Enormous cut backs, reduced operating hours, and admission fees are all being contemplated as solutions to keeping the Arboretum going in the face of Proposition 13 caused revenue losses.
Food company executives Feng Wu Lam, who owns South El Monte based Golden Food, Inc. and her husband Wei Wen Wu, the company's manager, face insurance fraud, wage theft charges. They are accused of underreporting their payroll to workers' compensation insurance carriers by about $4.5 million between 2015 and 2019. They are both Arcadia residents.
Arcadia Dial-a-Ride service to return to seniors, disabled after years of students "monopolizing" the service. On July 1, the fare will increase from 25 cents to 50 cents per ride and will have new fixed routes. The Dial-a-Ride will be for seniors over 62 years old and riders who are disabled.
The Arcadia and Monrovia police departments have been forced to increase overtime spending and reduce dayside patrol staffing because of the recent transfer of criminal cases from the Santa Anita Courthouse to Alhambra.
The City Council has unanimously opposed 2 police proposals for 3 12-hour shifts per week and a 1.5% increase for overtime, pay for being on call, and for equipment. The contract which gave officers a 25.3% pay increase over the past 3 years expired Sept. 30th.
The city budget passed unanimously on Tuesday night and included the elimination of 9 full-time employee positions, an increase in paramedics fees and a one-year, 1 percent utility tax increase.
The Arcadia City Council approved a 6% hike in building fees, such as building permits, conditional use permits, and request for modifications. The increase, set for November 17, will be used to offset the 6% salary hike that city employees received in the 1989-90 budget.
Governor Gray Davis issued an order requiring retail businesses to reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting wattage during non-business hours. The Arcadia Police Department seeks compliance from local businesses.
The City Council approved a proposal Tuesday that would place a voluntary cap on the amount candidates spend in the April municipal election. The limit will be 50 cents per resident.
Measure A seeks to repeal utility users tax in Arcadia, on the April 12 ballot. The utility users tax is a source of revenue expected to generate $7 million for the city this year. Arcadia charges residents 7% for gas, water, and electricity, and 5% for telephone on utility bills. The city estimates each household pays less than $10 per person per month on average. The tax is 12.5% of the city's $54.9 million general fund budget. If repealed, it would mean a 12.5% cut to city services, including cutting 12 police officers, closing a fire department, increasing blight, street sweeping would be reduced from weekly to every other week. Programs for children and seniors would be eliminated and library and museum hours would be reduced significantly. Larry Papp helped author the initiative.
Beginning October 1, Arcadians will pay more for their water. The increase will be in two steps. The first will be an increase of 6% per 100 cubic feet. The second will be dependent on possible increases in the Edison rates for pumping.
Water rates in Arcadia will be lowered by $.04 per 100 cu Ft effective July 1, 1979. The burden of the water tax, now split 50% each by the city and property owners, will fall 100% on property owners. However, the increased property tax is tax deductible.
Malls taking different paths with operations. San Gabriel Valley: some in the region are bucking trend and staying open, with reduced hours during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Westfield Santa Anita (in photo) is mostly empty, with only a few stores and food places open in Arcadia. While malls in many parts of Southern California have temporarily closed because of the possible spread of the novel coronavirus, Westfield in Arcadia, the Shops at Montebello, and Plaza West Covina have remained open, but with reduced hours.
111 City Hall employees may earn an extra $50-110 a month by walking, bicycling, carpooling, or using public transportation to work. The City Council approved the plan to satisfy South Coast Air Quality Management District regulations requiring worksites to provide incentives to employees who reduce vehicle trips to work.
Arcadia City Council voted 4-0 to approve a voluntary spending limit of 50 cents per resident for campaign spending. The law comes up for a second vote at the next council meeting.