Health & Fitness
Blog: Another Special Election, at $1.7 Million Cost? But It Was Avoidable!
City Council candidate could have saved the County $1.7 million by not running for two jobs simultaneously. Blumenfield's November win as Assemblyman was reason TO NOT run for City Council in March.
Joyce Pearson, a businesswoman and member of the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council took time out of her life to run for City Council. Her opponent Bob Blumenfield, decided to run for the same position AT THE SAME TIME he was running for re-election as State Assemblyman.
Blumenfield is terming out in 2014 – which means his motive for running for City Council now Is location, location, location. It is less of a commute to travel to Los Angeles than Sacramento. The accumulative State term limits do not transfer to the City Council job.
With 9,895 votes Blumenfield has the required majority to not face a runoff in November IF it was the final result. As of Thursday, the 14th there were still 90,000 provisional ballots uncounted. The 300 vote lead Blumenfeld has is not large enough to start buying office furniture to suite the Los Angeles location.
Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
So both Pearson or Blumenfield have to wait it out until March 26th when the votes are certified. Campaigning is on a hold. Meanwhile the Pearson campaign raised $98,000 for the primary and received $90,000 in City matching funds. Whereas, did Blumenfield utilize his political war chest from the Assembly race to augment his Council fund raising to a total of $197,000 and $100,000 in matching funds?
The question remains – if on March 26th Blumenfield is declared a winner will the selection of a new representative for the 45th Assembly be held in November or will a special election be required. If the latter is the case will Blumenfield supply the County with funds to pay for this special election which is ENTIRELY his own doing?
Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The special election for a Community College Board seat in 2011 cost taxpayers $1.7 million. In fact the County Registrar of Voters estimates the cost per vote cast in these lower turnout elections is $40-$50.
Clearly politicians who are padding their pensions and careers at your and my expense should not be validated by voters. Either that or you and I should each take Mr. Blumenfield to small claims court for our $50 cost and then turn it over to the County to offset this unnecessary expense.
