Nearly 24% of voters - about 5,566 of 24,207 registered - turned out Tuesday to decide on a school bond measure. Officials are disappointed with the low voter turnout.
Less than one week remains before voters decide on ballot measures I, N, and P. A lot of money has been spent by Westfield Group and Our City, a committee headed by George Fasching, on Measures N and P. Measure I is an unopposed bond campaign.
Arcadia registered voters received the second in a series of mailings last week, urging them to vote in the $27.9 million bond election on April 20th. A similar bond measure failed by less than 1% in an election on September 15, 1992.
Santa Anita REAlty Enterprises has poured more than $78,000 into the campaign to defeat Measure M, the Nov. 5 ballot measure to give voters veto power over the development of an entertainment complex near the company's race track.
By A 4-1 margin, the Arcadia Board of Education approved a resolution encouraging the City Council to put a proposal to combine city & school elections before Arcadia voters.
Voter turnout was unusually high for Tuesday's election. 34 percent of the electorate turned out to vote. 72 percent approved Measure A, the bond for a train bridge over Santa Anita Avenue. The article includes the vote count for candidates who won council seats.
Incumbents Sheng Chang and Barbara Kuhn failed in their bids for re-election to City Council as voters gave first-time candidate Gail Marshall, former Mayor Roger Chandler and council appointee Gary Kovacic the nod for the next four years. Gino Roncilli came in well ahead of former Mayor George Fasching for the two year seat. Voters also gave thumbs down to Measure A, a ballot initiative that would have added 2 percent to the current 5 percent utility tax for the next four years.
Measure A appears to be failing, newcomers likely to join council. Voters on Tuesday shot down Measure A (repeal of Utility Users Tax) and appear to be electing Peter Amundson and April Verlato for Arcadia City Council. Measure A did not pass. 64 percent of votes were cast against the measure, which needed a simple majority to pass. Amundson and Verlato will be sworn in April 26.
In an unusual move, the normally apolitical Arcadia PTA Council has endorsed Measure A on the April 14 ballot, pushing voter approval for a 2% utility tax increase.
Arcadia voters have approved ballot Measure A with 2091 people voting yes and 643 voting no. The measure protects the city's right to collect taxes on cell phone use. Measure A will not raise taxes.
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.
Arcadia voters will decide, in a special election next week, whether or not to approve ballot Measure A, which seeks to protect the city's right to collect taxes on cell phone usage. Measure A would not raise any taxes. The city already collects taxes on residential cell phone usage and is seeking to legally protect that practice by redefining what constitutes a telecommunications tax.
Arcadia voters will decide on ballot Measure I, Measure N, and Measure P on November 7, 2006. Measure N has to do with billboard-type signs. Measure I calls for residents to finance a bond if the district wants to erect new buildings for public schools. Measure P has to do with charging for parking at The Shops at Santa Anita.
A recommendation that would allow all registered voters in Arcadia to vote by mail is being considered by the Chamber of Commerce which may address the City Council on the matter. San Diego has conducted such an election. Article discusses problems and expenses of such an election.