Segerstroms have brought tons of fun to...

Segerstroms have brought tons of fun to Costa Mesa

I’ve been reading in the Daily Pilot about a few people in Costa

Mesa who are accusing the Segerstrom Co. of taking the last bit of

entertainment out of this fine city.

That’s quite a bold statement considering the following:

Who put the South Coast Repertory Theater and Orange County

Performing Arts Center on the map in Costa Mesa? Who plans for a

world-class concert hall and museum in Costa Mesa? Why is it only the

Segerstroms’ responsibility to provide the city with a so-called

better quality of life?

Furthermore, why wasn’t the Target Center, the Home Depot Center

(which tore down a theater), the Kmart Center or any center along

17th Street required to provide entertainment? All of those pieces of

property are by far larger than Mesa Verde Center.

I think it’s time to stop putting all of the city’s shortcomings

on the Segerstrom Co. Its leaders have done a tremendous job in

giving back to this community. Maybe it’s time for the city to focus

its attention on someone else.

JIM MILLER

Costa Mesa

Plenty of room in Triangle Square for a skate park

In a recent commentary, Planning Commissioner Katrina Foley

rejected the proposal for a community recreation facility at Mesa

Verde Center. Her views may be accurate -- she typically does her

homework on these issues -- but the problem remains.

I propose that consideration be given to creating a recreation

center, including the long overdue skate park, in the lower level of

Triangle Square. This venue has failed several times as a market and

the installation of a recreation facility in the bowels of the square

may be just what is necessary to save the entire location from

becoming a ghost town.

The location seems perfect for a skate park. It is close to public

transportation. The location in the lower level is safe from traffic

and will not disturb neighbors because of noise that might be

generated by enthusiastic skaters. There is plenty of parking at the

square and a recreation venue would almost certainly attract more

businesses to the square to fill the many, many empty store fronts.

Existing businesses -- the Edwards Theaters, Virgin Megastore,

NikeTown, the Gap -- would certainly benefit from increased traffic

flow. Who knows. With the proximity of the Barnes and Noble

Booksellers, some of those skaters may actually stop in to browse for

books.

It seems to me that this location could be the perfect home of one

of those 2.6 skate parks the city officials seem to feel are

necessary in this community to meet the growing recreational needs of

our children.

It’s worth a look.

GEOFF WEST

Costa Mesa

Spare Kona Lanes, build Kohl’s over Trinity Christian Center

So many serious problems in our little burg.

I have the perfect solution for a few of them in one broad stroke

(with help from my neighbor): Put Kohl’s where the Trinity Christian

Center complex is, and leave Kona Lanes alone, with one caveat.

People, quit complaining that the bowling alley is being torn down

when you probably haven’t been there in years. If you want to save

the place, go have dinner at Haus of Pizza on a Friday night,

followed by bowling and karaoke at Kona.

MIKE MCNIFF

Costa Mesa

State budget cuts harsher for community colleges

As an Orange County resident, I am despondent that Gov. Gray Davis

has proposed staggeringly disproportional cuts to the budgets of the

state’s 108 community colleges. These cuts would severely impede the

ability of our local crown jewel of the system -- Orange Coast

College -- to keep its doors open to students and provide them with

the support they need to succeed. As things stand at the moment, OCC

expects to cut a minimum of 1,000 course sections from its 2003-04

academic schedule. All students will be harmed in some way by these

cuts.

As chief executive officer of Balboa Instruments, I know how vital

community colleges are to maintaining the quality of life we enjoy in

Orange County. OCC has been the gateway to higher education and

better-paying jobs for more than one million county residents over

the past 55 years. It’s an essential resource for providing local

businesses with the skilled workers they need to compete in our new,

global economy.

The governor’s proposed 18-month, $1-billion cut to community

colleges far exceeds, percentage-wise, budget cuts faced by the other

educational segments in the state. At this time of economic

uncertainty, that cut will exact a devastating blow on retraining the

unemployed (and underemployed), preparing future health care workers

and police officers and providing access to the state’s four-year

institutions through community college transfer programs.

At the same time, Davis’ proposal to increase community college

tuition by more than 100% will not offset by one dime cuts that will

be made to OCC’s budget. Essentially, local community college

students will be asked to pay more for less. They’ll be introduced to

decreased services, fewer classes and less opportunity.

Decision-makers in Sacramento will be asked to make many difficult

decisions during this budget process. As they do, I hope they’ll

consider the impact these cuts will have on students enrolled in

California’s largest sector of higher education -- community

colleges. Legislators must ensure that a disproportionate burden does

not fall to community college students. If educational opportunities

at OCC disappear, every community in Orange County will be severely

impacted.

DAVID CLINE

Newport Beach