In The News

Press Release - Costa Mesa Firefighter's Association Endorses Katrina Foley for Costa Mesa City Council

October 8, 2008

The Costa Mesa Firefighter's Association is proud to endorse Katrina Foley
for Costa Mesa City Council. Costa Mesa Firefighter's Association
supports Katrina Foley because of her professionalism, leadership,
community involvement, and her dedication to her oath of office. Over the
last four years Katrina Foley has always put the safety and well being of the
citizenry as a top priority. Katrina Foley is the single best choice for City
Council.

Editorial:  Dixon, Foley the right team for park issue

September 20, 2008

Thank goodness.

A voice of reason.

Actually, five of them that make up the Costa Mesa City Council, with special kudos to Katrina Foley and Linda Dixon, the most ardent opponents of a slapdash plan that would have designated 28 of the city’s 30 parks as “passive.”

What exactly would that have meant?

Groups of nine or more would have been prohibited from organizing activities such as soccer, Frisbee and you name it at public parks such as Wakeham, Wimbledon and Estancia.

“I see this report as a colossal waste of taxpayer money and time,” Foley said of a Parks and Recreation Commission document on the issue.

Mind you, Public Works Director Peter Naghavi estimated that more than 100 hours of staff time had been spent considering the issue.

Can you say government waste? Pointless bureaucracy?

“I would hope that this whole thing is shredded,” Dixon said.

Amen.

Best we can remember, the idea took seed when the City Council designated Paularino Park, a popular locale for Latino soccer enthusiasts, as “passive.” We at the Daily Pilot criticized the council for its transparent attempt to rid the park of Latinos.

After all, how unsafe — the council cited safety concerns — is a soccer ball?

To take it a step further: Soccer, a game with roots in Europe and Latin America, is, perhaps, the most American of all activities, which is to say it’s good, wholesome family fun with little if any down side.

So extending the Paularino plan to 28 more parks in the city, leaving just two as “active,” would have been disastrous.

The Pilot’s headline the day after the vote read: Council: Let them play.

Good job, Foley, Dixon and company for letting outdoor enthusiasts do just that.

The above article can be found at The Daily Pilot.

Foley brings back trail

Improving Paularino, Santa Ana/Delhi flood channels before council again, despite being shelved previously.

By Chris Caesar of The Daily Pilot

A controversial bike path shelved by the Costa Mesa City Council earlier this month is back on track for council consideration, thanks to Councilwoman Katrina Foley.

The path, which would connect Fairview Road between Adams Avenue and Baker Street with trails in Newport Beach, would be financed by a South Coast Air Quality Management District grant.

The proposal would include renovation of the Paularino and Santa Ana/Delhi flood channels that wind throughout Costa Mesa with landscaping and other measures.

Public opposition from Mesa Del Mar neighbors during a Dec. 4 City Council meeting prompted the council, by a 3-2 vote, to defeat a proposed feasibility study for the bike path.

Foley, who supported the study along with Councilwoman Linda Dixon, said many in Foley’s Mesa Del Mar neighborhood were upset with the decision.

“I’ve received lots of e-mails and calls from the community, particularly the Mesa Del Mar community, with people surprised that the council would’ve shut down the process so soon,” she said.

“I think many people were caught off guard, because every single time it had come before the council previously, they had voted 5-0 in favor of it going forward.”

Trail opponent Len Bose said he respected the political process, but would continue to publicly oppose a bike trail in the Paularino flood channel.

“Why this channel?” the avid biker said, noting that developing only the Santa Ana/Delhi portion of the bike trail — far from his Mesa Del Mar home — would provide sufficient paths for local bikers.

“I’m really starting to wonder why we’re all focusing on this one spot.”

CHRIS CAESAR may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at chris.caesar@latimes.com.

The above article was Published Monday, December 17, 2007 9:51 PM PST by The Daily Pilot