Another take on districting

Paul Clinton

Earlier this year, Councilman Ralph Bauer rejected the notion of City

Council districts for Huntington Beach, saying he was “outraged by the

whole business.”

The venerable councilman has since warmed to the idea, floating his

own alternate plan for districts at the May 6 meeting.

Bauer, and others on the council, have voiced their opposition to an

initiative being circulated by former Assemblyman Scott Baugh to divide

Surf City into five districts.

To diffuse support for Baugh’s idea, which he has said he considers

bad government, Bauer said he would back an alternate plan to install

districts.

Baugh’s proposal calls for the city to be divided into five districts,

each with one council member elected from within that community, by that

community.

Bauer quickly shunned Baugh’s proposal to lower the number of council

members from the current seven to five. But said he would support

districts as long as council members would be able to appeal to voters

from Huntington Harbour to the Westminster boarder and from Bolsa Chica

south to the Santa Ana River.

To gauge support for his idea, Bauer said he plans to pull together a

“good government” committee and hold town-hall meetings on the topic.

So far, it’s a committee of one.

“My wife says I’m crazy,” Bauer joked. “It’s just me. I’m going to

call a meeting and see who shows.”

Newport Beach has served as the model for Bauer’s plan. In that city,

seven council members are elected from seven districts -- Corona del Mar,

the Balboa Peninsula, Newport Harbor and four other areas.

The council members must live in the district they represent, but must

seek votes citywide. The system varies in Los Angeles and Long Beach,

where the seven council members run only in their own districts.

Voters in Huntington Beach have elected seven council members at large

since at least 1968. Prior to that time, only five council members held

seats.

Of Orange County’s 34 cities, Huntington Beach is one of only three to

have seven seated members. Newport Beach and Santa Ana are the others,

both of which have districts.

On March 28, Baugh submitted a petition to the city to impose five

districts to begin in 2004 and limit members to two terms. The council,

in 1984, imposed a two-consecutive-term limit.

The current council has widely opposed Baugh’s idea, with members

saying the plan wouldn’t give residents adequate representation.

“You run because you want to accomplish something,” Councilwoman

Shirley Dettloff said. “What we’re facing is a way to manipulate the

system.”

To get his petition on the November ballot, Baugh must gather about

16,000 valid signatures. He said he has collected almost 10,000 so far.

Baugh said he would not support Bauer’s proposal.

“I would look with suspicion at any council proposal,” Baugh said.

“It’s not a criticism of the council. The current structure has failed

the citizens of Huntington Beach.”

At the May 6 meeting, the council considered a proposal by City Atty.

Gail Hutton to form a committee to study districts.

The council tabled the plan and a bid to spend $50,000 to study the

issue.

“I have a problem with studying this issue,” Councilwoman Connie

Boardman said. “I have a problem with spending $50,000.”

* PAUL CLINTON is a reporter with Times Community News. He covers City

Hall and education. He may be reached at (714) 965-7173 or by e-mail ato7 [email protected] .