Docked holiday? 3 debate threat to boycott Christmas boat parade

City is listening, but not to threats

By Mayor Nancy Gardner

There are a lot of people in our city who, because they don't have docks, haven't paid that much attention to the proposal to raise fees for those docks. However, the threat of those dock owners to boycott the Christmas Boat parade by not putting up lights on their houses or participating with their boats generated a lot of attention.

How did it come to pass?

Over the past two years, the city has taken up a chore that has been too long put off ? making sure the city is in compliance with its own ordinances and state law by charging fair market value for private use of public waters. Some of the dock owners are unhappy, and thus the proposed boycott.

Apart from the obvious unhappiness anyone feels when asked to pay more, the dock owners are unhappy with the way the new fee has been determined.

How was it done?

The city had two appraisals, which came within five cents of each other. We split the difference, and then we made it more user-friendly. Instead of going property line to property line, as suggested by the appraisers, we reduced the area to be charged to the dock space plus a "tie-up" area around the dock.

The dock owners have also complained that the city is trying to throw the entire financial burden of harbor maintenance solely on their shoulders.

This is just not so.

Federal and state dollars have supported the lion's share of the dredging. Millions in city general fund dollars help maintain the harbor every year. This will continue, because the increased fee revenues will never cover the actual costs.

Finally, and probably the major impetus behind the boycott, they feel the city isn't listening.

If the only definition of listening is complete capitulation, then I guess we haven't, but we have made a number of changes to the initial proposal as a result of dock owners' suggestions (extension of the phase-in, cap on CPI, changes in the way docks are measured, insurance requirements, etc.) To my mind, that's listening.

I'm sorry if the dock owners go through with the boycott. It will cause real financial harm to the restaurants and other businesses that look to the Boat Parade for a good shot of revenue, and it will cause this pain for naught because the council will do what it feels is the right and legally required thing to do for all the residents of the city, despite the threat.

Nancy Gardner is the mayor of Newport Beach.

Until city negotiates, lights out for festival

By Bob McCaffrey

First off, thanks to everyone who emailed, made phone calls, or attended last week's City Council meeting. It was a packed house, and not a single speaker supported the Dock Tax.

Long story short, the council continued the hearing to Dec. 11 at 4 p.m. in the new, $150 million City Hall next to the Central Library. The council made minor revisions to the Dock Tax, but nothing to substantively change the amount of new tax you will have to pay. We continue our vigorous opposition to this blatant money grab.

I find it ironic that we are about to be assessed a massive new tax in the most expensive city hall ever built in Orange County.

It is unfortunate that neither the city nor any council members have reached out to talk to us ? instead I anticipate a cram-down on Dec. 11.

Since they don't want to talk we are sadly organizing a boycott of the 104th Christmas Boat Parade and Festival of Lights.

Every year we joyfully spend thousands of dollars to decorate our homes and boats for over 1 million visitors to enjoy. We voluntarily spend this money so that children and adults alike can experience this special city that we cherish.

We are happy that the city of Newport Beach receives tax dollars from the packed restaurants and charter boats during the parade. Fashion Island is full, hotels are sold out, our friends at the Chamber of Commerce profit, and families from throughout Southern California see our beautiful community.

But the parade and Festival of Lights do not happen if we turn off the switch.

We thoroughly understand the ramifications of this boycott on our business community, residents, and visiting tourists. This is not a cavalier decision ? we realize it will have an economic impact. This is a decision born out of frustration with our city government that has chosen to treat its residents in a high-handed manner.

Our right to boycott the Christmas Boat Parade is fundamental in our great republic. We choose to exercise this right until this City Council decides to sit down and have a reasonable conversation.

Until then, the lights are out.

Bob McCaffrey is chairman of Stop the Dock Tax.

Don't count us out, we're on your side

By Richard Leuhrs

The Newport Beach City Council continued the discussions on the matter of tidelands fees at its meeting last week. This time, the focus is on private residential dock owners around the bay and a staff proposal which, once again, proposes fair-market-value increases in the fee paid to the city for the use of private docks located over public property.

The Chamber continues to be concerned with the increases being imposed on a variety of Tidelands users. Now, like the mooring owners, the marina owners, and other businesses around the Harbor, the residential dock owners are being asked to bring the fees they pay into line with fair market value. This despite the fact that these bayfront homes are being assessed a higher property tax as a result of the privately built and maintained docks in front of their homes. The homeowners believe that they are already paying a higher tax for their docks in higher assessed valuation and resultant property tax, of which the city receives a portion.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce maintains its original position; we understand the need for fee increases in order to maintain the harbor. However, we wish to support the Tidelands users and confirm that we believe there is a fair and rational rent adjustment, which can satisfy the city's desire to charge fair market rent for the use of the tidelands but at the same time remain sensitive to the taxpayers and soften the impact of the significant rent increases, particularly during these difficult economic times.

We are also concerned about a recent initiative by the tidelands users to use the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade as a tool to convince the City Council not to raise these fees. We find it unfortunate that the initiators of the proposed boycott would use this long-established, all-volunteer community holiday tradition to express their frustration, when the proposed boycott would only serve to harm their neighborhood businesses, many of whom have just been handed a significant increase in tidelands fees themselves.

We continue to believe these increases will have a long lasting effect on the important economic balance necessary in our Harbor. We urge the City Council to consider the cumulative impact these increases are having on our local businesses, dock owners, and the boating community.

Richard Leuhrs is president and CEO of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-379827-dock-owners.html

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