Arcadia Politics Becomes Ever More Confusing. Arcadia residents tell us they are concerned that the redistricting rules have changed the city’s voting requirements so much that it is hard to vote for someone you are not familiar with. Therefore, some voters told Arcadia Weekly they simply don’t vote anymore.
The recent council meeting was, indeed, contentious, as one of my colleagues wrote last week.
It appears there’s a push to change the political environment back to at-large voting.
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.
A large group of boys who appear to be about 8 or 9 years of age, each with an American flag, as they were preparing to march in an Armistice Day Parade. Building in background is not identified, but may be one of buildings left at Ross Field. Boy 5th back in first row, is Ray Ramuz.
Steinmeier and Yuen win seats on the school board. This was the first election to be conducted totally on touchscreen voting machines and results were available in 51 minutes.
Mayor Gary Kovacic and former councilman John Wuo were leading yesterday in the early returns for two City Council seats, but former school board president Mary Dougherty was close behind. About 6,500 of the city's nearly 30,000 voters had already cast their vote as of early Tuesday evening.
Plans to add a Nordstrom Department Store to Santa Anita Fashion Park received a set-back when the Arcadia Planning Commission voted down a request to reduce the required number of parking spaces at regional shopping centers.
Don't forget to send in your ballots, Arcadians. The April 10 Arcadia City Council election ballots were sent to all registered voters on March 12. Voters can mail them or drop them off at Arcadia City Hall, 240 W. Huntington Drive. Brief summary of each candidate is given.
Vote centers open for San Gabriel Valley's 49th Assembly District special election. Vote centers will remain open from 10 AM to 7 PM every day for in-person voting or to drop off completed vote-by-mail ballots. The seat was vacated by Democrat Edwin Chau or Arcadia when California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Chau to serve as judge in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Democrat Mike Fong runs against Republican Burton Brink in this race. The 49th Assembly District includes Arcadia, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Temple City, and portions of Montebello and South El Monte. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, February 10, 2022.
The State-administered Federal program which helped supplement reading and math skills for those youngsters with the lowest performances was rejected by a 3-2 vote of the School Board. Voting against were Board members May, Horstman and Clifford; voting for were Fickas and Harvey.
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.
Voter turnout was the lowest in recent memory for a municipal election, according to some Arcadia precinct workers. 5,044 out of 26,595 voters cast ballots for a 19% turnout.
Arcadia city's nearly 29,000 voters were sent election ballots last week with a critical error in its Chinese language instructions that could cause votes to be invalidated. The mail-in ballots directed voters in Chinese, to choose up to 3, instead of 2, City Council candidates, in the race for two open seats. City Manager Don Penman said the error is estimated to cost between $7,000 and $10,000 and that the election consultant Martin and Chapman Co., in Anaheim, should reimburse the city.
The mall war continues as each side publishes public poll results. Westfield conducted a poll showing 57% of 400 respondents opposed to the new mall. Caruso did not release full results of its survey.
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.
Monrovia donkey car on Myrtle Avenue. These people identified: extreme left, John McWilliams, driver and owner; Sammy Wilson in big hat; Ben Crews (pharmacist whose daughter was a Monrovia librarian), Archie Wiggins, in apron. (note: Donkey would pull the car up the hill and when it made the run back down Myrtle, donkey would stand on a platform at back of car and ride down.)
As far as the School District is concerned, the 39.99% reassessment of property due this November for Arcadia won't add much to school funds because when a district's own income goes up, state aid goes down.