League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Los Angeles County, CA June 8, 2010 Election
	Measure A Change in Election Schedule City of Torrance Charter Amendment - Majority Approval Required Fail: 10,345 / 49.75% Yes votes ...... 10,451 / 50.25% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure A

Arguments Against Measure A

A Yes vote on Measure A saves tax dollars -- extremely important in the present economy. Our City and schools need every dollar they can get to provide the services our citizens and children deserve. In an effort to save money, the Torrance City Council and the Torrance Unified School District have agreed to consider consolidating their future elections. To begin that process, we must first change the City's election date to a stand-alone date. At present City of Torrance elections are coordinated with the June state-wide primary election, controlled by the County of Los Angeles. This arrangement, originally intended to increase local voter participation, did not demonstrate a sustained increase. Serious local issues appear to have a greater impact on local voting patterns. The County has charged the city as much as $250,000, to conduct these elections, costs which could easily increase in the future. Torrance Unified School District Board of Education elections are held in November, also controlled by the County. Last November the County charged TUSD $311,000 for its election! By changing the Torrance election date to the last Tuesday in April of even years, the City of Torrance will be able to manage our own local election with lower costs and better service. Future consolidation of city and school board elections could provide cost savings of $250,000 or more every two years -- saving our city and schools much needed revenue, and giving our community local control of our elections. Changing the City of Torrance election date to a locally controlled election date -- saving precious tax money -- makes sense. That is why this proposal is supported by: Torrance City Council TUSD Board of Education Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Torrance Police and Firefighters Associations former Mayor Dee Hardison, and many others. Vote YES on Measure A -- financially prudent, and the right thing to do! FRANK SCOTTO Mayor BILL SUTHERLAND Councilman TOM BREWER Councilman GENE BARNETT Councilman SUSAN M. RHILINGER Councilwoman PAT FUREY Councilman CLIFF NUMARK Councilman Rebuttal to Arguments For What is the real reason our City Council wants to abandon our successful June election and move it to the last Tuesday in April? Saving money is good, incumbent protection is better but sneaking a parcel tax through is best. Saving Torrance Unified School District $250,000 every two years won't resolve the $24 million deficit next school year. The best way to fill that "hole" is to close four (4) schools and lease them out. Lease revenue could be four (4) times the claimed election savings and would be generated every year. And we would have the schools for future use if required. With Los Angeles Unified School District announcing the cancellation of inter-district permits, Torrance Unified School District stands to lose another $20 million in permit student revenue. Measure A will help them pass a massive parcel tax and avoid downsizing the District. Two elections, just six weeks apart, will result in voter burnout and confusion with different polling places for each election. Stand alone elections historically have low voter turnout and higher costs. And the impartial analysis by the City Attorney does not identify any cost savings by changing our election date. Our June election date was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004. If consolidation is cost-effective, Torrance Unified School District should take the first step and move their election to the June primary election date. TUSD should also insist on term limits for Board members. Vote NO on Measure A -- Be fiscally responsible and don't protect incumbents! www.keepthedate.us JOHN BAILEY Homeowner Association President ROBERT THOMPSON Madrona President NEWTON YOUNG Southwood-Sunray Resident ROBERTA BLOWERS Hollywood Riviera Resident

A Yes vote on Measure A gives "local control" to incumbents, city hall politicians and special interest groups. You lose voter control. They gain incumbent protection. Just six years ago, Torrance residents voted overwhelmingly to abandon the March stand-alone election and combine with the State of California primary election in June. This dramatically increased voter participation, eliminated an election date and proved cost effective. Now the Torrance City Council wants to move the municipal election date to the last Tuesday in April so that Torrance Unified School District can consolidate their election with the City of Torrance. But there's no guarantee that TUSD will consolidate elections even if Measure A passes. Since the City of Torrance must contract with a single, sole-source consultant to run our municipal election, Measure A will not reduce costs for taxpayers. Any savings will evaporate once the supplier uses his monopoly position to raise prices. Voters have confidence in the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters running a nonpartisan, low cost election. If TUSD wishes to consolidate, they don't need Measure A. The Board of Education, by majority vote, can pass a resolution requesting the Board of Supervisors consolidate the TUSD election with the City of Torrance municipal election. (Elections Code 1302a). They have not done so. TUSD should demonstrate their desire by acting first. If we consolidate elections, shouldn't we also place term limits on the Board of Education? Our City Council is under term limits, yet refused to place a companion measure on the ballot allowing voters to impose those same term limits on our Board of Education. Measure A creates an extra, stand-alone, low voter turnout election favoring incumbents. It's an unnecessary waste of taxpayer money without substantiated cost savings. Say No To Incumbent Protection. Insist on Term Limits. Vote NO on Measure A. http://www.keepthedate.com JOHN BAILEY Homeowner Association President ROBERTA BLOWERS Hollywood Riviera Resident ROBERT THOMPSON Madrona President NEWTON YOUNG Southwood-Sunray Resident Rebuttal to Arguments Against Measure A is not about incumbent protection or term limits for the school board or anything else the opponents set forth. It is about saving money for our city and our schools. It is estimated that we can save $250,000 or more every election cycle by moving the Torrance election date to the last Tuesday in April of even-numbered years. That is real money. Money that can be used to provide teachers, police officers, firefighters and other necessary personnel and services to our community. Without moving the date, there can be no savings. The TUSD school board has already agreed to consolidate the election with the city + if this measure passes. Don't believe a small group of naysayers! This measure is supported by: The entire Torrance City Council The entire TUSD School Board The chairman of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce The Torrance Police Officers Association The Torrance Firefighters Association Former Torrance Mayor Dee Hardison And, many thousands of other Torrance citizens Vote Yes on Measure "A" on June 8, 2010. TERRY RAGINS School Board Member MARK STEFFEN President, School Board ALBERT Y. MURATSUCHI School Board Member DON LEE Vice President School Board MICHAEL WERMERS School Board Member DEE HARDISON Former Mayor of Torrance DANIEL W. KEETON Chairman, Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce

Full Text of Measure A

SECTION 510. - GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS General municipal elections shall be held in said City on the last Tuesday in April same day as the statewide direct primary election in each even numbered year.