Reporter Joseph Serna's articles columns are decent, but the overall reporting on Costa Mesa is insufficient and slanted. Some days, Costa Mesa is hardly mentioned at all, and one council day, there was an article on issues in San Clemente, but not a word about the upcoming council meeting.
Usually the paper is full of personal musings, with little actual news reporting.
I must differ with your analysis that "the fight really is about how two sets of ideologues would spend a finite amount of money." The councilmen are not only exaggerating, but also exacerbating, the financial problems of Costa Mesa.
If you're looking for an "a-ha!" moment, I suggest that you start with the high cost of legal fees and other expenditures associated with outsourcing, consultants (often ignored), "interim" positions and top-heavy new positions.
Councilwoman Wendy Leece is a conservative Republican, and so are several of the leaders of Costa Mesans for Responsible Government.
This fight is not between those who believe in "a smaller, more efficient ... government," and "employee associations." The fight is between ambitious politicians happy to spend taxpayer money on personal agendas and ordinary citizens who believe in good, fiscally sound governance.
I am looking forward to complete and balanced coverage of Costa Mesa politics and policies.
Tamar Goldmann
Costa Mesa
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Leaf-blower ban skirted
My wife and I celebrated our 50th anniversary on 11/11/11 and have wondered to what extent the leaf-blowing ban would actually take effect on that illustrious date!
And what do you know? I had my gardener switch to an electric blower, but I have not seen any gardener using anything but the old leaf blower which, pollutionwise, is about only 50% of the grass cutters and other powered tools' noise and pollution they use!
Less governmental control might be a good suggestion unless the city can actually enforce the "no blower" edict.
David Young
Newport Beach
