Keep The SOAR Initiative On The Ballot
Posted by: Jubal | 02/14/2008 10:10 AM
On Feb. 26, the Anaheim City Council will consider whether to save Disney the trouble of an election this June and just enact the SOAR initiative into law itself.
The usual reasons are advanced, mainly that such a move would save the city the $250,000 cost of holding the election.
But elections always cost money. That consideration didn't stop Disney/SOAR from qualifying the initiative in the first place.
Disney/SOAR want to carve out a 2.2 square mile section of Anaheim in which property owners are governed by a different set of rules than every other property owner in the city. rather than being able to seek zoning changes through the normal Planning Commission/City Council approval process, the SOAR initiative would force this lucky group of property owners to seek approval from Anaheim's 136,000 voters. Needless too say, a very expensive proposition on the natural, prohibitively so if Disney opposes any requested change - giving Disney a de facto veto over zoning decisions in the Resort District.
I was -- past tense -- a consultant to SunCal on their Platinum Pointe project, which the SOAR initiative targets. But the SOAR initiative hasn't stopped being bad public policy.
The Anaheim Council can decide to enact Disney's bad public policy initiative themselves, or require Disney persuade Anaheim voters to adopt a bad public policy initiative. This a big move, politically, philosophically and governmentally. Why should the Council do Disney's work for them? This is Disney/SOAR's initiative. Let them make their own case to the voters.
The usual reasons are advanced, mainly that such a move would save the city the $250,000 cost of holding the election.
But elections always cost money. That consideration didn't stop Disney/SOAR from qualifying the initiative in the first place.
Disney/SOAR want to carve out a 2.2 square mile section of Anaheim in which property owners are governed by a different set of rules than every other property owner in the city. rather than being able to seek zoning changes through the normal Planning Commission/City Council approval process, the SOAR initiative would force this lucky group of property owners to seek approval from Anaheim's 136,000 voters. Needless too say, a very expensive proposition on the natural, prohibitively so if Disney opposes any requested change - giving Disney a de facto veto over zoning decisions in the Resort District.
I was -- past tense -- a consultant to SunCal on their Platinum Pointe project, which the SOAR initiative targets. But the SOAR initiative hasn't stopped being bad public policy.
The Anaheim Council can decide to enact Disney's bad public policy initiative themselves, or require Disney persuade Anaheim voters to adopt a bad public policy initiative. This a big move, politically, philosophically and governmentally. Why should the Council do Disney's work for them? This is Disney/SOAR's initiative. Let them make their own case to the voters.
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Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
That is the real issue isn't it? Our city council is supposed to defend the Anaheim taxpayer's interests not Disney's. Unfortunately that is not the case, just look at those supporting SOAR, current and past mayor, city council members past and present....its a big problem for Anaheim residents, they aren't fully represented by our council. Thank goodness for those that do care about the average Joe Anaheim because Disney has our city in a headlock and will continue to do so as long as they can outspend the competition 3:1, which in Disney's case is probably forever. We didn't elect Disney!