Sunday, July 22, 2012
Notice of Election
Since everyone is discussing these in other threads, let's remind everyone that the position of mayor and councilmember from Districts 1 (Soto), 4 (Lantz), and 6 (Atchley) are up for re-election. Voting is first past the post, with no runoff election. While the newspaper will likely publish a list of candidates as August 10 draws closer, discuss your potential candidates, rumors for candidates, etc. here in this open thread.
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16 comments:
This election is crucial to the future of Pomona. There looks to be plenty of candidates in District 6-maybe 6, that will be running. Looks like 3 so far in District 1, no word yet on District 4 or the mayor's race.(which is the most crucial, and I pray to God will be a small
, focused field.) I feel that there are two or three of them in District 6 that should reconsider this prospect if there is no will to work hard,if they have not gathered up the support they will need,if their message is not clear, or being repeated by another candidate. (Or "Its another election, I think I will run again")It just splits the vote and gives the incumbent an advantage-usually. We need change in this city, a change of direction! But it has to be a positive pragmatic change, with honesty, vision, and decisiveness in the forefront. Campaigning because you are against an issue that didn't g0 your way will accomplish nothing in the long run if you have no solutions or vision of how to solve the long term direction or money problems this city has.It is very easy to scream and protest against things in general; but what are the solutions that will work?
We need to continue to obtain information about who else has registered for the remaining districts. I think someone from this board should pull papers for the major election and register by August 10th as a backup (safety) option (so Moochie does not run unopposed). Once we have some clarity on who is running, we should meet/organize to select 1 candidate to back for each council seat and major position.
My goal is not necessarily to find a candidate agrees with everyone of my positions but rather someone who sufficiently intelligent to understand the financial difficulties of the city and come up with creative solutions and motivated enough to work hard in this position.
I think we should form an organization to back the selected candidates as a block, otherwise the opposition vote will be diluted. This way we can buy lawn signs and ads backing the selected candidates.
I can just see it a now ... a pick of Rothman giving the city the finger ... with the words "Give Moochie Rothman the finger" vote for ....
I've been tremendously impressed with--and grateful for--Lantz's efforts on behalf of our Neighborhood Watch group. She was a key player in a park revitalization effort, helped coordinate the efforts of the city and Edison to install a new light in the alley, and was an active and effective member of the Weed & Seed North Steering Committee. She has my vote (and my time and energy when it comes time to knock on doors).
I ran into Primo Castro at city hall the other day as he has filing some forms at the clerks office. I mentioned if he was running and he stated that he was going to run for council district 4 against Lantz. He mentioned that in 2008, he was short less than 200 votes. I asked the clerks office who was running in district 4 and was told that Lantz had put her name and no others. Looks like Primo has a plan.
Though there are several projects in district 4, none of them really touch on the REAL issues. I will be supporting the best candidate and at this time, Primo has my vote. Pomona needs fresh ideas.
Anonymous brings up a good point. The REAL issues need to be tackled in this city....like the fact that there have been more than five murders in less than a one mile radius of our beloved historic district in the last four months, the drug dealers and prostitutes cruising our neighborhoods and the complete lack of control the city has on its finances or insuring public safety. This city has so many problems, God knows who can fix them. Do the good people even try to fix this anymore, or do we just move....im afraid for my family.
No more same old. We need a new- to-politics,non-slippery face from within the community that represents true change (and not the Obama kind which clerly isn't happening). For Lincoln Park, that's not Paula, and that certainly isn't Primo Castro (although I do like young and latino). Unless of course you want to get HAD yet again. I don't know about the other districts.
At least for the Lincoln Park seat, we will know we have hit on something if we are at least in unison on here.
Let's keep trying. Any candidate that runs on a platform of firing our city attorney and at least one of the city managers (and preferably the one who supported putting a large hole n second street) has my vote!
For mayor, I wonder if one of the Samaniegos would be interested (they are a longtime family with a history of caring about the city and they cut through the red tape to name a park after Tony Cerda). What about Virginia Madrigal?
But please, the same old same olds is insulting.
While I like Virginia Madrigal I don't see her raising the funds to be competitive.
