In Hawaiian Gardens, a mere 500 votes...

In Hawaiian Gardens, a mere 500 votes can elect a City Council member and politics are very personal. Political fights in recent years have led to threats, lawsuits, fines, recall campaigns and investigations by law enforcement agencies. In the latest bombshell, City Councilwoman Kathleen Navejas announced her opposition to a Nov. 21 ballot initiative to open a poker club. Initiative backers, including the other council members, see a gambling club as the only way to pay off crushing city debts. Money woes were exacerbated when the city formed its own Police Department to replace sheriff’s deputies.

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ROBERT CANADA

Hawaiian Gardens mayor, medical records analyst

I see good things for Hawaiian Gardens in the coming year. Most of the residents have been very supportive of the poker initiative and I think it will pass. With more money we can provide more services. If the club brings more crime, with our own police we can control it. I voted for the Police Department, which came when the city was under financial strain. I didn’t understand the extent of our financial problems, and for that I plead my own ignorance. If the poker club doesn’t pass, I don’t even want to think what will happen.

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LUPE CABRERA

City councilman, retired business owner

The city’s annual revenues are now $3 million and we’re spending $4 million. We need the revenue from a poker club. Nothing else will keep our city afloat. Otherwise we could lose our cityhood and go back to being under the county. Then you would really see an increase in crime here. The group supporting a poker club has said that if it passes it will immediately advance the city $1 million. And revenues from the poker club are expected to bring the city at least $3 million per year. And a club would not just be for card-playing. I myself would never go to a poker club to gamble, but I would probably go eat at its restaurant.

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KATHLEEN NAVEJAS City councilwoman, travel agent I’ve begun doing anti-gambling work. I’ve talked to many people who signed the petition for the poker club initiative and they said they were told it was for a big movie complex and shopping center. They said they would like to withdraw their signatures. I’ve been in contact with the district attorney’s office about it. I was the main one who wanted us to have our own Police Department, and I certainly hope the council won’t cut the number of officers, because in just the little time they’ve been on duty they’ve cleaned up our city considerably. I can make an argument that poker club revenue could be very beneficial to the city. But it could increase crime.