Recall Elections

In your editorial of Aug. 8, “This Recall Should Be Recalled,” relating to local recall elections, you expose the financial dilemma that cities face when a local recall election requires a subsequent special election. Indeed, your editorial cites the recently successful recall election in Fullerton where three City Council members were recalled from office. As a result, a special election costing the city an estimated $117,000 will be held Oct. 18.

After the Covina recall and the elapsed time in which recalled City Council members were left in charge of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds, I introduced and Gov. Pete Wilson signed into law Assembly Bill 2219, which requires a general election be held concurrently with a recall election when a majority of a council is recalled. This measure becomes effective next January, and will greatly reduce the costs to the taxpayers of the affected cities. The measure brings local recall procedure in California in line with that of county and statewide elections.

My bill will save local entities huge sums of money in the instances where special elections are required following recall elections. More importantly, it immediately takes government out of the hands of those individuals that are no longer trusted by the citizens who elected them to represent them.

PAUL V. HORCHER

Assembly, R-Diamond Bar