In what is expected to be a hotly contested race, seven candidates will vie for two open council seats in the April elections. They include: incumbant Gino Roncelli, Sheng Chang, Mary Dougherty, Charles Chivetta, Vince Foley, James MacDonnell and Mark "Mickey" Segal.
The City Council wants to finish its review of the Caruso outdoor mall project before the April council elections. Opponents to the development feel the Caruso project is being fast-tracked through the approval processes for political reasons.
For the first time, the majority of the candidates in this April's City Council elections are Chinese immigrants. Seven candidates are vying for the three open seats. The candidates are Mayor John Wuo, Sheng Chang, Sho Tay, Shao Hua Wen, Peter Amundson, Bob Harbicht, and Pamela Blackwood.
Early tallies in the City Council elections show Bob Harbicht, Peter Amundson and John Wuo in the lead. Measure A, calling for a train bridge over Santa Anita Avenue, appears to have passed.
Council member Gino Roncelli is unable to vote on race track decisions due to a conflict of interest. Some rival candidates for council question whether he should run for re-election.
Westfield Group has vowed not to donate to City Council campaigns in the April 2006 election, joining mall rival Rick Caruso and Caruso Affiliated, who made a similar pledge in September.
Most of the seven candidates competing for two seats for the City Council support adopting a floor-to-area ratio, or FAR, in an effort to halt "mansionization."
Five candidates are running for Arcadia City Council on the April 9 ballot. They are Roger Chandler, Robert Harbicht, Gary Kovacic, Gail Marshall, and John Wuo. Biographies given.