My good friend Kurt English asked me to publish his recommendations (and reasons for them) on the Newport Beach City Council race. Kurt’s article about this is printed below without any editing on my part. It is my hope that Newport Beach residents will find Kurt’s information helpful in making their voting determinations:

I have researched the candidates and here are my recommendations for Newport Beach City Council:

DISTRICT 1: DIANE DIXON
DISTRICT 3: MARSHALL “DUFFY” DUFFIELD
DISTRICT 4: KEVIN MULDOON
DISTRICT 6: SCOTT PEOTTER

DISTRICT 3 RECOMMENDATION: “DUFFY” DUFFIELD

http://www.duffyfornewport.com/issues

Mayor Rush Hill was one of the primary drivers of the overpriced city hall. This blunder cost Newport Beach taxpayers about $297 million. Those costs are over $3,000 per man, woman and child in Newport Beach.

At a recent Orange County Republican Party Central Committee meeting, Hill was practically begging the members for their endorsement claiming to be a strong (albeit big-spending) Republican. Hill’s opponent Duffy was endorsed overwhelmingly with the other reform candidates. At a recent candidate forum, Hill claimed to be “nonpartisan” while accusing the candidates that I and the Orange County Republican Party have endorsed of being partisan. That’s two-faced.

In December 2012, I attended the dock tax city council meeting. Many speakers criticized the excessive spending on the new city hall and the dock tax.

Apparently, Hill took it personally. He responded angrily by swearing at us, using the S***-word and insulted citizens who disagreed with him in immature, mindless and petty ways.

I was embarrassed for Hill that night. In my opinion, Hill is unfit for any leadership position.

Marshall “Duffy” Duffield is an American entrepreneur. He founded and grew Duffy Electric Boat Company, located in Newport Beach, based on his clever invention. Those of us who enjoy cruising Newport Harbor in Duffy boats appreciate and benefit from his life’s work.

Duffy would be a big civility upgrade over Mayor Rush Hill. Duffy wants to mitigate Rush Hill’s debt anchor, saying, “I don’t like excessive debt in my business or my city government.”

DISTRICT 4 RECOMMENDATION: KEVIN MULDOON

Kevin Muldoon is a lawyer and served as a prosecutor in the DA’s office. But Muldoon has moved into a business role.

Muldoon has been a Republican activist and would be influential as a council member to the benefit of Newport Beach with state legislators, county officials and business leaders.

In spite of using the title “Businessman” as part of his ballot designation, it appears Tim Brown’s primary income comes from being a junior college reading teacher in Riverside. I benefited greatly from taking junior college classes in 11th and 12th grade. It was a helpful transition on the way to college. Brown should embrace his long time profession.

I have found Brown to be temperamental. Brown could be another volatile Rush Hill. I’m also concerned that as a long time government employee Brown would continue the big spending past of Newport Beach, rather than launch its fiscally responsible future. Muldoon would be more diplomatic than Brown or Hill.

I predict Roy Englebrecht will finish last of the three candidates.

DISTRICT 6 RECOMMENDATION: SCOTT PEOTTER

http://www.peotter.com

Scott Peotter is one of the reform candidates and Mike Toerge is the status quo candidate in this race. Although both candidates have served on Newport Beach’s Planning Commission, only Scott Peotter aggressively supports property rights and fiscal responsibility.

Toerge has encouraged property owners appearing before him on the planning commission to make expensive and time consuming changes to their projects, and then voted against the projects after they made the changes he suggested. I have asked Toerge for information on various issues, but he’s hiding from me. Toerge’s unwillingness to be forthcoming before the election indicates he won’t be transparent if elected.

Peotter supports reducing city debt like Duffy and Muldoon. Potter wants to explore ways to reduce the city’s irresponsible debt, including selling the old city hall property, the new city hall’s bad art graveyard and bunny-henge.

DISTRICT 1 RECOMMENDATION: DIANE DIXON

Diane Dixon is running unopposed. Dixon has a long background in corporate public relations. She is the least likely candidate to unleash the S***-word at a city council meeting (unlike Mayor Rush Hill) and supports more responsible fiscal policies.