Two Charter amendments will be on the April 9th ballot: 1. Would increase from 2 to 3 the number of consecutive 4 year terms a Councilman may serve and change the residence requirement from 2 years to 1. 2. Provides for a municipal election in February with offices to be filled by those candidates who receive the highest number of votes. However, if no candidate receives at least 40% of the votes cast, a run-off election would be held in April.
Arcadia voters will have an opportunity to vote for a change in the city charter at the April 10 election. A majority vote will be required to elect future members to the City Council of amendment is passed.
Former mayor Jim Helms proposed a charter change that would require a runoff election if no candidate for City Council received at least 50 percent of the vote. In the last election, no candidate received 50 percent.
Cautious concern is the reaction of public officials to a comment by Santa Anita Park race track spokesman, Robert Sweeney, that the track could go out of business if Proposition 37 passes this November. Jim Helms, chairman of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce's Legislative Committee said that his group opposes the Lottery Initiative in part because it could reduce revenue to Santa Anita and the city.
A charter amendment providing that council candidates in order to win must have a majority of votes cast or face a run-off will be on Arcadians' ballots in December 13 election, if there is an election.
Plan to consolidate elections debated. City Council and Board of Education informally discussing consolidating their elections, would require charter change.
City Council unanimously agreed to hold a June election to attempt to bail the school district out of its financial troubles. Proposition A would increase the utility tax by 2%, bringing in $550,000. Proposition B would raise the tax an additional 1% bringing $250,000 more. The funds would be for maintenance of school property and facilities used by the city.
The Arcadia City Council, school board and Chamber of Commerce have settled on a plan to consolidate city and school elections. City Attorney Michael Miller is coming up with legal wording for a measure to be placed on the next school board ballot, April 1987.
Candidates discuss their positions on charter change at a forum presented by the Arcadia Republican Women's Club last week. The amendment will be on the April 10 ballot.
City Council tabled a Planning Commission recommendation to limit new homes to 40% of their lot size after complaints that the restrictions would reduce property values.
Residential development in Arcadia will come to a virtual halt if a group called SOS (Save Our Suburbia) is successful in getting residents to adopt a no-growth initiative it plans to put on the next city ballot.
Although owners of horse-size lots in Southeast Arcadia recently lost a battle before the City Council to extend a moratorium on subdivisions in the area, one leader of the group says they will continue their fight on 2 fronts: a lawsuit against the city and the formation of a new citizen's group to put initiative measures on the city ballot to limit development of Arcadia.
City Council has decided to have Arcadia voters decide whether the sale and use of fireworks should be banned in the city. The issue will appear on the April ballot.
If the lottery initiative on the November ballot passes, Santa Anita Park race track could go out of business, dragging down with it reserves that the city of Arcadia obtains from the track's handle, according to Robert Sweeney, executive vice president and general manager of the California Thoroughbred Association.
The Library Board approved a budget of $5000 to purchase more Asian reading materials. Rose Hwang, the librarian in charge of the Asian language collection said the money will buy at least 600 new books.
Roy Speirs and Steve Worsley are running as a team in the upcoming election. Their publicly stated purpose is to form a coalition with Haltom and Dring to bring about tax reforms. Their initial goal will be to further reduce the utility tax, eliminate the sewer tax, reduce the number of employees and control salaries.
City and school elections will not be combined as originally planned, according to a proposal by the Arcadia City Council. It will cost the school district $16,000 for it's April school board election.