Anaheim Investigator

On Tuesday, October 28th, the Anaheim City Council rejected a push by the Anaheim Police Association—the union representing 400 sworn personnel employed by the city’s police department—to place a measure on the ballot that would impose a “gate tax” on Disney theme park admissions.

Despite a parade of police union leaders speaking out in favor of the measure during public comments, proponent Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava, whose political campaigns have been heavily funded by law enforcement, was forced to acknowledge that it was “dead on arrival” after a lengthy debate.

Anaheim City Council Rejects Police Union Push to Impose ‘Gate Tax’ on Disney Theme Park Admissions Jose Duran, president of the Anaheim Police Association, speaks in favor of a “gate tax” on Disney theme park admissions during public comments. By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publishe…

The Anaheim Police Association—the union representing 400 sworn personnel employed by the city’s police department—conducted a survey in mid-August asking residents if they supported “new taxes” on Disney theme park admissions providing revenue would “help with long-term budget issues without cutting services.”

Although the police union has not yet publicly endorsed a “gate tax,” evidence indicates that they, along with the Anaheim Municipal Employees Association, are part of an “emerging coalition” supportive of it–something proponent Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava acknowledged in a brief conversation earlier this month.

Police Union Sent Out Survey Asking Voters If They Supported ‘New Taxes’ on Disney Theme Park Admissions Campaign photo of Natalie Rubalcava with Jose Duran (second left), president of the Anaheim Police Association, and three of their board members (right). By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publisher T…

Gov. Newsom’s gerrymander gambit: Why California needs proportional representation Let’s stop drawing lines to win. Let’s start designing systems to represent.

Internal emails, contracts, and PowerPoint presentations obtained by The Anaheim Investigator reveal that city planners are exploring the option of constructing an aerial gondola system to connect the Platinum Triangle with the Anaheim Resort in preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The gondola system, which an estimate suggests will cost $125.7 million, would be built by Swyft Cities, a high-tech firm based in northern California, and begin at a station near the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, a transit hub located close to the Honda Center and Angel Stadium.

City Planners Looking at Aerial Gondola System to Connect Platinum Triangle with Anaheim Resort Concept image of what a gondola stop at Anaheim GardenWalk, located on the northside of Katella Avenue, might look like. By DUANE J. ROBERTSEditor & Publisher Internal emails, contracts, and Po…