Let's face it, the November election will have a lot of low information voters. Folks will have slogged through 11 state ballot initiatives, three County initiatives, and five City initiatives. They are going to get the slate mailer with the eagle, or the donkey, or the face of the President on it, and when they don't know what to do, they vote that(and running polls for years, I see this all the time).
Grassroots is not enough. You have to have the money to compete. At some point I will go through campaign finances of previous candidates so we can estimate how much it is to get a seat.
Does anyone know who is running for mayor besides our current mayor?
The name I've most often heard as possibly running is Councilmember Freddie Rodriguez. However, I've not heard that he has pulled papers yet.
I do know that Arturo Jimenez has pulled papers for the mayor's race. All candidates must submit their paperwork by Aug. 10, so there is still time for some last-minute candidates to show up.
Hey, John, I think your cut and paste misfired.
Thanks for alerting us to this, and in fact, thanks to all of you for keeping me up to date from far away!
Responding to the question about campaign costs:
It will likely take between $75,000 and $100,000 for the Mayor's race. Just the ballot statement alone is $1200, and if you want it in Spanish too, it's double. The Council races will vary because the number of registered voters is so different. District 1 has about half the voters that are in 4 or 6. Ballot statements for 1 and 4 cost $300/$600 and District 6 costs $400/$800. The cost of mail, printing, etc., will be less as well. I would estimate 1 to take at least $20,000, District 4, $30,000, and 6 about $40,000.
I may be a little high, or low, but I think those are good ballparks.
This is one of the things that I try to explain to those that advocate the Charter Change that's on the Ballot in November changing the Voting from District to City Wide. They want folks to live in a particular District, but be be voted on at large. That means all Council members would have to raise what the Mayor has to raise.
Your donation, as a local resident of, say $100, doesn't go very far, but those of outside interests who have lots more money, will. I'm a strong advocate of District accountability. If I rely on you for your vote, then I'm going to be responsive to your requests. If the entire City votes for me, then my attention will obviously be shared accordingly. As Council members, we all are looking out for the entire City, not just our little corner of the world, but it's a lot easier to be responsive to the street-light, tree-trimming, sidewalk repair, Neighborhood Watch issues of a geographical area you are familiar with than it is the entire City, and it's easier for you to hold me accountable as a result. The largest number of registered voters live in Districts 5 and 6; Phillip's Ranch and Pomona above the 10 Freeway. Those voters could actually determine the representation for every other District. And what "new-to-politics, non-slippery-face from within the community" could afford a City Wide election? I ran in the first election where we were elected just by the voters in our District. I was definitely new-to-politics, and non-slippery-faced from within the community. With a part-time job and 4 kids at home, I would never have considered it had it been City-Wide.
You will also notice that I don't write with a pseudonym, or anonymously. I don't mind taking responsibility for my points of view, and I don't mind discussing them with those that that think differently.
Paula Lantz
Deleted above comment because, as Meg pointed out, there was a problem with my copy/paste.
Here it is (although the info is now old) with the correction.
___________________________
DB had a report on who has pulled papers in this morning's edition.
The information for Pomona is:
Mayor: Elliott Rothman, Arturo Jimenez, Jesus Gonzales.
District 1 (Soto): John Nolte
District 4 (Lantz): Paula Lantz
District 6 (Atchley): John Mendoza, Stephen Atchley, Eunice Russell, Ron Vander Mollen, Karl Kurtz, Debra Martin
I'm a District 4 resident and have been very happy with Paula Lantz. She's easily the best of the whole council in my opinion. She's helped with issues on my street several times.
The only thing I'm not happy with this year is the proposed pawn shop coming to Indian Hill right next to In & Out! That's just horrible.
Looks like District 6 is gonna be busy this election season.
Skrip, I completely agree. I have not always agreed with every vote she's made, but I've never doubted her integrity, intelligence, and work ethic. She has always been responsive to attend events, large and small, when invited. I only wish the entire council was as earnest and hard-working as Mrs. Lantz.
So with the "official" field of candidates for mayor now down to 3, Rothman, Rodriguez, and Ursua, who is the candidate we want to get behind?
For myself, of these three, despite my many reservations, I'd have to say that Rodriguez would be the best choice.
Thoughts?
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