SOUNDING OFF -- Jeff Lebow

If the issue we are discussing is better representation, then I find

it hard to understand how reducing the size of our City Council to five

members makes any sense at all.

We are a city of nearly 200,000 residents. Political observers agree

that the more concentrated the executive power, the easier it is for

special interests to dictate the agenda and outcomes. Strike one.

If the issue is accountability to neighborhoods, then a district

concept offers increased localization along with the risk of infighting

between potentially disparate neighborhood needs, as Councilwoman Shirley

Dettloff has suggested. Our city already has defacto district issues that

clearly establish competing interests between the Downtown, harbor,

southeast and northern parts of our city.

District representatives would have to form coalitions to get projects

prioritized and funded. To institutionalize horse trading and back room

dealing is the last thing we need and want. Strike two.

The Newport Beach electorate votes for a representative from each of

their seven districts. On the surface this seems like a potential

solution, however, there are no rules that geographically limit the

financial support from one district to another. What would prohibit an

affluent district from bankrolling and electing their own candidate in

another district? Strike three.

Locally and nationally low voter participation is undermining our

democracy. We are turned off by a system run, essentially, by big money

purchases of visibility for and influence over selected representatives

willing to do the bidding of their benefactors.

Does Enron exemplify anything less? I am suggesting that if Huntington

Beach is truly interested in better representation and leadership, we

should concentrate on campaign finance reform combined with free media

exposure for all candidates negotiated as part of our franchise

agreements with Time Warner.

Local forums can be used to reach those who do not have cable. By

creating a level playing field through real political reform, we would

see the emergence of new leaders with new ideas and solutions.

Former Assemblyman Scott Baugh’s suggested reforms sound a bit like

rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. If adopted, it will be even

easier for the well-to-do patrons to secure their seats in the lifeboats.

* JEFF LEBOW is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to Sounding

Off, fax us at (714) 965-7174 or send an e-mail to hbindy@latimes.com.