Triple Crown Line - Newport Beach Edition

On Sunday, I guessed that the Newport Beach City Council would vote down Councilman Keith Curry's proposal to put City Employee Pension increases on the ballot 6-1. Boy, was I wrong. It never even got to a vote, with Councilman Curry pulling the item because he sensed that he was the only one.

And so goes the battle between Politicians who are in the pockets of the Employee Unions, and those who are not. We got a good look at where our Newport Beach politicians are on this one. I sure hope the pocket lint doesn't blur their vision too much...

The Police and Fire Unions (they like to be called Associations) knocked this one out of the park huh?

When running for City Council in Newport Beach, any serious candidate knows that Endorsements are key, but the three Grade A important ones to get in this City are:

1. Police Union
2. Fire Union
3. The Daily Pilot

Two Unions and the local (Los Angeles Times-owned) newspaper.

During the last 2006 City Election, this Triple Crown Line did pretty well, with the exception of the Barbara Venezia/Leslie Daigle race. In 2002, they only lost one, with soon-to-be former Councilman Dick Nichols (who suggested that the Newport Beach Fire Department all be volunteers) upsetting former Fountain Valley Mayor Bernie Svalstad. Not a bad track record.

So when I flipped on the Newport Beach City Council meeting, without my wife knowing of course, and I saw Fire Union head Jeff Boyles presenting his case against this pension vote issue, I knew it was done. Over. Kaput. You could almost taste the fear in the Councilmembers eyes from my couch.

These 7 council members were looking in the eye of the key holder to approximately an additional $37,000 (how much they spent on the 2006 elections, Police spent quite a bit less) in campaign contributions/independent expenditures and precinct walking. Plus the prestige of having your name associated with one of the County's top notch Fire Departments, who are considered God-like in our City. Face it, we all love our Fire Fighters, they do a great job.

So that is a quick reason why Newport Beach, in it's 100+ years, has never have one of their Council members elected to a higher Political Office (Former Mayor Judge Steve Bromberg won't count, he was appointed to the Bench and will be up for Re-Election), and probably won't in the near future. In this Republican strong area, being a Union sympathizer doesn't win any points. In fact, in most Orange County political seats, it's the death knell.

In 2010, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore might term out and there had been rumors running rampant of a Newport Beach City Council member possibly throwing their hat in. But in this Conservative stronghold known as the 70 Assembly District, can a Union-Loving, Government-Growing, Debt-Increasing Newport Beach Councilmember have a chance?

Maybe if the 70 AD is redistricted to include Santa Ana...