While
the signup period to run for positions representing Yorba Linda in
city government and on water and school district boards is 11 months
away, key issues are emerging in two of the contests that are certain
to draw credible challengers to the 2016 electoral arena.
For the
past couple weeks, social media has been filled with widespread
opposition to a substantial water and sewer rate increase scheduled
to be imposed by the five directors of the Yorba Linda Water
District at a Sept. 17 meeting.
A new
group, the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association, describing itself as a
“grassroots citizens forum,” launched a Facebook page last month
with posts opposing the increase and requesting residents to send the
district written protests to derail the new charges.
Among
the group's leaders are past City Council candidates and participants
in the Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation political
action committee and the North Orange County Conservative Coalition,
some who supported last year's failed council recall.
If a
majority of the district's property owners in Yorba Linda and parts
of Anaheim, Brea, Placentia and county territory submit protests in
writing, the proposed new rates can't be adopted.
One
criticism leveled against the district is that raises were granted
employees this year and the next two years without other significant
budget cuts, while the district told ratepayers in a recent mailing,
“There is simply nowhere to cut.”
Whatever
the outcome, next year's ballot for two director positions is
expected to be more spirited than the past two elections, when nobody
filed to run against the incumbents, the seventh and eighth time
that's occurred in the district's 56-year history as a public agency.
In 2012,
Mike Beverage, a director since 1992, and Ric Collett, a director
since 2004, were not opposed, and in 2014, Phil Hawkins, Bob Kiley
and Gary Melton, elected in 2010, drew no opponents.
Just
four incumbents have been defeated since the 1959 conversion to a
public body: two in 2010 after 2008 Freeway Complex fire issues and
one each in 1998 and 2002.
The
newly formed taxpayers group also criticizes actions of four of the
five council members, mostly due to density and development decisions
made by Gene Hernandez, Peggy Huang, Tom Lindsey and Craig Young that
are often opposed by 20-year Councilman Mark Schwing.
Seats
now held by Hernandez, Schwing and Young will be on the next ballot,
with Schwing not expected to run again. Voters have dumped 12
incumbents in the city's 48-year history.
Common
Core might be an issue in school trustee races, but only a few
residents have opposed the standards at board meetings. Seats held by
Judi Carmona, Carol Downey and Eric Padget, all unopposed in
2012, will be on the 2016 ballot.
Incumbents
are rarely defeated due to the cost of campaigning and the support
most receive from the teachers union.