - my party - to take over the government of Costa Mesa and use it for an incubator in which their cadre of political fetuses will grow.

ON THE OTHER HAND...
All that being said, there can be no dispute that Righeimer brings almost unprecedented experience for the voters to consider. As a developer, he has a very special perspective on those kinds of issues that is especially valuable in our city at this time. Beyond that, he has exceptional experience in regional organizations and all the important contacts that go along with them. He is an articulate, clever guy who knows how to "sell" his point of view. He's a personable fellow with plenty of charm and a beautiful family, which we've all seen in the numerous political mailers stuffing our mailboxes these days.

CROSSING MY FINGERS AND VOTING
So, keeping my fingers crossed until they turn white due to lack of circulation, I'm prepared to vote for Jim Righeimer and hope he will, as he promises, become a voice of mediation on the council. I'm prepared to vote for him, then stand back and hope it doesn't blow up in my face. I'm prepared to vote for him, then call him out if he strays from the promises he's been making to the voters in our city. Ouch, my fingers hurt!

WHAT ABOUT MONAHAN?
I understand why the Daily Pilot editors chose to support Gary Monahan's return to the City Council. Simple logic tells you that someone with a dozen years on the City Council previously, including a third of that as mayor, should be a good move for our city, right? During his campaign Monahan has consistently touted his vast experience on various agencies and boards that were part of his previous council terms. That should be important, too, right?

I REMEMBER GARY...
Well, I watched Gary Monahan during most of his previous tenure on the council and those memories have left a very unpleasant after-taste. I've watched him evolve from a rank neophyte with limited political skills into a cunning, and sometimes conniving, operator with a very unbecoming streak of vindictiveness. I saw him become the very reason the voters of this city passed a term limits ordinance.

MAYOR FOR LIFE?
I also watched as he stood before the city council a year ago as a private citizen and lobbied hard to get them to place the issue of a directly-elected mayor - without term limits - on the ballot this November. As he stood and spoke as if he was still a council member, pushing hard for this issue, I found myself thinking that he was attempting to become "mayor for life". Allan Mansoor supported Monahan, but Eric Bever's choice not to support this subject killed it - for the time being. There is no doubt in my mind that, if re-elected to the city council, Monahan would quickly launch yet another move to have the position of mayor become directly-elected, and without term limits. In my view, this would encourage corruption, perpetuate mediocrity and would certainly be bad for our city.

WHY RUN AGAIN?
Having watched Monahan at the end of his previous term, it was clear that he had lost interest and he stated, as he stepped aside from a leadership role to make room for the Mansoor/Bever team, that he needed to spend more time with his prodigious family and his business. All of us can understand that, but I wonder what has changed? The size of his family has not, and his business - like many today - probably needs even more of his attention in light of the downward spiral of our economy.

HOLDING A GRUDGE?
I remember Monahan during the rancorous days when his restaurant was being picketed by activists opposing Mansoor's bogus immigration screening plan. He's bitter to this day about that, as evidenced by his comments at candidate forums this year. I wonder how that animosity toward Latinos in our city will translate into even-handed governance in the future?

WEARY OF THE PROCESS?
I also remember Monahan's growing impatience with the process of governing - something that happens to folks that have become weary of a "job". I recall with crystal clarity one evening when he admonished his peers on the council, while discussing the subject of annexation of portions of the county coveted by both Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, that they should "play hardball" with Newport Beach representatives, even though Newport Beach held all the cards in that game. That's the kind of attitude we can no longer afford as we deal with our neighboring cities. We need cooperation, not confrontation, as we move forward on issues like John Wayne Airport, the SR-55 solution and Banning Ranch, just to mention a few.

BACK TO THE MUNICIPAL TROUGH
It is my understanding that, if elected to the city council, Monahan will remain on the board of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, where he will be entitled to draw over $1300 per month, depending on the number of meetings he attends. Combine that with the honey pot he will have as a council member - $952 per month, plus expenses and the availability of excellent medical benefits for his family and the opportunity to pad his pension, and I just cannot help but think that he's in this for Gary, not for the city.

