Tradition of Spite?

The holidays are a time for guilt-free indulgence when we bask in a melody of cheerful reflections. In Irvine politics, however, the warm spirit of the season has again become a bystander to City Hall spitefulness-as-usual. The vision reflected by the City Council majority is a paralyzing clone of the prior Administration, where indulgence at the residents’ expense was the norm.

From multiple gang shootings to alleged police misdoings, Irvine is braving a fierce and profound crisis. With dizzying speed, an unchecked doubling in the population gyrates Irvine away from our treasured community landscape. It thrusts us into the congested confines of a big city and all the problems associated with urban decay.

For proof, visit the vast build-out of three-level multi-development apartment tracts bunched together under construction next to the Civic Center. This represents a cold confirmation that even during this festive holiday season, our neighborhood is being abandoned and replaced with a wave of affliction.

We must all join together and chart a plan to steer us away from this alarming trend. With the first meeting of the new City Council, we had such an opportunity. Sadly, when faced with a gallant opportunity for a truce, Mayor Mike Ward taunted us by botching his first critical decision. Ward carried the deciding vote to best bridge together the residents of Irvine with the extremist real estate construction industry.

Unfortunately, Ward, still wounded by the conditions of his election win, vengefully voted against the appointment of Paula Werner as mayor pro tem. Werner, the twice-elected council member, won her seat with the highest number of votes and without hawking her convictions to special interest groups. Simply put, Werner represents the foundation that motivated my family to move here 18 years ago.

Ward’s vote for Werner would have been a welcome expression. It would have signaled the end to past divisiveness while extending a spirit of teamwork and joint cooperation on the council. Here we go again. Now what?

PETE JENNINGS

Irvine