Irvine Residents Deserve a Voice

There are really two issues involved in the current flap in Irvine over a residents’ initiative that would require a citywide vote on any new taxes or fees for building roads and freeways through the city.

One issue is whether three proposed transportation corridors that would run through Irvine should be built and, if so, how they should be routed, designed and paid for. That’s important and must be resolved.

But a more basic and immediate question has been raised: How much voice should Irvine residents have in deciding what fees and taxes may be imposed on new homes and commercial development to finance new freeways?

The residents want more of a say than the council majority seems ready to give them and certainly more than a coalition of developers and businessmen would like to see them have. The coalition, which represents nearly 2,800 companies, has filed suit seeking to block the issue from the ballot, claiming the measure is illegal.

The business coalition fears that Irvine residents could help kill a proposed developer fee program to help build the San Joaquin Hills, Eastern and Foothill transportation corridors. Proponents of the initiative see the fee program as an unfair assessment against future home buyers and consumers. Without Irvine’s representation, the entire project would be in jeopardy.

A Superior Court commissioner set a hearing for Thursday after refusing the business group’s request to forbid the City Council from acting on the initiative at its meeting last week.

The council could have adopted the initiative as law or put it on November’s ballot. Either would have been preferable to its 4-1 vote deciding to do nothing. The council chose to wait until Thursday’s hearing, when the court is scheduled to decide if residents have the right to vote on the financing of a state highway in their city.

About 19% of the city’s registered voters signed the initiative, more than enough signatures needed by law to require the council to put the question on the November city ballot or adopt it as presented.

The City Council majority may share the wishes of those who filed the lawsuit and want to see the freeways built and financed with developer fees against new homes and businesses. But the council, nevertheless, had a moral obligation last week to at least allow the community to have a voice on the freeway funds.

When that many residents indicate their desire to be able to vote on a spending issue, responsive representatives should make every effort to give them that opportunity.