Bosse Goes On the Record — Vote ‘No’ on Measure J 

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UPDATED Monday, October 22-2:45 PM 


The Beverly Hills City Council will have yet another chance to publicly back the Board of Education in opposition of Measure J at its study session on Tuesday afternoon.

The study session begins at 1:45 p.m in the council chambers at City Hall [455 North Rexford Drive,
Beverly Hills].

Councilwoman Lili Bosse has already joined Vice Mayor John Mirisch in making their public opposition to Measure J perfectly clear.

“I am proud to oppose Measure J,” Bosse told The Courier. “We must stand side-by-side with our school board and protect our only high school. Measure J is a blank check that is fiscally irresponsible.”

Measure J is an extension of a half-cent transportation sales tax approved by voters as Measure R in 2009. Measure J would extend the tax 30 more years to 2069. Many have called Measure J a “blank check” for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The item was on the agenda at the request of Vice Mayor John Mirisch at the City Council’s study session two weeks ago, but was placed near the bottom of the agenda by Mayor Willie Brien. When the session ended without discussing Measure J, Mirisch asked that it be brought up at that night’s formal council meeting, considering the schedule was light. That night’s formal meeting lasted only about an hour, but Measure J was not brought back up for discussion.

Mirisch told The Courier after the meeting that it “seemed like a stalling tactic” and that it was important to take a position on Measure J, which he called another example of “blank check crony capitalism politics.”

Mirisch has joined Board of Education President Brian Goldberg and boardmembers Lisa Korbatov and Lewis Hall at Coalition to Defeat Measure J rallies over the last week in Los Angeles and most recently, Thursday at Metro’s headquarters when L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich voiced his public opposition to Measure J.

Brien told The Courier after the meeting that the council did not have enough time to thoroughly discuss it at that meeting, but that it would be discussed at the next study session, which is tomorrow at 1:45 p.m.

“We had a lot of things on the agenda and we want to have time to discuss things open and fairly,” Brien said.

South Pasadena City Council Will Hold Measure J Meeting Tuesday 

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The special meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

By Donna Evans 2:13 pm 

South Pasadena City Council members will consider a resolution that supports Measure J during a special meeting Tuesday.

Measure J, which, if approved, will extend the voter-approved one-half cent traffic relief sales tax for another 30 years. It was added to the Nov. 6 ballot by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The measure is subtitled: Accelerating Traffic Relief, Job Creation. The draft resolution can be found on the City website here.

A Pasadena Star News article states that some opponents to Metro's SR-710 N. Gap Closure Project have objected to Measure J, opining it will help Metro with the freeway project. However, Metro, the article says, has maintained that Measure R "provided sufficient funding for the SR-710, so the project would not be affected by Measure J.''

Since this is a special meeting, it will not be broadcast or webstreamed, according to a press release from the city. However, audio recordings will be available through the City Clerk’s Office at 626-403-7230.

No On Measure J Photo

Posted by Tina G Miller on No Measure J Facebook page

San Rafael Neighborhoods Association October Newsletter

October 2012   Newsletter   Vol 1, Issue 2  The mission of the San Rafael Neighborhoods Association (SRNA) is to enhance and maintain the character and quality of all San Rafael neighborhoods through advocacy and an activated community. In This Issue SRNA October Profile San Rafael School Update 710 Update Fire Station 39 Update Glen Summer Rd Ambulance Update SRNA Concerns with NFL DEIR SRNA October Profile: Artist and SRNA Board Member Wendi Moffly The beautiful artwork that adorns the SRNA website is the work of SRNA Board Member Wendi Moffly. Wendi and her family have lived in the beautiful San Rafael neighborhood for the last 14 years.  She and her husband Bill, have raised their three kids on these lovely, quiet streets and have watched them learn to ride their bikes on Sierra View Road, trick or treat along San Miguel, and walk to Little Flower Candy Company for a pretzel roll.  It has been the kind of neighborhood that has created great memories and friendships and it's the place the kids look forward to coming back to after attending college out of state. Wendi's artwork reflects the warmth and architectural details of the neighborhood and captures the gentle light and shadows cast by the canopy of mature trees found on each street.   Wendi has been studying painting at Pasadena's own Art Center College of Design, and works in both watercolor and oil.  Her subjects include still life and figure as well as the many interesting bridges and buildings throughout the city.  She loves color!  MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS SRNA General Membership Meeting Wednesday,  November 7  7 PM-9PM Church of the Angels Church Hall OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC _________________________________ District 6 Councilman Steve Madison  Quarterly Town Hall Meeting October 30 6:30 PM-8PM Braun Auditorium at Westridge School __________________________________   San Rafael School Update By Mary Dee Romney  UPDATE After the PUSD released information in May revealing the presence of seismic faults running through the San Rafael Elementary School campus, the school site became ineligible for state modernization funds forcing the district to plan for relocation or face cost-prohibitive modifications to the site.  San Rafael neighbors now are concerned about plans for future use of the site and potential for "white elephant" status and/or demolition and impacts to property values. DEVELOPMENTS 1)     Parents of students currently attending San Rafael Elementary School have expressed strong preference for keeping the present student body intact when moving to another PUSD site while maintaining and growing the Spanish dual-immersion program; 2)     SRNA and the school district have been approached by a well-capitalized local private school seeking a long-term lease with the PUSD at the San Rafael site - negotiations are in a preliminary phase; 3)     The Board of SRNA met recently with Pasadena Heritage and out-of-town promoters soliciting neighbor signatures on a petition to designate the school with "landmark" status; it was agreed the effort should be deferred and, if pursued at a later time, coordinated in advance with impacted neighbors and state law governing school district ownership of property; 4)     Pending the outcome of tax measures appearing on the November 6th ballot, the PUSD Board of Education must make budget decisions impacting all district operations and facilities, including the San Rafael school site. Because San Rafael Elementary School is the focal point of the neighborhood, SRNA will maintain involvement, with neighbors and the district, in developing a mutually agreeable resolution for alternative use for the site and the safeguarding of residential property values. The outcome of the November 6th election will set parameters for many school district decisions.  SRNA will continue to update on this matter.

