Lingering Doubts About Tax Hike, Costly Recall Election in Fullerton

* Mr. Marv Gonsior’s contention that The Times’ Fullerton recall editorial (“This Recall Should Be Recalled,” Aug. 8) was “seriously flawed” is itself seriously flawed.

Mr. Gonsior obviously doesn’t understand what representative government is.

What he calls “representative democracy” is an oxymoron. We have a system of government that is a republican (small r) form of democracy (small d).

The City Council of Fullerton would have been derelict in its duty had it not acted on the utility tax as a way of alleviating serious budget problems within the city.

After all, that’s what we elected them to do, to represent us.

If every contentious issue were to be subject to a vote of the people, nothing would get done, ever, and there would be no need for city councils, boards of supervisors, state legislatures, Congress.

CARROLL C. GEWIN

Fullerton

* The city of Fullerton has undergone a major political upheaval in recalling three of its five-member City Council. Because the city cannot operate without a quorum, the recalled members have remained on the council until an election can be held to replace them.

The city, with League of Women Voters support, urged that the special election be combined with the November general election. The council agreed, the recall supporters sued and (Superior Court Judge Donald E.) Smallwood ordered a special election, with the successful candidates serving a one-month term.

The league respectfully disagrees with the judge’s reasoning. Our voting rights position encourages all citizens to vote, and we also support governmental responsibility to have regulations and procedures that encourage an informed and active electorate. Low voter turnouts at special elections are a barrier to participation.

We are pleased to know that such a special election cannot happen again. The Legislature has now changed the procedures for recalls in general law cities. When a recall election is held, the candidates to replace any seats vacated will run in the same election, eliminating the need for two elections.

The league also supports Proposition 183 on the November ballot to lengthen the time from certification of signatures for a recall election to 180 days, in order to consolidate it with a general election. This amendment only applies to state offices but, clearly, it is needed at the local level too.

FLORENCE CAVILEER

President, League of Women Voters

North Orange County

* In his letter (Aug. 21), recalled Fullerton Mayor A.B. (Buck) Catlin makes the points of excessive cost of the recall to the city of Fullerton and the reflection of the recall process on the principles of representative democracy.

That certainly puts the emphasis where it belongs, doesn’t it? After all, if these people had shown any willingness to listen to the taxpayers they had sworn to represent, the whole expense of the recall could have been avoided. And though the clique completely disagreed with the citizens’ objections, if they had been responsive enough to allow the tax issue on the ballot as a referendum, a lot of the expense could have been avoided. The total arrogance and unresponsiveness of this ruling clique is the factor that precipitated the recall and inflated the expense.

Yes, it certainly is expensive to maintain a representative democratic process when city officials fight the taxpayers every step of the way, but the taxpayers have the right to insist on a representative government and will pay the bill to keep it that way.

The unrepentant tone of Mr. Catlin’s letter will convince anyone with residual misgivings that the voters did indeed pick the right option in passing the recall.

DAVID CURETON

Fullerton