Robert Flores is a Realtor, ran for City Council 2 cycles back, I was not impressed at the time. He gives me the impression that he wants to be elected to something, anything, does not much care what.

Steve Perez is a kid, his campaign strategy appears to be annoying the Heck out of the locals by hanging multiple signs on property without permission, and a MySpace page with a private profile.

I'm interested in what you might find on the others. It is going to be a bumpy ride.

What I'm hearing is Anaheim is ready for a change, I think Galloway and Harry S. will have a difficult time winning re-election.

Harry wanted to leave his city council seat for bigger and better than when he couldn't win he chose Anaheim as his second choice.

Galloway well we all know how I feel about her.

John K and Gayle Eastmen have a good shot at winning this race.

Hi everyone, I'm Steve Perez, and yes I'm young, but I have my wits about me. I intend on campaigning very hard to win. And when I do win, I'll be the best (fiscally responsible) council member this city has seen since Senator Seymour, who coincidentally still lives in Anaheim East.

I don't know much about this Steve Perez but I like his attitude. He has my vote.

But Galloway and Harry get those useless traitors out.

Steve Perez came to my door and was such a charmer I have his sign on my lawn. He seems like a such a wonderful young man. Confident and intelligent, he really seemed to really know Anaheim, and his enviromental issues were strong. I wouldn't be surprised if he won and blew this whole campaign out of the water.

I just did some reading on this Steve guy, and he does not seem to be half bad. He wants to reduce pointless fees on small businesses and lower taxes in general. How is that bad? If I lived in Anaheim I would vote for him.

I have been looking for info on Steve Perez since the signs went up (too early in the summer for my taste) and frankly, son, a private profile myspace does not make a campaign. Let us know where to find more info on you. What pointless fees would be reduced? And how is he going to lower taxes in a municipal office? Most of what we pay is State or Federally mandated. But I would like to hear more if I can find him.

As far as the incumbents, Harry is a name, and a nice guy, but even with all that money, he failed to carry his own city in the June election. I am not politically savvy enough to begin to guess what his chances are. Lorri Galloway will be going home. She is nearly the most hated politician in the memory of my neighborhood. (the exception being the boneheads that created Project Alpha, but she is darn close) Her re-election is not remotely an option in my neck of the woods.

I think Gail Eastman is a stronger candidate than the politicos might give her credit for, she is raising a ton of money in a grass roots effort, as opposed to candidates who finance their own campaigns. That support is going to translate to votes.

I don't know much about the candidates running, since I think its to early to even think about that. But from what I have read though, if your more preoccupied with shopping carts then Gail is your woman.
I don't much like the fact that Harry could not make it any where else so he comes crawling back to Anaheim? That just seems tacky.

As for that Steve guy I found information on him pretty well, but I did run into him at city hall waiting for my passport, he was more impressive than people here give him credit for.

Does any one else find Eastman annoying?
I just read her web site and all she says is that she is open to new ideas. She should have some of her own ideas for goodness sake. Save the children, support our fire fighters, the woman has no vision.

Also does any one know where I can find any info on John Karczynski and Steve Perez, they seem mildly interesting, and not completely useless like Galloway and Eastman.

Actually, I do not find Eastman annoying at all. I actually interviewed her when a PAC I was involved with was reviewing candidates, and she was the one candidate that had a clue and a vision of her own. She has a grasp of what makes the City function and how to maintain that financial strength that Anaheim has developed over the years. I am pretty shocked that of all the info posted on the Issues page of her website the only thing you got was “shopping carts” and “open to new ideas”……unless you are shilling for another candidate? No, Eastman is not annoying or useless, although I wholeheartedly agree with Alexander that Galloway is both.

John Karczynski is having a series of cooking classes as fundraisers where you could learn more about him. Here is an excerpt of the info with contacts you could check in with for more info. "The classes will take place in John’s intimate home kitchen, therefore space is limited.
A $100 Campaign Contribution is suggested to attend one class.
To reserve space for classes, please call (714) 685-0995. Unfortunately, online reservations may not be made at this time. Pre-payment is required to reserve class space."

OK, so when I am wrong I am the first to say so, and apparently Steve Perez has changed his myspace so the world can read his profile and policies. Cool. Sadly, one still cannot post a comment unless we are "friends" so with apologies to Chris Emami for jacking your blog, I would post the following in the hope we can all learn more about Steve.

Steve,

Thanks for finally changing your myspace so it is no longer a private profile and those of us looking for info on you might get in. I am pleased to see a younger person getting involved in politics. I have some questions that I hope you will not feel are antagonistic, I would just like some specific examples for the issues you seem to be taking a stand on.

You promise to adhere to a strict pay as you go spending policy: Anaheim’s city charter mandates a balanced budget, and in fact the City of Anaheim currently has a surplus in reserve. So where do you see a deficit that you might impact as a City Council member?

You promise to be vigilant for any opportunity to lower our taxes. Can you please give a single example of an area where Municipal taxes might be reduced? Most of Anaheim’s direct costs to residents and businesses are user fees, which actually fits the pay as you go promise, so eliminating those is contradictory. In addition, the City of Anaheim is currently cutting budgets by roughly 10% in all areas. How will you maintain services with additional tax cuts?

You promise to lower our taxes by making Disney pay for their own street sweeping. First of all, Public Utilities does not do street sweeping, that is Public Works, so there is no connection. Second, street sweeping in the Resort district is paid for by a special district assessment, the property owners in the Resort (including Disney) agreed to tax themselves to pay for those improvements and maintenance. In addition, the Resort area represents over 50% of Anaheim’s general fund revenue. Not only do we not pay their street sweeping, they subsidize ours. The Mouse is NOT ripping off Anaheim taxpayers or making our utilities go up. May I ask where you got that faulty information?

You promise to attempt to limit policy hindrances and pointless fees for our growing families and small businesses. Could you be specific?

