PASADENA : Recriminations Follow City Council Election
There were recriminations and regrets in the aftermath of Tuesday’s Pasadena City Council election in which Bill Crowfoot, a Spanish-speaking Anglo, defeated Joe Morales, a Latino, to represent predominantly Latino District 5.
Crowfoot’s critics slammed him for running what they said was a negative campaign that appealed to the fears of Anglo voters. Tim Brick, Morales’ campaign manager, charged that Crowfoot’s campaign had “spread doubts” among Latino voters rather than “empowering” them.
Crowfoot and his supporters said hard work won the election, as well as Morales’ emphasis on “ethnic symbolism” rather than substantive issues.
In other races, council incumbents William Thomson (District 7) and Chris Holden (District 3) beat back challenges. School board incumbents George Padilla and Anne Pursel easily retained their seats, but board member Wilbert Smith faces a runoff April 20 against challenger Lisa Fowler, the former mayor of Sierra Madre, who gathered more votes Tuesday.
Voters also ended a long-running debate, deciding they should be governed by a city council rather than a board of directors.
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