Taking Sides on Initiatives
On Friday, Aug. 10, the democratic process took a nose-dive in Huntington Beach, thanks to council members Jim Silva, Wes Bannister, John Erskine and Mayor Thomas J. Mays.
Nearly 6 months ago, a group of citizens requested that the council submit the concept of the Save Our Parks initiative to the voters. The response of the majority of the council was “No.” The group went out and gathered 18,000 signatures to place the initiative on the ballot.
On Aug. 10, I watched in disbelief as four council members ignored the democratic process and approved a second initiative that had been hastily thrown together a few days before.
The largest landowner and developer in our city, Huntington Beach Co. (Chevron), who supported the four council members in their council races, “loaned” its attorney to prepare the final version of the “alternate” initiative. The individual submitting the initiative is involved with a large political mailing house that benefits from contested election and initiative campaigns.
It’s not a question of being for or against an issue. The question is what is moral and fair--placing an initiative on the ballot with four signatures or one with 18,000 signatures? Democracy is in trouble in Huntington Beach.
TOM LIVENGOOD
Huntington Beach
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