Exceptional Irvine
By Jacob Levy, editor and publisher
Finally, the long Irvine election is over. It seems like years ago that the first Gang Chen for Mayor sign appeared, when really it was only several months before it was legal to put such signs up. Perhaps one of the main takeaways from the 2016 election is that election signs annoy Irvine voters. Anything Chen gained in early name recognition from all the premature signage, he likely lost later as the signs from all the candidates proliferated.
The final straw for the Gang show may have been the dueling anti-Wagner and anti-Gaido signs, which many felt he was behind.
We’d love to see an analysis of votes received vs. number of signs put up and dollars spent on them. It seems as if it might be an inverse relationship. Or is it our imagination that the winners (Wagner, Shea and Fox) had fewer signs per candidate than the average of each one not elected?
Perhaps it was just that there were so many candidates. Certainly it would be unconstitutional and indeed un-American to suggest a cap on the number of candidates that can run in an election, but there does seem to be a point of diminishing return.
In the city council race, Christina Shea won and received the most votes with 26,375 votes, and Melissa Fox will join the incumbent Shea on the city council after receiving 22,503 votes. Third place went to Anthony Kuo with 19,978 votes, followed by Farrah Khan with 14,992.
It seems important to note that the final seven candidates received a combined total of almost 45,000 votes, almost as many as the two winners received. So while there are two clear winners in the city council election, it can’t be said that they have an overwhelming mandate from the voters, as many more voted for those who were not elected than those who were.
Still, we hope all Irvine residents get behind this city council. We urge the council to not fall into an entrenched voting split, whether based on party, pervious positions, or any other differentiator. Irvine deserves a professional, passionate and persuasive city council.
There are many issues facing the city, but the way forward is firmly footed on a foundation of civic excellence. We’d love to be impressed and inspired by this city council, just as much as we are by our city.
We believe it’s within this council’s power to create a plan to finish the Orange County Great Park by moving forward on the last remaining piece of the puzzle: the Cultural Terrace. This council can move beyond the rhetoric revolving around a place to honor the nation’s veterans in a cemetery on the hallowed grounds of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, the last American soil so many saw. We think this council can balance economic vitality and sustained, smart growth with a renewed focus on the quality of life in the community. We believe that traffic, while a fact of life in any vital cosmopolitan community, can be mitigated. We’d like to see some innovative solutions suggested to allow fewer auto trips per capita, whether it’s 21st century transit, enhanced pedestrian and cycling solutions, driverless car and bus services, or whatever the best minds in the world see coming next.
We’ll be decidedly disappointed if this council split 3-2 on the vital issues facing the city. We hope for collegiality, respectful debate, thought leadership and consensus where possible.
We hope and expect to see our esteemed leaders reach and exceed the highest standards. Irvine deserves that, and much more.
Let’s aim high, Irvine. It’s about time we worked together for the future of all of our families.
The final straw for the Gang show may have been the dueling anti-Wagner and anti-Gaido signs, which many felt he was behind.
We’d love to see an analysis of votes received vs. number of signs put up and dollars spent on them. It seems as if it might be an inverse relationship. Or is it our imagination that the winners (Wagner, Shea and Fox) had fewer signs per candidate than the average of each one not elected?
Perhaps it was just that there were so many candidates. Certainly it would be unconstitutional and indeed un-American to suggest a cap on the number of candidates that can run in an election, but there does seem to be a point of diminishing return.
In the city council race, Christina Shea won and received the most votes with 26,375 votes, and Melissa Fox will join the incumbent Shea on the city council after receiving 22,503 votes. Third place went to Anthony Kuo with 19,978 votes, followed by Farrah Khan with 14,992.
It seems important to note that the final seven candidates received a combined total of almost 45,000 votes, almost as many as the two winners received. So while there are two clear winners in the city council election, it can’t be said that they have an overwhelming mandate from the voters, as many more voted for those who were not elected than those who were.
Still, we hope all Irvine residents get behind this city council. We urge the council to not fall into an entrenched voting split, whether based on party, pervious positions, or any other differentiator. Irvine deserves a professional, passionate and persuasive city council.
There are many issues facing the city, but the way forward is firmly footed on a foundation of civic excellence. We’d love to be impressed and inspired by this city council, just as much as we are by our city.
We believe it’s within this council’s power to create a plan to finish the Orange County Great Park by moving forward on the last remaining piece of the puzzle: the Cultural Terrace. This council can move beyond the rhetoric revolving around a place to honor the nation’s veterans in a cemetery on the hallowed grounds of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, the last American soil so many saw. We think this council can balance economic vitality and sustained, smart growth with a renewed focus on the quality of life in the community. We believe that traffic, while a fact of life in any vital cosmopolitan community, can be mitigated. We’d like to see some innovative solutions suggested to allow fewer auto trips per capita, whether it’s 21st century transit, enhanced pedestrian and cycling solutions, driverless car and bus services, or whatever the best minds in the world see coming next.
We’ll be decidedly disappointed if this council split 3-2 on the vital issues facing the city. We hope for collegiality, respectful debate, thought leadership and consensus where possible.
We hope and expect to see our esteemed leaders reach and exceed the highest standards. Irvine deserves that, and much more.
Let’s aim high, Irvine. It’s about time we worked together for the future of all of our families.