You cite the need for buffers to the negative effects of globalization and outsourcing that impedes the progress of our City. Again, a lofty ideal, but can you please give an example of globalization and/or outsourcing with direct consequences to Anaheim’s economy?

I applaud you for wanting to protect the City’s consumers from dangerous products, environments, and corporate actions but again, I would sure like to see specific examples of crisis situations you believe need to be resolved and how you, as a City Councilmember, would resolve them.

Again, my aim is not to discourage you, but rather to encourage you to be specific, and make sure your research is water tight, because as an election gets closer the opposition is not going to give you an inch. Good luck.

I don't see what the issue is regarding how early I put up my campaign signs. I've worked very hard to fund my own campaign, and I reserve the right to campaign as I see fit. I don't accept PAC money, I don't except business donations, and I'm very proud of these facts.

I think it's funny that Colony Rabble claims that I'm annoying property owners with my signs, because I've received an apology from a city representative for the improper removal of some of my signs. I make every effort to contact vacant lot owners and acquire their permission for the posting of my signs. I've received direct permission from every business that I have my sign posted and I would never post my sign on a residential home without permission. This specific tactic has helped my campaign immensely and I have no qualms about it, after all I got the attention of Colony Rabble didn't I?

I don't in any way, shape, or form believe Disneyland is the enemy of residents or the city. I think that there should always be a mutually beneficial relationship with Disneyland and its leaders and I believe this relationship is in place most of the time. I also commend them for the leadership they've shown the corporate world on many issues time and time again. But I think it is immensely inappropriate for them to insert themselves in our local political issues. No corporation has the right to interfere with the rights of the people.

As far as my "lofty idea" of protecting Anaheim's industries from negative global economic impact, I propose a very simple and fundamental economic solution. Diversify and Protect. I can use our Tile Mile as a perfect example. Many of our tile retailers (3 from what I can gather) are within a inch of filing for bankruptcy protection. Protecting them from cheap, defective, and dangerous imports is prime example of how I'll protect the city from globalization and protect consumers from dangerous levels of contaminants that are frequently found in Chinese tile (lead, arsenic). I would attempt to utilize non-tariff trade barriers to help buffer our tile retailers economic stability. I would save a local industry, save local jobs, continue collecting tax revenue from these retailers, and protect the population from contaminants all in one fell swoop.

If anyone would like to speak with me regarding my campaign or my policy positions, feel free to contact me (this includes Colony Rabble)

thanks everyone for reading this,
Best Regards,
Steve Perez
uss.perez@yahoo.com
714-797-5193
www.myspace.com/steveperez08

Oh goodness, such a fuss about nothing. Steve, your signs got my attention because they were posted on Redevelopment Agency property (those green fences on Lincoln belong to the taxpayers) for which you did not have permission, and I have the email verifying that. In addition, a candidate that puts up signs that early (a month ago?) in the campaign tells me that they are more concerned with their own name recognition than in the visual clutter that blights our neighborhoods with these signs. You may find them lovely, most of my neighbors and I consider them nothing but sanctioned graffiti. Mind you, I will put signs in my lawn, but it will be much later in the campaign, I do not want to bother my neighbors with something unsightly for months on end. So I have already formed an opinion of this candidate as someone who is selfishly putting his own campaign ahead of the good of the community they wish to represent. And yes I am good and cheesed at Galloway for the same thing (among sundry other crimes)

So when I saw the signs up early and on public property, I began looking for information, still willing to keep an open mind. I found no website, no public blog, nothing but a private myspace (which is now public thank you) Now when I go poking through your myspace, you have made a comment that you will lower our utility rates by making Disney pay for their own street sweeping. I pointed out that this is factually incorrect and you get huffy. And now you tell us that you think it is immensely inappropriate for them to insert themselves in our political issues. Junior, I have news for you, EVERY business that operates in Anaheim needs to be concerned with our local political issues, because it is our local political issues that affect their ability to generate income. Our local issues are their local issues, and Disney is no exception. You then state that “no corporation has the right to interfere with the rights of the people.” Do you have any clue as to what the whole Resort issue was even all about? The Disney Resort SUPPORTED the will of the people, who were overwhelmingly in opposition to a City Council majority (sorry Jubal)

I am sorry to hear that retailers on Tile Mile are losing everything. But so are the builders in the Platinum Triangle, and the new development in the downtown is not selling. Shops are closing left and right, but I do not know that this is the direct result of outsourcing so much as just a really bad economy. Heck, my business is hurting too.

In the end, there are two seats open for City Council. I am pretty much committed to voting for Gail Eastman for one of those seats, but the other is still very much open, both for me and my neighbors. We are all looking for someone to support, and that could easily have been a youngster such as Steve Perez, which is why I went looking for info on you. Your cranky, defensive reply tells me you are not ready for my vote. I would suggest you learn how to debate an honest inquiry before you engage in a candidate’s forum. Have a nice day.

Mr. Rabble,
I'm sorry you feel the way you do. I didn't get defensive in my response, I'm sorry you feel that way as well. I'm just a guy trying to change the world around him for the better.
I believe Political Business activity belongs in the Chamber of Commerce, PACs, and through donations to respective political committees and candidates. I think any other activity is inappropriate and detrimental to the public good. Sorry I didn't have time to answer the other 10+ questions you had for me. I notice a lot of those questions have not been answered by my opponents in a Public forum hopefully, I'll be the first to clarify.
thanks again
-Steve Perez

You, Colony Rabble are full of a lot of hot hair. You feel like you must critize this young Steve Perez who sounds like he is full of spunk, integrity, and drive. You completely attacked him for what reason? I think mostly to hear yourself talk. His political and environmental views are strong and accurate. I myself looked at his myspace and read his blogs, it looks like he is right on top of the issues and knows exactly what he is talking about. Maybe you should do your own background work.

