Tony-Rackauckas-8Anaheim Insider here.

There was a strong turnout last Thursday at Lucille Kring’s mayor campaign fundraiser at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in the Resort area, out on the patio with the results of 20 years of bond-financed investment in the Resort in full view.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackackaus headlined Kring’s fundraiser. He talked about the great work being done to crack down on criminal gangs in Anaheim, praising the city’s police department as “one of the best” and originators of the GRIP (Gang Reduction and Intervention Program) program that is now used county-wide. He talked to the crowd about using gang injunctions, cracking down on the worst perpetrators, and working hand-in-hand with the Anaheim Police Department to do some very hard and needed work to protect neighborhoods and families.

“I don’t like to be negative,” Rackauckus told those in attendance, “But I’m sorry to say that in this effort we have gotten no help from the office of the Mayor.”

For her part, Kring focused on the bustling activity of Anaheim’s tourist mecca, pointing out that $500 million in bonds were proposed in 1996 to create the Resort area, and how Tom Tait joined in a unanimous and historic vote that changed the face of Anaheim. She contrasted that to his lone dissent when the she and her colleagues voted to expand the Convention Center.

Kring described the Mayor’s resistance was wholly based on his personal disagreement with the city’s Finance Department with revenue models based growing TOT revenue and the addition of more hotel rooms. She pointed out that new projections from Disneyland alone bear out the city’s projections, and noted the half a dozen new being built or renovated, illustrating how out of touch with reality the Mayor’s arguments are.

“We can’t afford another four years of Mayor NO, taking us backward,” Kring said. “We need a mayor who will say yes to opportunity and take Anaheim forward.”