Costa Mesa Ballot Designations Announced

 LET THE FUN BEGIN!
The Registrar of Voters announced the ballot designations for the Costa Mesa election on November 8th.  The following letter designation and official ballot measure name was provided this morning.

 Measure V
Allow Operation of up to Eight Medical Marijuana (Cannabis) Businesses in the City of Costa Mesa.
 This is one of the two citizen-generated medical marijuana issues that qualified for the ballot.  According to the proponents of this initiative, they are no longer pushing it, but will encourage voters to vote for Measure X, the City-generated measure that theoretically "competes" with both V and W, even though it has NO retail distribution element.

Measure W
Allow Operation of up to Four Licensed Medical Marijuana Businesses in the City of Costa Mesa
 This is the second citizen-generated medical marijuana issue on the ballot.  The proponents of this one seem to have dropped off the face of the earth.

Measure X
The City of Costa Mesa Medical Marijuana Measure
 This is the City of Costa Mesa's answer to Measure V and W.  It has no retail sales component and only defines where manufacturing, testing and wholesale distribution may take place - a small section in the northeast section of our city.  It's unclear how this actually "competes" with Measures V and W. 

In theory, if all three pass, the one with the largest number of affirmative votes becomes law in our city.

*****

Measure Y
An Initiative to Require Voter Approval On Certain Development Projects
 This is the Costa Mesa First-sponsored so-called Smart Growth Initiative carefully crafted to bring a level of voter control over what is viewed as out-of-control development in the city.  There is a lawsuit pending on this issue involving false and misleading statements on the rebuttal to the argument in support of the issue in the voter pamphlet.  It is possible that the entire rebuttal will be tossed out as a specious piece of untruths.

Measure Z
Measure for Sensible Community Development and Development-Funded Open Space and Recreation
This is the "anti-Smart Growth Measure" ginned up by the City Council majority to confuse voters into, perhaps, rejecting both Measure Y and Z.  

If both Measure Y and Z pass, the one with the greater number of affirmative votes becomes law.

*****

Measure AA
An Initiative Requiring Changes in Use at Fairview Park be Subject to Voter Approval
This is the measure sponsored by the Fairview Park Preservation Alliance, who rounded up thousands of voter's signatures to place this on the ballot.  It, quite simply, requires The City to follow the existing Fairview Park Master Plan on any kind of development.

Measure BB
Costa Mesa Measure Prohibiting Athletic Fields at Fairview Park
This is another issue ginned up by the City Council majority to confuse the voters.  

Again, if both pass, the one with the greatest number of votes becomes law.

*****

Measure EE
Voter Districts Formation
This is the issue forced upon the City by the threat of a lawsuit.  The settlement requires to place before the voters a "vote by districts" plan to elect council members in future elections.  If it passes, the first election where it would begin to be applied will be in November, 2018.  Unfortunately, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer used his dictatorial power to ignore the will of the people - those who took time to attend meetings, listen to the demographer/consultant - an acknowledged expert on these issues - and pulled this version out of his hat - or somewhere.  

Instead of what the residents preferred - a 5-district model - he had the consultant define a 6-district model that includes a directly-elected mayor, since the council must be an odd number.  That is what is on the ballot.  And, that will NOT accomplish the goal of the lawsuit - to provide a greater opportunity for the underrepresented Latino section of our city to have a voice.  In fact, this scheme will dilute that voice.  If this measure fails - which it should - then the issue will return to the courts and a judge will define how our districts will be formed.  It's highly unlikely that any judge would select this option if it is soundly rejected by the voters.

This is an up or down vote.  If it passes we will be saddled with a directly-elected mayor and some of the usual suspects are already salivating about that opportunity to become Mayor for life.  If it fails, back to court we go and a judge will apply an even hand to the issue.


THIS, PLUS COUNCIL CANDIDATES
So, there you have it.  Those issues, plus eight (8) candidates for City Council to consider.  More on those later.