Mailbag: Developer fees should pay for new city library

The City Council has decided it’s time to build a new library. It’s also time to raise part of the money by a development fee rather than unduly burdening current residents.

Funding options presented by staff involve either debt or a tax increase or both. However, a fairer funding mechanism is available if the council wants to use it.

As a planning commissioner years ago, I suggested a development fee to fund additional library space. This would be similar to the park fees that developers pay to offset the increased need for parks their projects create.

I publicly asked developers with housing projects pending approval whether they would object to paying a library fee if the City Council adopted the appropriate ordinance. All publicly said they would have no objection.

Since then the city’s population has grown substantially. Had the City Council adopted such an ordinance when I proposed it, the fees collected would substantially offset the amount the taxpayers will now have to pay for a new library.

But it’s not too late now to adopt a library development fee ordinance. In light of the rapid pace in which new high-density housing is being constructed, by the time the library is built significant money will have accumulated through new residents paying their fair share.

A new library is sorely needed. The time for a library development fee is now.

Eleanor Egan

Costa Mesa

*

Critic is now a candidate

Last August local Balboa Island resident Jeff Herdman filed numerous complaints against individuals and political action committees that exercised their 1st Amendment right to financially participate in last year’s City Council elections.

Some of Newport’s most generous residents had their reputations impugned by Herdman. He continues to rail against Team Newport (a slate of candidates that ran for and won seats on the City Council) and the fiscal reforms they advocate.

I believe Herdman chose to attack Team Newport as a strategy to launch his campaign for City Council. Bad idea, Herdman. A complaint has been filed about your own fundraising. Good luck with your campaign.

Bob McCaffrey

Balboa Island

*

World unites against terrorism

The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels today. All of us grieve for the families of the Paris terror victims and the passengers of the downed Russian airliner. Our tears flow and our pain is massive. Yet in the aftermath of these tragedies we, as a world, are more unified toward the war on terror than ever before.

Russia, China, France, Britain and the U.S. will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes of grieving and pain to become resolute and unified in our quest for freedom, liberty and human dignity. Yes, the streets of heaven are too crowded today, but those who died will not have died in vain. We will remember them and we as a united world will defeat the terrorists in the end.

Mike Buettell

Balboa Island