District Elections Are Coming - But They're Not a Panacea

We've been looking at district elections - clearing up the misconceptions and looking at some of the possible benefits. From my own point of view I think district elections will bring an overall positive impact on the City, but they're not a panacea. Here are some caveats.

"RUST NEVER SLEEPS"

Neal Young's 1979 album "Rust Never Sleeps" had some great lyrics, including these

• "Out of the blue
• And into the black
• They give you this
• But you pay for that"

Special interests will always be active and trying to influence how City Council members vote, because there are millions of dollars at stake, and if they have to spend a few thousand to guarantee these profits they will. Having district elections will not eliminate the attempts by special interests to get their own people into office. It will make it more difficult and time-consuming, but it will not eliminate it. It's up to individual voters to know whether or not their elected officials are being corrupted by special interest money and to vote only for those people who will not compromise their ability to act for the best interests of the City (and not special interests).

'SMILING FACES, SMILING FACES..."

It was 1971 when The Temptations brought out this song, but it was the Undisputed Truth that had the hit with "Smiling Faces" -

• "Smiling faces sometimes
  
• Pretend to be your friend
  
• Smiling faces show no traces
  
• Of the evil that lurks within"

District elections will mean that Council members have a special relationship with their district. This should make it easier for people to get help and make it more obvious when a representative isn't really doing his/her job. But "smiling faces" go a long way, and there is no guarantee that district elections will actually make representatives more responsible. In the end, it is up to the people to do this. District elections will make it easier to identify who is working for the people, but people will have to make the effort.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• "I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
  
• Take a bow for the new revolution
  
• Smile and grin at the change all around
  
• Pick up my guitar and play
  
• Just like yesterday
  
• Then I'll get on my knees and pray
  
• We don't get fooled again
  
• Don't get fooled again
  
• No, no!"
  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.

Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a town hall meeting every quarter. The next meeting will be Dec 2 at 2 pm at the El Toro Public Library.