READERS RESPOND

* AT ISSUE: Most residents agree that something must be done to keep

traffic and development from overrunning Newport Beach, but people are at

odds over what might be the better solution: Measure S or Measure T.

Residents beware of distortions of Measure S being offered by

proponents who view Newport as a commodity to be exploited for profit!

They believe that we citizens need them to interpret our election

material.

Guess again. I am voting yes on Measure S because it will allow us to

tame development, as thoughtfully entitled by our General Plan. Only

extravagant increases to this plan would go before the voters in the

subsequent, already-funded general election. Some I might consider good

for Newport; others, such as massive convention hotels, I could vote

against. Remember, the vote would only go to the people if the council

approved the excess development in the first place.

We residents of Newport Beach, renters and homeowners alike, have a

big stake in the future evolution of our city. Overdevelopment -- the

wrong kind of development -- and increased traffic, are expensive to our

well-being.

I am grateful to the citizens that brought Measure S to the ballot by

signing the Greenlight initiative. It’s time to bring checks and balances

to city government.

MARIANNE TOWERSEY

Newport Beach

As the most vocal City Council candidate in favor of the Greenlight

initiative, I was more than a little disappointed that the Newport Beach

Police employees union said they would oppose the initiative.

It seems rather strange that this decision was made without talking to

either myself or to the Greenlight people. It appears from the comments

attributed to the police union that they have been the victims of

misinformation on the part of Measure T proponents.

Greenlight (Measure S) and Measure T are not two different ways to do

the same thing. They are two entirely different measures. The Greenlight

initiative is to control development and does not eliminate the Traffic

Phasing Ordinance we now have. Developers will still be required to pay

to mitigate traffic problems caused by their developments.

On the other hand, Measure T does nothing to preclude development. If

it passes, its main purpose is to kill the Greenlight initiative and to

put the present Traffic Phasing Ordinance into the City Charter, which

will make it more difficult to strengthen in the future.

I hope the police union will send representatives of their group to

the debate on the subject of Measure S versus Measure T sponsored by the

Speak Up Newport group. Perhaps after hearing arguments presented in an

open forum, from both sides, they may very well wish to reconsider their

position of opposing Greenlight.

ROBERT SCHOONMAKER

Balboa Island