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Elections : Paparian Reelected to Pasadena Council : Contests for three open seats are headed for April runoffs. Voters reject utility measure, Prop. 3.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Councilman William M. Paparian, the only incumbent in Tuesday’s election, easily won reelection to a third term, but the races for three other seats will be decided in an April 18 runoff.

Meanwhile, voters defeated Proposition 3, which would have limited the City Council’s ability to tap into profits from the city-owned utility to pay for services such as police and fire protection. City Manager Philip A. Hawkey and other opponents had warned that the measure could have resulted in future service cuts.

The races in the 1st, 2nd and 6th districts were left wide open when council members Isaac Richard, Rick Cole and Kathryn Nack declined to seek reelection.

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The biggest surprise of the election came in the 6th District, which covers southwest Pasadena, where political newcomer Ann-Marie Villicana, a realtor and lawyer, finished ahead of former Library Commission Chairwoman Katherine H. Padilla to qualify for a runoff. The 6th District is adjacent to the Rose Bowl, and concerns about noise and traffic from Bowl events were among the major issues in the campaign.

William J. York Jr., chairman of the Planning Commission, was the top vote-getter in the 6th District, with 32% of the vote. Villicana, the youngest of the candidates at 28, outspent her three opponents en route to her strong finish with 30% of the votes.

“The last week or so, I was getting concerned,” said York, a manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “She ran a real strong campaign.”

Another surprise came in the 2nd District, where neighborhood activist Paul Little finished ahead of Mark R. Nay, who was favored by the business community. The two beat out four other candidates to make it into the runoff in the 2nd District, which covers central and northeast Pasadena.

Little, communications coordinator for Pasadena’s Pacific Asia Museum, campaigned for improved public safety, including more police and youth programs.

Nay, an architect and chairman of the city’s Design Commission, campaigned as someone who could return civility to the long-contentious council chambers, which would help improve the business climate in Pasadena.

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The outcome in the 1st District, which includes Northwest Pasadena, followed script as candidates Joyce Streator and Saundra L. Knox qualified for runoff, leaving Porfirio J. Frausto behind.

Knox, who campaigned for increased economic development in the district as a way to quell crime, had the backing of Richard, the district’s controversial current councilman, but distanced herself from his combative tactics. Knox is director of the nonprofit Pasadena Neighborhood Housing Services, which uses federal funds to promote renovation and creation of low-income housing.

Streator, a former field representative to Councilman Chris Holden and an ex-county probation director, also campaigned for economic development and new jobs to cure the ills of the district.

Paparian scored an easy victory over his lone challenger, realtor June Takenouchi.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

ELECTION RETURNS

Results are final except in Pasadena, where more than 300 absentee ballots have not been counted.

* Denotes incumbents

CITY OFFICES

PASADENA

City Council

(In each race, if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the two top finishers meet in a runoff.)

District 1

9 of 9 Precincts Reporting

CANDIDATE VOTE % Porfirio J. Frausto 466 21.1 Saundra L. Knox 920 41.5 Joyce Streator 827 37.4

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District 2

8 of 8 Precincts Reporting

CANDIDATE VOTE % Ted Brown 424 18.6 James C. Brownfield 92 4 Paul Little 927 40.6 James Lomako 117 5.1 Mark R. Nay 573 25.1 Douglas B. Robertson 150 6.6

District 4

9 of 9 Precincts Reporting

CANDIDATE VOTE % William M. Paparian* 2,056 68.1 June Takenouchi 962 31.9

District 6

11 of 11 Precincts Reporting

CANDIDATE VOTE % Katherine H. Padilla 919 26.7 Jack Smith 51 1.5 Ann-Marie Villicana 1,027 29.8 William J. York Jr. 1,087 31.6 Fred G. Zepeda 354 10.3

MEASURES

PASADENA

59 of 59 precincts reporting

Proposition 1

Change deadline for school board absentee ballots

CANDIDATE VOTE % Yes 9,246 80.6 No 2,227 19.4

Proposition 2

Change the filing period prior to primary election

CANDIDATE VOTE % Yes 9,317 82 No 2,050 18

Proposition 3

Limit city use of utility money

CANDIDATE VOTE % Yes 5,648 46.4 No 6,552 53.6

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