More comment on 3-2 police provider vote
This week, more fact and comment on the City Council’s 3-2 vote to replace Brea police with the county Sheriff’s Department:
--A large--and still unknown--factor regarding changing this city’s police provider could have been resolved, if the council had placed an advisory measure on the June 5 ballot to gauge public opinion on such a critical decision.
Past councils used advisory votes to weigh opinion on issues, including two in 1978 on electing the council by districts and holding a bond election to buy Nixon Park, another in 1986 on banning safe-and-sane fireworks and one in 1992 on a two-term council limit.
Residents elect councils to make tough decisions, but advisories on key issues are useful, and, in this case, would have settled conflicting claims about the wishes of a majority of Yorba Lindans (even though past councils ignored voter opinion on two advisories).
Now, we’ll wait until Nov. 6 for voter views, when three council seats are at stake, and, probably, after a five-year contract with the Sheriff’s Department is signed. Then, other issues--low-cost housing, budget cuts, Town Center, Black Gold--also will play a role.
--Many readers asked me about the identities of individuals and/or groups behind the advertisements, circulars, door-hangers, web pages, roadway signs, emails, computer calls and other items used to influence public opinion on the police matter.
State law doesn’t require such information--including sources of funding and lists of expenses--to be made public, as is mandated for candidates and measures on a ballot, so names, income and expenses can be concealed legally.
But if those involved in the pro-Brea or pro-Sheriff camps value transparency, they can email me revenue and expenditure details, which I’ll include in a future column.
--A frequent criticism of past councils is that key decisions were made late at night or in early morning hours, with some of the disapproving comment coming from current council members before their election to the governing body.
Public comment on police contract proposals began around midnight April 24, and the final vote was taken about 3 a.m., despite plenty of advance warnings about the timing.
--I asked Mayor Mark Schwing if he’d like an opportunity to expand on his comment at the May 1 council meeting about some “bad apples” in the Brea Police Department.
His response: “I was told by a member of the PD that there might be a couple of bad apples in the department. I would emphasize might be. I have no names or detailed numbers. I was also told there are always some in every PD.”
A Final Note: I jumped the gun in noting the higher school impact fees to be paid by developers for new building in my April 19 column. Six of nine figures were slightly revised before approval by Placentia-Yorba Linda school district trustees April 24.
The revised numbers, per square foot of assessable space: $3.20 for most new residential, 49.1 cents research and development, 44.7 cents hospital, 43.1 cents industrial/warehouse /manufacturing, 35.9 cents retail services and 1.82 cents hotel/motel.
--A large--and still unknown--factor regarding changing this city’s police provider could have been resolved, if the council had placed an advisory measure on the June 5 ballot to gauge public opinion on such a critical decision.
Past councils used advisory votes to weigh opinion on issues, including two in 1978 on electing the council by districts and holding a bond election to buy Nixon Park, another in 1986 on banning safe-and-sane fireworks and one in 1992 on a two-term council limit.
Residents elect councils to make tough decisions, but advisories on key issues are useful, and, in this case, would have settled conflicting claims about the wishes of a majority of Yorba Lindans (even though past councils ignored voter opinion on two advisories).
Now, we’ll wait until Nov. 6 for voter views, when three council seats are at stake, and, probably, after a five-year contract with the Sheriff’s Department is signed. Then, other issues--low-cost housing, budget cuts, Town Center, Black Gold--also will play a role.
--Many readers asked me about the identities of individuals and/or groups behind the advertisements, circulars, door-hangers, web pages, roadway signs, emails, computer calls and other items used to influence public opinion on the police matter.
State law doesn’t require such information--including sources of funding and lists of expenses--to be made public, as is mandated for candidates and measures on a ballot, so names, income and expenses can be concealed legally.
But if those involved in the pro-Brea or pro-Sheriff camps value transparency, they can email me revenue and expenditure details, which I’ll include in a future column.
--A frequent criticism of past councils is that key decisions were made late at night or in early morning hours, with some of the disapproving comment coming from current council members before their election to the governing body.
Public comment on police contract proposals began around midnight April 24, and the final vote was taken about 3 a.m., despite plenty of advance warnings about the timing.
--I asked Mayor Mark Schwing if he’d like an opportunity to expand on his comment at the May 1 council meeting about some “bad apples” in the Brea Police Department.
His response: “I was told by a member of the PD that there might be a couple of bad apples in the department. I would emphasize might be. I have no names or detailed numbers. I was also told there are always some in every PD.”
A Final Note: I jumped the gun in noting the higher school impact fees to be paid by developers for new building in my April 19 column. Six of nine figures were slightly revised before approval by Placentia-Yorba Linda school district trustees April 24.
The revised numbers, per square foot of assessable space: $3.20 for most new residential, 49.1 cents research and development, 44.7 cents hospital, 43.1 cents industrial/warehouse /manufacturing, 35.9 cents retail services and 1.82 cents hotel/motel.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
<< Home