Only the City Council currently has the power to select the Mayor. We, the voters, don’t choose the Mayor. We choose the City Council Members who might become Mayor. But we don’t choose the Mayor directly.
Next week, the City Council can vote to do something pretty courageous. It can offer the people of Newport Beach the chance to take back power. To take back the ability to choose our Mayor.
It would place the power in the hands of the entire city, not just a few. Maybe the community will want that power. Maybe not. We won’t know unless the issue is placed on the ballot.
Some opponents of this measure don’t even want to find out whether the people want this power to choose and are asking the City Council to insert themselves yet again between the voting public and choosing the Mayor. Some opponents have even claimed that this is a power grab by a handful of people, which just doesn’t make any sense at all.
Any person who wants to become Mayor in the new system would have to go through the gauntlet of public elections. Debates, fundraising, and asking for votes. We get the say in that situation. We, the voting public, have the power in that situation.
Let’s take that power back. Let’s Elect Our Mayor.
Jeanine Bashore / Newport Beach
