20130509_Public Comment1.` rl
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C-HAMBER Cal
May 9, 2013
Anaheim Citizens Advisory Committee
200 S. Anaheim Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92805
Chair Pham and Citizens Advisory Committee Members:
First, on behalf of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, I'd like to thank you for your service on the
Anaheim Citizens Advisory Committee. Our city is fortunate to have citizens willing to volunteer their
time, talent and energy for the benefit of civic engagement.
The City of Anaheim has enjoyed forward - thinking, free enterprise - friendly city leadership for many
years. City government is financially sound. That is due in no small part to our Fong- standing tradition of
electing our City Council and Mayor at- large. At -large elections ensure every Anaheim voter has a voice
in who is elected to govern the city, and obliges the mayor and councilmembers to view policies in terms
of how they affect the city as a whole, rather than elevating the interest of one section of city over
another. Electing the Mayor and City Council at -large makes them accountable to every Anaheim voter.
At the same time, it does nothing to impede our Mayor and Council from focusing on areas of Anaheim
in need of special attention as circumstances necessitate. For example, there is a unanimous belief
among our current councilmembers on the need to invest more resources into neighborhood
improvement programs for West Anaheim.
The Anaheim Chamber of Commerce opposes electing the City Council from single - member districts. We
are concerned such a system will elevate parochial interests over city -wide interests, increase
divisiveness, benefit some areas of the city at the expense of others, and deprive Anaheim of the
leadership, vision and consensus that has made our city great. Anaheim has already experienced
community in- fighting over the division of Community Development Block Grant funds; carving the city
into single- member districts would intensify such in- fighting and extend it to other areas of city
government and civic life.
We believe the more reasonable reform is to expand the City Council to six members, elected from
residency - required districts but voted on city -wide (plus a directly - elected mayor). Such an at -large
council district system would ensure that councilmembers come from every part of the city, and balance
the particular interests of our neighborhoods with the need to govern in the best interests of the entire
city. Continuing to elect candidates at -large ensures the City Council and Mayor are accountable to all
Anaheim voters. Furthermore, increasing the size of the City Council will increase opportunities for
Latinos to be elected to that body.
This is the system used in Santa Ana, Newport Beach and the Orange Unified School District (in which
many Anaheim residents live). It has served those jurisdictions well.
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, 203 E.Center St., Anaheim,, CA 92805
(P) 714.758.0222 (F 714.758.0458 (W) AnaheimChasnber.org
Wise governmental reform is reasonable and incremental. A 5- member City Council, elected at Barge
from residency - required districts, is a reasonable, moderate reform that recognizes the growth of the
city, ensures balanced geographic representation, and accommodates the desire for increased
opportunities for Latinos to win election to the City Council. We urged the Citizens Advisory Committee
to make this their recommendation to the City Council.
Sincerely,
Todd Ament
President
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce