BY BILLY FRIED |
OK , here are my picks for the ’ 22 Council elections . I know you didn ’ t ask for them , so here you are anyway .
We have real business to do to make Laguna safer , cleaner , easier to navigate , more enjoyable , and yes , much kinder , inclusive and tolerant . What Laguna has always stood for until it became “ me ” versus “ we .”
Let ’ s talk about candidates with the temperament , brains and fortitude to get things done , or what I ’ d like to call the class ( acts ) of 2022 :
Sue Kempf . Duh ! I haven ’ t seen a more effective civil servant in my 23
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years here . Every time I stroll down the pleasant , tranquil , people-filled Forest Avenue Promenade , I think to myself , “ How did this happen ?” I ’ d been advocating for it since I arrived , a Sisyphean task that left me battered and bruised by an intransigent minority adept at putting up roadblocks .
But then a force multiplier named Sue blazed into action when the pandemic quarantine threatened our beloved local businesses . And our ability to gather . She spoke to health experts about how best to navigate this scourge , and they told her outdoor dining . This was the opening Sue needed , and in a matter of weeks , along with City Manager Shohreh Dupuis , found a décor company that was idled by the cancellation of Coachella . They quickly constructed those outdoor decks that were shimmed to meet the sidewalks , fenced to meet ABC ’ s requirement to serve alcohol , tarted it up with planters , art and whimsy , and voila , the promenade was birthed , along with wonderful outdoor dining all over town . We finally looked like those Mediterranean towns we always claimed to be . Sue did it , the sky didn ’ t fall , our town has never looked better , and the promenade is poised to
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become our permanent town square , a welcomed respite for weary drivers that showcases our most perfect downtown boulevard .
I applaud Sue precisely for finding an emergency loophole to get it done . That ’ s chutzpah . That ’ s leadership . That ’ s politics . Elect Sue , and let ’ s get that permanent plaza to the finish line .
Alex Rounaghi : I ’ ve been stunned to meet such a poised , mature , thoughtful , informed and intelligent young man . He ’ s given me hope for the future . Alex doesn ’ t suffer fools . He ’ s here for a reason : to make a difference and help move Laguna forward with 21st-century improvements . Spend a moment with him , and you will know exactly what he stands for and what he wants to do . He knows fire safety is our number one priority , and along with Sue , he will work to get the powerlines undergrounded on Laguna Canyon Rd . But he knows our work won ’ t be finished there . He also wants to design a master transportation plan that would include taking control of Coast Highway and Laguna Canyon Rd , possible express transit and bicycle lanes , wide sidewalks , and a real , walkable community in the Canyon with more affordable housing for all .
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Alex is the only candidate with a plan for our true existential crisis , climate change . Unlike other candidates , he was born and grew up here and brings a unique perspective to our education system , our public resources , and the challenges facing our youth . He will activate the next generation to help us plan for our future , which is critical to our vitality so that we don ’ t become a “ Leisure World by the Sea .”
Don ’ t let this crap of him being too young sway you . Martin Luther King became a minister at 18 . John F . Kennedy was elected to Congress at 29 . Stevie Wonder had produced seven award-winning albums by the time he reached Alex ’ s age . Some people are just preternaturally gifted to pursue their destiny at a young age .
Louis Weil : The inevitable cudgel from cynics is that Louis is just a proxy for his in-laws , Barbara and Greg MacGillivray . That ’ s insulting to all of them . Louis didn ’ t choose his in-laws , and he ’ s certainly not doing it to curry favor ( he ’ s already delivered two adorable grandchildren ). Anyone who knows the MacGillivrays knows that they fly in the stratosphere above the fray , with
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