Commentary: Newport Beach ban on most ballot-related mailings keeps taxpayers in the dark

Team Newport, without public review, passed by 6-1, an unnecessary prohibition to using city resources to advocate for some, but not all, ballot measures.

This, of course, is already prohibited by state law.

Much like the misguided effort to refuse our gas tax funds, this proposal is fraught with unintended consequences.

For example, when our local transportation tax measure, Measure M, was reauthorized in 2006, Newport Beach, like every other city in Orange County, was represented by elected officials and staff in working groups leading up to the drafting of the ballot measure to ensure that local priorities were considered and included in the measure.

This policy would preclude the representation of Newport Beach in the preparation of any extension of our local transportation funding source and likely result in our city losing valuable street and road improvement funds. Measure M has been used to improve our traffic signals, repair our roads and even fund our summer bus service on the Peninsula. The council simply ignored this.

Secondly, we all know that any tax increase must be voted on and none is projected to be submitted to the voters. Where this policy may come into play, however, is in the case of a natural disaster. Laguna Beach was required to go to the voters to seek special tax funding to make emergency repairs to Bluebird Canyon after a catastrophic landslide.

This policy would prohibit the city from even explaining the need for special funding to the voters and would delay emergency improvements. Consider what would happen if we had a tsunami, canyon fire or earthquake. Councilman Will O’Neill’s response was that if we have an emergency, we would simply repeal this policy.

When the best argument is that the policy can be waived, it’s a bad policy.

What if there were a tax measure to abate group homes, tax-pension benefits to fund the pension liability or to move the airport? The city would be unable to act in the interests of its residents.

Ironically, the only recent use of city resources to advocate on tax issues was the Aug. 31 council meeting hastily called by Team Newport to reverse themselves on their misguided refusal to accept our own gas tax funds. The resolution opposed the state gas tax increase.

So what does this really do? Nothing of substance. It is just political posturing to appear to be against taxes.

Let’s stop playing political games and wasting tax dollars on empty gestures such as this.

KEITH CURRY is a former Newport Beach mayor.