19 (125)
Susana Barrios
From:Theresa Bass
Sent:Tuesday, May 9, 2023 7:47 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:FW: \[EXTERNAL\] Unite Here Local 11 Wage Initiative
Attachments:image001.png; image002.jpg; Unite Here Letter to City Council May 3.pdf
From: Cindy Smith <csmith@majesticgardenhotel.com>
Date: May 3, 2023 at 3:09:47 PM PDT
To: Ashleigh Aitken <AAitken@anaheim.net>, Jose Diaz <JoDiaz@anaheim.net>, "Carlos A. Leon"
<CLeon@anaheim.net>, Natalie Rubalcava <NRubalcava@anaheim.net>, "Norma C. Kurtz"
<NKurtz@anaheim.net>, Stephen Faessel <SFaessel@anaheim.net>, Natalie Meeks
<NMeeks@anaheim.net>
Subject: \[EXTERNAL\] Unite Here Local 11 Wage Initiative
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments
unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
Dear Mayor Aitken and City Council Members,
Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts and for reading my letter on
this important initiative.
Warm regards,
Cindy Smith
Director of Sales & Marketing
res 1.844.CASTLE-5
dir 714.234.2405
fx 714.778-5666
CSmith@majesticgardenhotel.com
Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel • 900 South Disneyland Drive • Anaheim, CA 92802
1
ANAHEIM
MAJESTIC
GARDEN HOTEI
May 3, 2023
The Honorable Ashleigh Aitken
City of Anaheim
200 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805
Dear Mayor Aitken and City Councilmembers,
We are writing to express our deep concern with a potential ballot measure being promoted by UNITE HERE Local
11. Based on the initial review of the measure, it is clear it will have lasting and irrevocable negative impacts on
residents, jobs, businesses, and taxpayers in Anaheim. It is important to note that UNITE HERE'S effort specifically
targets only Anaheim residents, jobs, taxpayers and businesses, therefore financially benefiting neighboring
communities.
I have spent the majority of my 39-year career in hospitality in the Anaheim Convention and Tourism Market. In fact,
I was an Anaheim Chamber Ambassador early on. I love every minute contributing to this amazing destination and
have spent my fair share attending Anaheim City Council meetings to message what I know are important thoughts
for the City Council to consider from local businesses. I am honored to know what we contribute to the community
and the city's general fund support the citizen's needs.
The following are specific to my current responsibilities which I know if this measure passes will have the following
negative impacts to name only a few:
• Current negotiated contracts with our groups and leisure clients are not priced to mitigate the impact of
increased wages to support the current business model.
• The current cost of goods and wages we have had to implement to attract the labor we need (and we are
still understaffed) are already an enormous challenge impacting our business. Another drastic increase
would be detrimental to our company's existence.
• The increased cost will cause leisure and group business for destination drive business to neighboring cities
such as Garden Grove, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, as well as other outlaying cities in California.
We encourage the City Council to take full advantage of state law, which allows cities to protect their communities to
espond to such efforts. State law provides that a thorough economic impact analysis can be conducted by the city
in anticipation of such a measure.
Thank you in advance for your leadership and efforts to prepare for the potential impacts this targeted effort will
have on Anaheim's General Fund, residents, and employment opportunities prior to taking any official action on
UNITE HERE's proposed measure.
We are anxious to work with the City Council and others to oppose this extreme and negative proposal. By working
collaboratively, we can protect city revenues/services, residents and job opportunities here in Anaheim.
S' rely,
Gndy Smith
Director o les &Marketing