You spent a lot of time attacking Mr. Perez and making him look like a whinny little kid but I think it may be just the opposite you are the only one that is whining. You start your statement saying “Oh goodness, such a fuss about nothing”. That actual statement sounds like something a little kid might say.

You are the one that is shilling for the candidates. You tell us all about John and Gail two people who weren’t even born in this town. From what I read here Mr. Perez treated you with nothing but respect and you did quite the opposite, what a way for a grown man to behave. Mr. Perez just got another vote.

Good morning,

Steve, I posted non-confrontational, honest inquiries into policies that you posted on your own blog, because I genuinely wanted to hear more details. You are obviously educated, I wanted to see if you had some real world ideas behind those classroom lessons. If your supporters choose to think that the big bad community activist is picking on you, I am sorry. But you will be asked these same questions in every candidate’s forum you will attend. I hope you somehow find the time to sit down and figure out how to answer those “10 plus questions” I posted. I suggest you think about those answers now rather than standing on a stage in some auditorium with voters waiting and a clock ticking down the 3 minutes you are allotted for your answer.

Steve, if we can go back to the Disney issue, you say that “I believe Political Business activity belongs in the Chamber of Commerce, PACs, and through donations to respective political committees and candidates. I think any other activity is inappropriate and detrimental to the public good.” However, Disney worked with the Chamber of Commerce to form a PAC called SOAR, which worked to support the will of the Anaheim residents (over 20,000 Anaheim voters signed the Initiative and Referendum to overturn a Council majority that was opposed by the voters who felt they were not being heard) so how is Disney’s action “detrimental to the public good?” They did precisely what you claim is appropriate.

Sarah, I mentioned several candidates, not just John and Gail, because if you go back to the original post by Chris Emami, we were discussing all of the various candidates that have filed, and what info anyone might have on them. If I were shilling, I would not have openly admitted my intention to vote for Gail. If I were shilling, I would have a bunch of my MySpace friends post messages pretending to not know me while proclaiming support for my candidacy. Although as a shill, I would actually disguise my post name so it did not line up with my friends on MySpace.

Sarah, being born in the place you want to serve is only a requirement for the Presidency. In Anaheim, we let folks of other birthplaces serve. Heck, Harry Sidhu was not born in this country and has still worked hard for this community. I do not think Gail’s mid-western birth is an issue. By my calculations, Gail Eastman has been in Anaheim longer than Anaheim-born Steve, so how does it make a difference? Not sure where John was born, but I believe he grew up in West Anaheim. I don’t know enough about the other candidates to know where they were born, but I do not think it matters. I hoped to honestly discuss real issues that were originally presented by the candidate himself, and instead I get “they weren’t even born here”.

Steve, I am active in the community, and I intend to be vocal during this election, doing all in my power to help someone unseat Lorri Galloway by whatever means necessary. Sarah, I am not whining, (check your spelling) nor am I full of “hot hair”, but I am outspoken. We are guaranteed to run into each other at events for the next few months, so when we meet, the name is not Mr. Rabble, it is Cynthia. I genuinely do wish you the best of luck on your campaign. Have a nice day.

Steve,

I didn't know that Caltrans grants permission to post on their property.

It is a small issue but don't say you got permisssion to post a sign on public property when you did not.

He didn't state anything about cal-trans, he said he "makes every effort" to contact lot owners... Cal Trans wasn't even mentioned by him. I don't agree about anything "green", but i like how he has a no non-sense attitude on corporate interfering. We all know the council back-tracked on private property rights when they started S.O.A.R. I mean come on... Save our Resort District? I'm as red as they come but really now? We had just had a vote on imminent domain. I thought that had established the attitude of the people... My land is mine... geez

Steve ~ Although I don't live in Anaheim, I must echo Colony's comments. You seem to write and articulate your thoughts well. Nevertheless, your answers to questions I thought both valid and probing were defensive and dismissive.

Colony, in her open letter, asked five direct questions. Your response apparently ignored three of them, rambled a bit about Disney, and attempted to answer the fifth.

Even when you attempted to answer the question about Disney, you ignored the facts that Colony used to show that your position was flawed; namely that the businesses in the Resort District already pay for their own Public Works needs. You really need to check out the facts before making statements like that. If Colony didn't point it out, I'm sure your fellow candidates would have.

Please take the time to educate yourself about the city you live in before illustrating for us the gaps in your knowledge base.

MN

I'm surprised Mr. Perez commented at all. Was I the only one that noticed that Rabble insulted him right off the bat? The fact that he responded to the insult, and even apologized for any misunderstanding tells me what I need to know about his character.

I did not insult him, I shared the verifiable facts I knew regarding a Council candidate.

The man wants to run the City I live in. As an Anaheim voter, homeowner, business owner, and community volunteer, I have the right and the obligation to question anyone who wishes to lead my community. When you put yourself out there for public office, you had better develop a thick skin in a hurry. Because if the gentleman thinks I have been hard on him, wait until the other candidates start. This is predicted to be the most down and dirty campaign since the 1920s (when the Council majority was removed by recall). We have 2 incumbents who will be fighting for their political lives, one of them is not known for playing nice. (she has sued people who oppose her) If Steve Perez cannot defend his positions and actions in a logical and reasoned manner without fussing, he needs to go home, because this campaign will chew him up and spit him out. He made the statement, “and I reserve the right to campaign as I see fit.” but does not want to accept responsibility for or defend the positions of the campaign he is running “as he sees fit”.

Understand, I really do not want to discourage Steve. I have kids his age, kids that I have raised to get involved, and I love seeing younger people jump into the fray. But Steve better be darn sure he has his armor on, because “thar be monsters in the land”.

In the meantime, after I questioned the false claims Steve Perez made on his blog, and questioned the fact that the “strangers” appearing to rush to his defense here appeared to share the same names as his “friends” on MySpace, he shut down his MySpace to private profile status again. Sorry, but I am thinking “not ready for prime time” just yet. I find it odd that these “strangers” continue to defend him, not by defending his policies or positions, but simply by whining that the young man is being picked on, while Steve himself remains silent. The candidate needs to speak for himself by clarifying his positions in response to an honest inquiry by an Anaheim voter. He has already lost my vote, but I promise, the longer this continues, the more he alienates himself from other Anaheim voters who read this blog but do not post.

