FULLERTON : Council, Panel Blasts Utility-Tax Proposal

Councilman Chris Norby tried this week to get the city’s controversial 2% utility tax on the Nov. 8 ballot but failed when he received no support from his colleagues on the City Council.

Even members of the Fullerton Recalls Committee, who had asked to get the year-old tax on the ballot last year, were against Norby’s proposal. Committee members said Norby’s proposal simply was too late.

The committee last month led a successful recall campaign against Mayor A. B. (Buck) Catlin and Council members Molly McClanahan and Don Bankhead because they previously voted for the utility tax. Hundreds of residents opposed the tax last year and said that if they would have had a chance to vote on it then, or during the June 7 recall election, there would have been no recalls.

“Now, it’s like double jeopardy,” said Bruce Whitaker, Recalls Committee treasurer. “The voters spoke on June 7. They voted ‘yes’ on recall because of their opposition to the utility tax. . . . Rather than scheduling an unnecessary vote on the utility tax, this City Council should eliminate” it.

Bankhead blasted Norby and said his “suggestion to put the utility tax on the November ballot is terribly misguided.”

“For you to suggest that we muddy up the water with a smoke-screen vote on the utility tax is irresponsible and is obviously only done for you to gain some notoriety for some other selfish motive,” Bankhead told Norby at Tuesday’s council meeting.

Norby said he just wanted to give residents a chance to vote on the tax and didn’t expect so much opposition to his proposal.