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Archive for the ‘Anaheim’ Category

Anaheim Is Beachhead In Union Campaign to Control OC Cities Via CVRA Lawsuits

Posted by Matt Cunningham on April 26, 2013

For the last several months, I have chronicled the ongoing controversy in Anaheim over single-member council districts over at Anaheim Blog.

Some background: Last summer, the ACLU, representing three radical activists, filed suit against the City of Anaheim under the California Voting Rights Act, alleging the current system of electing city councilmembers at-large dsicriminates against Latinos and demanding the council instead be elected form single-member districts.

In the wake this lawsuit, the council create a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to conduct a series of public hearings and make recommendations on how to increase public participation (this could include, or not, switching to single-member council districts). Mayor Tom Tait and the councilmembers each appointed two members to the CAC.

What has ensured is a carefully-orchestrated effort by a left-wing coalition of labor unions, “community organizations” and the Democratic Party to game the process so the council will place on the ballot a measure calling to doubing the council to 8 members, elected from single-member districts instead of stabding before all Anaheim voters.

I have written extensively on who these organizations are, where they recieve their funding and their strategy.

The stakes in Anaheim are huge. If this left-wing coalition prevails, Anaheim will almost certainly go from being one of the largest cities in the state and the nation with a GOP majority to becoming a mini-Los Angeles.

In Anaheim, the political Left gets it. Unions like the OC Labor Federation and UNITE-HERE, union spin-offs like Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD), the Democratic Party of Orange County, the ACLU — they all get it and ar actively engaged in trying to impose single-member council districts on Anaheim. In contracts, Republicans in Orange County have been either oblivious or impotent, and in some instances actively working to achieve the Left’s goal.

What is going on in Anaheim isn’t isolated, but the opening of a campaign to turn Orange County blue in terms of control of city councils. Writing in UniionWatch.com on April 2, Kevin Dayton goes into detail on how the unions and their left-wing allies are using the California Voting Rights Act to litigate their way into greater political control of local governments.

Unions Will Control Mid-Sized Cities with California Voting Rights Act

by Kevin Dayton

Unions firmly control the political agenda in California’s largest cities, but civic leaders and citizens in some of the state’s smaller cities are still resisting the union political machine.

Some of these cities, with populations from 100,000 to 250,000, include Escondido, Oceanside, Murrieta, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Clovis, Elk Grove, and Roseville. These are cities where a dominant faction of elected and appointed officials generally puts a priority on efficiently providing basic services at a reasonable cost to their citizens.

Not surprisingly, city councils in some of these cities have attempted to enact home-rule charters or have exercised rights under their home-rule charters to free themselves from costly state mandates. This greatly agitates unions, which have long worked to attain their unchecked control of the agenda at the capitol.

Union officials want California’s cities to submit fully to state laws regarding collective bargaining for public employees and government-mandated wage rates (“prevailing wages”) for construction contractors. As reported in www.UnionWatch.org throughout 2012, public employee unions and construction trade unions spent huge amounts of money to convince voters in some of these cities to reject proposed charters.

Obviously unions don’t want to spend $1 million in dozens of cities every two years to defeat proposed charters, as they did in Costa Mesa before the November 2012 election. And soon they won’t have to spend any more money.

Unions are now implementing a tactic to alter political control of these smaller cities. It is likely to succeed in turning almost every California city with a population of 100,000 or more from fiscal responsibility to “progressive” governance based on theories of social justice.

Unions and their attorneys are masters at exploiting the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to attain unrelated economic objectives that benefit unions. And now unions are using the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (Election Code Section 14025 et seq.) as a tool to ensure the adoption of union-backed public policies at local governments.

You can read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Posted in Anaheim | Tagged: , , , , | 21 Comments »

Republican, Democrat, Independent??? The Partisan Affiliations of Everyone Holding Office In Orange County

Posted by Former Blogger Chris Emami on March 22, 2013

I was working on a database of the part affiliation of all Orange County local elected officials. Finally, I have completed the project with all of the special districts and county seats being added. I also fixed some errors in the previous versions (here, here, and here) and have combined the database into one post.

duck-elephant-donkey-logos

We have added a button on the menu bar for our readers to always be able to access this database and use it for whatever research/political needs that they may have. Due to the length of th epost you are going to have to click the below link to read the rest of the post.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in 1st Supervisorial District, 2nd Supervisorial District, 3rd Supervisorial District, 4th Supervisorial District, 5th Supervisorial District, Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Anaheim City School District, Anaheim Union High School District, Brea, Brea Olinda Unified School District, Buena Park, Buena Park Library District, Buena Park School District, Capistrano Bay Community Services District, Capistrano Unified School District, Centralia School District, Coast Community College District, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Cypress, Cypress School District, Dana Point, East Orange County Water District, El Toro Water District, Emerald Bay Service District, Fountain Valley, Fountain Valley School District, Fullerton, Fullerton Joint Union High School District, Fullerton School District, Garden Grove, Garden Grove Unified School District, Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach City School District, Huntington Beach Union High School District, Irvine, Irvine Ranch Water District, Irvine Unified School District, La Habra, La Habra City School District, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach Unified School District, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Los Alamitos Unified School District, Lowell Joint School District, Magnolia School District, Mesa Consolidated Water District, Midway City Sanitary District, Mission Viejo, Moulton-Niguel Water District, Municipal Water District of Orange County, Newport Beach, Newport-Mesa Unified School District, North Orange County Community College District, Ocean View School District, Orange, Orange County, Orange County Auditor-Controller, Orange County Board of Education, Orange County Board of Supervisors, Orange County Clerk-Recorder, Orange County District Attorney's Office, Orange County Water District, Orange Unified School District, Placentia, Placentia Library District, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, Rancho Santa Margarita, Rancho Santiago Community College District, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Unified School District, Santa Margarita Water District, Savanna School District, Seal Beach, Serrano Water District, Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park District, South Coast Water District, South Orange County Community College District, Stanton, Sunset Beach Sanitary District, Surfside Colony Community Services District, Surfside Colony Storm Water Protection District, Three Arch Bay Community Services District, Trabuco Canyon Water District, Tustin, Tustin Unified School District, Villa Park, Westminster, Westminster School District, Yorba Linda, Yorba Linda Water District | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Anaheim Campaign Finance Database

Posted by Former Blogger Chris Emami on March 21, 2013

We are adding a new feature to our humble blog. Readers will soon be able to go to one location to find campaign finance data on all 2012 candidates for local elected office. As far as I can tell no other website currently has this information. While this project will take a while and we will be releasing one city at a time (if we get some donor support) it should be well worth it. Here is a little sample for you to glance at:City_of_Anaheim_Seal_svg

We are looking for donors to help us fund this project for every City, School District, and Special District in Orange County. Please send an e-mail to info@custom-campaigns.com if you want to help sponsor this project.

