Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, May 12, 2018

SECTION B

SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2018

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY


ARCADIA POLICE CHIEF GUTHRIE:

 HOMELESSNESS AFFECTING BUSINESSES

PASADENA CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
RECOMMENDS POSITIONS ON JUNE STATEWIDE 
BALLOT MEASURES; LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE 
POSITIONS ON LOCAL MEASURES

Chamber Board and Legislative and Government Affairs Committee considered 
measures for impact on local businesses, Pasadena economy and Chamber member 
companies

Pasadena, CA - The Board of Directors of the 
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce considered the 
array of initiatives on the ballot on June 5th. In 
deciding whether or not to take a position, the 
Board analyzed whether a particular measure 
would impact the local economy, local businesses 
as a whole, or individual Chamber members.

 The Board took these positions on the 
statewide and county initiatives:

State of California

Proposition 68: Drought, Water, Park 
Bond. SUPPORT. The proposition would 
allow for a $4 billion bond sale and reallocate 
$100 million for drought prevention, water 
sustainability projects and parks.

 Proposition 69: Motor Vehicle 
Fees. SUPPORT. The proposition restricts gas 
tax funding expenditures to transportation and 
transit projects and removes the ability of the 
state legislature to reallocate these funds.

 Proposition 70: Greenhouse Gas Reduction 
Reserve Fund. SUPPORT. The proposition 
requires all Cap and Trade funds be deposited 
in a dedicated account and requires that all 
appropriations require a 2/3 legislative majority 
vote in 2024.

 Proposition 71: Effective date of ballot 
measures. SUPPORT. The proposition requires 
that statewide ballot measures take effect five 
days after the Secretary of State certifies election 
results.

 Proposition 72: Property Tax 
Exclusion. SUPPORT. The proposition would 
exclude new construction for rain water capture 
systems from re-assessment for property tax.

 City of Pasadena and Pasadena Unified School 
District

 Legislative and Government Affairs 
Committee met and is recommending the 
following positions on local ballot measures:

 Ballot Measure AA: Adjusts the City Election 
Calendar. OPPOSE. The measure would align the 
city elections, as required by state law, to match 
statewide election cycles. While this is required 
by law, the means the City Council chose to 
implement the rules is non-sensical. Unlike the 
Pasadena Unified School District, which will 
go to plurality voting where the candidate with 
the most votes wins, the City Council chose 
to maintain the primary election and general 
election cycles, where if no candidate receives a 
majority of votes in the primary, there will be a 
run-off election at the next statewide cycle, which 
would be in November. The City election cycle 
would, possibly, begin in advance of the March 
primary and not conclude until the following 
November. The committee found this extended 
election cycle to be prohibitively expensive and 
simply too long for voters to remain engaged.

 Ballot Measure BB: Adjusts Pasadena Unified 
School District Election Calendar. SUPPORT. 
The measure puts PUSD in compliance with 
state law and allows for plurality voting, where 
the candidate with the most votes in the election 
wins outright, whether they receive a majority of 
votes or not.

 Ballot Measure CC: Commercial Cannabis 
Regulations. OPPOSE. The measure put forth 
by the City Council is extremely restrictive, 
allowing for only six retail outlets in Pasadena 
and imposing severe distance restrictions. While 
the committee appreciates keeping distance 
requirements for recreational marijuana sales 
from schools, residences and homes, they felt 
the small number allowed would simply mean 
the status quo would prevail, where illegal sales 
would predominate the local marketplace, or 
retail operators would set up in neighboring 
communities. The overwhelming majority of 
Pasadena voters, about two-thirds, supported the 
legalization of recreational marijuana. The City 
of Pasadena should heed those voters and place 
meaningful distance requirements but not allow 
for only a minimal number of retail outlets.

 Ballot Measure DD: Cannabis Business 
Tax. SUPPORT. The measure allows for collection 
of business taxes and fees from retail cannabis 
operations. Funding would support regulation 
enforcement and potentially provide funds for 
city operations.

