Building a Case for Acquiring Bolsa Chica

Re “Crying Foul Over Choice to Protect the Fowl,” Jan. 26:

We read with interest Bob Polkow’s negative comments about Huntington Beach Mayor Connie Boardman. It is unfortunate that Mr. Polkow is so misinformed about Proposition 50 and the Bolsa Chica mesa.

The Huntington Beach City Council has voted unanimously to support efforts to acquire Bolsa Chica. To suggest that Mayor Boardman, in seeking state funds to acquire Bolsa Chica, is somehow pushing her personal agenda here is puzzling.

Also, the funds being sought for the acquisition are Proposition 50 funds -- which specifically identified the Bolsa Chica mesa for possible acquisition.

Finally, the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Conference and Visitors Bureau, the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, the Amigos de Bolsa Chica and virtually everyone else involved with the issue support the proposed acquisition.

Flossie and Paul Horgan

Huntington Beach

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Polkow wrote, “What justification does the City Council have to make decisions without the consent of the people?”

We the people elected the council to make decisions. I read every day of President Bush and Congress making decisions without my consent. I think this is what we call representative government. I don’t like a lot of their decisions, but they were elected to make those decisions for us.

Maybe Polkow should take a civics class at a local junior college to understand this concept.

Regarding the FAIR initiative, I wish those pushing it would use the correct number of signatures certified by the City Clerks office of 16,645. I am sure the 23,000 signatures they bought ($1.50 per signature) included people who were not registered voters. Connie Boardman was one of six council persons who voted to postpone the election. Why does Polkow single out Boardman and not the other five?

Regarding Bolsa Chica, Proposition 50 was passed by the people of California just for this purpose to acquire property for the “public good.” I am sure Polkow’s definition of “public good” is putting asphalt or a building on every piece of dirt in Huntington Beach, but some of us have a different definition.

Topper Horack

Huntington Beach