These candidates took in less than $1,000 in contributions thus making them eligible to file a much more simplified disclosure form that does not have donors listed on it:

Duane Roberts
Jennifer Rivera
Rodolfo “Rudy” Gaono
Linda Linder

Here are the rest of the candidates along with a pie chart showing what percentage of their money came from each category of entities:

Jordan Brandman Total $$$
Individuals  $ 32,739.00
Unions  $ 18,950.00
Businesses  $ 25,929.51
Trade Associations  $   9,100.00
Political  $   6,042.27
Total  $ 92,760.78

brandmanchart

Steve Lodge Total $$$
Individuals  $ 14,985.00
Union  $   1,800.00
Businesses  $ 17,399.00
Trade Association  $   7,050.00
Political  $   1,800.00
Total  $ 43,034.00

stevechavezlodgechart

Brian Chuchua Total $$$
Individuals  $   269.00
Union  $          –
Businesses  $   500.00
Trade Association  $   250.00
Political  $          –
Total  $ 1,019.00

brianchuchuachart

Lucille Kring Total $$$
Individuals  $ 14,975.00
Unions  $            –
Businesses  $ 30,514.00
Trade Associations  $   5,300.00
Political  $   1,000.00
Total  $ 51,789.00

lucillekringchart

John Leos Total $$$
Individuals  $  9,046.00
Unions  $ 10,000.00
Businesses  $  3,600.00
Trade Associations  $  1,800.00
Political  $     500.00
Total  $ 24,946.00

johnleoschart

If you click the link to read more, you can find out who each individual donor was to each campaign broken down by category.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Anaheim | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Research Report on Anaheim

Posted by OC Insider on March 19, 2013

I have been hired to create a research report on the City of Anaheim and have decided to share it here before I turn it in to my employers.

Anaheim, California

Anaheim (pronounced /ˈænəhaɪm/) is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 336,265, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California,[2] and ranked 54th in the United States. The city anticipates that the population will surpass 400,000 by 2014 because of rapid development in its Platinum Triangle area as well as in Anaheim Hills. The Platinum Triangle is the fastest growing area in Orange County.[3] Anaheim is the second largest city in Orange County in terms of land area (after Irvine), and is known for its theme parks, sports teams and convention center.

Founded by fifty German families in 1857 and incorporated as the second city in Los Angeles County on February 10, 1870, Anaheim developed into an industrial center, producing electronics, aircraft parts and canned fruit. It is the site of the Disneyland Resort, a world-famous grouping of theme parks and hotels which opened in 1955, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Honda Center and Anaheim Convention Center, the largest convention center on the West Coast.

Anaheim’s city limits stretch from Cypress in the west to the Riverside County line in the east and encompass a diverse collection of neighborhoods and communities. Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community located in the city’s eastern stretches that is home to many sports stars and executives. Downtown Anaheim has three mixed-use historic districts, the largest of which is the Anaheim Colony. The Anaheim Resort, a commercial district, includes Disneyland and numerous hotels and retail complexes. The Platinum Triangle, a neo-urban redevelopment district surrounding Angel Stadium, is planned to be populated with mixed-use streets and high-rises. Finally, The Canyon is an industrial district north of SR 91 and east of SR 57.

Etymology

Anaheim’s name is a blend of “Ana”, after the nearby Santa Ana River, and “heim”, a common German language place name compound originally meaning “home”.[4]

History

Aerial view of Anaheim and Disneyland in 1965

The city of Anaheim was founded in 1857 by grape farmers and wine makers from the region around Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia in Bavaria. The first such settler was Daniel Kraemer. The colony was situated on 1,165 acres (4.71 km2).

Anaheim in 1879

Settlers voted to call the community Annaheim, meaning “home by the Santa Anna River” in German. The name later was changed slightly, to Anaheim. To the Spanish-speaking neighbors, the settlement was known as Campo Alemán (Spanish for German Field). The grape industry was destroyed in the 1880s by an insect pest. Other crops – walnuts, lemons and, of course oranges – soon filled the void, fruits and vegetables having become viable cash crops when the Los Angeles – Orange County region was connected to the continental railroad network in 1886.

Aerial Of Disneyland Resort in 2004

The famous Polish actress Helena Modjeska settled in Anaheim with her husband and various friends, among them Henryk Sienkiewicz, Julian Sypniewski and Łucjan Paprocki. While living in Anaheim, Helena Modjeska became good friends with Clementine Langenberger, the second wife of August Langenberger.[5] Helena Street[6] and Clementine Street[6] are named after these two ladies, and the streets are located adjacent to each other as a symbol of the strong friendship which Helena Modjeska and Clementine Lagenberger shared. Modjeska Park[7] in West Anaheim, is also named after Helena Modjeska.

Anaheim in 1922

During the first half of the 20th century, before Disneyland opened its doors to the public, Anaheim was a massive rural community inhabited by orange groves, and the landowners who farmed them. One of the landowners was a man by the name of Bennett Payne Baxter. He owned much land in northeast Anaheim that today is the location of Angel Stadium,[8] He came up with many new ideas for irrigating orange groves and shared his ideas with other landowners. He was not only successful, he helped other landowners and businesspeople succeed as well. Ben Baxter and other landowners helped to make Anaheim a thriving rural community before Disneyland changed the city forever. Today, a street runs along Edison Park[8] which is named Baxter Street. Also during this time, Rudolph Boysen served as Anaheim’s first Park Superintendent from 1921 to 1950. Boysen created a hybrid berry which Walter Knott later named the boysenberry, after Rudy Boysen. Boysen Park[9] in East Anaheim was also named after him.

The Disneyland theme park was constructed in Anaheim from July 16, 1954 to July 17, 1955, and opened to the public on July 17, 1955, and has since become one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions. The location was formerly 160 acres (0.65 km2) of orange and walnut trees, some of which remain inside Disneyland property. Hotels and motels began to spread and residential districts soon followed, with increasing property values. In 2001, Disney’s California Adventure, since renamed Disney California Adventure Park in 2010, the most expansive project in the theme park’s history, opened to the public.

In 1970, the Census Bureau reported Anaheim’s population as 9.3% Hispanic and 89.2% non-Hispanic white.[10] In the late 20th century, Anaheim grew rapidly in population. Today, Anaheim has a diverse ethnic and racial composition.[10]

During the large expansion of the Disneyland resort in the 1990s, the city of Anaheim then recognized itself as a resort epicenter, thus creating the Anaheim Resort. It includes the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, the Honda Center—home of the NHL Anaheim Ducks (formerly known as the “Mighty Ducks”), and Angel Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The city has undergone a rigorous transformation in creating metropolitan beautification to attract tourism. In 2007, the city celebrated its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) by opening the Anaheim Walk of Fame near the Harbor Boulevard entrance to the Disneyland Resort. The first star to be placed on the Anaheim Walk of Fame was Walt Disney, the man most responsible for making Anaheim the hugely popular tourist destination it is today.

In 2012, fatal police shooting in Anaheim sparked violent protests.[11]

Anaheim in 1890

Geography

Anaheim is located at

 WikiMiniAtlas

33°50′10″N 117°53′23″W / 33.836165°N 117.889769°W / 33.836165; -117.889769.[12] and is approximately 25 miles (40 km) south east of Downtown Los Angeles.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50.8 square miles (132 km2). 49.8 square miles (129 km2) of it is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) of it (1.92%) is water.

The current federal Office of Management and Budget metropolitan designation for Anaheim and the Orange County Area is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA”.

