TMCnet News
333: Inside City Hall: Pair out of race, still on ballotApr 02, 2009 (Press-Telegram - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Bill Grisolia may have dropped out of the 1st District City Council race Monday, and Eduardo Lara dropped out back on Feb. 12, but they're both still candidates as far as the City Clerk's Office is concerned. Even before Lara announced his exit from the race at the first of several candidate forums, Election Day ballots and sample ballots that were to be mailed to voters had already been printed, said Poonam Davis, the city's Elections Bureau manager. That means Grisolia's and Lara's names will still be on the ballot Tuesday, and, with the most votes, one of them could still end up the victor in the winner-take-all special election. Besides Grisolia and Lara, five other candidates' names will be on the ballot. The candidates are vying for the seat that was vacated by Bonnie Lowenthal, who took office in the state Assembly last year. The 1st District includes parts of downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Of course, whether Grisolia or Lara have a chance of winning is another matter. Lara, a 30-year-old Pepperdine University professor who has lived in the 1st District since 2005, was considered a longshot in the race from the outset. He dropped out for "personal" reasons just one month after qualifying as a candidate. Grisolia, on the other hand, had momentum in his campaign, getting endorsements from a handful of powerful unions and Democratic organizations, before news reports revealed his financial and personal troubles. Grisolia was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol Jan. 24 in San Pedro -- though he pleaded not guilty and hasn't yet gone to court -- and he owes back taxes for his bankrupt restaurant. The 51-year-old legal and policy specialist hasn't even been able to keep up with his financial responsibilities as a candidate, bouncing a check to the City Clerk's Office and then submitting a required campaign finance report 22 days late. If Grisolia or Lara should win but still don't want to serve on the council, then another special election would have to take place to fill the 1st District seat, City Clerk Larry Herrera said. While Herrera and his staff will be busy with the special election Tuesday, the council is still holding its regular meeting, though the agenda is an abbreviated one. In regular elections, council meetings are usually canceled. Tricycle race for city officials While the candidates likely hit the streets in a final burst of campaigning over the weekend, a few city officials will be stretching their legs for another cause. Four city officials so far have signed on to participate in a tricycle race Saturday during the Long Beach Grand Prix Bicycle Festival and Bicycle Race, organizers said. Council members Suja Lowenthal, Gary DeLong and Val Lerch, along with City Manager Pat West, will hit the three-wheelers to compete with one another around 7:45 p.m. by the main stage, just south of Pine Avenue and Broadway. If I were a gambling man, I might put my money on West, considering he is an avid bicycle rider. For those who want even more of their elected officials on pedal-powered vehicles, earlier in the evening at 7p.m., Lowenthal also will participate as one of 30 bicycle-riding models in the Bikestation Cyclestyle Fashion Show. [email protected], 562-499-1278 To see more of the Press-Telegram, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.press-telegram.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Press-Telegram, Long Beach, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |