MAILBAG - Jan. 18, 2007

Hospital alliance is good news for children, parentsAs Newport Beach parents, we are thrilled that two of Orange County’s most respected healthcare leaders, Hoag Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Orange County are joining forces to ensure children in our community receive the best pediatric care (“Hospitals enter robotic alliance,” Saturday).

We have first-hand experience with the specialized care that children’s hospital doctors and nurses offer, and we are grateful that pediatric experts at one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals saved our child’s life. Until we had this experience, we had little appreciation for how different the care is when it’s provided by a children’s hospital. We are so lucky to have them partner with Hoag.

Every Newport Beach and Costa Mesa parent and grandparent can rejoice in knowing we have the best medical care for our children through this exciting partnership.

AL AND MARY LYNN GADDIS

Newport Beach

Common sense lacking in development decisionWill construction of these high-rise projects create a downtown Costa Mesa? I do not believe it will.

What it will create is massive traffic congestion far greater than the mess that exists today.

I have worked in that area. It’s gridlock during rush hour, or when there’s an event at the performing arts center. It’s twice as bad during the Christmas shopping season.

What are these planners thinking? Greed seems to be a greater motivator than common sense. I suppose once the high-rises are built, they’ll want to build a metro rail again just to schlep folks over to South Coast Plaza.

In addition, it means closing long-standing, popular businesses that occupy the Lakes Pavilions. But I guess putting business owners on the street is all for the greater good.

I also strongly disagree with the council’s decision not to charge developers fees for affordable housing. Councilwoman Wendy Leece’s comment — “I believe the market can do that” — is laughable. Evidently it’s OK to make big concessions to developers — I’m sure they’re really hurting for money — but it’s no big deal to deprive a small business of its livelihood or make it impossible for hard-working, green-card-carrying people to find a decent place to live.

To expect that Costa Mesa’s affordable housing problem will solve itself — please, explain how that is possible.

Wake up and smell the lattes, people!

SUSANNE PEREZ

Costa Mesa

Libraries, art, low-cost housing — who needs it?I pity the poor developers of the new high rises that will soon be going up in Costa Mesa (“City approves plans for five high-rises,” Wednesday). Lucky for them, they have the City Council to thank for not charging fees for unimportant things like affordable housing, public art or libraries. Really, who cares if underpaid teachers in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District can’t actually afford to live in Newport-Mesa? I’m sure the developers will only be making a token profit, so why should they have to reinvest any of those profits in the community? I mean, who needs that stuff when stuck in all the gridlock that all the new towers will create? I mean, there isn’t any traffic where South Coast Plaza meets the San Diego Freeway (405) right now, right?

City Councilwoman Wendy Leece doesn’t believe it’s the city government’s duty to “impose another burden on them [developers] to solve the housing problems,” and that the market will take care of itself? How, exactly? Perhaps Wednesday’s driver’s license and DUI checkpoint on Victoria, from noon to 4 p.m. no less, will help weed out more illegal immigrants to get deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and clear the way for some more high-rise condo towers on that side of town too.

MIKE MCNIFF

Costa Mesa