I am writing to ask that, as a city, we do more to support the university that calls Fullerton home. CSUF is the largest California State University campus, and we, as students, depend on the city to provide for the surrounding area. Instead, we have seen complete neglect from city departments and the City Council. As a commuter campus, most CSUF students don’t live in Fullerton, meaning they can’t vote for representatives on the City Council; those who do live in Fullerton are generally split between three districts, breaking up their power, while other districts are held safe for representatives whose voting base does not care about the conditions around CSUF.
As a cyclist, I have to deal with the decrepit roads around eastern Fullerton; the road conditions get worse as I get closer to CSUF. Between potholes constantly causing near-crashes, uneven pavement causing losses of traction, and “fill-in” road work that provides only temporary solutions to the long-term road degradation, it’s easy to tell how close I am to CSUF by how terrible the road conditions get.
Rarely ever do I see Fullerton Public Works anywhere near Chapman and Commonwealth, where the conditions are the worst; it doesn’t help that vehicles for nearby construction constantly take up and block off lanes, making conditions even more unsafe and choking off traffic. Living in western Fullerton, however, the conditions near my home are very different; the roads are generally cleanly paved, Fullerton Public Works is constantly making repairs on even the smallest issues, and my riding experience is smooth.
Of course, very few other CSUF students live in Western Fullerton – with the sky-high housing prices, most people who can afford to live there have no connection to CSUF, further driving the difference of interests in the City Council.
Despite one of the largest higher education labor actions in the nation’s history occurring in Fullerton, the City Council has largely been silent. This town is driven by education – by the faculty and special trades workers who power CSUF, causing people to move here and driving up tax revenues for the city.
What has the city done as these people are forced to sleep in their cars due to abysmal pay? The only solidarity we’ve gotten has been from Council Member Ahmad Zahra, from District 5, who recently came out to support special trades workers at CSUF when they had a one-day strike. City Council has done nothing to pressure the CSU system or CSUF itself and has not shown any solidarity whatsoever with faculty or special trades workers. They have also said absolutely nothing about the proposed 34% tuition increase despite the severe effects that it will have on CSUF students; many will be forced to find cheaper housing outside of Fullerton, which may lead to lower tax revenues for the city and a decline in its population.
Former Mayor Fred Jung has particularly stayed away from helping students. Until this month, he served as mayor, but during his tenure, he has had questionable loyalties to the City of Fullerton and CSUF students. From his Instagram page, he has pandered to many different groups – business interests, Boy Scout troops, and junior high-school parents – but never to CSUF students.
At the same time, we’ve gotten support from Ahmad Zahra, whose district doesn’t even cover the CSUF campus. Jung, in his time as mayor, did nothing to support us. He hasn’t even spent his time supporting the rest of Fullerton; instead, he’s spent his time serving as the Chair of the OCPA Board, which has been racked with controversy, fines, and the firing of its CEO. The other cities with members of the OCPA board have realized that their mayors should probably not be the ones to serve, as they need to focus on their cities; Fred Jung has disregarded this, instead seeking out more positions of power instead of fulfilling his existing responsibilities. He isn’t just on the OCPA board, either; per his City Council page, he holds Chair positions on three other boards and serves as a member of four others. He also became Mayor only a year after being elected, playing politics to pass up others with his conservative majority instead of focusing on how to make Fullerton better and help CSUF students.
Elections for the Fullerton City Council are coming up this year. Nick Dunlap and Fred Jung will all be forced to come to the ballot to keep their seats. So far, they’ve shown very little desire to do what is right for CSUF students and the city at large – and as youth begin voting in greater numbers, we will remember their years of inaction.
As a CSUF student, I say to you: if you wish to keep your seats and your majority on the City Council, it’s time that you stop neglecting CSUF, pandering to the city’s wealthy, and seeking out power, and fulfill your duties as Council Members to the whole city. Otherwise, we’ll see you in November – and we will remember.
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Categories: Education, Health, Local Government, Local News
Aha. Another tribute to the god-like Ahmad Zahra almost disguised as something else.
It’s a conspiracy I guess.
I noticed how you have nothing substantive to say. You have decided to make politics in Fullerton about a particular personality. Why? Because you’re going to lose on the issues.
What if the usual commenters here collectively agreed to stop replying to Zenger? I agree that his comments supply knee-jerk negativity without critical analysis, and he frequently employs name-calling and disrespectful language. He rarely contributes anything of substance. I think his comments count as trolling, and as they say on the interwebs, “Don’t feed the trolls.”
