Letters to the Editor: Laguna Beach is becoming too expensive for artists and gallery owners to make a living

David Hansen’s column couldn’t be more spot on (“Laguna Beach culture chips away with losses”). My husband and I have a shop in Laguna Village alongside the Cliff Restaurant. My husband is a local artist, and this is truly the only place we could afford to be.

This is where he keeps his studio and gallery. I’m sure you have walked through the village and seen all the small businesses there.

People are always amazed at how lucky we are to be there. But the truth is we work seven days a week, sometimes 12 hours a day, all year. In order to make ends meet, we must also exhibit in the Sawdust Festival.

People coming to Laguna in the summer go to the art shows to buy art. We hardly sell any artwork from our shop in the summer. Some people think we make millions, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. We live in Laguna Beach, and I know many are aware of the costs of living here.

So now the group that is going to lease the Hotel Laguna will be threatening the village. They have plans to redo the whole bluff. And you better believe the city is all for them.

Laguna Village is the only place in Laguna where an artist can work and sell their goods. Isn’t this what the city has been talking about for decades?

What would be the point of having live-work studios in the canyon? Artists with a family can’t live there. And it would be very difficult to get customers to stop out there.

Sure, we could have our art in one of the 100 or so commercial galleries in town. They usually only want big-name artists so they can afford their rent. Plus, you never actually get to meet the artists.

I appreciate Hansen’s love for Laguna and its intrinsic charm. There is no other place in the world like it. Hopefully, we don’t lose all of it to greed, glitz and glamour.

Kelly Viszolay

Laguna Beach

Lifeguards don’t need city cell phones

Re: “ ‘We’ve been sitting in about 1975’: Lifeguards at Huntington’s state beaches are finally getting wireless phones”: As if each and every lifeguard doesn’t already have pretty much the latest and greatest wireless phones available. What a crock. Who’s making the profit on this public contract? Sounds like a more stupid repeat of the Los Angeles Unified School District putting an iPad in every pocket.

Save a fortune, and just give the guards a number to call using the phones they already own. Pay them for any actual costs incurred, which should be about zero. Brilliance in local government shines on.

Ashley Posner

Sherman Oaks

Letter writer found rebuttal dismissive

Re: “Letter writer who opted out of the march would have seen a unified front against harassment”: According to letter writer Margaret Mooney, my recent letter to the editor regarding the women’s march was filled with ironies and a lack of conviction toward battling sexual harassment. What I find ironic is how quickly this non-judgmental, peaceful, caring, tolerant group has jumped on the accusation band wagon civil rights attorney Gloria Allred has paraded in front of the media.

Where are all those women who have accused the president of sexual harassment now? What I also find ironic is the large number of those who march at these events embrace Bill Clinton, who was actually impeached for allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice related to sexual misconduct. They also support Hillary Clinton, who not only has enabled her husband for decades but accepted campaign donations from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Hillary Clinton wasted no time in criticizing and demonizing those women who came forward with sexual harassment claims against her husband. Perhaps I can clear up the confusion. I didn’t vote based on rumor and accusations, nor on someone’s personality, but voted for the person I believe would protect our country, bring jobs back to the American people and who did not seek out the job of the presidency to further enrich himself.

I, along with millions of others, continue to work toward ending sexual harassment in the workplace. I’ve also chosen not to allow the harassment I endured define me and have moved on.

Juli Hayden

Newport Beach

How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length.