 The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce does 
not endorse individual candidates for office.

 The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and 
Civic Association is a professional business 
organization. Since the earliest days of Pasadena, 
the Chamber has played a major role in the 
development of this internationally renowned 
city. Since 1888, when the organization was 
founded as the Board of Trade, the Chamber’s 
primary purpose has been the enhancement of 
both the business climate and the quality of life in 
Pasadena. The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce 
serves more than 1450 members.

By Joan Schmidt

 Arcadia Chamber’s May Community Connections 
Meeting featuring Police Chief Bob Guthrie, “Helping 
Businesses Deal with the Issue of Homelessness”, 
was held at Embassy Suites to accommodate a large 
attendance.

 Chief Guthrie began, “Homelessness is a real 
problem in ALL communities, the result of mental 
health issues, substance abuse or healthcare issues. The 
last several years, legislation, (AB 169, Props 47 & 57) 
has brought a change to dealing with homelessness. In 
March, 2017, LA County voters approved Measure H 
(. % Sales Tax Increase) which brings over354 million 
a year for 10 years. The Board of Supervisors approved 
it in April, but Arcadia only receives $30,000 because 
of its demographics, being one of the most premier 
cities in the county.”

 Guthrie hopes to dispel rumors, put facts into place. 
The lobbies of the Arcadia Post Offices on Wheeler 
and Duarte Roads are no longer open 24 hours. Chief 
Guthrie is NOT happy about this; Postal Buildings are 
Federal, so he has no power to change those hours…
has reached out to its Postmaster to no avail.

 Homelessness and mental health go hand in hand. 
Problems include cognitive impairment, substance 
abuse, poor access to healthcare, outbreak of Hepatitis 
A, difficulty with mobility/transportation, assaults on 
homeless, and homeless commit misdemeanors-petty 
thefts. Businesses and customers are unhappy with 
blocked doorways, abusive restrooms’ use, and trash 
problem. 

 In our 5th District, there were 7735 homeless; 
countywide 57,794 in 2017. Only 14 were counted in 
Arcadia. Arcadia is a safe and great city to hang out. 
The homeless are transient, coming on the Metro Gold 
Line using “tap cards” given to them! They stay during 
the day, then leave. Arcadia has no area for sleeping-
they tried under the 2nd Avenue Bridge, but were sent 
away. Not like the Riverbed Encampment!

 In 2014, APD had 421 transient calls; in 2017, 954 
calls. In 2015-2016, APD developed the “Homeless 
Education and Liaison Program. (H.E.L.P Team) 
There are a Lieutenant Commander, two sergeants and 
six officers. The HELP Team wants to build a rapport 
with the homeless community; the budget is just under 
$100,000. Chief Guthrie did acknowledge the Arcadia 
City Council and how they have provided support and 
funding for more officers and special programs.

 The “Mental Health Services” portion of AB 1971 
which permits involuntary detention of “gravely 
disabled” was amended in January, 2018 to expand the 
definition of “gravely disabled” to include a condition 
which a person as a result of a mental health condition 
or chronic alcoholism is unable to provide for his/her 
basic personal needs for food, clothing or shelter, or 
a condition in which a person has been found to be 
mentally incompetent.

 Chief Guthrie feels, “We need somewhere to anchor 
the homeless. Build a rapport with them. Clean them 
up, connect them with a family member, they need to 
want to be helped. Biggest problem—they don’t want 
to be helped. The quick fix of arresting people doesn’t 
help.”

 Sandra Maravilla from Supervisor Kathryn Barger 
office told us that the Supervisor targeted funding 
for weekly portable showers in East Pasadena from 
11:00am-3pm. There also will be monthly services-
social workers-available to assist the homeless and 
provide information to obtain needed services.

 Thank you Arcadia Chamber of Commerce and 
Chief Guthrie for so much information, and Supervisor 
Barger for your hard work to help the homeless.


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