THANKS, GARY, BUT NO THANKS...
I will not support Gary Monahan for re-election because I think he's weary of the job. He has worn out his welcome and is just trying to elbow his way back to the municipal trough. Thanks for your prior service, Gary, now please step aside.

THE REMAINING FIVE
This leaves us with five candidates for the remaining choice on my ballot - Lisa Reedy, Chris McEvoy, Nick Moss, Chris Bunyan and Bill Sneen.

NOT REEDY'S TIME
I think Lisa Reedy - a woman with excellent business and leadership skills - has not gotten serious enough early in her campaign and it shows in her performance at forums. I hope she decides to run again in two years. I'm grateful to her for making this run and hope she will do so again soon. I cannot vote for her this time around.

MC EVOY SHOWS ENTHUSIASM AND PROMISE
Chris McEvoy is a delightful, refreshing young man to whom the future of this city belongs. He has some unique ideas about solutions to city issues and promises to stay involved in civic issues following the election. I hope he does, and that he returns as a candidate again soon, but I cannot vote for him this time.

MOSS IS STILL LEARNING
Nick Moss is another young man who is still on the steep part of the learning curve on municipal issues. I hope he finds a way to stay involved, but this is not the right time for him on the council. He won't receive my vote this time.

BUNYAN AND SNEEN
That leaves us with Chris Bunyan and Bill Sneen, both of whom I like very much as individuals and as candidates.

BUNYAN'S BACK AND FOCUSED
Chris Bunyan ran two years ago and finished last. This year, with saving the Banning Ranch as a cornerstone of his campaign, he seems to be working much harder and has been making inroads. His comments at the recent forums consistently drew the best responses, so he does strike a chord with voters. I think he can continue to make significant contributions to our city. Should he somehow manage, in the face of such stiff competition this time around, to round up enough votes to land a seat on the council I would not be unhappy, but I will not vote for him this time.

SNEEN HAS THE SKILLS, SMARTS AND ATTITUDE
As he said at a recent forum, Bill Sneen has lived in Costa Mesa twenty years longer than Jim Righeimer and is a business executive, community activist and family man. He is the husband of recent school board member, Linda Sneen, and the father of two college-age sons - both Eagle Scouts. He and his wife have been active in school issues for many years. He possesses excellent business leadership experience and the intelligence, maturity and work ethic so necessary to make solid decisions for our city. He has worked harder than any other new candidate trying to prepare for the forums this year, interviewing many senior city staffers and former municipal leaders and residents. From all I can discern, his slogan, "Costa Mesa First", accurately describes his commitment to improving our city for all residents ahead of any personal political ambitions. By any definition of the phrase, Bill Sneen is a "solid citizen" and precisely the kind of person we should hope to elect to our city council. For all of these reasons he has earned my remaining vote.

FOLEY, RIGHEIMER AND SNEEN
So, there you have it. I will mark my ballot for Katrina Foley, Jim Righeimer and Bill Sneen because I think the combination of skills, experience, and leadership they individually and collectively bring to the dais may go a long way to moderate the divisiveness and rancor that has existed over the past few years. The challenges that face Costa Mesa in the near future will require a city council that can set aside individual bias and make decisions that serve all the stakeholders - residents, business owners and visitors, alike. I think Foley, Righeimer and Sneen can be the nucleus of that team.

REMEMBER "44 VOTES" - MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE
Don't take my word for it. Do your own homework. Watch the video clips of the three forums available to you on CMTV or the city web site and view the individual clips on the Daily Pilot web site. Read what the candidates have written, consider their backgrounds and motivations. If you use comments offered by bloggers like me, remember to consider the source. There's one guy in town who has very clear ulterior motives - something that should be important to you as you weigh his words. With apologies to my cousin Jerry for the use of his jersey as an illustration, remember that in the election four years ago only 44 votes separated Eric Bever and Bruce Garlich. Whatever you do, make an informed choice when you mark your ballot. Two weeks to go and counting...