FULLERTON : Recall Group Says Signatures Sufficient

Organizers of a campaign to recall Mayor A.B. (Buck) Catlin, City Council members Don Bankhead and Molly McClanahan and City Clerk Anne M. York say they have collected enough signatures to qualify their measure for the ballot.

Thomas S. Babcock, chairman of the Fullerton Recalls Committee, said more than 100 volunteers have collected about 9,000 signatures on petitions naming each city official.

To hold an election, the recall group must present at least 8,329 signatures later this month to the city clerk’s office. A recall election would ask residents whether to remove the city officials from office.

The petitions to recall Bankhead and McClanahan must be turned in by Jan. 24. The recall group has until Jan. 31 to collect signatures against Catlin and York.

Babcock said volunteers will try to collect 20% to 30% more signatures than needed to guard against the rejection of some names on the list. Only signatures from registered voters who live in Fullerton may be counted.

Catlin, Bankhead and McClanahan are targeted because of their support for a 2% utility users tax, which they voted for in July.

Catlin and Bankhead were first served with recall papers at the packed council meeting when they voted to impose the tax. More than 500 residents attended that meeting, and most denounced the tax on their telephone, electricity, water, natural gas and cable television bills.

York was added to the recall campaign after she rejected two recall forms that were too long. Babcock said he felt York was improperly biased against the recall campaign.