Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, July 15, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 15, 2017 SOUTH PASADENA -SAN MARINO 4Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 15, 2017 SOUTH PASADENA -SAN MARINO 4
New South Pasadena Assistant South Pasadena City Council 710 Rent Freeze Bill PassesLibrary Director Cathy Billingsto Consider District Elections Transportation Committee

 Cathy Billings’ love of 


the 710 tunnel and clears the 
libraries goes back to before 

 At its regular meeting 

 The California State way for the homes to be sold. 
she won the Boise Public 

on Wednesday, the South 

Assembly Transportation Earlier this month, Portantino, 

Pasadena City Council will 

Committee voted last week working with the county 

Library’s Summer Reading 

consider whether to initiate 

12-1-1 to pass SB 400. SB assessor’s office, Caltrans and 

Program Grand Prize as a 

steps toward a district-based 

400 is a bill authored by State the Brown Administration, 

youth. She has either been 

voting system to replace 

Senator Anthony Portantino, inserted language into the state 

using or working in libraries 

the current at-large voting 

La Cañada Flintridge, that budget to ensure a fair property 

ever since. Years later, 

system for City Council 

requires Caltrans to freeze tax assessment to facilitate the 

Cathy earned her Master’s 

elections.

the rent for the homes located affordability of these homes. 

in Library and Information 

 The City Council is 

in the 710 corridor. Decades SB 400 continues the shared 

Science at the University of 

considering taking this candidates have been ago, Caltrans purchased these mission to make these homes 
Washington in Seattle.

action after receipt of a regularly elected in recent homes to pave the way for affordable and to give current 
Cathy came from the 

letter on June 5, containing history. Since 2007, Latinos the 710 freeway. Caltrans tenants every opportunity to 
Glendale Library, Arts & 

have won 2 of the 3 times is currently in the process purchase their homes.

unsubstantiated allegations 

they were on the ballot, of selling the homes. After SB 400 passed with bipartisan 

Culture’s Brand Library & 

that the City’s at-large 

hearing concerns from renters support and is now headed to 

Art Center where she has 

election system violates the serving a total of 8 out of 

in the corridor that rising rents the Assembly Appropriations 

been the Senior Library 
California Voting Rights 10 years. Today, the South 

may force tenants to move Committee. It places a 2-year 

Supervisor. Prior to that, she Cathy enjoys being active Act (CVRA). The letter was Pasadena City Council is 

just as the prospect of selling moratorium on rent increases 

was the Librarian Specialist in professional library written by Malibu-based represented by residents 

the homes is approaching, for the 400 Caltrans parcels for the visual arts. What organizations, and has attorney Kevin Shenkman, from a diverse range of racial Portantino agreed to write that will soon be sold. The bill 
at Brand, Cathy helped served on the ARLIS/NA on behalf of his client, and ethnic backgrounds legislation to give these tenants was supported by the mayors 
lead the library through its Finance Committee, and as Southwest Voter Registration including Asian-American, certainty and relief. of Los Angeles, Pasadena and 
reopening after a historic Programs Co-Chair for that Education Project. The letter Latino, Armenian, Italian, “I am extremely grateful to my South Pasadena. Earlier in the 
renovation. The library organization’s 41st annual and Caucasian.friends in the State Assembly year, Portantino held a town 

alleged that there is evidence 
implemented new art and conference, which was of Latino “polarized “It is unfortunate that a who voted to bring peace of hall with Caltrans and the 

held in Pasadena in 2013 
mind and financial relief to tenants in an effort to create a 

music themed programs 
voting” in the City of South Malibu-based attorney with 

these long-standing tenants. more efficient process for home 

and collections for children and hosted more than 700 Pasadena electorate. Under no real knowledge of the 

SB 400 is an attempt to provide purchases in the 710 corridor.

