Steve Cole, Pasadena PTA Council President, at Pasadena City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 (Photo – Garrett Rowlan).
The elections are over, but the urgency on how to implement the overwhelmingly (72% of voters) passed Measure J brought a mood of urgency to the Pasadena City Council’s deliberations Monday night.
By Garrett Rowlan
Los Angeles County requires the school district to maintain a three-percent reserve of appropriations, or else the possibility of county takeover looms. While PUSD is okay this year, despite a loss of 500 students, next year and the year after might be problematic in terms of budget issues. Some sort of plan on how to allocate Measure J funds is needed by December 17, a somewhat procrustean time limit as the election was just two weeks past.
The rushed nature of how to spend money is difficult, not only given the time constraints but also the language of Measure J (which states that 1/3 of the funds generated from the passage of Measure I should go to PUSD) that Councilmember Steve Madison characterized as lacking “legislative intent.” Councilmember Andy Wilson worried aloud that involvement in fund allocation would put the council in the possible position of “governing the school district.” Councilmember Victor Gordo saw a cruel irony in the possibility of losing local control when the strong passage of the measure indicated the voters wanted just the opposite. John Kennedy opined that “a lot of questions need to be answered. We don’t spend money willy-nilly.”
Overall, the council seemed in their collective presence like someone waking in an unfamiliar room and looking for a light switch.
Fortunately Steve Cole, Pasadena PTA Council President and, later, Pat Cahalan of the school board, both of whom, in public comment, brought knowledge and prospective to the issue. They provided a sort of ad hoc staff report. Those comments seemed to edge the council—at least, in a subsequent option expressed by Councilmember Tyron Hampton—to a détente proviso of trust-but-verify, giving money to the district without too many strings but retaining oversight.
It was left to Mayor Tornek to put a positive spin on the council item, saying that a necessary airing of the issue had been done. Some sort of resolution, it was hoped, would be presented at the next council meeting, December. 3.
Earlier, the council designated two houses as historical landmarks, one on 817 Rio Grande Street and the other at 200 Fern Drive. The first is a significant example of the Arts and Crafts period, the second an example of the Mediterranean Revival Style. The latter was designed, noted Councilmember John Kennedy, by African-American architect Paul R. Williams, a triumph not only of skill but ambition by Mr. Williams, succeeding in an era of de facto racism.
In the designation of two different houses, representing different styles, Mayor Tornek saw a metaphor with the overall diverse nature of Pasadena’s population.
> Watch the full Pasadena Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018.
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