We have now gone from “get out the vote” to “keep your vote out!” The November elections are over, now let’s get on with San Gabriel’s municipal elections for Mar. 5, 2013.
The City of San Gabriel announced that it has opened its filing period to fill three City Council seats along with the City Clerk and City Treasurer positions.
The City Clerk’s office is now accepting applications from residents, and this election’s nomination period runs from Nov. 13 to Dec. 7.
Natalie Sanchez of the City Clerk’s office confirmed that all three City Council members, Mayor Kevin B. Sawkins, Vice Mayor De La Torre and Councilman David R. Gutierrez, have all filed their papers for re-election.
Sawkins was first elected to the City Council in 2005 after serving seven years on the City’s Planning Commission. His law firm, Sawkins and Albert, represents plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of civil matters including business disputes, real estate matters, and other civil litigation matters.
De La Torre was elected to the council in 2009. He is a licensed real estate broker and business partner in Cousins Realty, a family-owned and operated residential and commercial real estate company.
Gutierrez was first elected to the council in 2001 and has served three times as the San Gabriel’s mayor. He runs a firm that provides training for medical service providers across Southern California. He is also chairman of the board for the Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority.
Other individuals interested in running for a City Council seat, or for the City Clerk and City Treasurer posts, must be 18 years of age, a registered voter, and reside within the city limits of San Gabriel.
The City Clerk’s Office has asked interested candidates to schedule an appointment to receive more information or candidacy papers by calling (626) 308-2816. The filing period closes 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, 2012.
More information can be found on the city’s website elections page at www.sangabrielcity.com. Visit the city’s home page, then click on “City Hall,” then “City Clerk’s Office,” followed by “Elections.”
Candidates must also keep in mind campaign reporting requirements. Campaign forms and most manuals and instructions are available through the Fair Political Practices Commission, which provides free, expert advice. Contact the FPPC at (866) 275-3772 or www.fppc.ca.gov.
The City of San Gabriel has 15,639 registered voters as of July 27, 2012, according to the County Registrar of Voters. The last day to register to vote for the March municipal elections is Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.
Another highlight for San Gabriel’s Mar. 5, 2013 ballot is the proposed Transient Occupancy Tax.
The San Gabriel City Council approved a resolution at its Nov. 6 meeting to place the hotel bed tax measure on the March ballot proposing to increase the transient occupancy tax from 10 to 12 percent.
The city said the Transient Occupancy Tax is in line with recent increases in a number of Southland cities, and that such a tax is not paid by residents, but typically appears as a surcharge on visitors’ hotel bills.
The city also explained that San Gabriel is dealing with budget problems that have been exacerbated by the following: Sacramento’s decision to dissolve redevelopment agencies, reductions in federal block grant and other funding sources, and increased demands in aging infrastructure and facilities.
However, the San Gabriel Police Officers’ Association continues to be critical of the city’s plans for constructing a new police facility and city maintenance faculty without having secured funding to do so.
“The city is steadfast on pursuing the construction of these new facilities by increasing parking fees, restructuring the business licensing fee, and increasing the bed tax rate,” said the association via its website at www.sangabrielpoa.com. “Even if these rate increases were enacted, would that be enough to fund such grand expenditures?”
Look forward to this being a visible issue on the campaign trail leading up to San Gabriel’s March elections. And remember to keep your vote “out and ready!”