So, yes, what if we collectively agree to stop responding to Zenger and his ilk, unless they switch to a more open-minded and respectful tone?
Fair enough, Amy. While I feel that: Silence is consent; in :this: case, I think you’re absolutely correct. Thank you for being an even-keeled :voice of reason:.
P.S. I’m guessing you’re the writer of the article? I would like to ask that you consider attending the 12.19.23 CouncilSession. Dr.Charles actually listens and is willing to have a discussion, much like CMZahra.
HOWEVER, this CouncilMajority, in their continued efforts to shut down transparency and civic participation, is attempting (But considering the CouncilMajority, it’ll pass) to pass a resolution to limit CouncilMembers’ ability to agendize (once seconded) items; and require a :majority: vote as opposed to just a second.
Fred already tried to limit participation by requiring pre-registration with the CityManager’sOffice.
However, as JoshF stated, that was unlawful and he cited evidence. At which time Fred, once again, shrugged accountability even though CityAttorneyDickJones stated that he was :WRONG:, and threw a fit saying, “Fine, fine…go ahead!” He has yet to accept accountability and apologize for being :WRONG:.
Fred tried to limit PublicComments to 2 mins, from 3mins. He failed.
Fred tried to move PublicComments to the :end: of CouncilSessions. He failed.
Fred moved the CouncilSessions from 6:30p to 5:30p; making it more difficult for residents with families and work to attend.
So, this upcoming CouncilSession is important.
“pass a resolution to limit CouncilMembers’ ability to agendize (once seconded) items; and require a :majority: vote as opposed to just a second.”
Pure anti-democratic power grab by the conservative council majority.
Allowing the minority to bring things up for debate is important.
That said I am sure they already know this and do not care what the public thinks.
Fred already took away the Public’s ability to pull ConsentCalendarItems. It now requires someone sitting on the dais to do so.
When did they do that? That’s wild…
I’m sorry, I’m not the author. Just a name coincidence.
HA! I’d ask you to consider attending CouncilSession, nonetheless.
I would’ve been going to City Council sessions, but unfortunately this past semester got stuck with a bunch of night classes…
Amy- He actually brings a lot of truth to the comment section!
Calling the kettle black!! You are not open minded and your comments bring no truth whatsoever!
Yes, stop replying. Do yourselves a favor. Indulge yourselves in your own “critical analysis” echo chamber.
Every article the Observer has written is about one particular personality… Zahra!! How he supposedly mistreated and infair.. wah wah wah!!
Don’t be confused John!!
I’m a community author, I have no connection to the Observer aside from sending them an email asking them to publish this, which they did with as far as I can tell no content edits (there are some additional line breaks/formatting changes they did, and might be some others)… My connection to Zahra as well is as described in the article.
I’ve lived in Fullerton since July. The only person I’ve seen do anything for the City is Zahra. It’s honestly a disappointment, and I’d love to see the other Councilmembers actually do their jobs; I think praise should be given where deserved, and if the other Councilmembers will do their jobs they will get the same level of praise. I don’t see Zahra as “god-like”, despite your implication, and by no means is he perfect, but at least he cares at all compared to what I’ve seen from the rest of the Council. If Fred, Bruce, Nick, Shana, whoever want to come out and stand alongside students, faculty, and Teamsters in the strikes near the end of January, I welcome them and will show the same level of welcome and appreciation I did for Zahra. If they want to actually work to support east Fullerton and support proper maintenance on east Fullerton streets, I will stand with them and praise them for that. Ball’s in their court on this one.
Sweet. Welcome!
Again, I’d recommend seeing Dr.Charles in her weekly OfficeHours (12p-2p Thursdays in CityHall). She is concerned about and committed to: being a good neighbor. Unfortunately, as it stands, the CouncilMajority has her hands tied. But she cares. Again, correspond with her. Unlike Bruce, Fred, and Nick; she actually responds.
This town isn’t “driven by education” as stated in your letter. It’s driven by tax dollars from the innumerable bars downtown.
Which are frequented by CSUF students.
The colleges, their employees and students are part of our economy and so a factor in taxes, yes.
I totally agree that the roads of eastern Fullerton are a disaster. Promises are made to improve the roads but not kept.
It takes time but the council has to keep dealing w unnecessary items that have already been voted on!!
No, Jeff, that’s obviously false and obviously you just made that up. Road maintenance is being done all the time, ongoing. It is not being held back in any way for lack of council time/attention. Why lie?
