Commentary: Now is the time to underground utilities in Newport Heights

I’ve lived in Newport Heights for over 40 years. Long ago, several of us began discussing the benefits of underground telephone phones when they were not as common as they are today.

After watching over 30 other Newport neighborhoods successfully underground, several of us got together and decided that now is the time.

We were spurred on by several factors. The city was preparing to replace all alleys with concrete, and it agreed the money set aside to do this could be rolled into the undergrounding process since undergrounding will require our alleys to be torn up and rebuilt.

Southern California Edison has appropriated millions of dollars to replace all of the current telephone poles in our neighborhood with larger capacity, much wider and taller poles, but if we go underground a significant portion of the appropriated money will be used to offset the neighborhood’s cost. Now is the time.

Because undergrounding requires a property assessment, the process follows a democratic procedure that has unfortunately been reduced to a typical political campaign. Shame on those who have spread lies and fear, for what objective I do not know.

After years of research and discussions with city officials, and residents in communities where undergrounding has been completed, including West Newport, the truth is far from the lies and fear some have been spreading.

The grumble about protecting the seniors or those with limited funds is unfounded. I am not aware of anyone in the more than 30 communities that have already gone underground who has been harmed financially, lost their home or been unable to live as they did before. Programs are provided to assist, finance, extend and postpone costs for those who qualify. Now is the time.

Simply put: If Newport Heights does not underground utilities, we will be shooting ourselves in our own pocketbooks. Our property value appreciation will slow compared to the majority of Newport neighborhoods that are or will be underground. We will be the dinosaur. We will become the least-desirable neighborhood (unless you live on Cliff Drive, where telephone phones are not visible).

Since the mid-1970s, all new homes and major remodels have been required to build underground connections. Because in the mid-1970s city government realized undergrounding of utilities is our future.

The future is now.

If we miss this opportunity it will cost us more money later — when the neighborhood finally joins the advance of technology — and we will lose the benefits for ourselves: enhanced safety during an earthquake or large storm, aesthetic beautification of our neighborhood, increased quality of service and remaining competitive with more than 100 Newport communities already undergrounded. Now is the time.

Turn in your signed petition card today, and let’s get the real cost to each homeowner. Is it $15,000 or $20,000? Then we can all exercise our right to vote based upon fact.

I’m eager to move forward.

BONNIE JEANNETTE lives in Newport Heights.