Daily Pilot profile of Terry Shaw

By Terry Shaw

October 28, 2004

After fighting to stay out of the shadow of the 1901 Newport condominium complex, Terry Shaw wants to move from the audience at City Council meetings to the dais.

A Newport Harbor High School graduate who grew up in Costa Mesa, Shaw is running for the City Council. His professional experience is in accounting and banking. He now works as an account manager for Orange County Business Bank, and he's been an accountant for local computer manufacturers.

"I like working with the numbers, and I like the people that I've been working with," he said. "It's been a good career overall."

Shaw said he's running for the council because he became interested in city government a year and a half ago and wants to get more involved.

"It goes back to when I was opposing the 1901 Newport Plaza condominium project," he said. "I started attending all the meetings after that, and there were just a number of decisions that I didn't concur with, and so I thought I'd give it a shot."

He lives across the street from 1901 Newport and encouraged the council to limit the buildings to three stories, but he wasn't happy with what was finally approved, he said.

If he is elected, one of his priorities will be "reasonable land development," he said. The city needs some growth, but it doesn't have to be high density, he said.

"I just don't buy into that philosophy [of high density]," Shaw said. "I don't think we need to be another high-rise town."

He's also concerned about the city using its fiscal reserves and thinks officials should cut costs, raise fees or a combination of both.

"If you have to draw from savings to meet your bills, and you're not getting it from current income, that's not balancing your budget," he said.

In his free time, Shaw's pursuits tend toward the physically active. He enjoys camping and has hiked Mount Whitney twice, he said. He's also a graduate of the Newport Beach Citizens Police Academy.

Shaw said the ideal City Council member should be a person of integrity who has an understanding of how city government works.

"I think they should be willing to listen to different points of view, and I think they should be someone that's going to seek solutions that, while it may not please everyone, it will answer most people's concerns," he said.

Solving problems and making things fit together is what Shaw likes about his job. Someone once told him what accountants do is put numbers in little boxes, and he said he applies that method to the city.

"I guess I look at the city as, the people are the numbers and the houses are the boxes and it's a matter of making everyone fit in the city and helping everyone find a spot where they feel comfortable," he said.

Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times

ON THE ISSUES

October 28, 2004

What's the most important issue facing the city?

I think the major issue at this point is land use/development/zoning. What we do concerning this has a trickle-down effect. It affects the whole city and for a very long time. We ought not to allow overdevelopment. We should encourage, where and when possible, single-family housing. When multi-family housing is called for, we should require the maximum in parking spaces and likewise for commercial projects. Parking, as well as traffic, has become a major problem in this city. Also, many neighborhoods are losing their character due to "super-sizing" new housing and remodels. We should encourage and obtain open space when financially feasible. It may be time to review the general plan, because we seem to be changing it piecemeal in it current form. All this affects the city financially, too, which I think is a very close-second issue.

What do you think of the city's joint-use agreement with the schools for use of playing fields?

I think the agreement is good in principle. However, it is apparent that both parties need a clearer understanding, or at least a refreshing, of what is required of each. This will help alleviate overzealous enforcement and scapegoats. There are apparently some ad hoc meetings taking place that should be open to the public. It will be informative to know what the recommendations and results are. Additionally, it has been indicated that the fields at Costa Mesa's high schools are in much poorer condition than the ones in Newport Beach. This is something that should be addressed.

What would be the most effective way to improve the Westside?

Probably the most effective immediate improvement would be infrastructure improvements. Many residents on the Westside complain their streets are terrible compared to other parts of the city. Granted, repairs and landscaping are taking place, and more are planned for 19th Street, but more needs to be done in the neighborhoods. Subpar housing should be looked at for code violations, and some of the shopping centers need face-lifts. Perhaps low-interest loans would help, but private investment should be encouraged first. A zoning overlay may be worth considering, but any new development would have to recognize the preexisting rights of those already there. The industrial component is grandfathered in, and while it might be nice to see it changed, I would not force condemnation. Noxious fumes, which I've heard complaints about, should be investigated and controlled. Also, halfway houses should be monitored to make sure they are not overly congregated and are run in an orderly manner.

Are city leaders doing a good job handling the budget and pressures on it from the state?

The city administrators have done a good job with what they have to work with. However, the City Council has some tough decisions ahead. The state's playing with the revenue stream has certainly muddied the waters, but our spending has outpaced revenue. We have drawn from reserves for the last three years to meet budget. Obviously, this cannot go on forever. The only time it might be warranted is when major capital projects are involved. Orange County just approved an enhanced retirement plan for its employees. This puts pressure on cities to adopt similar plans. We need to be very cautious in our negotiations with the Costa Mesa employees union. We do not want to join a growing list of bankrupt or near-bankrupt cities. Would I raise taxes or fees? Yes, but only after careful consideration. Some of them, such as the business-license fees, have not kept with the times.

Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times