Your Home Magazine - Publishing Next Week, Look For It With Your Cerritos Newspaper! LL o o ss C C ee rr rr ii tt o o ss
COMMUNITYNEWS
• Home delivered every Friday to 45,000 homes Vol. 19 No. 52 • March 6, 2009 • www.loscerritosnews.net •
Cerritos Council Balances 2008-09 Budget With Mid-Year Changes
Artesia 50th Anniversary Jubilee Celebrated by Jerry Bernstein
A
rtesia’s Albert O. Little Community Center was turned into a brilliantly decorated room where former Mayors and Councilmembers, dignitaries and Artesia residents gathered together to celebrate the city’s 50th Anniversary. Part of a year-long celebration, the festivities included a silent auction, a catered dinner, followed by remembrances by former members of the City Council and residents. Master of Ceremonies Councilman John Martins welcomed the audience and said, “ Most of you know me. I’m the member on the council that doesn’t say much.” Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal, opened his comments by saying it was great to be back in Cerritos. He quickly apologized and said Artesia. “I’ll never live this down,” he added. Supervisor Don Knabe followed and with tongue-in-cheek said it was great to be in Redon-
Jim Edwards and Carol Chen Re-elected to Cerritos City Council
by Jerry Bernstein
T Gathered together at the 50th Anniversary Jubilee held at the Albert O. Little Community Center Feb. 27 are from {l-r} Councilmen Larry Nelson, John Martin, former Mayors John Lyons and Isidro Menezes, Mayor Sally Flowers, former Councilmember Ron Stach, former Mayor Tony Mendoza, former Councilmember Gretchen Wyler’s daughter Joyce Yeutter,º and Betty Padelford, wife of Jean Padelford, Artesia’s first Mayor. do Beach. One former councilman said Artesia was a great little city and it was too bad Cerritos grabbed half of it. The comment received a round of friendly applause. Keynote Speaker former Mayor John Lyon, introduced former
to within 200 votes of Chen and for a while looked like he might pass her. However, Chen held on and won by 130 votes. Pulido garnered 3,097 votes. City Clerk Josie Triggs said the totals were unofficial and would not be finalized until the by Jerry Bernstein provisional votes were counted. However, with only an estiCerritos City Council mated 300 provisional votes to incumbents Jim Edwards and be counted, the consensus of Carol Chen those present were winners were they in Tuesday’s likely would [Mar. 3] be divided councilmanic between the election for ancandidates other four-year and not effect term. Edwards the outcome. received 3,868 Below are votes and the results of Chen 3,227 the election. Carol Chen and Jim Edwards votes. Both candidates held onto leads following Jim Edwards 3,868 the absentee ballot count, with Carol Chen 3,227 Edwards steadily increasing his Mark Pulido 3,097 lead. However, tension began to Cindy Yen Chen 2,056 climb when third place candiChris Fuentes 1,174 date Mark Pulido slowly crept Michael Udoomratsak 224
councilmembers and guests who took the guests back in Artesia’s history spanning the period from the 1950’s to the 1990’s. Summing up the evening was a message from the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Committee in the program given to each guest. It
said: This evening we recognize our former Mayors and Council Members whose leadership and dedication were instrumental in
See Artesia CONTINUED ON 8
Soroptimist Put Final Touches on Monte Carlo Night by Jerry Bernstein
M
embers of the ArtesiaCerritos Chapter of Soroptimists International are making final preparations for their annual Monte Carlo fundraiser scheduled on Mar. 7 from 7-11 p.m. at the Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $75 per person and include dinner catered by Turnip Rose, games and prizes. Co-chairs Melanie Broad and Gayle Reidy said the event is shaping up to be the largest Monte Carlo every, thanks to the generous donations of businesses and organizations both local and worldwide. Along with the food and games, the evening will be filled with door prizes, gaming prizes and raffle prizes as well as Limited 100 raffle tickets and the Opportunity Drawing
where winners need not be present. The prizes include stays at resorts, country club golf, haircuts, restaurant gift cards, medical spa treatments, tickets to sporting events, theater tickets, a gift card tree valued at more than $700, and more. “We all get excited as we see the prizes come in from across the country and around the world,” said Soroptimist President Tammy Cannon, ‘but we are especially appreciative of local businesses who donate because they know the causes we support. Businesses like the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts and the Cerritos Sheraton have been very generous. Arts venues in La Mirada, Long Beach and Los Angeles
he Cerritos City Council/ Redevelopment Agency conducted a mid-year budget review and ways to balance the city’s budget for the remainder of the fiscal year ending June 30. Meeting in special session on Feb. 25. City Manager Art Gallucci also sought direction for the 2009-10 budget. He said the three main streams of city revenue are the Auto Mall, The Los Cerritos Center and the Towne Center. This includes one cent for every dollar spent, plus increment [rent] money, noting the City owns the land on which the three are situated. Gallucci said with the national economy experiencing a 2.7 reduction in retail sales in December and a 25 percent decline in auto sales from a year ago, Cerritos is not immune to the trends. In addition, homes lost to foreclosure are expected to rise another 18 percent in 2009, Cerritos is also facing a possible shift of $2.4 million from the city’s tax increment revenue to the state’s Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund [ERAF] which would be due in May if current litigation fails. He said the largest revenue sources for Cerritos are sales tax and interest income, comprising approximately 40 percent of the City’s operating budget. Both have been impacted by the economic situation. The city anticipates an overall 15 percent drop in sales tax revenue, reflecting a 5.5 percent reduction in general retail sales and a 25 percent in automotive sales. “We are looking at approximately a $4 million drop in our sales tax this fiscal year. At the same time we are looking at $1.5 million decline in interest income. He said the city normally receives a large amount of money from vehicle license fees [VLF]. “We are anticipating a
See Soroptimists
See Budget
CONTINUED ON 7
CONTINUED ON 10