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.
The City of Arcadia is being sued by the People's Advocate, Inc., headed by Paul Gann, and the Arcadia Tax Reform Committee, headed by Jeff Dring. The lawsuit could set a state-wide precedent for post-Proposition 13 municipal financing.
Supervisor Schabarum joined with two other board members asking Assessor Alexander Pope to mail out property tax re-evaluation notices immediately so people will know before June 6 primary and they vote on Propositions 13 and 8.
SB 1774 passed the California Senate 21-14, and if it passes the Assembly, it could cripple any secession moves by the San Gabriel Valley. Senator Richardson says that SB 1774 is the work of Senator N. Holdea, who was a deputy of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, and the bill reflects the county's position that it would be bad to break up the county.
The Board of Directors for the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce approved a plan proposed by the Senior Citizens Commission to establish a fund for the eventual construction of a senior citizens center.
The Arcadia City Council ignored a request from the Arcadia Tax Reform Committee to vote again on taxes approved in June, 1978, following passage of Proposition 13.
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.