The City Council is considering collecting taxes on free admissions to the Santa Anita Park race track. It would mean considerably greater income for the City.
The California Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles has applied for a 2 week fair race meeting, to be held at Santa Anita Park Race Track from September 30 to October 10, 1979.
The current racing meeting will open Thursday December 27. Sunday racing will be inaugurated for the first time in Arcadia. Track officials are uncertain as to how the energy crisis will affect operations.
A spokesperson for Santa Anita Consolidated has indicated that there is no intention of moving the Santa Anita Park race track to the $100 million sports complex proposed for the City of Los Angeles by Hollywood Park, Inc.
The Planning Commission has rejected proposed General Plan changes that would have permitted hi-density zoning in the Naomi-Camino Real-Golden West area and left it medium density. The General Plan and the zoning map are still not in conformity, which was one reason the hearing was called.
30 people were injured on opening day at Santa Anita Park when two men became involved in an altercation. One dropped a gun and this was enough to cause a wave of panic which spread through the crowd.
Howard Jarvis, the father of Proposition 13, spent an hour in Arcadia, knocking down the "straw man" arguments he said were being put up against the property tax initiative. Prop. 13 would reduce property taxes in California to 1 percent of what market value was in 1975-1976, plus whatever is necessary to pay off current bonded indebtedness. A 2 percent annual inflation rate is written into the constitutional amendment.
A U. S. study indicates that greater damage would be caused by a major quake on the Newport-Inglewood Fault than on the San Andreas Fault because of greater population density.
Harry Hufford, the chief administrative officer for Los Angeles County, predicted that taxes would double for residents of Newhall-Saugus-Santa Clarita Valley area if they were to break away from Los Angeles County. The same would hold true for the San Gabriel Valley.
Inflation and the energy shortage are causing the city management grave concern about meeting the budget. City Manager Lyman Cozad expects a $120,500 increase in sales tax from Fashion Park for the 1974-75 fiscal year. He also expects an $84,000 rise in property taxes.
At a public hearing before the Planning Commission on August 23, 1976, planners voted 5 to 1 to retain the present density designation of 0-2 dwelling units per acre.
Bill Quiggle, who has been Santa Anita Park track superintendent since 1949, retired at the end of the 1977 racing season. The track and all plantings were his domain.