Another week of chaos in Newport Beach.
Scott Peotter was put on the Finance Committee, ensuring his dangerous and expensive “ideas.” previously dismissed by the Finance Committee will be brought back again and again.
Peotter told the Finance Committee and its member Larry Tucker tough crap for not advancing the Peotter idea to require a vote on lease obligation debt. Two days later the Finance Committee actually did consider Peotter’s proposal and declined to support it.
Despite lacking support from the Finance Committee, city staff, city financial advisors and any other city in California, nonetheless, our council did move forward to put a charter amendment on the ballot to require a vote for lease obligations.
One could only laugh as Brad Avery sheepishly asked if we would “actually be the only city in California with this restriction?” Answer: Yes, and Will O’Neill discovered to his surprise that yes, sea walls would be financed with Certificates of Participation if financing was needed.
The council exempted financings for emergency repairs from “state or federal declared emergencies.” They also added an exemption from “locally declared” emergencies. This is actually not a thing, just a big loophole for the council. Having discovered that Certificates of Participation would be used to fund sea walls, dredging and bulkhead improvements, they added a loophole for any project the “could prevent the damage to property.” Hmm, wouldn’t that include almost anything like a fire station, road repairs, or utility undergrounding?
The council was not really concerned with the specifics, they now have a ballot measure campaign that will allow fundraising outside of our campaign limits. Expect to see their smiling faces in your mailbox in support of this measure.
I hope voters have had enough of the nonsense at the city council and they will reject this poorly written political ploy and the council members who continue to put politics before community.
Gerald A. Giannini
Newport Beach
