“I’ve heard all the best reasons for not voting, but I still haven’t heard a good one,” said Mayor John Buchanan at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
Buchanan’s four-year term on the City Council is ending. On April 10 residents will elect a new candidate to fill his position plus two others- the seat and MaryAnn MacGillivray’s seat (note: MacGillivray is seeking re-election). The mayor urged residents to get out to the polls and vote.
The mayor also had a message for the future city council: make sure the wording on the November ballot regarding the is done very, very carefully.
It’s not yet known whether the ballot measure will involve an amendment to Measure V or involve specific legislative components of the project. Regardless, .
Though Buchanan will no longer be mayor or a council member, he’ll still be involved with the council. He that will monitor the Council’s dealings as the successor agency to the Sierra Madre Redevelopment Agency.
Buchanan was first elected to Sierra Madre City Council in 2004, then re-elected in 2008. He served as Mayor twice, first in 2006-7 before his 2011-12 term.
Speakers Urge Residents to Vote
Several other community members stepped up to the podium Tuesday to either share their views on the upcoming ballot or to persuade residents to vote.
urged residents to be well-informed, read the ballot measures and become familiar with all the candidates. Diaz stated her support for Measures 12-1 and 12-2, the Utility Users Tax Increase Extension.
"As former Police Chief, I know first hand of the difficulties with the budget and the impacts it’s had. Public Safety is expensive," said Diaz. Money from the UUT goes into the city's General Fund, which funds police, fire and paramedics.
Diaz reminded residents that a UUT Oversight Committee will oversee spending. "It’s my hope that the rate will not have to be raised to 12-percent if possible. However the council should have that option should it be necessary."
Resident Debbie Sheridan spoke of the importance of getting to know each candidate and where they stand on important issues.
Heather Allen, a familiar face at council meetings, spoke of her support for re-electing MaryAnn MacGillivray and for bringing on Chris Koerber and John Capoccia.
Fay Angus, also a regular speaker at council meetings, shared her view on the UUT ballot measure. “The UUT has become a pot of gold source for the city,” she said, saying that she is opposed to the tax increase extension.
The UUT has become a hot topic this election.
Seven candidates are on the ballot.
Read about our candidates:
