Incumbent Says Flyer Is ‘Out in Orbit’

A campaign mailer alleging that Lancaster City Councilman Arnie Rodio’s plumbing company owes $60,000 in tax liens drew an angry response Thursday from Rodio, who said the mailer is filled with distortions and lies.

Voters received the mailer five days before next Tuesday’s City Council election for three seats and shortly after two similar attacks on council candidates were received by voters in neighboring Palmdale.

Rodio is the only incumbent among 15 candidates on the ballot. The mailer bore the name of an organization called “The Supervisors Reception” at a Costa Mesa address, but that organization is not listed in the telephone directory.

Rodio said in an interview that his family business, CIR Plumbing, owes about $25,000 for a single federal tax lien from last year, a matter he said is under discussion with federal officials. But he said allegations in the mailer that his company owes about $35,000 more in federal, state and county tax liens dating from 1985 are false.

“It’s way out in orbit,” Rodio said. “I don’t mind anybody saying anything about Arnie Rodio if what they’re saying is true. But this guy is hiding behind a postage stamp.”

During the past week, two mailers were sent to Palmdale residents attacking candidates in the council elections there, one of which also referred to tax and other financial problems of a candidate. The other disclosed a drunk-driving conviction. That literature was prepared by political consultant Tim Carey of Southern California Caucus, a pro-development group.

Rodio said he believed the same organization is responsible for the mailer attacking him. Carey could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Rodio was elected to the council in 1986. He said that since then he has passed much of the day-to-day management responsibility of the plumbing company to his son, Arnold Rodio. The company, which is in the process of being phased out, had 250 employees and grossed about $5 million a year at its peak in 1985, he said.

Thursday’s mailer quoted a comment by Rodio in a newspaper article, referring to a lack of city funds, followed by the statement: “Hey Arnie! Next time you complain about lack of city funds--pay your taxes.”

The literature then listed five purported liens against Rodio’s “family-run company,” five from 1989 and one from 1985. Rodio called a news conference Thursday with his attorney, Stuart Brand, to respond. He confirmed that the liens had existed, but said four of the five were paid off long ago.

Rodio said the tax troubles did not result from mismanagement or irresponsibility, attributing them instead to financial setbacks caused by legal fights with developers who did not pay bills and a bookkeeper who quit abruptly.

“Every corporation has had trouble with taxes,” Rodio said. “If this is the best they can come up with on Arnie Rodio, I think I’m pretty clean.”

The mailer said a federal lien for $2,672 was placed against the company in May of last year. Rodio said the lien resulted from late payment of withholding taxes for employees and was paid last year. The other federal lien the mailer reported, of about $25,000, still exists, but discussions with federal tax officials may actually result in a refund to the company, Brand said.

As to the mailer’s allegations of two outstanding state tax liens, one in 1989 for $17,304.02 and one in 1985 for $13,458.