Hunter, Pickler Clash on Police, Traffic Issues

Anaheim’s two mayoral candidates in the Nov. 6 election traded barbs Thursday evening in a wide-ranging debate that was highlighted by calls for more police officers and for solutions to the city’s longstanding traffic problems.

“We need 50 police officers right now,” Mayor Fred Hunter declared as he and his challenger, Councilman Irv Pickler, squared off during a debate sponsored by Anaheim H.O.M.E. at Anaheim High School.

Hunter, a former Anaheim police officer, said the city’s 342 officers are not nearly enough to keep up with the city’s growth.

“We need to start recruiting now,” he said. “We need to stop certain capital improvement projects in this city to pay for more police officers.” He did not specify which projects he wants stopped.

Pickler told the audience of about 150 people that the city could have paid for more officers if it had not approved plans for a 20,000-square-foot sports arena.

“The arena is going to be for the rich people,” Pickler said. “We keep talking about crime in blighted areas, and we could have used that money for more police officers.”

Pickler has consistently opposed the sports arena project.

Hunter, on the other hand, has been actively involved in the movement to build the arena.

During the debate, which at times featured heated exchanges between the two candidates, Hunter said he already knew which professional hockey and basketball franchises would be moving to the arena, but he did not name them.

(Hunter later told The Times that the city has “locked” an agreement to bring an existing NHL team to Anaheim. He said negotiations also are under way with three NBA teams. He again refused to name any of the teams.)

Regarding traffic problems, Pickler, a member of the Orange County Transportation Commission, said he was supporting Measure M, a countywide proposal on the ballot that would boost the sales tax by half a cent to help fund transportation projects.

“We’ve got to somehow widen Interstate 5 to ease the traffic in Anaheim,” Pickler said, adding that passage of the measure was critical if the county and city were to be eligible for “millions of dollars” in state transportation funds.

Hunter, who referred to Pickler as the “self-appointed traffic czar,” asked the audience to “just take a look outside.”

“It’s time citizens start getting leery of the millions of dollars being contributed by developers to the passage of Measure M,” he said.

Concerning a proposed revision to the City Charter, Hunter and Pickler said they would support initiatives that would allow more people to become involved in city government.

Hunter said he favored expanding the five-member council by three or four seats, and placing two-term limits on members.

“It’s time we get fresh blood on the council and new people running the city of Anaheim,” said Hunter, who was elected as a councilman in 1986 and as mayor in 1988.

Pickler, who has served on the council for eight years, said he wanted a review of the City Charter every two years. He also called for changes that would force council members to give up their elective seats while running for mayor.

This is the second time Pickler and Hunter have battled for the mayor’s chair. In 1988, Hunter won by 1,500 votes.

Pickler is expected to raise more than the projected $100,000 the incumbent expects to collect in campaign contributions.