Could Anaheim Actually be Moving Forward?

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Anaheim’s alleged violation of the California Voting Rights Act may soon be settled by the newly installed Council, according to the Voice of OC.   The lawsuit aims to mandate better representation for the city’s Latino population.  This action echoes the requests presented by many residents, to save the city additional costs spent on delaying settling the lawsuit.  This sentiment has been expressed since the lawsuit was filed, and it was reiterated by everyone from the public who spoke at this month’s meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Elections and Community Involvement.

Members of the public also requested reconsidering the continuation of this Committee, until the new Council can comprehensively review the lawsuit.  This commission was set up by the majority of the previous city Council (Murray, Eastman and Sidhu), who apparently oppose the districting reform, or at least aim to delay it.  I believe that Jordan Brandman, one of the new Councilmembers, attended that commission meeting.  His position is critical to resolve one of the major problems in our City.  Resolving this would allow the new Council to better tackle the Garden Walk’s hotel development issue, and the outcome of the review of police use-of-force policies.

The neighborhood improvement program, also discussed by the new Council, is a significant step as well.  Another action becoming more relevant is the one that Lucille Kring, the other new council member, has been advocating: community policing.  The tragic event last week in Newtown, Connecticut highlights the importance of gun safety.  A positive interaction between the police and residents, especially in the densely populated neighborhoods, will hopefully reduce the chances of unsafe and irresponsible use of firearms.

These issues are all related. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life of all the residents. One challenge is to avoid a repeat of the riots that stained our city, whose root causes still need to be addressed. The video posted in the Save Anaheim blog is a reminder of the tasks that we face.


About Ricardo Toro

Anaheim resident for several decades. In addition to political blogging, another area of interest is providing habitats for the Monarch butterfly. http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2013/12/caterpillars-crossing-in-a-city-at-a-crossroads/