Anaheim Aides to List Fund Sources

The Anaheim City Council is requiring some of its aides to file full economic-interest disclosures after a resident complained about some political work done by a city worker.

The unanimous vote Tuesday came eight months after resident Duane Roberts raised questions during a council meeting about a $1,000 payment received by a mayor’s assistant in late 2000 from Don Garcia, now a trustee on the Anaheim City School District board.

The aide, James Peterson, was working in Mayor Tom Daly’s office when he received consulting fees from Garcia, who was then running for the board seat.

Peterson, now a field representative for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), said he was paid to draft Garcia’s campaign strategy, but Roberts alleges that the aide put himself in a position of conflict.

Before the payment was made, Garcia had been one of several community leaders lobbying the City Council to deny a liquor license to a gas station near some properties owned by Garcia.

The opponents of Ultramar Gas Station on Harbor Boulevard said the area already had too many liquor stores, which contribute to crime, they claimed. Ultramar ultimately received its license.

The way Roberts sees it, Peterson would have more reason to lobby against the liquor license if he also were going to be paid by Garcia.

However, Garcia did not get his way on the liquor license and Peterson said he was not hired by Garcia until after that vote was made. “Even though what Mr. Peterson did might not have been illegal, was it ethical?” Roberts asked after the council’s vote last week.

Peterson said he did not lobby Daly on behalf of Garcia.

Garcia did not return repeated calls requesting comment, but the mayor said he was aware of his former aide’s work for Garcia and that he found nothing improper.

“The idea that [someone] can buy influence from me by hiring my part-time aide is ridiculous,” Daly said.

Daly and other city officials said the disclosure rules were changed to include the council aides because the ordinance is periodically revised and not because they found anything illegal in Peterson’s work for Garcia.

Nonetheless, they said, Roberts’ complaint led the city to look at council-aide positions more closely.

Peterson said he did not disclose the money because he was not required under the previous ordinance. “I think [the new ordinance] is a great idea and much overdue,” he said.

“I would have happily complied if it was required because I did nothing wrong.”

Under the new ordinance, aides who advise council members on policy issues will be required to file detailed economic-interest statements along with department heads and several other employees.

Garcia’s payment to Peterson came to light when Garcia filed his campaign records during the education board’s election in November 2000. Garcia had no opponents and was automatically granted a seat.

Shortly after Garcia took his board position, Roberts filed a complaint with the Orange County district attorney’s office, alleging Garcia did not live in the district but rather, in a house he owns in Corona del Mar.

The district attorney’s office said Friday that it is still investigating that case.