I would encourage Steve to fine-tune his message and his policies. Dump the juvenile MySpace and create a real website, with a clear message that is actually based on factual information, not urban legend (like promising to lower Utility rates by making Disney pay to sweep their own streets)

If Steve cannot manage that, then maybe hold off for 2008 and get involved in the future. Maybe he could take the Leadership Anaheim class, and serve on a City Commission for a while to better understand how the City functions, and make sure his ideology actually fits the scenario in Anaheim. His blog listed solutions for problems that do not appear to be substantial issues, while not touching the everyday issues like Code Enforcement and department funding that do affect everyday life in Anaheim.

I am not insulting him, I am questioning him. I will not be the last to do so, and I guarantee others will not be as civilized about it as I have been. Steve is no longer sitting in a poli sci classroom, this is the real deal, and as an Anaheim voter, I have the right to question a political candidate. No insult, just reality. And it is about time Steve’s college buddies wised up and realized that whining that their friend is being picked on is making him look bad.

I am not going to waste the remainder of an otherwise beautiful weekend by engaging in a spitting match. If Steve wishes to clarify his policies I would be happy to hear him out, and would even connect him with some PACS I am involved with. I still am unlikely to vote for him, but I would forward his info to others to at least interview him if he will man up and answer me. Otherwise, I consider this continued conversation to be redundant. Have a great weekend.

Harry Sidhu is the best choice from this list!

We love his big/great heart built on humility and I hope more republican leaders can have this good character quality in them.

Ivan, This is what Mr. Perez said,

"I make every effort to contact vacant lot owners and acquire their permission for the posting of my signs. I've received direct permission from every business that I have my sign posted and I would never post my sign on a residential home without permission."

The vancant lot owners, there is an attempt made then there property rights are violated. Sounds very much like the no non-sense approach of maintaining property rights. So, as long as the owner is absent, one could violate there rights.

I just don't want to start seeing other candidates start settting a precendent and hanging signs a year before an election. Can you imagine if ever candidate started doing this. I'm sure there is a code on the city books regarding candidates sign I just don't have the time to find out if Steve Perez is following the code.

Sarah said:
You, Colony Rabble are full of a lot of hot hair. You feel like you must criticize this young Steve Perez who sounds like he is full of spunk, integrity, and drive. You completely attacked him for what reason…….

WOW! What a great site for Anaheim residents to voice their opinions, but let's not get sidetracked by the words that are posted. Read the entire message. We've had 8 years of residential neglect and we need to take a stand, together. That means West Anaheim, East Anaheim, The Colony, Downtown, along with North and South Anaheim standing strong demanding honest and informed leaders. Sometimes, we get so involved with picking out ways to debate, that we forget to see the whole picture. Cynthia, you have done a great job asking the questions.

Steve, most of us that are ACTIVE in Anaheim politics know you, your background and just how much you have been or not been involved. If you plan on completing this race, then take the time to answer the questions and not just try to defend your words. We have a BIG election ahead of us and we need to make all or at least a majority of Anaheim residents aware of the candidates and their purpose. Most residents do not have any idea what is actually happening here. Those of us that are involved know what has been occurring, but the majority only sees Anaheim through council meetings on Channel 3 and from The Register. People not educated in Anaheim's political world look at signage (Steve get a clue here, please) and a pretty picture. Boy, are those distorted views. It is that plain and simple. So now, let’s roll our sleeves up and get to work. We need…no, we must find two leaders that care and will work honestly for Anaheim and not just selected individuals. We have two spots to fill and the only question here is, “Who is the best to fill those spots?” This is the future of our Anaheim and we need to have an honest and open dialogue about what really matters to us: the residents, business owners, churches, and our schools. I'm sure that I've omitted a section(s) of Anaheim, but this was not intentional by any means. I just see Anaheim voices being heard! We have not seen that in 8 years. It is time for change!

Candidates, please make sure that you have the entire city's interest and not just making a name or a platform for yourself. We deserve representation and not dictatorship or deception.

Yes, Lorri HAS TO GO!!!!!

Gail and John have been in the trenches. They both began their community involvement by starting to improve their own neighborhoods. John worked diligently in West Anaheim and Gail in the Colony. John and Gail have a grasp of what makes the City function. Both of these individuals have made a difference here in Anaheim. With that being said, Anaheim must see their vision for our entire city.

John, make sure that everyone gets to see what you have done. $100 a plate dinner classes are awesome for some, but for those of us that cannot afford or arrange to be there, you need to be visible and let all of Anaheim see your commitment and passion. Meet us on the street and be available for neighborhood talks. You left WA, so make sure we are still part of your vision.

Gail, you somehow have forgotten West Anaheim’s vision and recently voted against our safety on the massage business (Ball Rd) CUP. You also neglected to include our historical homes in the city’s program, even after we supplied you with a list of potential homes and the CDBG funds. Gail, you need to respond to these issues before you will have our support.

Steve, let us hear what you have done not just hear your words. You stated, “when I do win, I'll be the best (fiscally responsible) council member this city has seen since Senator Seymour, who coincidentally still lives in Anaheim East.” Fiscal responsibility is great, but there is a lot more to this election than money. And, while we are on that comment, please tell my why it is important to this election to have Sen. Seymour still living in East Anaheim to you???? I will agree with you that, “I don't in any way, shape, or form believe Disneyland is the enemy of residents or the city. I think that there should always be a mutually beneficial relationship with Disneyland and its leaders.” Steve, tell us when and where you have paid your dues to earn our vote. You stated that you are “just a guy trying to change the world around him for the better.” Steve, don’t just give us rhetoric like “wants to reduce fees on small businesses and lower taxes in general.” Tell us how and why you can do this and how it will affect us.