710 Fwy Update By John and Monica Shaffer    It has been a busy couple of weeks for those concerned about the proposed 710 freeway and highway routes extending into our neighborhood and surrounding communities!  On September 18, the City of Pasadena hosted an informative and well-attended forum on the SR-710 Freeway extension that focused on the F-7 tunnel route.  A similar forum was hosted by South Pasadena on September 26.  Both featured pubic officials, as well as transportation and environmental experts, who provided a wealth of information about the potential negative effects of a freeway tunnel bringing more traffic and pollution into our area.      Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard published a letter to the MTA outlining his personal opposition to any freeway or highway routes extending the 710 Freeway.  Other elected officials who recently have joined in opposing the SR-710 freeway extension, including the tunnel, are State Senator Carol Liu and Congressman Adam Schiff.       Thursday, September 27, residents of the San Rafael neighborhoods attended a rally/press conference and Metro Board meeting at Metro's headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.  La Canada City Councilman and MTA Board Member Ara Najarian organized the press conference, and he was joined by State Assembly Member Anthony Portantino and Mayors William Bogaard of Pasadena, Frank Quintero of Glendale, Stephen A. Del Guercio of La Canada Flintridge and Michael A. Cacciotti of South Pasadena.  All of them denounced what they say is "a fiscally irresponsible project that has lost all credibility amongst community members."          Finally, there is some particularly good news for our area -- at the beginning of the MTA Board meeting, Chair Michael Antonovich reported that the routes through San Rafael no longer are being studied.  While the Chair's report does not have the finality of a Board vote, it is a fairly good indicator that the MTA staff recommendations are likely to be accepted and our neighborhoods have been spared the direct destruction those routes would have imposed.  However, recent studies have shown that any freeway/tunnel extension into Pasadena will bring more traffic and pollution to our neighborhood, and thus we remain opposed to any of these routes.  FIRE STATION 39 UPDATE                                          By Stan Clark    -Bids on the project are being accepted through Oct 30th. 2012 -A Mandatory Walk Through by contractors who wish to bid on the project was held on Oct. 17th. 2012 at the station. -The City is expected to award the contract to retro the station by the end of the year. Stay Tuned For the Next Update  SRNA will continue to monitor the progress of  Fire Station 39 every step of the way until the station is re-opened.  Restoration of Engine 39 in Fire Station 39 is essential to ensure public safety in the San Rafael area. Glen Summer Rd Ambulance UPDATE By Ron Paler, M.D.      After 9 months of operating a rescue ambulance out of a residential home at 159 Glen Summer Rd,  the City of Pasadena- Department of Public Works ultimately applied for and was granted a Conditional Use Permit for operating an ambulance from the site.  The Hearing Officer decided that the CUP be approved with the conditions specified in Attachment B and Mitigation and Monitoring and Reporting Program Matrix Negative Declaration in Attachment C.  Key points taken directly from findings of CUP #5837 include the following as they pertain to the location site: 1.     " The site will continue to appear as a single-family residence throughout the duration of temporary Public Safety Facility and upon its expiration after December 2013 at the latest, will revert back to a single-family residence." 2.     "The approval is valid through December 31, 2013 or until the Pasadena Fire Department vacates the residence, whichever occurs first." 3.     "The property shall be maintained in a clean and orderly condition, free of weeds and trash in compliance with all applicable laws and codes." 4.     "When an emergency vehicle is dispatched from the subject site, emergency lights shall not be used until the vehicle reaches Melrose Avenue or Nithsdale Road." 5.     "When an emergency vehicle is dispatched from the subject site, emergency sirens shall not be used until the vehicle reaches Melrose Avenue or Nithsdale Road." SRNA supports the measures that were added to the CUP as noted above. SRNA EXPRESSES CONCERNS WITH NFL-ROSE BOWL DEIR by Ron Paler, M.D. SRNA, working to preserve the quality of life in the San Rafael area, submitted numerous concerns and examples of omissions in the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) to the City of Pasadena on the use of the Rose Bowl by the NFL.   SRNA supports our sister neighborhood organization-the Linda Vista Annandale Association (LVAA)- and concerned residents of the Pasadena Neighborhood Preservation Committee in the East Arroyo, specifically the Rosemont area,  in opposing the relocation of the NFL to the Rose Bowl on a temporary basis.   The SRNA Board of Directors voted to oppose the relocation of the NFL to the Rose Bowl. The position of the SRNA is in agreement with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in not recommending the relocation of the NFL to the Rose Bowl.   Please consider joining SRNA--West Pasadena's newest and fast growing neighborhood organization dedicated to the San Rafael Neighborhoods Area.  MEMBERSHIP LEVELS:  Member $20 Household $35 Sustaining $100 Patron $250 Benefactor $500 Join us at our website at www.srnapasadena.org and click the tab "Join Us"   Credit cards accepted  OR contact us and send check by mail to: San Rafael Neighborhoods Association (SRNA) PO Box 92617 Pasadena, CA 91109 Share with us what you treasure about living in the San Rafael area of Pasadena and also what concerns you about our quality of life in Pasadena. Is there a particular issue you would like addressed? Please write to us at info@srna.org to share your thoughts.  SRNA is looking for people to volunteer and be a part of our organization.  Write to us if you would like to help make a difference and what your area of interest is.