Fullerton is changing.
A moth ago, six Fullerton police officers beat an unarmed homeless man to death. Since then, the public outcry has been bigger than anything I’ve seen in Fullerton. There are protests outside the Fullerton police station every week. City Council meetings are packed with citizens and news cameras.
People are calling for the mayor, mayor pro-tem, and current and former police chief to step down.
There is a referendum petition going around to overturn the City Council’s decision about Coyote Hills. Supporters are stationed outside the library, outside Starbucks, at various stops on the art walk, getting thousands of signatures.
Last night, during the downtown Fullerton art walk, I was struck by two things. First, the enormous community support we have for this. There were easily a thousand people at the art walk—people of all ages and walks of life. A cross-section of Fullerton. Second, I was struck by the attitude of many people about City Council and an overwhelming consensus that things are about to change.
One middle-aged guy said to me, “The days of cronyism, of business as usual in Fullerton politics, are over.”
Many people ask me if I am going to run again for city council. I don’t know. It’s a heavy burden, especially with all the other things I’m involved with.
Either way, something is happening in Fullerton, a change from authority and money-based politics to community-based politics, and I welcome this change.
