Local HOME LOCAL L.A. Now Politics Crime Education O.C. Westside Neighborhoods Environment Obituaries U.S. Politics Nation Now Politics Now Top of the Ticket Science Science Now Obituaries Religion WORLD World Now Afghanistan war Africa Americas Asia Europe Middle East Business Money & Co. Technology Personal Finance Small Business Company Town Jobs Real Estate Cars SPORTS Sports Now Lakers Clippers Dodgers Angels NFL Ducks/Kings NCAA USC UCLA Olympics Preps Scores ENTERTAINMENT Movies Television Music Celebrity Arts & Culture Industry Awards: The Envelope Calendar Books Comics Health Booster Shots Science Now Medicine Fitness & Nutrition Mental Health Health Reform Cancer Living Home Food Image Books Parenting Magazine Reader Photos Summer Guide Travel California Hawaii Mexico Las Vegas Europe Asia Australia Travel & Deal Blog Opinion Editorials Op-Ed Letters Opinion L.A. Reader's Rep Deals Daily Deals LAT Store Sports Gear Travel Offers & Deals Legal Notices Mobile Site Subscribe / Manage Account Print Ads Place an Ad LAT Store Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals More Classifieds 
Weekly Ad#inTheNews {min-height:20px;} Advanced Search Advanced Search X include all of these words: include any of these words: include this exact phrase: exclude: Select a date range this week past 30 days past 3 months past year Create a custom date range From: To: L.A. NOWSouthern California -- this just in « Previous Post |L.A. NOW Home| Next Post » Anaheim residents: We are tired of being marginalizedJuly 31, 2012 | 6:37pm
Community members Tuesday called on the Anaheim City Council to address the lack of elected Latino representation by moving to a district-style election system instead of the current at-large process.
The press conference was held after a week of protests – some which turned violent – after two men were fatally shot by police officers.
The rallies have highlighted tensions in the city, which some say are the result of a community that feels marginalized.
The City Council is considering a Nov. 6 ballot measure to amend the voting process. It would require that four members of the five-member council be elected by district. Currently, the majority of the council members live in Anaheim Hills, an affluent enclave that is largely separated from the rest of the city.
According to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in June, the current at-large system has resulted in “vote dilution” for Latino residents.
Though Anaheim’s population is majority Latino, the city council has only seen three Latino members in city history, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit also references a “history of discrimination in the city that still impacts the Latino community.”
Community members, some wearing neon pink stickers that said “four districts are not enough,” talked about neighborhood disparities, a lack of resources in minority neighborhoods and low-paying jobs in the city's manicured resort district.Mariana Rivera, 33, has lived in the neighborhood where one of the shootings took place for nine years.
She said many children play in the streets, but some drivers speed through the neighborhood, so she has been working to try to get speed bumps installed for years.
“We want our community to be tranquil and clean,” she said.
Eric Altman, the executive director of a nonprofit that works with neighborhoods in the area, said that the districts should not be drawn by the City Council, but rather by an independent panel.
“We don’t put our civil rights to a popular vote,” he said.
Altman said that Anaheim was the largest city in California to elect its council at large. Anaheim is the most populated city in Orange County and among the top 10 in the state.
“At-large works when you’re a small, homogenous city,” he said. “But when you get to a certain size and a certain level of complexity and diversity … you have to go to district elections. There’s no other way to get representation.”
In response to recent events, Mayor Tom Tait and City Council members will conduct a special meeting Aug. 8 at Anaheim High School.
ALSO:
LAPD officers investigated for 'military-style' boot camp
Cudahy corruption: Ex-official pleads guilty to bribery, extortion
UC Irvine professor plotted deaths after son's suicide, D.A. says
--Nicole Santa Cruz
Photo: Protesters walk by the smashed windows of a Starbucks after violence erupted between police officers and protesters in Anaheim.Credit: Getty Images
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Email: newstips@latimes.comTwitter: @lanowFacebook: Los Angeles Times Local NewsMore in: Crime and courts, Government, Orange County, Politics/Elections Comments () | Archives (0) var countNum = 0;if (countNum == 0) {jQuery("#archiveShow").css({'display' : 'none', 'visibility' : 'hidden'});jQuery("#commentsDivider").css({'display' : 'none', 'visibility' : 'hidden'});};jQuery('#fbShow').click(function () {jQuery('#commentsArchive').css({'display' : 'none', 'visibility' : 'hidden'});jQuery('#fbComments').css({'display' : 'block', 'visibility' : 'visible'}); });jQuery('#archiveShow').click(function () {jQuery('#fbComments').css({'display' : 'none', 'visibility' : 'hidden'});jQuery('#commentsArchive').css({'display' : 'block', 'visibility' : 'visible'}); });/*jQuery('#fbShow').css('color' , 'white');jQuery('#archiveShow').css('color' , '#666666');*/
Connect
Recommended on FacebookFollow @latimes!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");AdvertisementIn Case You Missed It...Most ViewedThe Latest VideoAbout L.A. NowL.A. Now is the Los Angeles Times’ breaking news section for Southern California. It is produced by more than 80 reporters and editors in The Times’ Metro section, reporting from the paper’s downtown Los Angeles headquarters as well as bureaus in Costa Mesa, Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Riverside, Ventura and West Los Angeles.Have a story tip for L.A. Now?Please send to newstips@latimes.comCan I call someone with news?Yes. The city desk number is (213) 237-7847.Meet the L.A. Now team »
CategoriesAnimalsAntonio VillaraigosaBeach/Coast/OceanBellCelebrityCentral ValleyColleges and UniversitiesCrime and CourtsDodgersEarthquakesEastsideEducationElectionsEnvironmentGovernmentHealthHomicide ReportImmigrationInland EmpireLAPDLAX/AirportsLos Angeles Sheriff's DepartmentMedical MarijuanaMilitaryNorthern CaliforniaOrange CountySouthern California MomentsSame-Sex Marriage and Prop 8 San Diego CountySan Fernando ValleySan Gabriel ValleySouth BaySouth L.A.SoutheastTrafficVentura CountyWeatherWestside'Whitey' BulgerWildfires
Get Alerts on Your Mobile PhoneMobile Phone (required)Sign me up for the following lists:BREAKING - News as it happensENVELOPE - The awards insiderENTERTAINMENT - Hollywood news and buzzSPORTS - Alerts and scores
In Case You Missed It... Corrections Horoscopes Media Kit About Us Contact Us Site Map
Burbank Leader | Coastline Pilot | Daily Pilot |Huntington Beach Independent | Pasadena Sun | Valley Sun | News Press |KTLA |Hoy | Los Angeles Times Magazine Baltimore Sun |Chicago Tribune |Daily Press |Hartford Courant |LA Times |Orlando Sentinel |Sun Sentinel |The Morning CallTerms of Service | Privacy Policy | Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California, 90012 | Copyright 2012
A Tribune Web site DM_addEncToLoc("Site", (s.server));DM_addEncToLoc("channel", (s.channel));DM_addEncToLoc("keyword", (s.prop3));DM_cat(s.hier1);DM_tag();View the original article here
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
No comments:
Post a Comment