Newport Beach has bipartisan elections for the City Council and yet Scott Peotter brought party politics into the race by saying he was a better Republican than Joy Brenner.
Do party politics have any relevance in our local elections?
In Newport Beach we normally do not see the animosity that is so frequently seen on the national level. The salacious spectacle of Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation is a good example of what we should avoid. This explains why most cities have bipartisan elections. Non-partisan office holders are in theory more apt to concentrate on getting their job done than degrading their opposition. A well-known adage in support of bipartisanship states: “there is no Democratic or Republican way to pick up the garbage.”
On the local level, most residents aren’t as concerned about a candidate’s party affiliation as much as how that person sees the city and what developmental changes they want for their community. The upcoming election gives Newport Beach voters a clear choice in what they want their city to be in the future.
In 2014, Proposition Y would have increased the traffic in Newport by an average of over 9,000 vehicle trips a day. Candidates Duffy Duffield, Scott Peotter and Kevin Muldoon all supported measure Y. Their current opponents, Joy Brenner,
Tim Stoaks and Roy Englebrecht, all opposed Proposition Y. Fortunately for our city, the measure was voted down by 70 percent of the electorate.
All three councilmen, Duffy Duffield, Scott Peotter and Kevin Muldoon, voted for the Museum House. This would have been a 25 story building in an area zoned for five stories. A referendum financed by Line in the Sand PAC convinced the Council to rescind their approval of that project.
All three candidates running against the incumbents, Joy Brenner, Tim Stoaks and Roy Englebrecht, opposed the 25 story project.
The choice is clear. Anyone against large developments which will increase traffic should vote for Joy, Tim and Roy.
Bill Cool
Corona del Mar
