Mailbag: Coastal O.C. elections worry readers

Who better than educators to represent us at the different levels of government? We have had plenty of attorneys, wealthy businessmen and even some actors. But for a fresh and often wholesome outlook, how about electing more teachers? At their best, they are positive, goal oriented and inspirational.

We have been fortunate in Orange County to have two UCI college professors represent us, one in the California Senate and one in the House of Representatives. Both Dave Min and Katie Porter are very goal oriented and represented their districts in Orange County by bringing about significant change. Porter introduced a whole new way of aggressive governing by posing difficult questions to representatives of corporate America. Min proposed and passed major gun legislation. His bill, which was upheld by the courts, prohibits the sale of firearms or ammunition on state property, including 73 fairgrounds across the state of California.

Min faces a difficult race against Scott Baugh in the 47th Congressional District, which just might decide control of the House of Representatives. He was endorsed earlier this year by the Los Angeles Times.

Surprisingly, on Sept. 9, The Times also had a lot to say about the race in the 45th District (which includes Fountain Valley) between Rep. Michelle Steel and Derek Tran. Tran is a small business owner and an employee-rights attorney.

About the incumbent, Steel, The Times had few positive things to say. The editorial opinion states that “Rep. Michelle Steel may officially represent the district in northern Orange County, but her extreme-right values and occasional dishonesty make her a poor fit for her constituents.” They speak of Derek Tran as “an excellent alternative.”

Another educator turned politician visited Orange County recently, vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, who came shortly after Donald Trump’s visit. The two were seeking campaign contributions from wealthy fans.

Lynn Lorenz
Newport Beach

Questionable tactics in Surf City

There seems to be no floor to the deceptive tactics of Republican candidates for local office in Huntington Beach. While the reactionary council majority has been busy assaulting our city’s library system the entire year, their staunch supporters for City Council are trying to insinuate support for a library system they have repeatedly railed against. Placing HB3 signs for Don Kennedy, Chad Williams and Butch Twining next to Friends of the Library “support” signs is both disingenuous and deceptive. Trolling a community event last month candidate for city clerk Lisa Lane Barnes (a conservative and equally lacking in municipal experience save for being appointed by the council majority), they reportedly sneered at FOTL volunteers collecting signatures for the petitions to protect our libraries. Some referred to their attitude as the “distaste of Huntington Beach.” The true “library supporters” are, of course, incumbent council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser, and Rhonda Bolton. A reported post from candidate Chad Williams claiming to “SUPPORT and LOVE our HB Libraries” is emblematic of this deception. They must think we are stupid! We should not be moving from “incumbent” to “endumbment” when it comes to protecting this most precious of civic institutions.

Tim Geddes
Huntington Beach

As election season heats up, it’s critical we pay close attention to the words and actions of candidates.

Do they gaslight, misrepresent or lie about their actual positions and platform? Friends of the Huntington Beach Library recently issued a statement refuting the implication that they endorse City Council candidates Butch Twining, Chad Williams and Don Kennedy. Why? Because the self-named HB3 released a deceptive campaign video posing in front of the main library with an “I (heart) HBPL” sign, vowing to support and protect our libraries. These men have demonized the library and its librarians for months. Twining called the library “lousy.” Williams rants about the highly acclaimed Japanese children’s book “The Big Bath House” and insinuated that Councilman Dan Kalmick is a pedophile for reading it to his young daughter. Kennedy doesn’t know the difference between selling the public library and outsourcing its management to a private entity.

The council majority and City Atty. Michael Gates have divided our city with their culture wars. We don’t need more of the same or worse. Without minority council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton as a balance, citizens would have no window into what’s going on; there would be no pushback against the outrageous agenda items, ordinances and resolutions routinely passed 4-3 by the council majority.

The nonpartisan office of city clerk is also on the ballot. Candidate Regina Blankenhorn can be trusted when it comes to our elections, transparency and releasing information in accordance with the California Public Records Act. She has extensive municipal experience working with local city clerks and the Tustin City Council. Her opponent, Lisa Lane Barnes, is a realtor with no experience other than as conservative Councilman Tony Strickland’s representative on the Community & Library Services Commission, where she asserts the children’s and teen sections of the library are rife with pornography. She campaigns with Gates and the HB3; endorsements are highly partisan.

