Mailbag: Advice for young voters and disappointment in H.B.

Kudos to Professor Joel Powell and all the students who attended, listened and engaged at the Huntington Beach City Council candidates’ forum at Golden West College. While national political races always garner the most attention, the outcome of local elections typically has the biggest impact on our day-to-day lives.

Those selected to lead our municipal government must be trusted to assume an immense responsibility. Never assume locally elected officials are simply figureheads or that the title of council member or mayor is honorary. The words and actions of elected officials directly impact the lives of residents and influence how outsiders view our community.

To the students who may have voted for the first time, thank you for getting involved! Your votes matter as today’s decisions shape the community you’ll be living in tomorrow. I encourage younger voters to keep a couple of things in mind before casting ballots in future elections:

1. The first responsibility of all elected officials is public service. If you are confused about who to vote for, look at the candidates’ resumes and focus in on their record of public service. You will rarely regret voting for someone with a long history of non-partisan service to our community.

2. Be deeply suspicious of anyone telling you that your priorities, ideas or goals for our community are unrealistic. Force candidates who blindly embrace a failing status quo to explain why they reject improvements. After all, reality is what you make it, and candidates who lack vision will never work to create a better future.

3. Focus on the issues rather than party affiliation and/or ideologies. Good ideas are good ideas regardless of party or affiliations. Demand information and explanations from candidates, and never settle for bland, detail-free political talking points. As the saying goes, talk is cheap. If a candidate cannot explain their position or refuses to admit they lack a detailed understanding of issues, this is a huge “red flag,” and you should be wary.

Good luck to all our younger voters, and a sincere “thank you” for caring and getting involved in improving our community.

Steve Shepherd
Huntington Beach

Re: ‘HB3’ likely win spots on Huntington Beach City Council, forming an all-conservative dais, Daily Pilot, Nov. 6: The results of the recent election will not change matters except that now we will be governed by seven instead of four, and there will be no minority to keep all of them honest. As to why the Surf City electorate chose to replace the minority with three like-minded stooges might mean that they may have actually gargled with bleach as their glorious leader advised them to do to avoid COVID-19.

The difference in governing will be that the general public will have very little notice about what the conservative council attempts to accomplish behind our backs. The office of the city clerk was also taken by an inexperienced, dubious individual who believes that voter ID is a good idea and will lead to costly frivolous lawsuits against the state and will continue to make H.B. the laughing stock of California cities.

The loyal opposition will be present to notify the general public what is taking place and what books are being banned which will be a full-time job. We will not stand down and will continue to be vigilant!

Richard C. Armendariz
Huntington Beach

On election night, I observed the pernicious power of poisonous partisanship take down my city and its local government. It was aided and abetted by the infusion of influence from spurious special interests who stood to gain from the trampling of community rights by the MAGA machine in Huntington Beach.

Taxpayers will pay dearly for this assault on democracy in two ways. First, they will be at the mercy “within” from the amateur authoritarians now running the show here. It will cost us plenty with the deals they are making to cater to their cronies. Second, they will be at the mercy “without” from the punishing costs of penalties, restrictions, lawsuits and loss of local control from the state government over their errant and defiant decision-making. It is “lose, lose” for our residents, whether they know it or not.

Even if things are reversed down the road, the damage done could be deep and lasting. Surf City joined a long list of grievance-driven election decisions and outcomes this November. However, it is likely that many in the community will soon be feeling grief stricken over the results.

Tim Geddes
Huntington Beach

To the newly elected council members: Good luck as you take on the responsibility of leading our city and improving our community. Prioritize addressing our roads, building our economy without sacrificing our parks and genuinely saving our libraries. Focus on local issues that impact our citizens, not topics meant for a national audience. This isn’t “Face the Nation” — it’s a council position with real obligations to our community.

Before the election, the newly elected council members appeared more focused on attacking incumbents than presenting a coherent vision for our city. This divisive approach must stop if we are to foster unity. If you cannot demonstrate constructive leadership and end this toxic partisanship, you will further fracture our community. Polarizing our city is not only reckless — it threatens to destroy the unity we need to move forward. Our citizens deserve a council committed to genuine progress, not petty conflict.

Fiscal responsibility is also essential. Stop wasting taxpayer money on needless legal battles. A prime example is the air show settlement failure — a financial burden now forced on taxpayers, who will pay roughly a million dollars a year over the next 40 years for police, fire, cleanup, environmental studies and more. Claims that the air show drove substantial hotel revenue were misleading; Our hotel stays tell a different story. An event that has people staring at the sky for days may not be the smartest draw — or a recipe for spine health.

We can still secure a brighter future by coming together to form coalitions rooted in loyalty to our city and dedication to representing all residents. Respect fundamental rights for everyone and find the courage to think for yourself. Vote based on what truly benefits our city — not on group think or factional loyalty. Lead with integrity and accountability and show our community the kind of leadership it deserves.

Andrew Einhorn
Huntington Beach