Cityscape

The city recognizes several districts, including the Anaheim Resort (the area surrounding Disneyland), The Canyon (an industrial area north of the Riverside Freeway and east of the Orange Freeway) and the Platinum Triangle (the area surrounding Angel Stadium). Anaheim Hills also maintains a distinct identity.

Panorama of Anaheim

Communities and neighborhoods

The Anaheim Convention Center

Downtown Anaheim is located in the heart of the Colonial District. Downtown is the administrative heart of the city where you find City Hall, Anaheim West Tower, Anaheim Police Headquarters, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and the Main Library. Anaheim Ice (formerly Disney Ice), the Downtown Anaheim Farmer’s Market and the Center Street Promenade are also located in Downtown Anaheim. In the Fall of 2007, The Muzeo,[13] the newest major museum in Orange County, opened its doors for the first time and is located next to Anaheim West Tower. Pearson Park[14] is also located in Downtown Anaheim, and is named after Charles Pearson,[6] who was Mayor of Anaheim during the time Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim. One of the major attractions located in Pearson Park is the Pearson Park Amphitheater.[15] In the Colonial District just west of Downtown Anaheim is the Mother Colony House,[16] which was built by George Hanson],[17] the Founder of Anaheim. Today, it is Anaheim’s and Orange County’s oldest museum still open to the public. The Stoffel House[18] is a Victorian Mansion located next door to the Mother Colony House. Originally the Victorian Home was occupied by the Stoffel Family,[19] early pioneer residents of Anaheim. The home served as headquarters for the local Red Cross until the early 1990s. In 2010-2011, the Woelke-Stoeffel house became refurnished and is now part of the Founder’s Park complex. Founder’s Park includes the Mother Colony house and a carriage house, which serves as a museum of Anaheim’s agricultural history. These three buildings are open every first Saturday from 9 to 12 pm.

The bulk of the Hispanic population of Anaheim, and other less prosperous portions of the population, lives in the western portion of Anaheim, “the flatlands”. Much of the more prosperous portion of the population, and most city council members, live in Anaheim Hills, a planned community in the eastern portion of the city with a median household income of $123,000 a year as of 2010.[20][21][22]

Climate

Like many other South Coast cities, Anaheim maintains a Mediterranean climate, enjoying warm winters and hot summers.[23]

[hide]Climate data for Anaheim, California
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 65 (18) 67 (19) 68 (20) 73 (23) 75 (24) 79 (26) 84 (29) 86 (30) 80 (27) 75 (24) 70 (21) 66 (19) 74 (23.3)
Average low °F (°C) 45 (7) 47 (8) 48 (9) 51 (11) 56 (13) 60 (16) 61 (16) 63 (17) 61 (16) 56 (13) 48 (9) 45 (7) 53.4 (11.8)
Precipitation inches (mm) 2.4 (61) 2.8 (71) 2.5 (64) 0.6 (15) 0.1 (3) 0.1 (3) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.1 (3) 0.2 (5) 0.8 (20) 1.3 (33) 11.3 (287)
Source: U.S. Climate Data[24]

Law and government

City government

Under its city charter, Anaheim operates under a council-manager government. Legislative authority is vested in a city council of five nonpartisan members, who hire a professional city manager to oversee day-to-day operations. The mayor serves as the presiding officer of the city council in a first among equals role. All council seats are elected at large. Voters elect the mayor and four other members of the city council to serve four-year staggered terms. Elections for two council seats are held in years divisible by four while elections for the mayor and the two other council seats are held during the intervening even-numbered years. Under the city’s term limits, an individual may serve a maximum of two terms as a city council member and two terms as the mayor.

Anaheim City Hall.

  • Mayor: Tom Tait (since 2010)
  • City Council
    • Jordan Brandman (since 2012)
    • Gail Eastman (since 2010)
    • Lucille Kring (since 2012)
    • Kris Murray (since 2010)
See also: List of mayors of Anaheim, California

Emergency services

Anaheim Police Department’s MD500E helicopter, “Angel”

Fire protection is provided by the Anaheim Fire Department, Disneyland Resort has its own Fire Department, though it does rely on the Anaheim Fire Department for support, and for Paramedic Services. Law enforcement is provided by the Anaheim Police Department. Ambulance service is provided by Care Ambulance Service.

Anaheim Public Utilities

Anaheim Public Utilities is the only municipal owned water and electric utility in Orange County, providing residential and business customers with water and electric services. The utility is regulated and governed locally by the City Council. A Public Utilities Board, made up of Anaheim residents, advises the City Council on major utility issues.[25]

Anaheim is the only city in the United States that has decided to bury power lines along their major transportation corridors, converting its electricity system for aesthetic and reliability reasons.[26] To minimize the impact on customer bills, undergrounding is taking place slowly over a period of 50 years, funded by a 4% surcharge on electric bills.[27]

Federal, state and county representation

In the United States House of Representatives, Anaheim is split among three Congressional districts:

  • 39th, represented by Ed Royce (R) since 1993
  • 45th, represented by John Campbell (R) since 2005
  • 46th, represented by Loretta Sanchez (D) since 1997

In the California State Senate, Anaheim is split among three districts:

  • 29th, represented by Bob Huff (R) since 2008
  • 34th, represented by Lou Correa (D) since 2006
  • 37th, represented by Mimi Walters (R) since 2008

In the California State Assembly, Anaheim is split among three districts:

  • 65th, represented by Sharon Quirk-Silva (D) since 2012
  • 68th, represented by Don Wagner (R) since 2010
  • 69th, represented by Tom Daly (D) since 2012

On the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Anaheim is divided between two districts, with Anaheim Hills lying in the 3rd District and the remainder of Anaheim lying in the 4th District:

  • 3rd, represented by Todd Spitzer since 2013
  • 4th, represented by Shawn Nelson since 2010

Economy

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland

Anaheim’s largest and most important industry is tourism. Its Anaheim Convention Center is home to many national conferences, and The Walt Disney Company is the city’s largest employer. Many hotels, especially in the city’s Resort district, serve theme park tourists and conventiongoers.

The Anaheim Canyon business park makes up 63% of Anaheim’s industrial space and is the largest industrial district in Orange County. Anaheim Canyon is also home to the second largest business park in Orange County.[28][29] Anaheim Canyon houses 2,600 businesses, which employ over 55,000 workers.[citation needed]

Several notable companies have corporate offices and/or headquarters within Anaheim.

