Shop Small Business Saturday 


SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2013

VOLUME 7 NO. 48


COUNCIL AUTHORIZES PLACING USER UTILITY TAX 
ON APRIL BALLOT

 A special Sierra Madre City Council meeting was held on November 19th for the specific purpose of 
discussing whether or not to place a User Utility Tax Measure on the April Ballot. The matter was carried 
over from the November 12th meeting. 

City Manager, Elaine Aguilar started the discussion of the UUT Ballot Measure with an overview of our 
current UUT and the proposals to either extend or allow the law to sunset, noting the impact of each action. 

The history was the first topic brought up, which let those present understand that tax increases took 
place in 2008. When that measure was approved, it included a UUT Oversight Committee which has met 
as prescribed in the ordinance. After each meeting of the committee, reports were made to the council 
indicating that the funds were being spent as the voters had directed.

City Manager Aguilar also explained how much the recession hit the projected UUT revenues stating, 
“When the recession hit, everybody had previously seen the utility users tax revenues in terms of being 
recession proof, but this last recession proved everybody wrong. We saw a drop as people conserved.” We 
are just now getting back to the level the city was before and there are high hopes of keeping it that way. 

City Manager Aguilar ended her presentation with a list of questions for the council members to take into 
consideration before they made a decision on the UUT.

When the presentation ended, the council members each addressed the City Manager Aguilar as well as 
Karen Schneider, Sierra Madre’s Finance Director, regarding their concerns. 

The majority of the council agreed to put a measure on the ballot that would extend the UUT and cap any 
increase to 10%. With that vote, Mayor Walsh made a comment saying, “This should be an interesting 
election.” Hopefully the people of Sierra Madre will weigh the pros and cons before making a decision 
during the elections and the financial future of the town will stay at ease. 

 Coco La Salle/MVNews

WATER RATE INCREASE CALCULATOR NOW 
AVAILABLE ONLINE

The City of Sierra Madre has given residents another tool that will help them decide whether or not to support 
an increase in the city’s water rates. Citizens can now go online and calculate exactly how much of an 
impact the proposed water rate increase will have on their finances. The calculator allows a rate payer to 
input the amount of water consumption they currently have, and the program will project the dollar amount 
and percentage increase each year through 2018.

Based upon the tiered billing system, some water users will find that the increase may not take effect until 
2015. Others it will go into effect in 2014.

This tool has become available in time for residents to see what the real impact of an increase will be rather 
than speculate. It should prove to be helpful in assisting residents in deciding whether 
or not they want to protest the proposed rate increase when they recieve their ballots 
in the coming days.

An example of how the new calculator works is illustrated below. In the calculation 
shown, the resident chose the classification, residential and meter size. Users then insert 
their usage levels. Once that is done, click ‘calculate’ and the table will show what 
your water bill will be each billing cycle for the next five years. To calculate your own 
projected water bills, go to: http://www.cityofsierramadre.com/water-rate-calculator


Also Inside this week: 

SIERRA MADRE

Calendar Page 2

Sierra Madre News Page 4

PASADENA/ALTADENA

Pg. 5


Mandatory Pit Bull

Spaying Ordinance

AROUND SGV Pg. 6


ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 7 

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 8





EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 9

FOOD & DRINK

Thanksgiving Recipes Pg. 10

WOUNDED WARRIOR CROSS COUNTRY 

CYCLING UPDATE: 

Jerry Poole Spends Thanksgiving On The Road.

BEST FRIENDS Pg. 11

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Pg. 11

Jerry continues 
on his courageous 
journey, spending 
Thanksgiving traveling 
in Texas, the 
widest state he will 
cross in his route 
to Florida. 

 On Facebook he 
posted a picture of 
his dinner, unfortunately 
it was at 
McDonalds.

 He also posted 
pictures of a couple 
of friends he 
met along the way.

 Contributions 
have continued 
to come into the 
Wounded Warriors 
project supporting 
Jerry’s endeavor, but there still is a long way to go before he gets to the 
$10,000 mark.

 Read about Jerry’s experiences on Facebook. Like his Facebook page and follow 
the link to the Wounded Warriors Project. The fundraising goal for this 
project is $10,000 and 100% of the funds go to the Wounded Warriors benefit. 
Go to the link below and make a donation to WWP in the name of Jerry Poole’s 
Ride: Coast To Coast For Courage. 

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/individual-fundraising/
JerryPooleatFaceBook/


THE GOOD LIFE 

 

 Pg. 12

Savvy Senior

Senior Happenings

This and That

SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SMALL 
BUSINESS SECTION 


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

WORLD AROUND US

 Pg. 13

BUSINESS

 Pg. 14

LEFT TURN/RIGHT 
TURN/OPINION 

 Pg. 17

SMTV Channel 98 

Program Guide Pg. 18

LEGAL NOTICES Pg. 20




Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com