What would accelerate road maintenance enough to close the backlog that has developed over decades of underfunding?
More funds dedicated to road maintenance, which means either raising more revenue, moving funds from something else, or doing it for less money.
Until they have a plan… which means a plan not jawboning about a plan… there’s no reason to spend council time on it. Maintenance will continue at the current pace and we will never catch up.
It’s not a lie or made up! Residents west road fix done like yesterday and yes it needs to be done right away.
But the council meetings since August have been about this trail that’s already been voted on! Like move on!
Imagine putting 100% of council time to jawboning about road maintenance.
How does that get one road done any faster? The maintenance schedule isn’t driven by wind. It’s driven by money.
You’re just whining about the public putting a spotlight on council majority knifing a popular, funded park project at the last moment, with no reasonable explanation.
The spotlight is going to remain there, *especially* if council majority actively tries to hide from their choice.
like jawboning this trail that is not going to happen. City Manager has said they have talked to the people to see what other projects the money can be used. They had meetings.
How does this Trail happen when it has been voted no?
You, Zahra and his puppets are whining about this park. No one else.
There’s a lack of people talking about it because most people don’t know discussions about it are even happening… I very much thank the Observer for the work it does, but its readership among many parts of Fullerton is unfortunately low. Most people I’ve seen are actually pretty interested in it once they learn of the idea’s existence.
If the issue was really that other items kept being re-put on the agenda, they could just go on for longer. They need to do their job, and it doesn’t matter if they have to burn the midnight oil to do so – they serve us, not the other way around…
Bernard. You’re so obsessed with Fred. Marry the guy. It is weird your whole world revolves around this dude.
No kidding!!! It’s kinda creepy!!
I think the bigger issue is that CSUF is asking to be supported by the city the campus resides in, but in unfortunate truth, CSUF is a non-profit and doesn’t pay taxes to the city it resides in like other businesses are required to do that then go back into the municipal operations of the city. And so in essence, the reasons given for why Fullerton “should do more” for CSUF can be reversed and CSUF should pay more to support the wear and tear on Fullerton. This is not meant to cause a debate but look at how much CSUF doesn’t pay, how much Fullerton Community College also doesn’t pay and any other non-profit. It’s not entirely the city’s fault.
You’re equating benefit to the city with tax receipts directly from the institutions.
There are other benefits that are indirect such as tax receipts from professors who live here, spending in our community that benefits residents and the city, savings of residents due to having no commute to access their services, cultural benefits of hosting a university, etc.
It’s not a simple equation.
I’ve once heard cost accounting described as the science of misallocating costs.
I can understand Melvin’s logic, but I disagree with it for exactly the reasons John stated. That kind of reasoning was what allowed eminent domain to prevail in Kelo v. New London – counting tax revenue to the exclusion of all other intangible effects.
John (and Amy), I agree with you. I generalized my comment and appreciate your rebuttal with facts. You are right, it’s not an easy equation. I love CSUF and being part of the Fullerton community. And as a resident, would like to see our community taken care before it gets to the point where things need fixing because they weren’t in the first place. ~ MelVin
…preach. I’d recommend seeing Dr.Charles in her OfficeHours. If you can’t attend in-person, reach out via email. Unlike Bruce and Nick, she actually responds.
Dr.Charles is on PublicRecord stating that she wants to “be a good neighbor.” She cares about both CSUF/District3, as well as Fullerton-at-large.
Unfortunately, it this CouncilMajority gets its way, it will become exponentially more difficult for Dr.Charles to be effective. (Re: changing agendizing items to :majority: vote, as opposed to a :second:) Again, I’d recommend corresponding with Dr.Charles.
You do make good points about not subsidizing a particular institution with city funding. Maybe a more collaborative effort could be established.
I do think a university is a special case, since the students, even commuters, spend more time in the city than, say, those who work in Fullerton but then live and play elsewhere. Also, since students are often disenfranchised because their school is in a different municipality fromt their permanent address (making voting difficult), I would like to see outreach that connects them to the city. I think such an investment can encourage students to settle down in Fullerton, which could be great.
Your comment also brings up another really interesting topic: how we subsidize private industry by letting their delivery trucks rip up our roads, pollute our air, and ultimately take profits out of Fullerton.
CSUF does pay some taxes – for instance, if Fullerton had higher sales taxes, it would be paying into those… regardless, land around CSUF is still not CSUF and is Fullerton responsibility