Voters Keep Red-Light Cameras Out of Anaheim

Anaheim voters made it clear today they have no interest in having cameras installed at intersections to catch red-light runners.

Voters overwhelmingly approved Measure K, which bans red light cameras from being installed at the city's intersections. City Council members put the issue on the ballot in part because they objected to the idea of using the cameras as a money-raising tool.

"Personally, I believe a lot of cities do use them as revenue generators, as even a higher priority than public safety," Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle said.

Approving Measure K ensures that a future City Council cannot change the policy without another vote of their constituents.

Pringle said he has long opposed the red-light cameras, including when he served in the Assembly.

"I thought it was a terrible idea at the time and it's never gotten better," Pringle said.

The mayor cited some studies that show most tickets are issued to drivers who make rolling red light turns, which he said is not a safety issue. Also, some studies indicate the cameras actually increase the number of rear- end accidents because drivers slam on the brakes to avoid a ticket, he said.

Advocates argued the cameras reduce t-bone accidents that often lead to serious injuries or death. But Pringle said there are other ways to combat those types of collisions, from improving the timing of the signals to beefing up enforcement.

"I do think it's an added burden on the taxpayers," Pringle said.

The mayor also argued that some judges throw out red-light camera tickets because they consider it hearsay evidence.

Anaheim City Councilman Harry Sidhu, who lost in his bid to unseat Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson, also supported Measure K.

"I will not support having the red-light camera system in my city because there are other ways to make revenue," Sidhu said. "All it does is create more revenue for the police to monitor, but the accidents have not been lessened and we believe there are other avenues to make the money than trying to put another burden on the citizens."

Dennis Fitzgerald, the director of the Anaheim organization Home Owners Maintaining Our Environment, wrote an argument against Measure K for the ballot.

Fitzgerald noted the city has never had any red-light cameras and has no plans to install them, "So why spend thousands of our tax dollars to vote on a measure to prohibit the devices?"

Fitzgerald said the approval of the ballot measure precludes future Anaheim City Councils from changing policy if the flaws in the system are corrected.

In Costa Mesa, voters appeared to be backing Measure L, which would increase the hotel tax. Supporters say the increase would boost revenue from the tax from about $4 million annually to $5.3 million.

Advocates say the tax hasn't been raised since 1974 and the most common rate among the more than 400 California cities and 55 counties is 10 percent. Some Orange County cities have a 15 percent hotel tax, and the average in the county is 10 percent.

No argument against the tax was submitted for the ballot.

In other Orange County ballot issues:

-- Fullerton voters overwhelming approved Measure M, which sets term limits for Fullerton City Council members. Under the measure, council members can only serve three successive four-year terms. They will be eligible to run again after four years.

-- In Laguna Hills, voters backed Measure T, which limits City Council members to two consecutive four-year terms. Termed-out council members can run again after two years out of office.

-- Huntington Beach voters were backing Measure N, which would update the city's charter to have a city manager oversee the day-to-day responsibilities instead of a city administrator. A city manager would be able to hire and fire all department heads except elected officials and the police chief without City Council approval. The city administrator needs council approval for all hiring and firing of department heads.

The measure would also increase the price of projects that need voter approval from anything exceeding $100,000 to any project costing more than $161,000. It also adds a consumer price index adjustment to that cost threshold.

-- Voters were rejecting Measure O in Huntington Beach, a ballot issue that represents a battle among City Council members. It would essentially change how the city appropriates money for infrastructure improvements.

Council members Don Hansen, Joe Carchio and Devin Dwyer argue it would close loopholes in 2002's voter-approved Measure FF, which directed 15 percent of general fund money be reinvested in infrastructure and maintenance spending such as sidewalk and road repairs. They say the loopholes have allowed city officials to raid the fund to balance the budget.

Mayor Jill Hardy, City Council members Keith Bohr and Gil Coerper and former Mayor Debbie Cook oppose the measure, arguing city officials would have to cut $6 million out of the budget, "which has already been slashed $31 million in the past two years." That could lead to the closure of a fire station, branch libraries, 20 percent less police patrol and other reductions, they say.

-- Measure R was approved by Irvine voters, continuing the city's financial help to the cash-strapped Irvine Unified School District and the Tustin Unified School District. Through matching grants and other aid, voters will send $7.5 million from the city's coffers to the school districts over the next few years.

-- Measure S in Irvine was also heading to victory, promoting green building projects and energy conservation.

-- Measure U in La Palma was easily approved, allowing the city to lower the utility users tax from 5 percent to 4 percent in good times when the city can afford to reduce the tax.

-- Measure V in Newport Beach was bound for victory, closing loopholes that allow city officials to bypass Prop. 13 and increase property taxes without voter approval. It also repeals the requirement that city ordinances be published in their entirety in local newspapers, and only require the summary of the proposed law, saving about $70,000 annually.

-- Placentia voters backed Measure W, which updates the city's Utility Users Tax to also apply to newer technology. The tax had applied to electricity, gas, telephone landlines and cell phones, but the measure updates it to also cover T1 lines, paging and voice and video used over the Internet.

-- Measure X in Tustin appeared heading for victory, eliminating the elected city clerk job and making it an appointed position left up to the City Council. Advocates argued it would save taxpayers more than $29 million annually.

--Measure Y in Yorba Linda was easily approved. It implements comprehensive ethics regulations, including the adoption of a whistle-blower procedure, elimination of closed-door ad hoc committee meetings, the tape recording of all closed-session City Council meetings and prohibition of campaign contributions from city contractors.

-- The approval of Measure AA in Westminster allows for the sale of "safe and sane" fireworks around the Fourth of July.