Marshall "Duffy" Duffield has lived in Newport Beach his entire life. He started building boats here in 1970. And he spent 10 years on the Harbor Commission.
The Duffy Electric Boat Co. chief recently received his plaque of appreciation regarding his commission service, which ended this year. The day after, the Newport Beach City Council rewarded him by voting to potentially tax him out of business — at least over time.
Here's how. At a council meeting last month, lame duck Councilman Steve Rosansky tried to empathize with the freeloading, gift-receiving commercial dock owners by telling them that "a new paradigm has been developed for Newport Beach. Some business may go away, some will change their operations," and that his "own business (a Togo's in Orange) had dropped by 30%; it's just the way it is sometimes."