Mailbag: Mayor apologizes for misspeaking about CMPD staffing

At last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, I made a statement that our Police Department was not understaffed. I misspoke. I was attempting to reassure residents that we have the same number of patrol officers on our streets today, despite vacancies in our Police Department.

Under Chief Tom Gazsi, our police officers have been doing an excellent job keeping our city safe during this challenging time. Meanwhile, the city is working exhaustively to hire as quickly as possible well-qualified police officers to protect and serve Costa Mesa.

I apologize for any confusion my misstatement caused.

Mayor Jim Righeimer

Costa Mesa

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Costa Mesa must do more

The people of Costa Mesa are proud of their charitable history and rightfully so.

We are constantly hearing from our neighbors that because Costa Mesa is “a wealthy city” that we need to do more, particularly in the area of the homeless of Orange County.

Wealthy city?

Aren’t we the same city that had its credit rating reduced because of its financial position? Aren’t we the same city that recently had to issue layoff notices to city workers? Aren’t we the same city that has been taken to court over our efforts to outsource jobs in order to conserve funds?

Meanwhile, the good folks of neighboring Newport Beach are squandering their money on herds of “concrete bunnies” at a cost of $14,000 each.

How about a little balance? How many homeless people could be helped with this “bunny expenditure?”

Michael Berry

Costa Mesa

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Fines for police calls

Motel managers may soon begin asking themselves, “`Do we call 911 and risk being charged?’” In a “free” society, this is an obviously delicate business dilemma. What then? More government? Not my first choice. Better government? Always my first choice.

James Bridges

Costa Mesa