Cody said that he (she) likes your attitude and has my vote. Cody, we have had a lot of attitude around Anaheim for two elections now and we need concern and action on behalf of the entire city…not just ATTITUDE! We had plenty of attitude and look where it has gotten us.

People, please do you homework. Find out what these candidates are about. Don’t accept the charmer, and don’t just look for a sign to post in your yard. We must all listen to their words, check their backgrounds and become involved. Involved community groups will be holding several forums to introduce these candidates to you. Don’t just vote blindly. Become an informed voter. It is our future that is dependent on your vote.

Steve, you lost my vote by the following statements: “I don't see what the issue is regarding how early I put up my campaign signs. I've worked very hard to fund my own campaign, and I reserve the right to campaign as I see fit. I don't accept PAC money, I don't except business donations, and I'm very proud of these facts…..I think it's funny that Colony Rabble claims that I'm annoying property owners with my signs.” Steve, I am looking for someone that cares about representing his community. Telling me you do not care and you think it is funny, tells me how you will run your campaign and if elected, our city.

Harry, your actions speak louder than your words. Tell us why we should support you a second time. We helped you win your council seat to support Bob against Pringle ending the 3-2 vote that was so apparent with Pringle, Chavez and Galloway. But, sometimes it seems as if you talk just to hear your voice. You promised strong leadership. Before we can support you again, we need to hear how you are willing to change and serve us here in Anaheim and not look at us as a platform for your next move.

Robert Flores, your actions here in WA have left much to be desired; you need to be involved with our entire population and not a select few.

Jennifer Rivera, Kostas "Gus" Roditis, and Faiz Zuberi…where are you?

Lorri…good-bye! good-bye, good-bye!!!!!!!!

Well by now, I am sure that I have angered some of you for the length and for my thoughts discussed in this writing. I am truly sorry for that. But, if we can get more Anaheim residents to talk and become aware of the situation, then our work will be worthwhile. Please don’t try to take apart each word, but hear that we need good and honest representation for the entire city.

Lastly, I applaud each and every one of the candidates for taking the time to become involved. Civic pride starts with a voice and ends with action. Take the time to learn about our candidates and vote by being a knowledgeable voter and not someone that sees a sign, or just shakes a hand. Knowledge is a wonderful tool and protects you (us) from being taken by slick talking individuals. WE must continue to clear out our council and vote for candidates that will support a balanced Anaheim. I’m looking for the best candidates to support and I hope that you will join me in learning and caring enough to get involved.

Well said Judi, kudos to Chris Emami for covering Anaheim in this blog, thanks for letting us play in your sandbox.

I agree with you, candidates must work hard to give concrete reasons why we should support them, but sadly, the average voter looks for a warm fuzzy message and a perky photo. It would be delightful if in 2008 we had the perfect storm of candidates who can articulate their vision, while voters actually do their homework. Here’s hoping. I also agree that candidates need to do more outreach than high priced fundraisers.

Judi posted one item that I need to clarify. We cannot blame Gail for the West Anaheim historic homes not being listed yet. It is the responsibility of city staff to complete that process. I know Gail has pushed hard, as has the non-profit group I cannot speak for in a political forum, but it was up to staff to do it. The entire NP dept went through an overhaul this year, Phyllis retired and Tom transferred elsewhere, and the new guys are very excited about getting the Mills Act program extended citywide, something that should be completed this year. Again, it is not fair to blame Gail when it was staff that did not complete the process earlier. Judi, I think you have my contact info, but here it is again if you want to discuss this offline. And please encourage those WA historic homeowners to get involved in that non-profit I am not allowed to mention on a political blog so we can help them with restoration info.
http://anaheimlife.blogspot.com/
Cynthia_Ward@sbcglobal.net

So I guess that throws in one more issue for potential candidates:
Anaheim is the oldest city in Orange County, with a history that pre-dates the Civil War. What will you, as a City Council member, do to continue and possibly expand historic preservation principles in Anaheim? Would you support a city budget to develop heritage tourism programs? Do our candidates even know what Mills Act is and how it benefits the City as a whole?

Thanks, Cynthia. Again, we just need to be informed. That is all that I am asking for. When we see no action, then we presume that we have been forgotten. I understand the action or lack of action from some city staff/departments, but, that it why this is so important. Action is directed from council! We must have a good election. A lot of good Anaheim residents have left. One indication of this is the number of Leadership Anaheim graduates still here. That is sad! Now, we must reach out and entice new residents to take ownership in their city. We are only as strong as our voice. Let people know about this blog; let’s get people involved.

I think it would be nice to start a list of important issues to Anaheim. Anyone care to add on? No need to put in order of priority, but let's just see what is on our minds. For those of you that have already asked questions, please feel free to add them to this list making a simple to read and research format.

For those of you struggling with the computer, just highlight, copy, and paste the ever growing list into your message and then add your items. As the site cautions, if you take too long, your message may not go through. To help this, write your message and save in Word, then cut and paste onto this blog. If not, you may lose your message and become frustrated.

Candidates, please feel free to research these items and be able to discuss them. These items are on our minds and it will be up to you to become knowledgeable….

Let's just start from here:
1. Code Enforcement (Proactive or Reactive)
2. Open Space for parks (i.e., Long Beach has 8 acres per 1000/WA has less than 1 ac)
3. Redevelopment
4. Section 8 vouchers
5. Commercial and Retail shopping
6. Streets maintenance
7. # of police and fire personnel
8. Allocation of CDBG funds
9. Commission appointees
10. Community Event funding / TOT tax

Hey Chris,
Looks like you have a subject line for your next post. What do Anaheim voters really want from a City Council?

Judi and Colony Rabble
I applaud your call for more informed voter out there.

