Should Orange County be like Los Angeles or New York? Should we morph into what would become the third-largest city in the United States? Would we have more clout if we merged our 34 cities into one? And would it be more efficient?
If this seems implausible, you’re right. There is currently no credible proposal to merge all Orange County cities into one megametropolis.
But these important, thoughtful questions were recently posed in a column on this page penned by Eric Spitz, chairman of Freedom Communications, parent of the Register. So we at the Association of California Cities thought we’d explore what the city of Orange County – or would it be Orange County City? – would mean for our collective bottom line and quality of life.
Mr. Spitz makes two basic points: 1) that a 3.2 million-resident megacity would have more clout in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento; and 2) that its government would be more efficient.
It’s true: Orange County is a donor county, meaning we get a smaller percentage of our tax dollars delivered back to the region compared with other areas. To be sure, this is a problem, but we’ve coped well by controlling our own destiny, rather than chasing dollars in the halls of government capitols.
For example, Orange County voters overwhelmingly passed Measures M and M2 (self-imposed half-cent sales taxes) to keep billions of transportation dollars locally, rather than relying on Uncle Sam or Sacramento. We’re also pursuing the most innovative, locally controlled water supply solutions in the world, including Orange County Water District’s groundwater replenishment system, Poseidon Water’s proposed desalination plant in Huntington Beach and Irvine Ranch Water District’s pioneering recycled water system. These are just a few investments we’ve made as a community to reduce the need for clout in Sacramento or Washington.
But the concept of having more clout is important. It just looks and feels different than what Mr. Spitz has in mind. Indeed, the clout of our 3.2 million residents – the taxpaying public – is greatly increased in Orange County because of direct access to our nearly 180 local elected officials.
In Los Angeles, 15 city council members each serve a district covering roughly 245,000 residents. Thus, these residents are competing for the attention of just one elected official. In Orange County, only the cities of Santa Ana and Anaheim have larger populations than a single L.A. council district, but each city has (or will soon have) seven council members to be held accountable. It’s this proximity to voters that keeps our elected officials grounded and accessible.
Of course, we don’t live in a Norman Rockwell painting – all cities, big and small, face challenges. So let’s get to Mr. Spitz’s second point: Efficiency.
On average, the city of Los Angeles’ $8 billion budget spends roughly $2,200 per resident. New York City’s nearly $80 billion budget spends about $10,000 per resident. But in Orange County, that average per resident (based on the $4.1 billion aggregate of all 34 city budgets) is $1,450.
The services are roughly the same – all major regions provide public safety, environmental protection, community services, parks and recreation, senior support, transportation and other vital public offerings. But Orange County has delivered its promises at a fraction of the cost of the nation’s two largest cities.
These savings and efficiencies are created because each Orange County city – large or small – can better control its own expenditures. And when those expenditures get out of control, voters take swift, corrective action through the ballot box. In massive cities, this political process can be like turning the Titanic.
Equally important, city boundaries are no longer barriers to service. In fact, nearly every Orange County city has a partnership with neighboring jurisdictions to create efficiencies. From IT departments to public safety, parks and recreation and even animal control, local governments are partnering to reduce costs and enhance public service. This collaboration and innovation is part of what makes Orange County so successful.
We firmly believe that our 34 cities represent the right model for Orange County. It gives stronger voices to our taxpayers and requires us to innovate, not stagnate. It creates efficiencies without sacrificing services. But it’s not the only model for local governments – in California or our nation. That’s why the questions raised by Mr. Spitz are so timely and thoughtful.
We must celebrate what’s unique about each region and embrace what works well. And in Orange County, we believe 34 cities are better than one.
Lacy Kelly is CEO of the Association of California Cities.
