By Will O’Neill, Newport Beach Mayor
Newport Beach remains a vibrant American Riviera mixed with community hospitality. Our coastal beauty, wide array of locally owned shops and restaurants, strong schools, clean environment, and world-class public safety has ensured that our little city endures as a desirable place to live, work, and play.
Like a great baseball umpire, our City Council focuses on unnoticed excellence. We treat tax dollars as if they were earned by hard work, because each and every dollar was. Our largest tax revenue comes from property taxes, followed by sales tax and transient occupancy tax (hotels, etc.). These resources are then used primarily to provide core services and infrastructure that facilitate our city’s flourishing.
The largest amounts spent go to our Police and Fire Departments. We commit more than half of our general fund budget to these departments because they are and will continue to be our biggest priorities.
Not only do we invest in hiring, training, and retaining, but we have also invested in public safety infrastructure as well. Over the past six years, we have replaced Fire Stations in Corona del Mar and Lido Village and will complete the last phase of replacements this coming year on the Balboa Peninsula. We also purchased property to replace our Police Station to bring the department even more into their modern demands.
This year, as Mayor, I also get the chance to celebrate people and groups who bind our community together. Using a famous quote from our childhood teacher, Mr. Rogers, I’m encouraging people to “Look For The Helpers.” We have been celebrating these Helpers with certificates and proclamations and other recognitions at our City Council and other community meetings.
We are a blessed community. Thank you for the honor to serve as your Mayor.