But Cynthia you say Gail is ready to lead, but when I looked her up all I found was standard political Tripe.
For goodness sake the woman dedicates an entire bulitt point to shopping carts.

"Graffiti and abandoned shopping carts are two of the biggest visual blights in our neighborhoods.
I will look for and support solutions to reduce both."

She has no concrete information on how she will help Anaheim.
Cynthia you call out other candidates for not being specific or responding to comments, I emailed her on Thursday and as of yet I have not recieved any email from Gail or any of her representatives.

Heck I would have even accepted a standard copy and paste answer but she has proven nothing to me of what she wants to do to help the city that does not involve shopping carts.

I feel like I might be unfairly criticizing her and I am still willing to vote for her but I just think its Hypocritical for you to be shilling out a canditate that only pays lip service to her own campaign, while criticizing some one who is actualy trying to listen and get his point across.

I must apologize if any of this seemed insulting but its just the way things appear here.

Alexander you make a legit case, candidates should get back to us in a timely manner. I suspect that perhaps you live in an area where carts are not an issue (Anaheim Hills?) but here in the flatlands they are worth an entire bullet point. I have a shopping cart left on my front lawn almost daily, it is a substantial blight here in the historic districts as well as much of West Anaheim, and our current Council has ignored the problem, despite having the authority to create and enforce ordinances that stop this blight. On the other hand, perhaps your neighborhood does not have a problem with carts, but you are concerned with some other crucial issue. Candidates need to hear your concerns, that is real.

I called Steve Perez on his claims because they were clearly based on false information, such as being able to lower Utility fees by making Disney pay to sweep their own streets. Street sweeping is Public Works, not Public Utilities, and the Resort district taxes themselves to pay for the sweeping. There is vague, and then there is false.

I would love to see candidates respond in concrete terms as to how they will help, but in most cases they can’t, because they have not formed a cohesive plan. Most have no idea how the City really works beyond their own vague notions of warm fuzzy “someone should do something”. John and Gail appear to have the most real world experience, and Gail has volunteered as a Planning Commissioner as well as volunteering with the HPC Committee that deals with Redevelopment, so she has already wrestled with the 2 City entities that make most of the City’s decisions. That tells me she has a better clue than most of what is needed, in real terms, not just theory. (I was hoping Pat Pepper would also run, but it does not look like it)

Now for the Queen of all that is vague, unplanned, and warm and fuzzy, see Lorri Galloway. She continues to push for social policy programs, while I have never once heard her share a detailed plan on how to pay for any of it. The City is not allowed to transfer property into employee’s names and then refi it to stay afloat, and then transfer it back again, so what works for Lorri’s shelters does not translate to civic government. (that is not wild conjecture, I have the docs) We actually need a financial plan that covers direct costs for these lofty programs Lorri wants, and I have not seen it yet. You might ask her for these specific answers.

Alexander, you deserve answers from candidates, just as I do. Make sure you contact them directly if possible. I posted here only because I could not send Steve a message without being one of his “MySpace friends” so I had no other avenue to contact him, and he had already posted here so I had a good chance of getting him to see the message.

Every election the Anaheim Neighborhood Association (PAC) sends a questionaire to candidates, asking them very specific information, and then posts answers to their website, hopefully they will do that again for this election. Watch their website at http://www.anaheimneighborhoodassociation.com/

FAIZ ZUBERI
To jump back for just a minute to Chris Emami’s original post regarding who has pulled papers and what we know about them, Faiz Zuberi appears to be a Realtor, with offices at 100 N. Harbor Blvd (which is Harbor at Lincoln in downtown, but I am not sure how old that listing might be)

He ran for City Council in 2004, came in last with 865 votes and did not file a candidate statement http://www.oc.ca.gov/election/Candidate/statement/statement.htm

Anyone know who Jennifer Rivera is?

Ditto the shopping cart issue. This is a terrible blight where I live in Anaheim. It's more than just annoying - it's a sign of 1) theft; 2)disregard for others' property (where abandoned); 3) disregard for basic standards of neighborhood preservation.

Add to that boarding house and garage living of multiple families and you start to sense what's going on in the "flatlands." The code enforcement and neighborhood preservation folks are trying but generally have to act reactively.

But back to the shopping carts: it's a problem, but not intractable. I want to see/hear some specific proposals. Here's a tip: supermarkets have determined that their path of least resistance is to hire contractors to retrieve their property. But neither they nor the cart thieves pay any cost for the blight created. Why not?

I don't live in the East Anaheim, im a west Anaheim person myself, but to be honest I never see any shopping carts at all. But its sort of a mute point since most stores have taken to purchasing carts that lock after they go past the parking lot.

Also in regards to Mr. Perez I emailed him yesterday morning and he has informed me that his website is currently under construction and is coming some time this week. Perhaps, you noticed he posted his email address? You might want to talk to him yourself. It appears that he listens and reads and responds to every email he recives, but thats just what he says so you should test that out.

The fact that he is open to comments and concerns tells me that he is willing to listen the the community.

But I digress, back to the original post.

The only people that I have found papers that will run are,

Lori Galloway, Harry, Gail, Steve, Jenefer, and some other person that is not John.

Am I correct, or has Anaheim not upgraded their web site yet?

Here is the latest from Anaheim's website:

Name Ballot Designation
1. Lorri Galloway (Incumbent) Councilmember/Children’s Director
2. Harry Sidhu (Incumbent) Councilmember
3. Brian Chuchua Retired CEO/Businessman
4. Gail Eastman Businesswoman/Planning Commissioner
5. Robert J. Flores Business Owner
6. John R. Karcynski Businessman/Nonprofit Chairman
7. Steve Perez (Intentionally left blank)
8. Jennifer Rivera (Intentionally left blank)
9. Kostas "Gus" Roditis CEO/Transportation Executive
10. Faiz Zuberi Realtor

"But its sort of a mute point since most stores have taken to purchasing carts that lock after they go past the parking lot."

