City Council Meeting Tonight, Tuesday DEC 13 at 4:30pm
City Hall, 303 W Commonwealth, Fullerton
City council will declare results of Nov 8, 2022 election results, welcoming back District 5 Councilmember Ahmad Zahra, and new District 3 Councilmember Shana Charles.
The session will also thank former Mayor and Councilmember Jesus Silva for his service on the council. Silva who lives in former District 2 was unable to run to continue his service after the district lines were re-drawn.
Also on the agenda is the appointment of new Mayor and Mayor Pro-tem.
In years past this was a moment of high drama following back-room deals (in apparent violation of the Brown Act) which generally excluded (Democratic) women. Then, Council finally settled in a fair rotation policy with the most senior member who had not recently served becoming mayor; and the next in line being elected Pro Tem.
Fred Jung and council majority disrupted that fair rotation two years ago by nominating new member Nick Dunlap as Pro Tem removing Zahra and Silva from the established order. Again Zahra and Silva were passed over for Pro Tem and outgoing Mayor Whitaker was elected Pro Tem. Show up at 5pm to see if District 5 Councilmember Zahra will be passed over once again or be appointed to serve as Mayor.
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Categories: Local Government, Local News
It just doesn’t make sense to me why Bushala and his family would spend so much money on local politic scene in Fullerton, which by ALL ACCOUNTS, it _really distorts_ things. To what possible purpose?
I honestly struggle to think of any financial project — even some hugely _illegal one_ — that would justify spending $50K on a single election cycle in an otherwise sleepy suburban town like Fullerton.
Generally an interested concern with financial motives wants to get their point across _quietly_, because _noise_ “gets in the way of business.” Even the Medicis knew this back in the 1300-1400s.
Instead, here’s a family jumping up and down _screaming_ for attention. It honestly doesn’t make sense.
And my concern here is that there are concerns facing this city whose fair resolution would in no way impact whatever interests the Bushalas could have , that _don’t_ get dealt with because of this wildly distorted financial political picture.
Consider simply:
(1) Honestly what possible advantage is there _to keep_ people homeless sleeping on the streets? How would keeping _that_ status quo benefit even the Bushalas?
(2) How many parents here would _love_ to see their kids be able to buy a house or condo HERE IN FULLERTON rather than WAY OUT IN VICTORVILLE but can’t because NOTHING AFFORDABLE IS BEING BUILT HERE? Even if the Bushala generations could afford to continue to live here, THEIR FRIENDS WON’T. How does keeping Fullerton unaffordable to young people benefit even the Bushalas?
(3) How is quality of life HELPED for ANYONE when in one part of the city there are HORSE TRAILS that need to be maintained, while in another parents would just like ONE QUIET AFTERNOON to be able to swing their kid on a swing set in a park without being worried that they’re going to be accosted by someone asking for money or watch a drug deal go down while taking their 5 year old to the bath room?
Here perhaps the Bushalas wouldn’t see this, but their kids and grandkids going to school will.
These are challenges, that require both the wisdom and the buy-ins of the majority of the city’s population. But we’ll never get there when one family so wildly seeks to distort the process — again, to what sensible end.
Anyway, I just wish the Bushalas would keep their money from now on … put into some charity, go to Vegas, but leave this poor town alone.
The cash you’re dumping here isn’t helping anyone, and honest to God not even you.
Dr Kriz,
How is it that the Bushalas are regularly referred to as “developers,” even though they haven’t developed anything in Fullerton, but are also criticized by you for not providing housing? What sort of housing would you like to see them provide?
And horse trails?? Is it the recreational plight of the relatively wealthy residents of Fullerton who can afford to own horses that most concerns you? Where do the horse owning elite “dump” their cash?
Wouldn’t it be the police who ought to be rounding up drug dealers in parks? Tell me that you think the police are underfunded.
Bushala Brothers bought up the land to build SOCO apartments. I don’t remember what else they are involved in other than the train depot rehab and something around the trail ending at Union Park. They are a development company. I don’t think they would disagree with that. Also they are a beautiful family who I don’t see as villains though I am puzzled by their huge contributions to certain candidates including the current council majority. They could do a lot of good with that money.
Jung, Whitaker, and Dunlap all supporters of Zahra’s opponent are using mayor and mayor protem positions to punish District 5 residents for choosing Zahra over Bushala backed candidate. Really despicable.
Wow – Really embarrassing performance by Jung, Whitaker and Dunlap in completely disregarding the fair rotation policy for selecting mayor and mayor protem by cross- nominating and voting themselves into those positions and once again – for the second time in a row – disrespecting the residents of district 5 and their newly re-elected representative.
Unbelievable.
Speaking of disrespecting the residents of District 5, none of his admirers have bothered to condemn the plan by OCDEM central to protect Zahra by creating a phony Latino candidate (the invisible Tony Castro) to split the Latino vote. And it worked. Oh, well, your hypocrisy is par for your course. Ask him if he knew about it. Of course you’ll never get the truth, just a plateful of victimhood word spaghetti.
You seem upset that Bushala’s hand-picked candidate lost.
I don’t think that happened- please state your proof. Most district five voters voted for Zahra to return to council. I do wish we would go with ranked-choice voting which would be better than the way we do it now.
The issue at hand is that district five voters should see their selected representative have a turn to be mayor and mayor protem. Very unfair for council majority to appoint themselves over and over again out of turn.
What’s so embarrassing about a decision the council had every prerogative to make? Why wouldn’t you ask why your favorite Zahra isn’t respected by his peers?
You didn’t answer the question. As a “journalist” you should at the very least make an attempt to try. Adults? Are you sure your describing your favorite Zahra? He pouts like a child regularly. Guess it is hard to notice through your rose colored glasses. But keep blaming others for his inability to find common ground with anyone.
Who ever you are “Fullerton Native” who can’t use his/her own name – District five voters returned Zahra to council. They should see their selected representative as mayor. Very unfair otherwise. That is why fair rotation was started.