Save Newport Real News in Newport Beach
Last night, Duffy, Peotter, and Muldoon stood by helplessly as Diane Dixon abandoned her pledge for reform and fiscal responsibility and voted to increase taxes, increase spending, and increase our public employee union size– all in one fell swoop. By doing this– again– she has completely betrayed all of her campaign pledges and also her campaign runningmates. The spending bill last night– which offered absolutely no meaningful reform whatsoever– was passed without any conversation from those who passed it.
Peotter asked for it to be continued to the next meeting so that he and others could have time to thoroughly review it, but was mocked by members of the previous council, who simply wanted it to pass today without being thoroughly reviewed. Dixon joined in on those calls.
Peotter, Duffy, and Muldoon all voted against the massive spending package of $282 million (that’s over $3,300 per resident, this year).
Dixon, who ran with them on a “reform slate”, voted for the whole package, joining in with the old council of Petros, Selich, and Curry, to run the city in the same way the voters hate: spend more, tax more, grow more.
The most painful part came when we hit the trifecta: Dixon’s line item to increase police in the fastest-dropping crime area in the lowest-crime area of town following the lowest-crime year in Newport’s history. To increase the public-employee union size during what is most unarguably the time of least need is simply irresponsible. The reasons behind what she was attempting were not exactly clear, to say the least.
All in all, it was a very disappointing night for Newport Beach, and it appears that despite the best intentions of Duffy, Peotter, and Muldoon, that Diane Dixon has rendered all of their efforts completely ineffective. Hopefully, they can reign her in before she causes more harm to our wonderful little city on the beach.