Oh really? Which stores are those? I just left a Ralphs on Brookhurst and saw no such devices. Meantime, on the way home I noticed several dumped carts.

BTW, it's "moot" point.

The Target on Harbor has them.
We can go back and forth on this but realy?

The fact that shopping carts is even in issue tells me that there is definitely something wrong with the city.

On a side note, politics is always fun, at least we have this site to quibble about Anaheim.

I don't want to drop this point, Alexander.

We have elected reps in City hall who want to play big city pol; you know: stadiums, NFL, big developers (oops! that timing was bad!), and hobnobing on the Disney dime.

But running a city is also about recognizing and trying to fix the little problems that affect people like me; people who want clean streets free of graffiti and shopping carts. These seemingly insignificant problems are indicative of larger social pathologies that need to be addressed. The problems probably don't exist city-wide, but for a "flatlander" like me, they resonnate.

As for the Target on Harbor, I thank them for their effort and hope that all the others will follow the example of a good corporate neighbor!

And for those that do not voluntarily follow the example of good corporate neighbor, most other cities have shopping cart ordinances that require the locking cart wheels. Anaheim does not. Why not? The Vons by my home in the Colony just remodeled the store, and bought new carts, seems like that would be a great time to put the locks on. But no, because they WANT customers to steal the carts. People will buy more if they can take the carts home, the stores figure a retrieval service is small price to pay. Never mind that Vons makes more money while I get stuck with the cart on my lawn by the new neighbors next door who bring them home daily. So Gail was absolutely on target to devote an entire bullet point to carts. Carts are a bigger problem for me than graffiti.

I have an updated post that should be up now regarding this race. Feel free to continue debating the issues in the City of Anaheim in the comments section of that post should you so choose. For the record I am an Anaheim resident as well and will be casting my ballot for Harry Sidhu, although I am undecided on who else I will be voting for.

"Never mind that Vons makes more money while I get stuck with the cart on my lawn by the new neighbors next door who bring them home daily."

Geez, CR, you are describing my neighborhood! But I've got a graffiti issue, too. West Side Anaheim means more than just graffiti. There is an underlying tone of menace that is simply unacceptable. Again, the physical issue points to an underlying pathology.

My last post here, but it is only fair to say that Steve Perez jumped on the advice offered. He has put together a website in a hurry, MUCH better than the MySpace (I admit I hate myspace, it is cluttered and juvenile) looking forward to whatever content he posts. http://www.steveperez08.com/index.html

Wow! The debate rolls on and it seems as if we are not talking merely about shopping carts or graffiti but a “quality of life” that should be afforded to all Anaheim residents. As I said earlier, let’s try not to focus on the small details but let’s look at the big picture. We have a right to complain and blight is a major issue. Anaheim has become another Santa Ana and right now Santa Ana is looking better than parts of Anaheim.

Our Code Enforcement is reactive and not proactive. That means that unless a complaint is made on a property, no action is taken. Bottom line, we are forced to be tattle-tellers of our neighbors instead of the city setting guidelines and holding our communities to them. This has become a problem. Yes, shopping carts are a problem, yes, recycling centers have become blighted areas and yes, we have streets and sidewalks that remain in disrepair as the council centers their focus on building an empire of high rise and low cost housing for section 8 vouchers. We also have businesses that feel that they can run a business without the required permits. Something is dead wrong here in Anaheim. The majority of the council’s interest has been on the Platinum Triangle and low cost housing, while we suffer the results of blight, disrepair and being forgotten.

If you want to talk about issues, then let’s talk about why Anaheim has been mandated to build 1100 low cost housing units and why Anaheim has more section 8 vouchers than the City of Santa Ana, And then, let’s talk about how the City of Long Beach has over 8 acres of parkland per 1000 and here in West Anaheim, we have less than 1 acre per 1000. In addition, a majority of our parkland is owned by our school districts that have had their voice silenced by Pringle’s decision to change the commissions. But, in the meantime, we continue to have more apartments built without the amenities to benefit a community. We all know that we used to be able to shop, eat and be entertained in our own City of Anaheim, but how many of us still shop here, eat at our ‘many’ restaurants or even find leisure activities here. Oh sure, there are a few family restaurants that we have grown accustomed to, but when company comes where do we take them? Thank goodness that we helped to create the GardenWalk area. Frank Feldhaus tried for many years to get Restaurant Row created on Anaheim Blvd. to no avail and now we have GardenWalk. They said no one would open a business here, but if you are a new patron of GW, then you know these establishments are doing great business.

Then let’s bring up another issue. Lisa S. (Redevelopment) has told WA that no restaurant will come to WA’s new WestGate Center (Beach/Lincoln) other than Chucky Cheese. The original plan was to have 4-5 sit-down eateries and 1-2 fast-food places and guess what we are getting? Chucky Cheese is our 1 and only sit down. These are not humungous issues that are do or die, but they do initiate a quality of life and that is where this whole debate started from.

Yes, Gail has talked about shopping carts and she is right, but it is so much bigger than that. We HAVE the right to have a quality of life in our own community. Whoever is elected needs to address our lives and not just making a name or setting a platform for themselves. Yes, John and Gail have worked hard as grassroots movers and shakers. They have gone to bat, when others sat and waited for someone to help. They have used their own monies to make things happen, without asking anything in return. Please don’t discredit either Gail or John for not paying their dues. They have! I’m not sure who my vote will be cast for, but I can tell you, I’ll be looking and listening to find someone who is seeing life from my point of view and not from some platinum tower.

A few more thoughts.....Anaheim grocery stores do not adhere to the locking wheels on carts. We tried many years ago to get them to comply and were told that they did not want to anger their shoppers and would pay to retrieve instead of fining their customers. Another issue is the recycle bins on their property. If you have seen the news lately, you would have learned that a recycle center is mandated by state to deal with recyclables. But, what it has not addressed is the blight that comes along with it. Take a look around these structures, and then see what our local merchants are giving us back for us spending our dollars in their establishments. This election is all about our quality of life!

