Mailbag: Newport can look to Costa Mesa for public art

Newport Beach has debated the use of tax dollars to fund public art.

Yes, it has an Arts Commission, which is charged with making the city culturally relevant in a free world.

The commission is funded partially with tax dollars and developer fees. The fruits of its labor can be seen in the Civic Center Park. I think I know art when I see it, and that’s not art, but I digress.

The city even has an official government document, the arts master plan, which outlines how to become culturally relevant.

A parade of culturally superior individuals stepped up to the microphone recently and implored the City Council to hire more staff and spend more money so that Newport can become a great city of the arts.

And Councilwoman Diane Dixon challenged the community to find the next Dorothy Buffum Chandler to help the city fund a great arts facility.

I believe we’ve already found that person in the Segerstrom family, and now the area has the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.

Kent Moore

Corona del Mar

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District should be more forthright

Re: “Apodaca: Time to speak up about allegations in district” (April 19):

The lucid and lovely Patrice Apodaca has explained the problems in our school district. The answers have always been honesty and decency. The phrase “decent education” includes the concept of decency.

Without honesty, no one ought to have any position in any school district. These answers are far more important than rote, bureaucratic policies.

Al Wonders

Newport Beach

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Bring back service club column

The cancellation of the Daily Pilot’s Community & Clubs column looks like an unsound decision to me. What percentage of subscribers have been waiting for this column every week? I’m one of them.

Continuing to take a physical newspaper is a tough choice. This may make my decision easier. Restore this column and I won’t cancel my subscription, which I think I’ve had for at least 15 years.

Bob Wood

Newport Beach

Editor’s note: The biweekly column has been discontinued, but the Pilot will continue to publish service club goings-on in the Page 2 calendar.