Demand the Council kill this proposal once and for all. Show up, speak out at the  Fullerton City Council on Tuesday, June 3, at 5:30 PM at Fullerton City Hall.

At a time when Fullerton is facing a looming budget deficit, deteriorating infrastructure, and
record-low trust in government, the City Council is preparing to embark on a quest no one asked
for: becoming a Charter City.

There are two types of cities in California: general law and charter cities. General law cities must
operate within statewide rules that offer important protections to residents, such as labor
standards, land use limits, and governance procedures. Charter cities can choose to opt out of
those protections. In a high-trust, high-participation community, charter authority can be a tool
for innovation. In a low-trust city led by an erratic council, it’s a recipe for legalized corruption
and multimillion-dollar lawsuits.

The residents of Fullerton understand the state of this city. Why can’t our leaders?
At the last City Council meeting, Councilmember Dunlap pulled the UP Trail project over
concerns about a $300,000 contingency. Councilmembers Zahra and Mayor Protem Charles supported the full
contingency amount, citing the Park Dwelling Fund, which holds millions of dollars that can only
be spent on parks. When it became clear that the full amount wouldn’t pass, Charles proposed
a $200,000 compromise. Dunlap then proposed $100,000. Councilmember Valencia moved for
$150,000, which Charles seconded. The item ultimately passed 4-1, with Mayor Jung voting no.

Despite the compromises, I wrote to both Councilmembers Dunlap and Valencia thanking them
for listening to the public. Valencia responded graciously: “Safety and overspending are my
primary concerns on any project.”
Given those words, the city’s projected deficits, and the high cost and risk of becoming a charter
city, I fully expect Councilmembers Dunlap and Valencia to oppose any further discussion of a
charter city.

According to city staff documents, the process of becoming a charter city could cost over
$500,000 just in procedural steps. That doesn’t include the cost of litigation, which, given this
council’s track record, is almost guaranteed. Hermosa Beach had to settle a $17 million lawsuit
tied to its charter. Huntington Beach paid $3 million. Even a fraction of those numbers would
decimate Fullerton’s finances. So why are the self-proclaimed fiscal hawks pursuing this?

The justifications for this pursuit are irrational. Councilmember Dunlap stated that while
residents haven’t explicitly asked for a charter city, they’ve expressed concerns that a charter
might address. But residents can support a goal and reject the path proposed to reach it. If I say

I want a new car, and someone drives me to a dealership at night, hands me a ski mask and a
crowbar, I’m going to say no. If they respond, “But I thought you wanted a car,” I’d ask why they
assumed I supported any means to get there. This charter proposal is the crowbar. It’s not a
mandate.

Mayor Jung laid out his justifications when he first proposed the charter city idea. He argued
that a charter could help Fullerton resist state overreach, while also expressing frustration that
Governor Newsom spent tax dollars to “Trump-proof” the state. Restated plainly: we need to
spend hundreds of thousands to protect local independence, but it’s outrageous when the state
tries to do the same.

Jung’s justifications give away the real game: distraction. He wants residents divided: Democrat
vs. Republican, NIMBY vs. YIMBY, state vs. local; anything to pull public scrutiny away from City
Council. But I suggest a different path: let’s watch them even more closely.
Will Valencia and Dunlap abandon their stated values and vote to pursue charter status as we
enter a fiscal crisis? Will Mayor Jung ever recuse himself from a vote involving his political donor
Tony Bushala’s financial interests?

You won’t find the answers on TV or Instagram. You’ll find them at City Hall. That’s what they
fear most: public oversight. They want your eyes off them. They want you distracted. But the
real fight isn’t among us, it’s against the erosion of democratic process.

Show up Tuesday. Speak out. And demand the Council kill this proposal once and for all.
The Fullerton City Council will meet on Tuesday, June 3, at 5:30 PM at Fullerton City Hall (303
W. Commonwealth Ave.). Public comments can be made in person or submitted online.