and adults, activated new attendees from 17 countries. 
South Pasadena electorate 

the CVRA, any evidence of 
certainty and opportunity to Portantino represents nearly 

branding and social media Cathy has also presented 
can infringe on our electoral 

racially polarized voting is 
put these homes in their rightful 930,000 people in the 25th 

outreach, and added on public art-librarianship 
system with impunity. The 

sufficient to require a court place, the private ownership Senate District, which includes 
special gallery exhibitions topics at California Library to order a change from State Legislature has created of long-standing tenants,” Altadena, Atwater Village, 
and archival local history Association, College Art at-large voting to district-the conditions in which commented Portantino.Bradbury, Burbank, Claremont, 
collections. Cathy Association, and ARLIS/NA based voting. Racially encourage opportunistic LA County Metropolitan Duarte, Glendale, Glendora, 
previously worked in private conferences.attorneys to threaten Transportation AuthorityLa Cañada Flintridge, La 

polarized voting occurs 

and institutional libraries, In her spare time, Cathy litigation. The City Council 
(MTA) recently voted on a Crescenta, La Verne, Lake View 

when there is a difference 

including as Administrator enjoys getting outdoors - is left with a very difficult 
measure that recommends an Terrace, Los Feliz, Monrovia, 

between the choice of 

of the Mercantile Library of especially in California’s high choice – to fight a very 
alternative approach to the Montrose, Pasadena, San 

candidates preferred by 

region’s transportation needs Dimas, San Marino, Shadow 

New York (The Center for desert and the mountains 
expensive legal battle or be 

voters in a protected class 
other than building the 710 Hills, Sierra Madre, South 

Fiction), and as a cataloger of Idaho. She is also a 
forced to transition into 

and the choice of candidates tunnel. MTA’s action is the Pasadena, Sunland-Tujunga, at C.E.R.N., the European fan of reading, watching preferred by voters in the district-based elections,” de facto end to the threat of and Upland. 

Center for Nuclear Research independent and foreign rest of the electorate.Interim City Manager Elaine 
in Geneva, Switzerland. In films, gardening with native Approximately 20 percent Aguilar said. South Pasadena Arts

2003 Cathy was the recipient plants, and traveling in the of South Pasadena residents Such a lawsuit would be 
of the Art Libraries Society United States and to far-very costly, whether or Crawl Event Tonight

are Latino and unlike other 
of North America (ARLIS/flung destinations.cities where at-large elections not the City was able to 

NA) Wolfgang M. Freitag The South Pasadena Public 
successfully defend against Contemporary Sculptures and a striking Chinese-themed 

have prevented Latinos from 

Internship Award, which Library 1is located 100 Oxley electing candidates of their it. Even cities that have 
Paintings by Shenping Wang exhibit of contemporary 
and Guzheng Music by Judy paintings and sculptures by 

she carried out in the library Street. For more informstion choice, the electoral history settled lawsuits brought 

Ying to be presented at South emerging artist Shenping Wang. 

of the National Gallery of visit ci.south-pasadena.ca.us 
under the CVRA, including 

for the City Council of the Pasadena Library during Arts Also featured will be a musical Art in Washington, D.C.or call (626)403-7330. City of South Pasadena cities that have maintained Crawl Event on Saturday, July performance by Judy Ying, a 
demonstrates that Latino no violations have occurred, 15. highly accomplished Guzheng 
have incurred significant A very special Art Exhibit with player. The 21-stringed plucked 
expenses, not only to pay live music will be presented in instrument has a storied history 
their own attorneys’ fees, but the Library Community Room in China spanning more 
to pay the attorneys’ fees for (1115 El Centro Street) from than 2500 years and has been 
7 pm to 9 pm. It is sponsored compared to the zither in many 

the plaintiffs.

by the South Pasadena Public other countries. Shenping 

 The city council will meet 

Library, the Friends of the Wang’s artwork can be viewed 

7:30 p.m., in the Amedee O. 
South Pasadena Public Library, during the entire Library event 

“Dick” Richards, Jr., Council 

and the South Pasadena and the Judy Ying’s musical 

Chambers, located at 1424 

Chinese American Club. performance will start around 
Mission Street. The event will showcase 7:30 p.m. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com