Will O'Neill (politician) explained

Will O’Neill
Birth Date:21 October 1983
Office:Mayor of Newport Beach
Termstart:2019
Termend:2020
Office2:Newport Beach City Council, District 7
Termstart2:2020

Will O'Neill (born October 21, 1983) is the former Mayor of the City of Newport Beach[1] and former Chair of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency.[2]

Life and career

O’Neill grew up in the Central Valley community of Fresno.[3] At Stanford University he read for a bachelor's degree in history, and competed with the track and field team.[4] O'Neill later studied for a law degree at the U.C. Hastings College of the Law. He has served on the U.C. Hastings Board of Governors, most recently as President during 2016-2017.[5]

O'Neill is a partner with the law firm of Ross, Wersching & Wolcott, LLP. He previously worked for California Supreme Court Justice Marvin Baxter (Ret.), the California Court of Appeal (Fifth Appellate District), and Dallas-based firm Haynes & Boone, LLP. As chair of the Newport Beach Finance Committee,[6] O'Neill has helped lead efforts to restructure Newport Beach's unfunded pension liability payments.[7] [8] O'Neill has also helped reform Newport Beach's civil asset forfeiture policy,[9] [10] [11] and led efforts in Newport Beach to prohibit using public money to advocate for tax increases.[12] As Mayor, O'Neill declared 2020 "The Year Of The Volunteer",[13] to celebrate the volunteers and community members that give their time and talents for the betterment of the city.[14]

On January 26, 2020, nine people (mostly from Newport Beach) died in a helicopter crash, including Kobe Bryant.[15] O'Neill visited an impromptu candlelight vigil where he said: “There were seven lights that were burning bright this morning in Newport Beach and they got snuffed out. When we lose fathers and mothers and daughters and sons and those lights go out, we come together as a community. That’s who we are.”[16] O'Neill was mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Governor Gavin Newsom shut down Orange County's beaches.[17] Mayor O'Neill appeared on The Tucker Carlson Show to denounce the closures as politically motivated rather than science-based.[18] He also appeared on a Fox11 special report with Elex Michaelson and Dr. Drew Pinsky. Newport Beach's beaches were reopened shortly after.[19] Mayor O'Neill was re-elected to Newport Beach City Council on November 3, 2020, after running unopposed.[20] [21]

