Public safety is a number one priority.  Because of changes in state law, crime is rising throughout California.  We need to proactively address these trends to keep our neighborhoods safe and crime out of our city.

Newport Beach’s first responders are on the front line of maintaining the well-being of our community.  They are not only tasked with keeping the peace, battling fires, and providing emergency medical services, but they also perform a multitude of essential community services like liaising with the homeless and disenfranchised, protecting the integrity of our animal population at our shelter, and preparing our population for emergencies through Newport’s world class CERT program.

Our responsibility is to honor the men and women who serve by providing appropriate compensation, equipment, and support to accomplish performance at the highest level. 

Our city’s financial stability is paramount and requires a prudent and measured approach with vigilant oversight of spending and a goal of budget consistency over time. An ongoing balance must be maintained between investments in rehabilitating aging infrastructure, initiating innovative quality of life projects, delivering high quality municipal services, and remaining committed to paying down city debt.  While taxes cannot be raised without a vote of the people, we should be diligent to ensure that fees and charges for public services do not become overly burdensome or noncompetitive.

Traffic is a critical concern in Newport Beach and a significant indicator of quality of life for residents and visitors. Thousands of motorists navigate our streets daily. Managing traffic around the city requires ongoing monitoring and creative mitigation. Solutions can be found in the implementation of a series of efforts including creating awareness of alternate routes to and from certain parts of the city, working together with neighboring Costa Mesa to reduce the impact of the termination of the 55 freeway onto Newport Boulevard, properly accommodating shared ride services in our midst, investing in bicycle routes and safety measures, and optimizing park and walk options.

Newport Beach’s community of villages – Corona del Mar, Balboa Island, West Newport, and the Balboa Peninsula, among others – are home to a diverse collection of small businesses serving both residents and visitors. Cultivation of this unique culture with support like establishing community partnerships, “shop local” messaging, and economic grants fosters the landscape for our small businesses to prosper and grow.

Arts and culture are the critical lifeblood of a community and Newport Beach is no exception.  Public concerts, theater, and lectures create opportunities for community enrichment and business to thrive.  Our world class Newport Beach Public Library, with over one-million visitors a year, plays a vital role in the community’s cultural landscape by hosting The Witte Lectures and other finance, health, and wellness lecture series, supporting Concerts on the Green, providing rotating art exhibitions, and shepherding the process for the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park.  Support of these and other projects will continue to enrich our community and harness the significant economic benefits resulting from a vibrant cultural landscape.

Residents enjoy the high quality of life available in our city.  Protecting that standard is a critical priority.  As stewards of Newport Beach’s distinguished landscape, serving the environment wisely will secure our most valuable asset for future generations. 

The majestic Newport Harbor is not only a significant environmental and economic resource but also the lifeblood of the community as we are home to a large seafaring citizenry.  We must provide the necessary services and infrastructure to ensure the integrity of our water quality and protect our marine environment.  This can be accomplished in balance with the business and tourist industry if we remain vigilant with our standards and fairly and consistently apply regulations to all stakeholders.

Newport Beach is critically impacted by the presence of John Wayne Airport in our midst.  So many members in our community identify airport noise as a paramount concern and lobby for meaningful solutions.  Addressing key issues of flight paths, takeoff acceleration, and noise monitoring requires more than just responding to dissatisfaction, it necessitates continuous, active engagement with residents and local, state, and federal lawmakers to forge significant coalitions with measurable outcomes.

Homelessness affects our community in a myriad of ways.  Tent cities and park encampments that have taken root in other communities are not a viable solution.  The hardships for those living without permanent housing are dire. Residents express frustration at these circumstances and rely on leaders to provide meaningful solutions to assist those in need, ensure the health and safety of our population, and protect the integrity of public and private spaces. 

Newport has a full-time Homeless Coordinator tasked with identifying and liaising with persons experiencing homelessness to realize case-by-case solutions.  This includes locating affordable housing, securing employment, identifying health and mental services, and reestablishing connections with family members.  The process yields measurable results but is slow and methodical. 

People experiencing homelessness and the broader community will benefit as we accelerate solutions on a local level, advance coordination on a regional level, and secure resources from the state and federal government.

Private coalitions can be instrumental sources of support for public infrastructure projects.  These public-private partnerships supplement budget resources.  This has occurred successfully in our community in completed projects like Oasis Senior Center, The Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park, and Marina Park, and current projects like the Newport Beach Animal Shelter and Library Lecture Hall.  Fostering the public-private economic engine provides additional resources to enhance our community and secure infrastructure assets championed by residents.

Group homes, including sober living, mental recovery, and other residential care facilities are a fundamental topic of resident concern in several of our communities.  Various agencies including the City Council, State Assembly, State Senate, Orange County Supervisors, and the District Attorney either monitor, license or regulate group homes. 

State and local laws are in effect but abuses by unscrupulous owners leave residents feeling powerless and frustrated.  Ongoing and consistent code enforcement of group homes in our communities is a necessity, along with a commitment from the State to add distancing requirements between licensed homes, increase monitoring, and return regulation and enforcement to the cities.  It is through these strengthened efforts we can safely and fairly protect and serve our impacted neighborhoods.