Fullerton : Police Assn. Panel Supports Officials

A Fullerton Police Officers Assn. committee this week announced its support for four city officials facing a recall election June 7.

The union’s Political Action Committee voted unanimously to back the challenged officials, saying its members will cast their ballots against the ouster of Mayor A.B. (Buck) Catlin, City Clerk Anne M. York and council members Molly McClanahan and Don Bankhead.

The recall effort began last July when the council voted 3 to 2 in favor of a 2% tax on water, telephone, electricity, natural gas and cable television bills, despite objections from hundreds of residents. Catlin, McClanahan and Bankhead voted for the tax, saying it was necessary in order to save police and fire service which otherwise would have been cut. Council members Julie Sa and Chris Norby voted against it.

York became a recall target because she delayed the recall process when she rejected some petitions against the council members as faulty, officials said.

The 145-member police association will be asked whether it wants to contribute money to the campaign against the recall, senior officer Dave Miller said. “We plan on asking members to help walk precincts and raise money because we just feel that the City Council members have acted responsibly in the past and that they do have a strong commitment to public safety,” he said.