Cammarano Wins, Tax Loses

San Gabriel community activist Mary Cammarano defeated financial analyst Norm Stabeck in a special election to fill a vacant seat on the City Council, while voters in Huntington Park rejected a new tax to pay for more police.

Cammarano captured 1,724 votes to Stabeck’s 1,453 in their race to fill the seat that became vacant when Vice Mayor Frank Blaszcak was recalled in May.

Cammarano, who said she would ensure “quality development” in the city with guidelines to prevent “monster-size homes” in single-family neighborhoods, is an office manager who has been an active community volunteer since moving to San Gabriel 25 years ago.

Stabeck, a resident for seven years, has been a city planning commissioner since 1988. His campaign stressed his experience in local government and as a transportation planner for the Southern California Assn. of Governments.

Huntington Park voters rejected a new 7% utility tax that would have provided $2.74 million annually and enable the city to hire more police.

Revenue from the tax would have been used to pay for employee raises and to hire 15 more police officers, city officials said. With the measure’s defeat, city officials said they will try to cut spending further to free money for raises. No new police will be hired, officials said.

The measure was rejected by 64% of the 1,404 residents who cast votes in the special election, which had a 17.9% turnout.

A group called Huntington Park Citizens for Responsible Government used a telephone and mail campaign to defeat the measure, which would have created a 7% tax on electricity, gas, water and telephone usage.

Councilman Jim Roberts headed a political action committee, which had the support of the Huntington Park Police Officers Assn., to campaign for the measure.

The council approved the tax last May but was stymied by a recent state Supreme Court ruling that undercut its authority to impose the levy without a vote.

The council recently approved a $27.8-million budget with more than $150,000 in spending cuts.

ELECTION RESULTS San Gabriel City Council 100% Precincts Reporting

Votes % Mary Cammarano 1,724 54 Norm Stabeck 1,453 46

Huntington Park Ballot Measure 100% Precincts Reporting

Votes % Yes 505 36 No 899 64

KEY: i. designates incumbent. Winners are in bold type.