Saturday, February 18, 2012 – District elections for Escondido?

NOTE CHANGE OF DATE — Because of the California Democratic Party Convention, February 10-12, EDC’s meeting has been moved back one week.

10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 18 at the Escondido Chamber of Commerce, 720 N. Broadway. MAP LINK

With local school districts moving to “area” elections and with a lawsuit seeking to force district elections in the City of Escondido, we learn more about what district elections could mean for the city. Why have a Council elected by district? Does having districts make a difference in the way a city council functions? We hope to answer these and other questions with comments from experts. Join us!

Our speakers: 

Paula Lantz

Paula Lantz, Council member, City of Pomona

Paula Lantz has served on the Pomona city council since 1991 and was a member of the “first wave” of council members elected under a change to district elections in that city of  approximately 149,000 population. (Escondido’s population is 144,000.) A self-described moderate who registers as a decline-to-state voter, Lantz has been a registered Democrat and a registered Republican. She will speak to the issue of how well councils function as they adapt to district elections.

Howard Wayne

Howard Wayne, former California Assemblyman and chair of the citizen initiative group that succeeded in passing district elections in San Diego in 1988.

Howard Wayne has been active in San Diego area politics since the 1980s. In addition to chairing the citizens group working for district elections, he ran twice for state Assembly before being elected in 1996 in the 78th District. He served until 2002. A deeply involved Democratic activist, Wayne will address how San Diego experienced the change from at-large to district Council elections.