Thousands of Arnold Schwarzenegger supporters came out to see him at the Los Angeles County Arboretum on his campaign tour in the special election to recall Governor Gray Davis. Voters have chosen Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace Gray Davis as governor of California.
Since state lawmakers have reached a budget deal. West San Gabriel Valley cities will receive monies to be used for road repairs and transit improvements. Arcadia will receive $237,931 in 2005-2006. In the past two years, these funds were withheld by the state to cover budget shortfalls.
Arcadia City Manager Bill Kelly is skeptical about the way the State of California balanced this year's budget. The State promises to pay cities back for sales tax to be used to pay off $10.7 billion in loans. The maneuver, known as the "triple flip" will take half of the cities' sales tax revenue for the next five years, and pay it back out of property taxes now earmarked for schools. Arcadia will lose 25% of its vehicle license fee reimbursement, around $750,000. Arcadia is in good shape this year and next, primarily because of a healthy reserve fund. After 2004-2005, unless some solutions are in place, the city could face some hard times.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed taking 8% of the property tax that cities receive. That would mean a loss of $1,202,358 for Arcadia. A chart shows how much other local cities may lose.
Senator Bob Margett told Arcadia City Council that California is facing a $15 billion deficit in the 2003-2004 fiscal year and cities could be targeted for revenue transfers.
The state's budget crisis could mean that Arcadia Unified School District will suffer a shortfall of an estimated $2.3 million in the 2008-2009 fiscal year. Figures for other local school districts are included.
Question & Answer with Arcadia City Council candidates Roger Chandler, Bob Harbicht, Gary Kovacic, Gail Marshall, and John Wuo. This week they answer the question: "When the state takes money from the cities, as expected, and we must cut to accommodate, name some of the #1 areas you would want to look at for savings."
State Controller Steve Westly formally announced his candidacy for governor in 2006 election. He is the second Democrat to announce his intention to unseat Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. State Treasurer Phil Angelides is also running.
Budget cuts have caused the Arcadia Unified School District to rely on the Arcadia Educational Foundation to provide summer classes from sports to cooking and English and Math.
Arcadia would lose $1.2 million in revenue during the next two years under a California State budget plan proposed by Governnor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Also, a dog park at Eisenhower Park would open.
Cities throughut the West San Gabriel Valley will be making cuts in response to the state budget that has been approved. Arcadia is delaying sewer projects and street work.
City council candidate Sheng Chang accuses Mayor John Wuo of making the wrong decision in approving the resolution of necessity to begin eminent domain proceedings against Arcadia Self-Storage so that Rusnak Mercedes-Benz can expand. Wuo says Chang does not understand the proceedings.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Thomas L. Willhite, 50, of Arcadia to the State Court of Appeal for the Second District. Willhite has also been a Superior Court judge and a Los Angeles Municipal Court judge.
Asians make up more than 47% of the city's total population of 53,421. The largest group is Chinese-American. John Wuo discusses what makes Arcadia such an attractive city for Asians.
As a result of Mayor John Wuo's vote against a Habitat for Humanity low-income housing project in Arcadia, three prominent Arcadians--Gary Kovacic, Mickey Segal, and former Mayor Charles Gilb--have withdrawn their support for Wuo's re-election campaign.
The City of Arcadia faces mid-year budget cuts as the state has its own budget problems. Arcadia will have to sustain a $2.9 million cut this year, a loss of funds that comes from vehicle license fees.