Crowded debate expected

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- A full house is expected at City Hall tonight to debate

an issue than hasn’t been controversial since the 1980s -- whether the

city should give federal money to charities.

“I think many years ago, in the late ‘80s, there was a concern,” said

former mayor Joe Erickson. “It was prior to my term on council. In my

opinion, [they are] federal tax dollars that citizens of Costa Mesa pay

just like everybody else and it would be a shame if that money went to

other communities.”

The allocation of Community Development Block Grant money to charities

is something that the city does annually and that normally does not

attract a big crowd.

But charities have become a hot topic again in the last year.

Several Costa Mesa residents, including City Councilman Chris Steel,

have said they believe that some charities are “magnets” that attract

illegal immigrants, lower property values and hurt schools.

Don Elmore, a Costa Mesa resident, said he is in favor of charities

that distribute training instead of handouts of food or clothing.

“Charities that give handouts do not help people get ahead,” he said.

“They allow people to stay where they are instead of improving their

situation and that really hurts them more than helps them.”

Elmore said he is opposed to giving charities federal money.

“I believe charities should survive on donations from private

individuals or corporations and not from federal funds,” he said.

“Taxpayers should not be forced to give money unless they explicitly say

which charity they want to donate to. By contributing federal money,

taxpayers are donating whether they want to or not and have no say in who

gets the donations. I am definitely against this.”

Opinions on the issue vary drastically throughout the city.

Jean Forbath, founder of Share Our Selves, a nonprofit that did not

apply for the money this year, said she thinks it is important for Costa

Mesa to use part of its money for social programs.

“It is community development money and community development is more

than just physical infrastructure,” she said. “There are many ways to

develop the community and one of the most important ways is to try to

help those living in the community.”

Mayor Libby Cowan said the city is required to give a certain amount

-- no more than 5% -- of the community development money to charities.

“No local money is spent on charity,” she said. “The moneys we do

spend are federal dollars that support other programs like repairing our

streets and other infrastructure in targeted areas, so it is not money

that we just want to turn away. But a requirement with that money is that

we give a certain amount to agencies that assist the homeless and provide

support to other social services.”

The Residential Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Committee is

recommending that the council award money to the Assistance League of

Costa Mesa, Campfire Boys and Girls, Community Service Programs Inc., the

Costa Mesa Senior Center, Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled,

Families Costa Mesa, Friends In Service to Humanity, Girls Inc., Orange

Coast Interfaith Shelter, Orange County Bar Foundation, Save Our Youth,

Senior Meals and Services, Women Helping Women and Youth Employment

Services.

Bill Turpit, a Latino Community Network and Latino Business Council

board member who participated in the selection interviews, said the

committee looked at the number of Costa Mesa residents each organization

serves as one criteria.

Those numbers must be verified in monthly reports, he said. The

committee also considered the impact the programs could have on the city,

their qualifications and their track record, he said.