  • Anaheim Memorial Medical Center
  • AT&T
  • Banco Popular, a bank based in Puerto Rico, has a North American headquarters in Anaheim.
  • Bridgford Foods, develops, produces, sells and distributor of food products
  • CKE Restaurants, the parent company of the Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Green Burrito, and Red Burrito restaurant chains
  • Extron Electronics, designs, manufactures, and services A/V electronics worldwide
  • Fisker Automotive[30]
  • Fujitsu, computer & peripheral manufacturer
  • Ganahl Lumber, oldest lumberyard in California
  • General Dynamics
  • Hewlett Packard[31]
  • Isuzu[32] North American headquarters
  • Kaiser Foundation
  • L-3 Communications
  • Pacific Sunwear
  • Panasonic[33]
  • Pendarvis Manufacturing[34]
  • Raytheon
  • Seagate[35]
  • Sunny Delight[36]
  • Taormina Industries
  • Targus, a computer peripheral manufacturer
  • Tenet Healthcare
  • Universal Alloy
  • YKK Corporation,[37] world’s largest zipper manufacturing firm
  • Yogurtland
  • Zyxel, maker of routers, switches and other networking products

Top employers

According to the City’s 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[38] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Disneyland Resort 22,660
2 Kaiser Foundation Hospitals 3,660
3 Northgate González Markets 1,900
4 Extron Electronics 1,724
5 Anaheim Memorial Medical Center 1,185
6 AT&T 1,000
7 Honda Center 1,000
8 Hilton Anaheim 920
9 West Anaheim Medical Center 774
10 Anaheim Marriott Hotel 730

Retail

Larger retail centers include the power centers Anaheim Plaza in western Anaheim (347,000 ft2),[39] and Anaheim Town Square in East Anaheim (374,000 ft2),[40] as well as the Anaheim GardenWalk lifestyle center (440,000 ft2 of retail, dining and entertainment located in the Anaheim Resort).

Crime

In 2003, Anaheim reported nine murders, this rate was one-third of the national average. Rape within the city is relatively low as well, but has been increasing, along with the national average. Robbery (410 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (824 incidents) rank among the highest violent crimes in the city, but robbery rates are still only half of the national average, and aggravated assaults are at 68% of the average. 1,971 burglaries were reported, as well as 6,708 thefts, 1,767 car thefts, and 654 car accidents. All three types of crime were below average. There were 43 cases of arson reported in 2003, 43% of the national average.[41]

Despite the 1992 Los Angeles Riots reaching almost all of Los Angeles county, Anaheim, and other cities of Orange County, were spared from violence and the city was mostly calm.

 July, 2012 protests

Main article: Anaheim police shooting and protests

In July 2012, political protests by Hispanic residents occurred following the fatal shooting of two Latino men. Other issues included significant gang activity, failure of the city to provide appropriate services to residents, domination of the city by commercial interests, and lack of political representation of Hispanic residents in the city government.[20][21][42]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1880 833
1890 1,273 52.8%
1900 1,456 14.4%
1910 2,628 80.5%
1920 5,526 110.3%
1930 10,995 99.0%
1940 11,031 0.3%
1950 14,556 32.0%
1960 104,184 615.7%
1970 166,408 59.7%
1980 219,494 31.9%
1990 266,406 21.4%
2000 328,014 23.1%
2010 336,265 2.5%

2010

The 2010 United States Census[43] reported that Anaheim had a population of 336,265. The population density was 6,618.0 people per square mile (2,555.2/km²). The racial makeup of Anaheim was 177,237 (52.7%) White (27.5% non-Hispanic White alone), 9,347 (2.8%) African American, 2,648 (0.8%) Native American, 49,857 (14.8%) Asian (4.4% Vietnamese, 3.6% Filipino, 2.0% Korean, 1.4% Chinese, 1.3% Indian, 0.6% Japanese, 0.2% Pakistani, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Laotian, 0.1% Thai), 1,607 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 80,705 (24.0%) from other races, and 14,864 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 177,467 persons (52.8%); 46.0% of Anaheim’s population is Mexican, 1.2% Salvadoran, 1.0% Guatemalan, 0.4% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Peruvian, 0.3% Cuban, 0.3% Colombian, 0.2% Honduran, 0.2% Nicaraguan, and 0.2% Argentinean.[44]

Anaheim has historically been predominantly white.[10] The city’s formerly most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white,[10] has declined from 89.2% in 1970 to 27.5% in 2010.[45]

The Census reported that 332,708 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 2,020 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,537 (0.5%) were institutionalized.

There were 98,294 households, out of which 44,045 (44.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 52,518 (53.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 14,553 (14.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 7,223 (7.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 6,173 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 733 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 17,448 households (17.8%) were made up of individuals and 6,396 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38. There were 74,294 families (75.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.79.

The population was spread out with 91,917 people (27.3%) under the age of 18, 36,506 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 101,110 people (30.1%) aged 25 to 44, 75,510 people (22.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 31,222 people (9.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.4 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

There were 104,237 housing units at an average density of 2,051.5 per square mile (792.1/km²), of which 47,677 (48.5%) were owner-occupied, and 50,617 (51.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%. 160,843 people (47.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 171,865 people (51.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census[46] of 2000, there were 328,014 people, 96,969 households, and 73,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,842.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,587.8/km²). There were 99,719 housing units at an average density of 2,037.5 per square mile (786.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55% White, 3% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 12% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 24% from other races, and 5% from two or more races. 46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

Of Anaheim’s 96,969 households, 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.34 and the average family size was 3.75.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income household income was $47,122, and the median family income was $49,969. Males had a median income of $33,870 versus $28,837 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,266. About 10.4% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Schools

As of May 2006, Anaheim is served by eight public school districts:[47]

  • Anaheim City School District
  • Anaheim Union High School District
  • Centralia School District
  • Magnolia School District
  • North Orange County Community College District
  • Orange Unified School District
  • Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
  • Savanna School District

Furthermore, Anaheim is home to 84 public schools:[48]

  • Elementary 46
  • Junior High 9
  • High School 14
  • Alternative Education 6

Private schools in the city include Acaciawood Preparatory Academy, Cornelia Connelly High School, Fairmont Preparatory Academy and Servite High School.

[edit] Higher education

The City of Anaheim hosts two private universities: Anaheim University and Southern California Institute of Technology (SCIT).

[edit] Libraries

Anaheim has eight public library branches.

Transportation

In the western portion of the city (not including Anaheim Hills), the major surface streets run east to west, starting with the northernmost, Orangethorpe Avenue, La Palma Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Ball Road and Katella Avenue. The major surface streets running north-south, starting with the westernmost, are Knott Avenue, Beach Boulevard (SR 39), Magnolia Avenue, Brookhurst Street, Euclid Street, Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim Boulevard and State College Boulevard.

The Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), the Orange Freeway (SR 57) and the Riverside Freeway (SR 91) all pass through Anaheim. The Costa Mesa Freeway (SR 55), and the Eastern Transportation Corridor (SR 241) also have short stretches within the city limits.

Anaheim is served by two major railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway. In addition, the Anaheim Amtrak station, a major regional train station near Angel Stadium, serves both Amtrak and Metrolink rail lines, and the Anaheim Canyon Metrolink station serves Metrolink’s IEOC Line.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) provides bus service for Anaheim with local and county-wide routes, and both the OCTA and the Los Angeles County Metro offer routes connecting Anaheim to Los Angeles County. Also, the not-for-profit Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) provides local shuttle service in the Disneyland Resort area serving local hotels and both the California Adventure and Disneyland theme parks, and Disney GOALS, operates daily free bus service for low-income youth in the central Anaheim area.