Please do your homework so you fully understand who and what you’re voting for. Don’t choose a candidate merely because you recognize their name from a campaign sign or mailer. You could be making a big mistake.

Michele Burgess
Huntington Beach

Like y’all, I just love late night comedy TV. Watching pundits skewer politicians is a guilty pleasure for a lot of us. Sadly, it’s tarnished by the pricey nature of cable. But there is a nighttime indulgence that doesn’t cost an extra penny: HBTV streaming of Huntington Beach City Council meetings. The Sept. 3 show delivered a belly full of laughs.

One top joke was when Councilman Tony Strickland came down full-throated, holy-righteous about the politicalization of the air show settlement by the minority council members. His finger jabbing, hand-waving accusations were priceless. He was outraged that they are questioning the majority’s deal because it unnecessarily guarantees the private vendor, Pacific Airshows LLC, 40 years of exclusive commercial rights. And that the settlement will cost Huntington Beach taxpayers around $30 million for the period of the agreement!

Strickland followed with an indignant one-liner. “… any long-term contract that the air show does has to come back to the City Council.” Comforting hilarity? The council majority and the city attorney enthusiastically signed off on the legal settlement almost two years ago. And when Pacific Airshow sues some future city council over breach, will any court overlook that the first city settlement check for $1,999,000 has already been cashed? And that checks for $500,000 are payable every January until 2029? Or that the city is consummating another air show under the settlement in a few weeks?

Don’t miss the HBTV comedy show every other Tuesday night. It’s a scream. Literally.

Buzz McCord
Huntington Beach

When the Huntington Beach council majority and city attorney provide residents with bad information, it leads to poor decisions. The council has recently decided to privatize the library, approving a 21-member committee — composed of individuals 18 years or older — to determine which books will be included. These committee members will have no required training or qualifications, and their decisions are non-appealable. This is a clear example of how bad information results in bad decisions.

Parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s upbringing, and no one has a greater stake in their future. It should be parents — not an untrained and potentially uneducated committee — who decide which books are appropriate for their children. The H.B. council itself reflects this problem, with some members lacking formal education.

We also know that privatizing the library will only reduce the services currently available. If saving money was the true goal, why did the council and city attorney approve a costly settlement with CODE-4, the air show operators, essentially handing taxpayer money to them? This decision is as inappropriate as the recent ethical concerns surrounding a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors passing privileges to a family member.

Andrew Einhorn
Huntington Beach

Make no mistake: Huntington Beach’s new “Parent’s Right to Know” ordinance is an attack on our community. Whether it was intentional or simply the latest example of this majority’s rank incompetence, our community will be further divided, and the children of Huntington Beach will now be less safe because they have fewer advocates working on their behalf.

Every child benefits from having a trusted adult in their life. That adult can be a parent, a relative, a coach, a teacher, a law enforcement officer or sometimes just a trusted neighbor. Often, the identity of the adult matters little to a child seeking support.

Huntington Beach’s new and intentionally vague ordinance targets would-be advocates for no other reason than being willing to help a child who cannot find the acceptance, mentoring and support they seek from home. We used to be a community that stood together and supported children in need. Parents, teachers, administrators, coaches and a host of concerned adults looked out not just for our kids but also for any kid struggling. While most parents could meet their child’s needs, sadly, this wasn’t always the case. Some adults simply weren’t up to the rigors of being a competent parent, and this reality prompted other adults — teachers, relatives, friends, coaches — to provide children with the understanding, empathy and guidance they could not get at home.

With this ordinance, H.B.’s council majority has now mindlessly and needlessly narrowed a child’s options for finding support from a trusted adult in our community. Rather than fostering a community that supports and collectively cares for children in need, we now have an ordinance that promotes fear and targets the well-meaning.

I hope your culture war nonsense was worth it.

Steve Shepherd
Huntington Beach

The dangers of e-bikes

Huntington Beach should follow San Clemente’s lead (San Clemente moves to toughen up its e-bike rules beyond beachside bans, TimesOC, Aug. 21).

E-bikes should not be allowed on walking paths of Central Park nor beach paths. Children are riding recklessly fast where elderly and baby carriages are. Children are clueless to the rules of roads yet riding motorized bikes on the streets, often speeding and doing wheelies.

Huntington Beach officials have their heads in the sand.

Lynn Copeland
Huntington Beach