4 Council Members Face Recall Election : Politics: A citizens group that opposes a 6% utility tax forced the action. Only Robert Biancardi escaped the challenge to his seat.

A citizens group angered by a 6% utility tax has gathered enough signatures to force four of the five Covina City Council members into a recall election.

City Clerk Joey Southall announced Monday that sufficient signatures had been gathered to require council members Chris Lancaster, John C. King, Chris Richardson and Mayor Henry Morgan to face a special election.

Stop the Utility Tax Committee’s recall drive against Councilman Robert Biancardi fell short by six signatures. The committee needed 3,940 signatures--20% of Covina voters, she said. “We’re pleased with the result. An 80% return on an investment is not too bad,” committee spokesman Earl Purkhiser said. “Biancardi hopefully has the capacity to learn from the past and become a councilman who represents the people.”

Purkhiser said the council members had abused their offices and failed to represent the interests of residents and businesses by adopting the tax, which went into effect last November.

Morgan defended the council’s actions and said the tax was needed to make up a $2.3-million budget deficit. He criticized the recall drive as “political opportunism” by two of his longtime political foes, former Councilmen Tom O’Leary and Bob Low, both members of the recall committee.

“I will not be responsible for bankrupting the city by using our reserves that cover our liabilities to operate services,” Morgan said.

The recall drive began after the council unanimously approved a 9.5% utility tax last August. When angry residents packed council meetings, council members cut the tax to 6% before its final adoption in October.

Biancardi voted against the lower tax, saying he wanted a referendum on the issue.

“I’m pleased with the result of my recall. It speaks for itself,” he said.

Biancardi said he opposes the recall drive against his colleagues.

Council members say the only alternative to the tax was cutbacks to fire and police services. The city has already cut 33 positions from its staff and reduced library and City Hall hours to make up for a shortfall caused by the recession and state cutbacks.

City officials said the tax on gas, electricity, water and telephone bills, which expires next November, costs an average household or business $12.60 a month, with exceptions for low-income families. Besides Covina, other San Gabriel Valley cities that have the tax are Pomona, Alhambra, Baldwin Park, Arcadia, El Monte, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena, San Marino, Monterey Park, Irwindale and Azusa. Claremont tentatively approved a 5.5% utility tax Tuesday.

Southall said a recall election will take place within 125 days, on a date to be set by the council Tuesday. A simple majority is needed to remove a member; another election would take place to fill the vacancy.

The committee filed 4,081 signatures for King, 4,043 for Lancaster, 3,998 for Richardson and 3,974 for Morgan.