OC Voice

Previously, the Voice showed how the council’s backroom political dramas have come to center stage at city council meetings. But recent e-mails obtained by the Voice give a sharper picture of the passion and acrimony flowing through the political veins of the city.

Costa Mesa mayor Allan Mansoor, a candidate for state assembly, unveiled his plan to “discuss” immigration reform in the city and the state. He also blamed the ACLU for a lawsuit it filed to challenge the constitutionality of the city’s solicitation ordinance, which is enforced in a discriminatory fashion toward day laborers and prohibits certain forms of free speech.

The citizens were snarling mad. Coyotes were invading their neighborhoods and city officials hadn’t done enough to stop them, they said. The citizens made it clear they weren’t going to take it anymore.

This segment of “Day Laborers vs. Costa Mesa” shows the English version of the press conference held on Feb. 2, 2010 in front of Costa Mesa’s city hall to announce a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and others on behalf of day laborers whose First Amendment rights were allegedly violated by enforcement of a city ordinance.

Day laborers in Costa Mesa are suing the city to repeal its anti-solicitation ordinance which they say has led to First Amendment violations and harassment by police.

Part II of a three part video response by Costa Mesa Chief of Police Christopher Shawkey to issues related to a lawsuit filed against the city on behalf of day laborers to stop enforcement of a city ordinance that they say violates their First Amendment rights.

Costa Mesa day laborers sue the city over alleged violations of their First Amendment rights and Chief of Police Christopher Shawkey responds. First of a five-part video report.

Poseidon Resources Inc. told elected officials and taxpayers that if its energy intensive and costly desalination projects were approved in Carlsbad and Huntington Beach, California that there would be no cost or risk to taxpayers. But they will directly benefit from a $350 million subsidy with much more likely to come. Support the OC VOICE [...]

City council and company claims to the contrary, Poseidon Resources Inc.’s desalination projects have little to do with free-market karma and the entire desalination industry was built on over $1 billion in tax subsidies–and more is on the way.