In 2022, O'Neill was elected as chair of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA).[22] The SJHTCA oversees the 73 Toll Road and includes member agencies Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana and the County of Orange.[23] When the SJHTCA approved an approximate $134 million budget for 2022-2023, O'Neill was quoted saying: “The agencies have a proven record of creating reliable infrastructure and ensuring our roads support the movement of people and goods through strong fiscal stewardship. The adoption of the budgets continues that stewardship and will allow us to continue providing transportation solutions in our region.”[24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: District 7 City of Newport Beach. 2020-08-09. www.newportbeachca.gov. 2020-08-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20200808001356/https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/city-council/find-your-council-district/district-7. live.
  2. Web site: SJHTCA Board Members The Toll Roads . 2022-10-12 . www.thetollroads.com . 2022-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012171434/https://www.thetollroads.com/about-tca/leadership/sjhtca-board/ . live .
  3. Web site: March WAKE UP! Newport – Mayor’s Update with Will O’Neill.
  4. Web site: William O'Neill Throws A Career-Best Mark At UCSD Invitational. 2020-08-09. Stanford University Athletics. en. 2019-11-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20191111200857/https://gostanford.com/news/2004/4/24/208068508.aspx. live.
  5. Web site: Lunch with the Expert featuring Will O'Neill '07 moderated by Chancellor and Dean David Faigman. 2020-08-09. UC Hastings Law San Francisco. en-US. 2020-09-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924012029/https://www.uchastings.edu/event/lunch-with-the-expert-featuring-will-oneill-07/. live.
  6. Web site: . 2020-07-17. Newport Beach Mayor Will O'Neill Files for Re-election. 2020-08-09. Newport Beach News. en-US. 2020-08-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20200817143611/https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-beach-mayor-will-oneill-files-for-re-election/. live.
  7. Web site: 2018-12-01. Newport finance panel backs fixed payment plan for $320-million pension debt. 2020-08-09. Daily Pilot. en-US. 2018-12-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20181226005233/https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-pension-refinance-20181130-story.html. live.
  8. Web site: Stu News Newport. 2020-08-09. www.stunewsnewport.com. en-gb. 2020-08-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805215048/https://www.stunewsnewport.com/. live.
  9. Web site: 2017-03-25. Raising the bar on civil asset forfeiture. 2020-08-09. Orange County Register. en-US. 2020-08-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805022035/https://www.ocregister.com/2017/03/25/raising-the-bar-on-civil-asset-forfeiture/. live.
  10. Web site: 2018-12-22. Civil asset forfeiture reform is a unifying cause. 2020-08-09. Orange County Register. en-US. 2023-04-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20230424180519/https://www.ocregister.com/2018/12/22/civil-asset-forfeiture-reform-is-a-unifying-cause/. live.
  11. Web site: 2019-01-09. O'Neill: We Need to Reform Law Enforcement's Ability to Seize Civil Assets. 2020-08-09. Voice of OC. en-US. 2020-07-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20200731132803/https://voiceofoc.org/2019/01/oneill-we-need-to-reform-law-enforcements-ability-to-seize-civil-assets/. live.
  12. Web site: 2018-03-20. When California cities blur the line between tax education and tax advocacy. 2020-08-09. Orange County Register. en-US. 2020-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918203055/https://www.ocregister.com/2018/03/19/when-california-cities-blur-the-line-between-tax-education-and-tax-advocacy/. live.
  13. Web site: Hall. Sara. 2019-12-13. New Mayor Selected, Declares 2020 'Year of the Volunteer'. 2020-08-09. Newport Beach News. en-US. 2020-10-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027035550/https://www.newportbeachindy.com/new-mayor-selected-declares-2020-year-of-the-volunteer/. live.
  14. Web site: Stu News Newport. 2020-08-09. www.stunewsnewport.com. en-gb. 2020-08-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805215048/https://www.stunewsnewport.com/. live.
  15. Web site: Langhorne. Daniel. 2020-01-26. Newport Coast Resident Kobe Bryant, Daughter Among Nine Killed in Helicopter Crash. 2020-08-09. Laguna Beach Local News. en-US. 2020-02-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20200201072038/https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/newport-coast-residents-kobe-and-gianna-bryant-among-five-dead-in-helicopter-crash/. live.
  16. Web site: 2020-01-27. Newport Beach mourns Kobe and Gianna Bryant and 5 others from their community who died in helicopter crash. 2020-08-09. The Mercury News. en-US. 2023-04-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20230424180519/https://www.ocregister.com/2020/01/27/newport-beach-mourns-kobe-and-gianna-bryant-and-5-others-from-their-community-who-died-in-helicopter-crash/. live.
  17. Web site: White. Jeremy B.. Newsom closes all Orange County beaches. Local officials call it an 'act of retribution'. 2020-08-09. Politico PRO. en. 2023-04-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20230424180539/https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/04/30/newsom-closes-all-orange-county-beaches-despite-growing-political-backlash-1281581. live.
  18. Web site: Creitz. Charles. 2020-05-01. Newport Beach mayor blasts California gov's beach closure order: 'This has nothing to do with data'. 2020-08-09. Fox News. en-US. 2020-07-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20200718025953/https://www.foxnews.com/media/gavin-newsom-beach-closure-newport-beach-mayor. live.
  19. Web site: Newport Beach Reopens Beaches; The Rest of Orange County is Up Next. 2020-08-09. NBC Los Angeles. en-US. 2020-05-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20200522105715/https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/newport-beach-reopens-beaches-the-rest-of-orange-county-is-up-next/2358248/. live.
  20. Web site: Johnson . Tom . November 4, 2020 . 2020 Election Results . live . 2020-11-04 . Stu News . 2022-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012171433/https://stunewsnewport.com/index.php/2-uncategorised/9867-2020-election-results-110420 .
  21. Web site: GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2020 City of Newport Beach. 2020-08-09. www.newportbeachca.gov. 2020-08-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20200814171404/https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/city-clerk/general-municipal-election-november-3-2020. live.
  22. Web site: Staff . Newport Indy . 2022-03-02 . Newport Beach Council Member Will O’Neill Elected Chair of San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency . 2022-10-12 . Newport Beach News . en-US . 2022-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012171433/https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-beach-council-member-will-oneill-elected-chair-of-san-joaquin-hills-transportation-corridor-agency/ . live .
  23. Web site: Background & History The Toll Roads . 2022-10-12 . www.thetollroads.com . 2022-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012171433/https://www.thetollroads.com/about-tca/background/ . live .
  24. Web site: Transportation Corridor Agencies Boards Approve Balanced Fiscal Year 2023 Budgets The Toll Roads . 2022-10-12 . www.thetollroads.com . 2022-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012171433/https://www.thetollroads.com/news/newsroom/transportation-corridor-agencies-boards-approve-balanced-fiscal-year-2023-budgets/ . live .

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