Anaheim is equidistant from both John Wayne Airport and Long Beach Airport (15 miles), but is also accessible from nearby Los Angeles International (30 miles), and Ontario (35 miles) airports.[48]

The city will also be the home to the ARTIC transportation center, which will connect bus, rail including the California High-Speed Rail Network and the proposed Anaheim Fixed-Guideway Transit Corridor.[49][50]

Attractions

  • Adventure City
  • Anaheim GardenWalk, 440,000 s.f. of retail, dining and entertainment located in the Anaheim Resort
  • Anaheim Convention Center, Largest convention center on West Coast
  • Angel Stadium of Anaheim
  • Battle of the Dance dinner theater (closed in 2012)
  • Disneyland Resort
    • Disneyland
    • Disney California Adventure Park
    • Downtown Disney
      • ESPN Zone
      • House of Blues
  • The Grove of Anaheim, formerly the Sun Theater, formerly Tinseltown Studios
  • Honda Center, formerly the “Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim”
  • Anaheim Ice, Public rink for 6,000+ skaters per week
  • American Sports Centers, Home of U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team
  • Anaheim Hills Golf Course
  • Dad Miller Golf Course
  • Oak Canyon Nature Center
  • MUZEO, Art Museum located in Downtown Anaheim
  • Anaheim/OC Walk of Stars[48]

Sports teams

Street banners promoting the Mighty Ducks, now the Ducks and Angels.

Current teams

  • NHL team: Anaheim Ducks – 2007 Stanley Cup Champions
  • MLB team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2002 World Series Champions
  • PASL-Pro team: Anaheim Bolts

Defunct teams

  • NLL team: Anaheim Storm (Folded after 2004–2005 season because of low attendance)
  • NFL team: Los Angeles Rams played in Anaheim from 1980 through 1994 before moving to their current home of St. Louis.
  • World Football League team: The Southern California Sun played at Anaheim Stadium from 1974–1975.
  • Arena Football League team: Anaheim Piranhas played at the Arrowhead Pond from 1994 to 1997.
  • Roller Hockey International team: Anaheim Bullfrogs played in the RHI from 1993 to 1997 and 1999, winning the Murphy Cup Championship twice.
  • American Basketball Association team: Anaheim Amigos played at the Anaheim Convention Center during the 1967–68 Season, then moved to Los Angeles.
  • ABA2000 team: Southern California Surf played at the Anaheim Convention Center from 2001–2002.
  • NBADL team: Anaheim Arsenal played at the Anaheim Convention Center from 2006–2009. The team is moving to Springfield, Massachusetts and being renamed for the 2009–2010 season.
  • World Team Tennis: The Anaheim Oranges[51] played in 1978.
  • Continental Indoor Soccer League Team: The Anaheim Splash, played from 1994 to 1997.
  • California Surf of the now defunct North American Soccer League played from 1978 to 1981.

Court battle against the Angels

Main article: City of Anaheim v. Angels Baseball LP

Angel Stadium of Anaheim in 2003.

On January 3, 2005, Angels Baseball LP, the ownership group for the Anaheim Angels, announced that it would change the name of the club to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Arturo Moreno believed Team spokesmen pointed out that from its inception, the Angels had been granted territorial rights by Major League Baseball to the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino in addition to Orange County. The new owner knew the name would help him market the team to the entire Southern California region rather than just Orange County. The “of Anaheim” was included in the official name to comply with a provision of the team’s lease at Angel Stadium which requires that “Anaheim” be included in the team’s name.

Mayor Curt Pringle and other city officials countered that the name change violated the spirit of the lease clause, even if it were in technical compliance. They argued that a name change was a major bargaining chip in negotiations between the city and Disney Baseball Enterprises, Inc., then the ownership group for the Angels. They further argued that the city would never have agreed to the new lease without the name change, because the new lease required that the city partially fund the stadium’s renovation but provided very little revenue for the city. Anaheim sued Angels Baseball LP in Orange County Superior Court, and a jury trial was completed in early February 2006, resulting in a victory for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise.

Anaheim appealed the court decision with the California Court of Appeal in May 2006. The case was tied up in the Appeals Court for over two years. In December 2008, the Appeals Court upheld the February 2006 Decision and ruled in favor of The Angels Organization. In January 2009, The Anaheim City Council voted not to appeal the court case any further, bringing an end to the four year legal dispute between the City of Anaheim and the Angels Organization.

Notable people

  • Joseph M. Acaba – NASA astronaut[52]
  • Rebecca Black – Singer who rose to controversial fame after uploading the now much maligned video to the popular video network YouTube, “Friday”
  • Amanda Babin – 4th-placer on Cycle 7 of America’s Next Top Model[53]
  • Michelle Babin – 5th-placer on Cycle 7 of America’s Next Top Model[54]
  • Angela Perez Baraquio, former Miss America (2001)[55]
  • Larry Beckett – poet and songwriter[56]
  • Moon Bloodgood – actress[57]
  • Rudolph Boysen – horticulturist who created the boysenberry[58]
  • Jeff Buckley – singer-songwriter and guitarist[59]
  • Tim Buckley – singer-songwriter, experimental vocalist, and musician[60]
  • Austin Butler – actor[61]
  • Mark William Calaway – professional wrestler known as The Undertaker in the WWE.
  • Rod Carew – former Major League Baseball player[62]
  • Carlos Cavazo – former guitarist for the heavy metal, glam metal and hard rock band Quiet Riot[63]
  • Milorad Čavić – Serbian swimmer[64]
  • Rosalind Chao – actress[65]
  • Lou Correa – politician and California State Legislator[66]
  • Don Davis – film score composer, conductor, and orchestrator[67]
  • Joe DeRenzo – jazz musician[68]
  • Reuben Droughns – National Football League player[69]
  • Rob Dyrdek – Professional skater
  • Eden Espinosa – singer and stage actress[70]
  • Jim Fassel – head coach of the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League[71]
  • Jeff Feagles – Former National Football League player[72]
  • Daniel Fells – National Football League player[73]
  • Jim Fielder – bassist for rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears[74]
  • Jorge Flores – professional soccer player[75]
  • Lori Harrigan – Olympic softball player[76]
  • Bobby Hatfield – singer, one half of the musical duo the Righteous Brothers[77]
  • Stephen Hillenburg – creator of SpongeBob SquarePants
  • John Huarte – former National Football League player[78]
  • Tommy John – former Major League Baseball player[79]
  • Carl and Margaret Karcher – founders of the Carl’s Jr. hamburger chain[80][81]
  • Frankie Kazarian – professional wrestler[citation needed]
  • Samuel Kraemer – rancher, oilman, and businessman[citation needed]
  • Thomas H. Kuchel – United States Senator and Republican Party whip[82]
  • Mark Langston – former Major League Baseball player[83]
  • Crystal Lewis – Singer
  • Rob Liefeld – comic book writer, illustrator, and publisher[84]
  • Mike Lockwood – professional wrestler, best known as Crash Holly[85]
  • Chris Manderino – National Football League player[86]
  • Alli Mauzey – Actress/Singer
  • Donnie Moore – former Major League Baseball player[87]
  • Marcus Mumford – Lead singer of Grammy-nominated folk band Mumford and Sons.[88]
  • Bill Murphy – Major League Baseball player[89]
  • Naomi Nari Nam – figure skater[90]
  • Connie Needham – actress[91]
  • Augie Nieto – entrepreneur and founder of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis charity Augie’s Quest[92]
  • Brian Noble – former National Football League player[93]
  • No Doubt – Grammy Award-winning rock group[94]
  • Curt Pringle – politician, Mayor of Anaheim, and Speaker of the California State Assembly[95]
  • Alyson Reed – dancer and actress[96]
  • Linda Sánchez – U.S. Congresswoman[97]
  • Loretta Sanchez – U.S. Congresswoman[97]
  • Steve Scarsone – former Major League Baseball player[98]
  • John F. Seymour – United States Senator and Mayor of Anaheim[99]
  • Dana Schoenfield – 1972 Olympic Games Silver Medalist in Swimming[100]
  • Teemu Selänne – National Hockey League player
  • Harry Sidhu – politician and Anaheim City Councilman[101]
  • Steve Soto – punk musician and bassist for Agent Orange and The Adolescents[citation needed]
  • Stacey Q – synthpop and dance-pop singer, dancer, and actress[102]
  • Gwen Stefani – singer, songwriter, fashion designer, and frontwoman of the rock band No Doubt[94]
  • Tairrie B – former rapper and later alternative metal frontwoman for Tura Satana and My Ruin[citation needed]
  • Chris Tillman, Baseball player: Baltimore Orioles pitcher [103]
  • Kenneth Michael Trentadue[citation needed]
  • Mark Trumbo – Major League Baseball player[104]
  • Lisa Tucker – singer and finalist on the fifth season of American Idol[105]
  • Milo Ventimiglia – actor[106]
  • Jennifer Warnes, Oscar-winning singer of “I Had The Time Of My Life” from Dirty Dancing.
  • Tiger Woods, professional golfer.
  • Jaret Wright – former Major League Baseball player[107]

