Santa Ana term-limits tactics decried
The teachers union says recorded calls to voters wrongly imply that the group backs Measure D's longer City Council terms.
Recorded phone calls to voters that falsely imply the Santa Ana teachers union supports a ballot measure extending City Council term limits are "dirty tricks," the union president said Friday.
In addition, the recording does not identify who is paying for the call, a violation of state law.
Measure D, heavily funded by developers and businesses, would extend City Council members' terms from eight to 12 years.
Measure D: An article in some editions of the Feb. 2 California section about the term limits ballot measure in Santa Ana said Kaufman Downing was a political consulting firm. It is a law firm specializing in election law.
The Yes on Measure D committee has received more than $82,000 in donations, 10 times the opposition's total.
Dave Barton, president of the Santa Ana Educators' Assn., said a recording of the call was being sent to the union's attorney.
In a written statement issued Friday, the union said, "It is unfortunate when a campaign uses dirty tricks to drum up votes. It is totally unacceptable for them to try and use our good name."
Neither Max Madrid, treasurer of the committee supporting the measure, nor Kaufman Downing, a Los Angeles political consulting firm working for the committee, returned calls seeking comment.
jennifer.delson@latimes.com
