April 12, 2016 municipal election divides the community. The big issues are mansions (over-building) in Arcadia and Measure A, the repeal of the Utility Users Tax (UUT).
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 If repealed, it would mean a 12.5% cut to city services, including cutting 12 police officers, closing a fire department, increasing blight, street sweeping would be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.
Guns and hoses: local firefighters speak out on first responders and the Utility Users Tax (UUT) aka Measure A. The repeal of the UUT would result in dramatic loss of service in fire and police departments. Photo includes Brian Ursettie, Nick Wiegand, Chen Suen, Jeremy Conrad, Thomas Devlin, Kevin Valentine.
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.
Measure A makes waves. The debate on repealing the Utility User's Tax (UUT) is coming to a head. Measure A is opposed by City of Arcadia workers. It is supported by Larry Papp and California Tax Limitation Committee, backed by TeaPAC, part of the Tea Party's Tax Revolt. See hard copy in VF Arcadia-City Council-Elections-2016.
Ballot measure aims to repeal Arcadia's utility tax. The current tax adds 7% to bills for water, electricity and natural gas and 5% for telecommunications for both residential and commercial customers. If approved, city services will be downgraded significantly. It would eliminate 12.5% of Arcadia's budget.
Arcadia's election picks up steam. At last Wednesday's candidate forum, Measure A, which could repeal the Utility Users Tax (UUT) and the Saving Arcadia Ballot Initiative (rational development standards on new construction), dominated the questions from the audience at Arcadia Public Library. Includes photos and statements from each candidate.
Karen Gutierrez-McNair named new CEO of Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, effective February 29. She is executive director of Santa Anita Family YMCA in Monrovia. She replaces Chamber CEO Scott Hettrick, who has resigned to move to Nebraska.
The Arcadia Tax Reform Committee will present signed petitions to the City Council re requested repeal of 3 ordinances levying assessments on street sweeping and sewer service, and an increase in the utility users' tax from 5% to 7%.
Arcadia Mayor's Breakfast / State of the City and Methodist Hospital update at Community Connections by Joan Schmidt. Mayor Peter Amundson was born and raised in Arcadia and spoke about what a great city it is to live, love, learn and leave a legacy. He spoke about the great Arcadia Public Library with its 42 high tech computers.
Arcadia voters consider extending hotel-room tax in the ballot Measure D. It is meant to close a loophole in a city ordinance on the transient tax. Currently, the city imposes a tax rate of 10% of the rent paid by guests to occupy a room up to 30 consecutive days. If the measure passes by a majority vote, the occupancy tax would be imposed the first 90 days of a stay.
Arcadia Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast 2019: we are all Americans in a great city. Columnist Joan Schmidt recaps the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast and City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto’s State of the City Address. Pictured: Kari Helman, Jim Helms and his daughter.
Arcadia, Sierra Madre and Bradbury are holding elections today on tax measures and city council members. Arcadia voters will choose two City Council members from the candidates running--Gary Kovacic, John Wuo, Sho Tay, Henry Nunez, and Mary Dougherty--and vote on Measure D, the extension ofthe hotel room tax from a 30-day maximum to a 90-day stay. Arcadia's election is being conducted through an all-mail ballot for the first time.
Arcadia residents pass Measure A by significant majority. It is a 3/4 cent sales tax increase, passed with 63.94% of the vote in Tuesday's mail-in ballot. The increase will provide locally controlled funds to maintain Arcadia's public safety and other city services. See Also Mountain Views News, June 8, 2019, p. 7.
How Measure A is expected to affect Arcadia. Arcadia City Council will put a sales tax increase of 3/4 percent on this year's June ballot. The added sales tax would be added to the city's income to benefit the current deficit.