Keeping Newport Safe
Protecting the Charm of Newport Beach for our Current and Next Generations
I’m Michelle Barto, a mother of four, a current Newport-Mesa Unified School District Trustee, and a business owner. I’m a lifelong resident of the Newport Mesa community and have had the joy of raising my children in Newport Beach.
Keeping our neighborhoods safe, our harbor clean and enjoyable, maintaining the uniquely wonderful quality of life in our community, and protecting our city from bad policies from Sacramento and L.A. are why I am running for Newport Beach City Council.
Want to learn more about where I stand on issues?
The OC Register Voting Guide can help you understand where I stand on issues that are important to you.
THE ISSUES
QUALITY OF LIFE
For every village in our city, Newport Beach is the best place in the world to call home.
From our bay to our beaches, from Newport Coast to the Wedge, from Corona del Mar to Newport Center to the Heights and more, we know that what we want is here and we have to protect that quality of life.
Our biggest challenges are all coming from outside our city, with bad criminal and housing policies from Sacramento and soft-on-crime policies in Los Angeles seeping into Orange County.
I will work with our City Council to push back on state policies that threaten our way of life and also ensure that our first responders have the necessary resources to protect us all.
SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS
Our neighborhoods and communities have a cherished sense of safety that has been disrupted by criminal gangs from L.A. and South America. We have a police department that is second-to-none in protecting us, but we can and should do more.
The same is true for homelessness, where we've seen real challenges as California continues to be the hub for homelessness increases compared to every other state in the country.
And an increase in bike and e-bike travel is also a concern, as many travel on streets that were never intended for the current amount of traffic.
By working with community partners, law enforcement, and the knowledge I bring from working with families in our schools, we can create better solutions for our residents.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Newport Beach has grown into being the gold standard for fiscal responsibility.
I am proud to count among my key endorsements all three City Council Members who currently serve on the Finance Committee. I will continue the trend of paying down debt, paying for only what we can afford, ensuring that our first responders remain the largest priorities in our budget, and planning for the maintenance and replacement of our core infrastructure.
Careful management of our budget is the foundation of our city’s ability to provide public safety, arts, and community activities. I will work to protect that stability for our current and future generations.
About Michelle
I grew up here and am thankful to call Newport Beach home. I have been a NMUSD Trustee since 2018 and have served as Board President. One of the many projects I have worked on in partnership with the city of Newport Beach is the Community Alliance for Bike Safety, which involved NBPD, City Councilmembers, and community members. Our goal was to increase bike safety and as a group we were able to bring bike safety education to grades K-12 and the greater community. I have also been a champion for campus safety, mental health, and a strong educational foundation.
I am passionate about giving back and through my involvement with Assistance League of Newport-Mesa, Pretend City Children’s Museum, Harbor Council PTA, Project Hope Alliance, the Newport Beach Foundation’s Distinguished Citizens Program, and also as Trustee and President fo the Coastline Regional Occupational Program Board I have seeen and met the needs of many residents who call Newport Beach their home.
IN THE COMMUNITY
