Mailbag: It’s time to show consideration through compromise

At last! The voice of civility in describing the ongoing drama that is our intrepid Costa Mesa City Council (“City Life: A mallet won’t work on city budget now!” Sept. 13).

Steve Smith’s column reminds us that real people with real lives are at stake in this debate and that little can actually be accomplished without each side cutting the other some slack. The employees need to remember that budget adjustments appear to be necessary. The council members must learn that city services are the reason we pay our taxes.

We citizens value both our tax money and those who work to ensure our enviable quality of life. Lose the partisan dogma, folks, file away the anti-tax pledges, set aside your dreams of higher public office, face the arithmetic and please try to treat one another with some true consideration as you negotiate compromises (yes, that word is compromise, and it isn’t a cuss word) to solve these very real issues.

But also remember that you don’t have to reach budget balance immediately. It can perhaps more reasonably be accomplished over a few years without swinging that hammer Mr. Smith described so wildly.

Melissa Sweet

Costa Mesa

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No police station in W. Newport

It’s really wonderful that now they want to relocate the Police Department to West Newport so that when they release the drunks (after drying out) and the homeless so they can wander around here in West Newport.

Give us a break. City Hall has already been moved from West Newport; give us something that will do good for our neighborhood. With all the layoffs and outsourcing, who is going to be in the $150 million white elephant being built by Fashion Island? We sure needed this!!

Darleen Kuhlmann

Newport Beach

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Center’s revisionist history

Re.: “Additions part of center’s revival” (Sept. 14): I wish the best of luck to the new owners of Triangle Square, but I take issue with one paragraph in your article: “City officials blame much of the center’s failings on previous ownership. Triangle Square cost $72 million and required eminent domain to build...” should read, “City officials blame much of the centers failings on previous city officials. Triangle Square would never have been built without some major arm twisting by the city fathers at the time.”

Bill Bennett

Newport Beach