The role of city government is becoming increasingly complicated as Mayors and City Council people spend more of their time meeting the County Supervisors, State Legislators, and other local elected officials to get what their cities need. In these meetings, the Mayor can take on a higher role as some one who speaks for the city as a whole, some one who can obligate the city to action.
In Orange County, some mayors are directly elected by the citizens and others are appointed. The mayors of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana and Westminster directly elect their mayors. Mayors in the other 28 cities of Orange County are appointed by their respective city councils.
An open election for mayor allows residents to decide who is best for the job. The mayor is the leader of the city, and allowing direct election of the mayor allows candidates to discuss local issues and their proposed solutions. Mayoral candidates would compete based on the direction they would move the city in.
Directly electing a mayor allows the people to have a voice in deciding the direction of their city. The 34 cities of Orange County have become too large and complex to allow appointed mayors. We're not small, scattered downtowns buried in orange groves, but vibrant growing cities. It's time for all cities to move to direct elected mayors.
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