THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:Harbor debate about dollars

The debate over who should run the Harbor Patrol in Newport Beach may come down to one thing: cash.

On Wednesday, Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona — who’s now in charge of the Harbor Patrol — and an adviser to Supervisor Chris Norby debated who should provide the service and who should pay for it.

Newport and Huntington Beach have been getting their Harbor Patrol services free from the county for years, but Norby wants to end that practice.

Bruce Whitaker, Norby’s policy advisor, told members of community group Speak Up Newport that Norby doesn’t think the county should pay for services inside city limits, such as inside the harbor.

Carona, meanwhile, argued that the sheriff’s department is best equipped to provide a full array of public safety services that are part of its Harbor Patrol.

Having cities patrol their own harbors would mean a lower caliber of service and a higher cost, he said.

“You’re not going to be reducing the overall cost to the taxpayers of Orange County,” Carona said. “It’s not just about your harbor.”

Some in the audience at the Newport Beach Yacht Club murmured in agreement with Carona — why should Newport residents take the responsibility and expense from the county and get no revenue to help cover it?

The showdown on the issue may ultimately come down to how Newport reacts when presented with a bill for services rendered. Carona doesn’t want to give up what he says is a regional service, and Whitaker says that’s not necessarily what he’s suggesting.

“It’s a question of jurisdictional responsibility,” Whitaker said. “I think these cities have been fortunate to receive this all these years at no charge.”

Harman for nanny?

There are the reality TV shows “Supernanny,” and “Nanny 911,” but perhaps there’s room for another one: “Nanny Harman”?

The California Republican Assembly, a conservative wing of the party, is holding a vote on who deserves “Who’s Your GOP Nanny?” awards, and Huntington Beach state Sen. Tom Harman is one of five nominees from the assembly and senate. The online ballot is at www.Californiarepublicanassembly.com/ nanny.html.

California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence said Harman has proposed a number of bills that would increase the size and reach of government.

“We expect this kind of stuff from Democrats — they’re elitist, they think they know better than everybody else — but Republicans shouldn’t be voting for that,” he said. “He [Harman] was leading in the vote for nanny of the year after the first day.”

Harman said in the past Spence’s group has ranked him high on its annual scorecards, so he’s a little taken aback by the “nanny” nomination.

Of about 14 pending bills that could be considered “nanny” bills, Harman said, he’s opposed on the ones that have come up for votes so far.

“I have actually a very good record on not supporting those kinds of bills,” he said. “A few people have a grudge against me…. Maybe that’s what this is all about.”