Reviewing the Fullerton Recall Effort

* The Times’ editorial (“This Recall Should Be Recalled,” Aug. 8) is seriously flawed and demands rebuttal. First, there never would have been a recall, according to the published statement of the Recalls Committee, had the City Council placed the utility tax before a ballot of the voters. That would have been “representative democracy” at work.

Instead the citizens of Fullerton were met by what they perceived as stonewalling and arrogance. That precipitated the Recalls Committee into action. What followed was representative democracy at work with the voters of Fullerton recalling the three responsible City Council members.

Had the city initially acted in a different manner, much, if not all, of the cost and divisiveness that resulted could have been avoided. By that I refer to the actions of City Hall with respect to the election process. Therefore, this was not a “single-issue” situation but rather a multi-issue situation.

Of course, in the perfect world, the November ballot would have been the ideal solution. If you had taken the time to read the entire text of the recall law, (you) would have learned that it was written by those with enough foresight to precisely cover many situations, including those exactly like this. For accuracy, the $117,000 election cost you quoted, according to the Registrar of Voters, should be reduced by $10,000 for their shared costs normally incurred in a consolidated November election.

Your attempt to relegate this editorial into a neat, one-sided package is a disservice hardly worthy of a prominent piece in a leading newspaper. No apparent attempt was made to weigh the evidence other than to reach a foregone conclusion.

MARV GONSIOR

Fullerton

* Over a year ago when the Fullerton recall effort was initiated, The Times correctly pointed out the folly of such single-issue protests. This example of responsible journalism set the high road and went unheeded. Now the financial costs alone to the city of Fullerton general fund will exceed $290,000.

As one of the recalled council members, I appreciate your farsighted attempt to inject reason into our California municipal electoral process. This recall is indeed a sad commentary on the principles of representative democracy.

A.B. CATLIN

Mayor, Fullerton