It has been my distinct honor and pleasure to represent the 1st District on the Newport Beach City Council these past four years. The opportunity to meet and talk with the great residents of our great city, and to have an impact on maintaining and improving our wonderful quality of life, has been a great gift in my life.
Of course, politics being what it is, there’s also been criticism, confrontation and sometimes-heated debate. This is all part of the process and I am fine with it. I am a big believer in everybody getting to air their views, because that leads to better decisions.
What I’m not fine with is people using gross distortions and lies to stir up anger and fear to get themselves elected. So I have to call out my opponent on this score.
Mike Glenn has been passing out a flier and other materials with a breathtaking array of falsehoods intended to incite anger and mistrust, which he thinks will work to his benefit.
Many of his distortions are variations on a basic theme: That I, personally, took actions that amount to backroom sweetheart deals or sellouts, when in fact they were actions by the entire City Council, often unanimous or near-unanimous, taken after weeks or months of staff study, public hearings and input, and open Council discussion and voting.
Others are just clumsy and untrue attempts to push voters’ buttons. He says I raised taxes. Neither I nor the City Council have voted to raise any tax. He says I increased the city’s debt. Neither I nor the City Council have voted any action to raise our debt. He says I attack property rights. I have consistently supported property rights for residents and business owners.
I respect honest disagreement, which we’ve been hearing from other candidates this year. And occasionally people go overboard in an election year and that’s somewhat understandable. But consistently dishonest distortions and outright lies right across the board really should be called out. They have no place in our great city’s politics. Please reject Mr. Glenn’s attempts to play you when you vote Nov. 6.
Diane Dixon
Newport Beach City Councilwoman
