Mailbag: 9 former mayors call for change on Newport Beach City Council

Newport Beach is on the wrong track. The current city council majority has significantly abandoned the shared values and common consensus that have guided the city for decades. It’s time for a change.

The use of “ad hoc” committees to decide important matters behind closed doors without public notice or participation has resulted in decisions that are clearly contrary to the views of the majority of residents such as placing the police station/jail in Civic Center Park.

Further, while our city charter has long recognized the right of residents to vote on important development projects and the General Plan, the council majority has worked to eliminate this right.

Since the 1970s, there has been a consensus that high-rise, high-density development is not suited for Newport Beach. Ignoring this, the council majority has not only supported high rise development but has proposed making the city a partner in such development, using valuable city property.

Our city is financially strong because city councils over the years have restrained excessive spending. The council majority has increased city spending by more than $139 million over the past four years, that’s a 36% increase. Last year, general fund spending increased at twice the rate of inflation.

Rather than trying to build a common consensus and lead by listening, the council has resorted to blatant appeals to political partisanship and dependence on public employee union endorsements. That is not the way to lead a city like Newport Beach.

We believe it is time for a reset. That is why we enthusiastically endorse Walter Stahr and Dr. Andy Gerken.

Walter and Andy have the temperament, values and experience to bring the kind of change we need to refocus the city government. We are proud to endorse them.

Brad Avery
Rush Hill
Keith D. Curry
John Heffernan
Marshall “Duffy” Duffield
Clarence J. Turner
Thomas C. Edwards
Don Webb
Nancy Gardner

The writers are all former mayors of Newport Beach