Sister cities

  • Japan Mito, Japan
  • Spain Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
  • Eritrea Asmara, Eritrea

Twin Sister cities

  • Eritrea Asmara, Eritrea

Posted in Anaheim | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

More Info: Occupation On Clerk-Recorder Candidates

Posted by Former Blogger Chris Emami on March 8, 2013

The office of Supervisor Todd Spitzer released a list of all 25 candidates that are left standing for the Clerk-Recorder in their newsletter. You can read the full newsletter here. The next meeting to narrow the field even further is this Tuesday, in my original post I stated that it would take place a week from this Tuesday.

Be ready to follow along live on Tuesday as I will be live blogging the proceedings.

Here’s the updated list with more detailed information:

-Dick Ackerman (attorney, former state senator and assemblyman)

-Dale Anderson (attorney)

-Larry Bales (FDIC settlement agent)

-Andrew Calderon (law firm managing partner)

-Alicia Campbell (Administrative Manager II at OC Public Works)

-William Copulos (retired law firm managing partner)

-Ron Davidson (retired corporate CEO)

-Stewart Davis (corporate program contracts manager)

-Linda Dixon (former Costa Mesa mayor and council member, retired university assistant vice chancellor)

-Elizabeth Fleming (contract attorney)

-Michael J. Fox (attorney)

-Ellie Ghasemi-Fazeli (legal assistant at Office of Orange County Counsel)

-Lydia Lake (attorney)

-Nora Lesnet (Administrative Manager at OC Community Resources)

-Francis Licata (attorney)

-Steve Madoff (consultant, former executive vice president of Paramount Pictures)

-Tanya Mayweather (regional credit/collections manager)

-Hieu Nguyen (assistant clerk of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, former OC chief deputy recorder)

-Chris Norby (former state assembly member and supervisor)

-Bruce Peotter (attorney, former assistant public administrator/public guardian)

-Renee Ramirez (assistant clerk-recorder)

-Roy Reynolds (transportation consultant)

-Steve Rosansky (real estate company president, former Newport Beach council member and mayor)

-Harry Sidhu (business owner, former Anaheim council member)

-Steve Waechter (sales manager/computer consultant)

Posted in 3rd Supervisorial District, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange County | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Supervisor Spitzer Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 1

Posted by Newsletter Reprint on January 18, 2013

Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s office sent out their debut newsletter yesterday…

Board of Supervisors Subscribe  |  Unsubscribe
Todd Spitzer - Supervisor Third District
January 17, 2013 Volume 1 Issue 1
Todd Spitzer gets to work as Supervisor, picks staff
(Santa Ana, CA) – Todd Spitzer, elected to serve as the next Orange County Supervisor from the Third District, was sworn in on January 7 and immediately began focusing on critical issues such as ending homelessness in Orange County and addressing problems with Irvine’s Great Park. Click here for a link to the Orange County Register’s story on Spitzer’s swearing-in. Click here to read Supervisor Spitzer’s remarks.

Spitzer also announced his team, chosen to assist him in improving Orange County’s economy, ensuring public safety and bringing additional reforms to the county’s pension system.

Spitzer sworn in by his wife, Judge Jamie Spitzer, joined by son, Justin

and daughter, Lauren (not pictured)

Click here for more information about Supervisor Spitzer’s staff.
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A history of controversy in the Great Park, but a bright future
Supervisor Spitzer recently spoke before the Irvine City Council. Click here to view his remarks.
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Ending homelessness in Orange County
(Santa Ana, CA) On January 15, members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to purchase property for the purposes of creating a year-round shelter for the homeless in North County. The location of the property is at 301 S. State College Blvd., in Fullerton and adjacent to north Anaheim. This item is part of the county’s board-approved ten-year plan to end homelessness and takes steps to create a year-round homeless shelter.

Supervisor Shawn Nelson led the project, which is based in the Fourth District. For more than a year, Supervisor Nelson and staff worked with Fullerton officials and community members to identify a site location and work through logistical concerns. Supervisor Spitzer praised Supervisor Nelson’s leadership in bringing this important issue forward.

“This is such an important step forward for Orange County as we find ways to help our homeless get back on their feet, and find treatment solutions for those affected by mental illness or drug and alcohol addiction,” said Supervisor Todd Spitzer in support of the purchase.

“But it’s also critical to be aware that our action today is just a first step and that the people of Fullerton still have opportunities for public input at the city level through public hearings on this project,” Spitzer also said.

Currently, two part time shelters are available under the county’s seasonal Armory Emergency Shelter Program. Access to these shelters is limited to the winter season and to specific nighttime hours.

Spitzer also highlighted the upcoming survey of the county’s homeless population and committed that he and his staff would participate in the event.

Click here to read more.
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Openings for boards and commissions to be announced
(Santa Ana, CA) Next issue, openings for appointments to local boards and commissions from the Third District will be announced. Supervisor Spitzer has called for a transparent and open process for applications.

A list of boards and commissions with available positions will be provided.

District Staff
Mike Johnson

Chief of Staff

Justin Glover

Communications Director

Martin Gardner

Policy Advisor

Martha Ochoa-Lopez

Policy Advisor

Carrie O’Malley

Policy Advisor

Chris Nguyen

Policy Advisor

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District Map
third District Map
Anaheim, Irvine, Orange, Tustin, Villa Park, Yorba Linda
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Stay Updated!
house icon http://ocgov.com/gov/bos/3/
envelope icon Todd.Spitzer@ocgov.com
phone icon 714.834.3330
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Copyright 2013 County of Orange, California
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Posted in 3rd Supervisorial District, Anaheim, Fullerton, Irvine | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Could Vietnamese Groups Use the California Voting Rights Act to Sue Santa Ana?

