Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken is facing demands for her resignation after allegations surfaced regarding inappropriate comments directed at her Mexican-American chief of staff. The controversy comes as the city approaches the 100-year anniversary of the Grand Opening of the Mexican School on La Palma Avenue, a reminder of Anaheim's history of legal segregation.
The allegations, widely circulated among residents, describe Mayor Aitken reportedly having her chief of staff, Berenice Ballinas, drive her home from events where the Mayor had consumed alcohol. During one such instance, Mayor Aitken allegedly exclaimed she "didn't want her car driven by a dirty Mexican!" Additional claims suggest that Mayor Aitken and then-City Manager James Vanderpool gave Ballinas a difficult time regarding her sexual orientation. These incidents are reported to have occurred multiple times, sometimes in the presence of witnesses.
At a recent City Council meeting, the allegations prompted strong reactions. Several groups and individuals, including 'gadflies' and CHISPA, publicly demanded Mayor Aitken's resignation. The Arzola family, present to advocate for justice and transparency concerning a police shooting incident involving 19-year-old Albert, also demanded the Mayor's resignation. The family wore Mexican-flag colors and sarcastically referred to themselves as 'Dirty Mexicans,' claiming Albert's death and its alleged cover-up stemmed from the city's perception of him as just another 'Dirty Mexican.'
During the meeting, Mayor Aitken conducted business as usual, though some observers noted she appeared chastened and humbled. Councilmember Natalie Meeks was the only member of the council to publicly address the scandal, calling for an investigation into the allegations. Meeks pledged that if an investigation confirmed the Mayor's guilt, she would also demand Aitken's resignation. Following public comments, Mayor Aitken spoke, asking the community to judge her by “the values she has demonstrated through her actions.”
Critics of the Mayor's tenure point to what they describe as minimal reforms by her council, noting a resistance to proposals that could benefit Anaheim's working class, such as rent control and a gate tax. Concerns persist regarding police reform and accountability, with victims often described as young 'Mexicans.'
The current controversy evokes historical parallels within Anaheim. The coming 100-year anniversary of the Mexican School in October 1926 highlights an era of legal segregation. Researchers have also explored the vanished Mexican-American barrio of La Conga, a neighborhood reportedly erased by the City in the 1950s and 60s. During the 1920s, the swimming pool at Pearson Park—still Anaheim’s only public pool—prohibited 'Mexicans' from swimming, except for a weekly session before cleaning. This discriminatory practice was ultimately ended by legal and political activism from mothers in the La Conga neighborhood. Accounts from an out-of-print memoir detail how some lighter-skinned Mexican boys would 'pass' to swim in the pool, later joking to lifeguards that they unknowingly had a 'Mexican in their pool.' One rumor suggests a light-skinned boy even secretly urinated in the pool 'on principle.' These historical notes underscore a long-standing sensitivity to ethnic identity and perceived 'cleanliness' in Anaheim.
The allegations against Mayor Aitken surface at an awkward time, coinciding with the kickoff of the re-election season. While it is too late to remove her name from the ballot, and despite demands for resignation, she is still widely expected to win re-election due to the relatively low profile of her opponents, a businessman named Alfredo Rodriguez and a sleep doctor named Dr. Imran Sharief.
Should Mayor Aitken win in November and then resign—perhaps in December—Anaheim would face a significant leadership void. This would necessitate an expensive special election early next year, as the City Council would likely not be permitted to appoint a Mayor for nearly four years. While Natalie Meeks’ stance at the recent meeting could suggest mayoral aspirations, some observers in Anaheim predict that the choice for a future leader would fall to Mayor Pro-Tem Carlos Leon, with the expectation that he would be more amenable to established interests.
