STANTON : New Mayor Cites Tax Base as Priority

Paul G. Verellen, Stanton’s new mayor, sees the revitalization of the city’s sagging tax base as his priority for the coming year.

Verellen was unanimously elected mayor by the City Council Tuesday night, succeeding Councilman Edward L. Allen. Councilman David John Shawver was selected mayor pro tem.

In a prepared speech after his selection, Verellen cited what he called spiraling costs and the city’s static revenue position, and he vowed to continue the council’s efforts to find ways to attract and retain businesses in the city.

Acknowledging the city’s high commercial vacancy rate, however, Verellen suggested that the council might want to place a stronger emphasis on developing residential neighborhoods.

“Residential development may make more sense,” he said.

Verellen added that he would continue to make the city’s graffiti eradication program and its stepped-up code enforcement policy other priorities for the new year as well.

“Our code-enforcement activities are getting a lot of attention,” Verellen said, adding that they were needed to create an area where “people want to live and businesses want to come.”

Verellen, 39, is a business unit manager for McDonnell Douglas Corp.’s Douglas Aircraft Co. in Long Beach. He was elected to his first full term on the City Council in November, 1986. A former planning commissioner, he was appointed to the council in May, 1986, to fill a vacancy created by Councilwoman Jean Siriani, who moved out of the area.