Posted by Chris Nguyen on December 20, 2012

There’s been much discussion about the ACLU lawsuit against the City of Anaheim to force Councilmembers to be elected by district rather than at large, as voters in the entire city vote for every Councilmember.  The lawsuit cites the California Voting Rights Act of 2002’s requirements for racial representation on City Councils.  Anaheim is 53% Latino.

As Gustavo Arellano at the OC Weekly noted, Anaheim had an 80% nonwhite Council as recently as 2006, with Latino Councilmembers Richard Chavez and Bob Hernandez (both elected in 2002), Asian Councilmembers Lorri Galloway and Harry Sidhu (both elected in 2004), and white Mayor Curt Pringle (elected in 2002).  I might also note Lou Lopez served on the Council from 1994-1998 when he gave up his Council seat to run unsuccessfully for Supervisor.

With the election of white Councilmembers Jordan Brandman and Lucille Kring replacing termed out Asian Councilmembers Lorri Galloway and Harry Sidhu, Anaheim has its first all-white City Council in a decade.  What impact this will have on the lawsuit against Orange County’s largest city is to be seen.  Brandman has asked to agendize a possible lawsuit settlement for the next Council meeting .

Meanwhile in the County’s second-largest city, Santa Ana has had an all-Latino Council since 2006.  With six council wards, each Councilmember (other than the directly-elected Mayor) represents 16% of the city.  However, Santa Ana elects its Councilmembers at-large from these wards.  In other words, voters in the entire city still pick the Councilmember representing each ward.

Santa Ana’s Asian (mostly Vietnamese) population is highly concentrated in the western portion of the City.

In the redistricting plan adopted at the beginning of 2012, Ward 6’s border with Ward 3 moved south, and increased the Ward 3 Asian population by 16%.  The relatively square Ward 4 became much more rectangular by yielding most of its western territory to Ward 6 and picking up the southeastern portion of Ward 6.  This increased the Ward 4 Asian population by a whopping 209%.  However, these changes decreased the Ward 6 Asian population by 27%.

Prior to the 2012 redistricting, 46% of all Santa Ana Asians resided in Ward 6, 24% lived in Ward 3, and just 5% in Ward 4.  With the new districts, just 33% live in Ward 6,  27% live in Ward 3, and 17% live in Ward 4.

Can anyone say cracking?

The California Voting Rights Act of 2002 states that a violation “is established if it is shown that racially polarized voting occurs in elections for members of the governing body of the political subdivision or in elections incorporating other electoral choices by the voters of the political subdivision.”  It goes on to say, “The fact that members of a protected class are not geographically compact or concentrated may not preclude a finding of racially polarized voting…but may be a factor in determining an appropriate remedy.”

In practice, the most common remedy under the California Voting Rights Act of 2002 has been to have ward elections in which voters only vote one Councilmember to represent their ward and do not vote for any other Councilmembers (basically, ward elections make city council elections a lot more like supervisorial elections, legislative elections, and U.S. House elections).

Anaheim is being sued for violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2002 because citywide voters have not elected a Latino to the current City Council.  Could Santa Ana be sued for violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2002 because citywide voters have never not elected an Asian to the City Council in 31 years and the Council’s redistricting plan presents a major “cracking” of the Asian population?

Posted in Anaheim, Santa Ana | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Vacancies Galore: Politicians Leaving Mid-Term Leave Seats to Be Filled

Posted by Chris Nguyen on December 17, 2012

Empty chairThere were a lot of vacancies this year.  Three countywide posts and one school board seat remain vacant.  All salaries noted below are base pay.

County

Four of Orange County’s eight countywide posts went vacant during 2012.

  1. Orange County Clerk-Recorder: Tom Daly (D) vacated the seat this month to become the 69th District’s State Assemblyman.  Numerous candidates have either expressed interest behind the scenes or are rumored to be interested; none have made public statements.  The job pays $139,256.40 (that extra 40 cents won’t even get you enough postage to send a letter).  Apply online here by January 15.
  2. Orange County Auditor-Controller: David Sundstrom (R) vacated the seat in January to become Sonoma County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector (yes, that really is a single office in Sonoma County).  The job pays $173,097.60 per year (that 60 cents is crucial).  Apply online here by January 15.
  3. Orange County Public Administrator: John Williams (R) resigned in January or February depending on how you interpret his resignation, un-resignation, and re-resignation saga.  Former Assemblyman Ken Lopez-Maddox (R), who is also a former Garden Grove Councilman and former Capistrano Unified School District Board Member, is the first to publicly throw his hat in the ring. (12/19 Update:The previous sentence was ambiguously worded, so to clarify, Lopez-Maddox is running for the seat in the regularly scheduled June 2014 election but has not indicated if he will apply for the appointment.)  The job pays $30,000 per year (but the Board of Supervisors frequently consolidates it with the more lucrative appointed post of Public Guardian).  Apply online here by January 15.
  4. Orange County Superintendent of Schools: Bill Habermehl (R) vacated the seat in June, deciding it was time for him to retire.  Seven of the eight countywide posts are filled by the County Board of Supervisors when there’s a vacancy.  This is the eighth post, and the County Board of Education appointed Al Mijares (R) to fill the seat.  The job pays $287,500 per year.

Many people have argued Clerk-Recorder, Auditor-Controller, Public Administrator, and various other County posts should be appointed by the Board of Supervisors instead of elected positions.  Good luck with that.  Just six months ago, 60.5% of Orange County voters rejected making Public Administrator an appointed position.

City Council

They move with great speed to fill Council vacancies in Little Saigon.

  1. Garden Grove City Council: Bruce Broadwater (D) vacated the seat this month to become Mayor of Garden Grove.  Minutes after Broadwater became Mayor, the Council held the vote to fill his newly-vacated Council seat.  New Councilman Chris Phan moved to nominate the November election’s 3rd place finisher, Phat Bui, but he failed to get a second on his nomination. Councilwoman Dina Nguyen (R) moved and Councilman Steve Jones (R) seconded the nomination of defeated Councilman Kris Beard (D), who came in 4th in the election, and the Council voted unanimously to appoint Beard to the seat.  Beard was out of office for mere minutes.  The job pays $8,093 per year.
  2. Westminster City Council: Tri Ta (R) vacated the seat this month to become Mayor of Westminster.  In stunningly rapid fashion, the Westminster City Council left his seat vacant for mere minutes before appointing Margie Rice (R) after Ta replaced Rice as Mayor.  In other words, Ta and Rice simply swapped seats.  The jobs pays $10,206 per year.

The County’s smaller cities took a little more time.

  1. Stanton City Council: Councilman Ed Royce, Sr. (R) vacated his seat for health reasons in February.  Rigoberto Ramirez (R) was appointed to fill the seat in March.  Ramirez is up for election to a four-year term in 2014.  The job pays $10,200 per year.
  2. Villa Park City Council: Councilman Bob Fauteux (R) passed away in February.  Rick Barnett (R) was appointed to fill the seat  in March and won election to a four-year term in November with no opponents.  The job pays nothing.