I was wondering Steve Perez, I question your commitment to this city's council and to the city's need. Is your commitment as good as it is in relationships from the past? Are you going to run away from problems that deeply tie into your relations? Do you think you can handle situations properly and not shrug them off and ignore them?

that is all, thank you.

oooooooops!

I don't know why you guys give this Steve Perez the time of day he is a joke. His candidate statement shows exactly how idiotic this kid is. If he is concerned about schools he should run for school board; the city has nothing to do with schools. And if he is concerned about the effect of globalization he should run for congress. Oh, wait he's not old enough. Maybe in five years.

Actually Anonymous,
you'd be surprised the issues that can be addressed when one is willing to do so. It's rationale like that that impedes progress from being made. Ha ha, don't turn your own short-sightedness onto me, I definitely don't need it!
Gail Eastman and Lorri Galloway both discuss schools on their respective websites, as well they should, it's an issue that deserves everyone's attention.
www.steveperez08.com

Like I have been saying all along, I want a council that wil represent all of Anaheim and that includes our schools. Don't get me wrong, but when a home buyer comes into a city, one of the first things that is asked is, "How are the schools?" Does our council have to be concerned with our childrens' education, "YES!" I do not mean like LA is trying to push, but to a point that our council actualy knows that there are 7 districts here and more than 67 languages spoken in some schools. WE have to work together!

You Just have to look at the tagging in our ally's to know that there's something wrong with our schools. Half of the classrooms are portables! I can't imagine that that is a stimulating learning environment. One of the ideas I like is Mr. Perez's lighted ally proposal, but I'd like to see how he plans on paying for it! Furthermore his website saids he wants to strictly enforce the truancy laws on the books. I'm sure parents will start caring where their kids are when they're gettin fined for it! Very intelligent and feasible I say.

It has been said…….."I am very disappointed in this blog community... It has been co-opted by a smear campaign and mean spirited individuals. And I have provided just as much "documentation" as everyone else."

Daniel, by now, you must understand that we are not attacking you but trying to get information that you see that we don't. Several of us have asked you direct questions and you have ignored giving us a response. I have not gone off and just told you how much I want Lorri removed, but I have given you evidence and told you to research it. I'm not trying to make up your mind or change it in any way, but trying to give you an insight to possibilities. If you have info that we do not have, please share it with us. We all see things from our own POV. I am not in a smear campaign movement, but I am looking for the best candidate to run and be elected. I hope that this is your ultimate goal also?

Another comment you have made that I would like to address is: “if a person like Cynthia or Colony is against her,” Daniel, Cynthia and Colony are the same person. You must have missed that in an earlier blog.

CRA…young people have a fresh look at life. Not sure of your age, but I remember the 60s (I was little then) and how much of a difference was made by a new generation speaking out. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, but Daniel and Steve P.you need to provide more that just lip service to gain credibility and our attention.

Steve P., I viewed your campaign web site and did actually read everything that was posted. Now, tell me how you are going to do it and why. Also, let me know your background here in Anaheim. Are you from the hills or the lowlands? What schools did you attend? Then, tell me why you choose those issues to focus on. Let me get to know you. I’m all for greening up and for watches on how our taxes are spent, but do you actually know just how much our city receives from our tax base. It’s not much! To cut it would be tough and we need more police and fire and our infrastructure needs modernization. Tough calls, but we are getting older and a great number of our homes are still on Prop 13 figures.

David…”Perhaps he's been too busy to respond a would-be constituent's (mine) e-mail. Gail actually took the time to call me back.” I agree that it would be nice if John answered, but I am sure that not everyone knows about this blog and was your invite through this or his personal site? I will be passing this on to him, let’s see how he responds????? I’m glad to hear that Gail returned your call. Did you learn anything from this dialogue?

In response to alley lighting…I believe the City of Anaheim still has security lights for free to residents, apartment owners, and businesses. They can verify this by contacting community services. Now, let’s talk about our schools and truancy. You guys need to get in the loop; several of our districts have been working with the police and have held truancy raids recently at the homes of these children. Here again, check with our local school districts to see and hear the facts. I know you can start with Magnolia School District and they can probably lead you to the other districts involved.

You talk about portables…we’ll get a clue here people…this is a direct response to overcrowding in our neighborhoods. Our schools were built in the late 50s and 60s and the estimated family population at the time. It did not include the high density apartments that were built in the 70s and continue to be built today. Hey, Daniel are you listening…this is an area that has been negligent in Lorri’s tenure. My granddaughter remarks that the city will find a spot any spot and allow more housing. They don’t care about us. The city and redevelopment has allowed our schools to be overcrowded, our open space to be nearly gone, our business base to flee, and our housing market to be ripe for increased crime allowing overcrowding and high density to be the norm. We all are aware that research has shown high density increases crime; people need room to breathe.

Now, I know that some of you may be thinking that we need to provide housing for the resort area. But in fact, WAND did a survey a few years ago from the information that was provided by our city and found that only 42% of Anaheim residents actually work in Anaheim. My, oh my, does this sound as we have the service housing market cornered here? NO! Daniel, here is another piece of evidence against Lorri’s actions. I keep helping you out and you still have yet to give us one piece of solid evidence supporting Lorri. Everything I have stated is documented. Just do your homework and check it out. We are aware of the Justice Center, but still have no clue to ACE…just a reminder?????

OK everyone, this has been running on the same wave and nothing has been really added. Can we please get on with it? Let’s invite others to help us find the light and common ground in order to build a strong and honest council that will represent all of Anaheim. Relax and enjoy your Sunday. I have a classroom to build.

re:Steve Perez

You say that "issues that can be addressed when one is willing to do so."

Im sure there have been times where you weren't willing to address the problem, giving a cold-shoulder to others, leaving them in the dark and letting them suffer.

Am I right Mr. Perez?