… if man is still alive…

C’mon, sing it! Remember that goofy Zager and Evans one-hit wonder?

While at the mayor’s dinner in Newport Beach tonight I got the feeling at some point that Ed Selich’s speech could be sung to the tune of “In the Year 2525.”

I know some folks liked the mayor’s speech, but I thought it was odd that he decided to set it in the future as he took his audience on a tour of Newport Beach in the year 2025. Here we are facing economic Armageddon and hizzoner’s talking about 16 years in the future? Are times that bad that he wanted to change the subject?

Actually, no. I talked to him after the speech and he quite eloquently explained to me that he well understands the dire times the city faces, but that he just wanted to do something different, something a bit more creative than sputtering out a bunch of statistics.

OK, I’ll buy that. I would have found it entirely insufferable if he had tried to make the point that Newport Beach had nothing to worry about. Even though the city is in far better shape financially than most because of its largely wealthy demographic it doesn’t mean that funnel cloud on the horizon won’t come our way. I mean, as I was chatting up County Supervisor John Moorlach after the speech he looked at his watch and said he had to go soon as he was due to catch a flight for Sacramento early Thursday. Turns out the state is asking the counties to take “Arnie bucks” while continuing services. Leaders from the six SoCal counties are due to hear this nutty plan and probably tell them to pass a damned budget already. Or pray for Washington’s stimulus check. Pick your poison.

I have to say it struck me at first awfully presumptuous to paint such a lovely vision of the future as we worry about deflation, inflation, depression and you name it. But in fairness to Ed I think the not-so-inner-wonk in him took over and he wanted to translate the city’s 2025 plan for us.

Maybe I’m just grumpy because this crusty old reporter likes to get hard news whenever I can.

Still, at least the mayor got in a few clever digs at his neighbors with images of their general plans for the area. Here are a couple:

“Our neighbor, the city of Irvine’s version would have had mini expressways and flyways funneling all the traffic from Irvine Business Complex down MacArthur and Jamboree to Newport Center. That certainly solves the traffic impacts from Irvine.”

Oh, snap. Watch out, Costa Mesa, Mayor Ed’s got a jab for you too:

“Then Costa Mesa’s version would have tunnels from all their major streets ending up in Newport Beach. That solves their traffic problems.”

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