School Board

For the second time this year, the Anaheim Union High School District Board is filling a vacancy.

  1. Anaheim Union High School District Board (February): Earlier this year in February, Jan Harp Domene (D) passed away unexpectedly at the age of 60.  The board appointed Annemarie Randle-Trejo on a 3-1 vote in April.  OC Political covered this process.
  2. Anaheim Union High School District Board (December): Jordan Brandman (D) vacated the seat this month to become an Anaheim City Councilman.  The board will fill his seat early next year.  The job pays $9,731.52.

Brandman originally won his AUHSD seat in a February 2008 special election after a petition overturned the appointment of Harald Martin (R), who was selected by the Board to fill the seat left vacant due to the unexpected passing of Denise Mansfield-Reinking (R) in May 2007.

The AUHSD board is on its third vacancy in six years.

Special District

  1. Municipal Water District of Orange County, Division 3: Director Ed Royce, Sr. (R) vacated his seat for health reasons in February.  Wayne Osborne (R) was appointed to fill the seat in March and won election to a four-year term in a four-way race in November.  The job pays $26,594 per year.

Posted in 69th Assembly District, Anaheim, Anaheim Union High School District, Capistrano Unified School District, Garden Grove, Municipal Water District of Orange County, Orange County, Orange County Board of Education, Orange County Board of Supervisors, Stanton, Villa Park | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Half are Republicans, Half are Democrats, and Other Random Stats on Orange County’s Directly-Elected Mayors

Posted by Chris Nguyen on November 20, 2012

The New Republican Irvine City Council Majority:
Councilman Jeff Lalloway, Councilwoman-Elect Christina Shea, and Mayor-Elect Steven Choi

Partisan Breakdown

Since 2004, Republicans have held a 4-2 advantage among Orange County’s directly-elected mayors:

  • Anaheim: Tom Tait (since 2010), Curt Pringle (2002-2010)
  • Garden Grove: Bill Dalton (2004-2012)
  • Orange: Carolyn Cavecche (2006-2012), Mark Murphy (2000-2006)
  • Westminster: Margie Rice (Republican 2004-2012; Democrat 2000-2004)

The two Democrats were:

  • Irvine: Sukhee Kang (2008-2012), Beth Krom (2004-2008)
  • Santa Ana: Miguel Pulido (since 1994)

Anaheim’s Tait has Orange County’s only four-year mayoral seat, so he was not up for election this year. Major changes were in store with three mayors termed out (Garden Grove’s Dalton, Irvine’s Kang, and Orange’s Cavecche) and one mayor voluntarily retiring (Westminster’s Rice), leaving only Santa Ana’s Pulido seeking re-election this year.

While Steven Choi captured the Irvine mayoral seat for the Republicans, Bruce Broadwater of Garden Grove and Tita Smith of Orange captured their respective mayor’s posts for the Democrats.

The Republicans are:

  • Anaheim: Tom Tait (term limit: 2018)
  • Irvine: Steven Choi (term limit: 2016)
  • Westminster: Tri Ta (no term limit)

The Democrats are:

  • Garden Grove: Bruce Broadwater (term limit: 2020)
  • Orange: Tita Smith (term limit: 2018)
  • Santa Ana: Miguel Pulido (term limit: 2020)

It could be worse though, like the 2000-2002 line-up of directly-elected mayors, which had Orange’s Mark Murphy as the sole Republican:

  • Anaheim: Tom Daly (1992-2002)
  • Garden Grove: Bruce Broadwater (1994-2004)
  • Irvine: Larry Agran (2000-2004)
  • Orange: Mark Murphy (2000-2006)
  • Santa Ana: Miguel Pulido (since 1994)
  • Westminster: Margie Rice (2000-2004 as a Democrat; 2004-2012 as a Republican)

2012 Demographics

An odd sidenote about 2012: in an election that saw Asian Americans vote 3-1 for Barack Obama, Orange County’s Asian American directly-elected mayors went from consisting of one Democrat (Kang) to consisting of two Republicans (Choi and Ta).

While Cavecche was replaced by Smith in Orange, women lost ground as Rice was replaced by Ta in Westminster.

Term Limits

Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana have eight-year term limits (two four-year terms in Anaheim and four two-year terms in Garden Grove and Santa Ana).  Orange has a six-year term limit (three two-year terms).  Irvine has a four-year term limit (two two-year terms).  Westminster has no term limits (two-year terms).

Santa Ana’s mayoral term limit is the newest, having been adopted this month.  Irvine’s mayoral term limit is the oldest, taking effect in 1991.

Anaheim has the toughest term limit on Councilmembers who want to be Mayor.  A first-term Councilmember running for Mayor may only serve one mayoral term.  A second-term Councilmember may not run for Mayor.

Excluding Westminster’s non-limit, Garden Grove and Irvine have the most generous term limit for Councilmembers who want to be Mayor.  In both of those cities, when Councilmembers term out, they can run for Mayor, and when they term out as Mayor, they can run for Council, in a never-ending merry-go-round.

Age

After the 2012 election, the mayoral median age is 60.5 with a mean age is 59.3:

  • Garden Grove: Bruce Broadwater (74)
  • Irvine: Steven Choi (68)
  • Orange: Tita Smith (65)
  • Santa Ana: Miguel Pulido (56)
  • Anaheim: Tom Tait (54)
  • Westminster: Tri Ta (39)

Before the 2012 election, the mayoral median age was 58 with a mean age of 62.3:

  • Westminster: Margie Rice (83)
  • Garden Grove: Bill Dalton (69)
  • Irvine: Sukhee Kang (60)
  • Santa Ana: Miguel Pulido (56)
  • Anaheim: Tom Tait (54)
  • Orange: Carolyn Cavecche (52)

The biggest age change was in Westminster, where Margie Rice was replaced by Tri Ta, who is 44 years younger than her.  The smallest age change (excluding Tait and Pulido, for obvious reasons) was in Garden Grove, where Bill Dalton was replaced by Bruce Broadwater, who is 5 years older than him.

While Westminster had a dramatic age decrease for mayor, Garden Grove, Irvine, and Orange all had age increases for mayor.

The Democrat median and mean ages both increased from 58 to 65.

The Republican median age decreased from 61.5 to 54 while the Republican mean age decreased from 64.5 to 53.7.

Posted in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Westminster | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

2012 City Council Party Affiliation Post

Posted by Former Blogger Chris Emami on November 14, 2012

Chris Nguyen did a great job putting together a local database of all party affiliations for candidates running for local office. I thought that I would take the time to expand on his post and show a database of all Orange County Councilmembers (Also OC Board of Supervisors) that will be serving on City Councils starting next month and what party they are affiliated with.

Please note that a couple of races could potentially change based on a close finish and not all votes being counted. This post will be added to our website in a permanent tab that we will be creating at the top of the site.

Here is the database: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in 1st Supervisorial District, 2nd Supervisorial District, 3rd Supervisorial District, 4th Supervisorial District, 5th Supervisorial District, Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Orange County Board of Supervisors, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments »