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Arcadia City Council Regular Meeting — August 19, 201
Remarks by Lawrence C. Papp
Re: The Stop the Utility Users Tax Initiative
Good evening Mr. Mayor, council members, other city officials.
Gentlemen: My name is Lawrence C. Papp.
It is high time for some clear understanding. The issue before us regarding the "Stop the UUT"
Initiative has nothing to do with its content nor impact. The issue is, "Has the City of Arcadia
obeyed due process of law in dealing with it ?"
During the July City Council Regular Meetings, we heard lengthy comments and opinions about
language, purpose and impact. We listened to Mr. Chandler's tedious Recitation of Devastation
and Woe that would befall our fair city should the initiative become law. Others voiced similar
worries, Mr. Deitsch opined concerning issues of constitutionality. All of these comments and
opinions are completely irrelevant to the matter at hand. No one brought up the subject of due
process of law. Namely, is the City acting in a manner prescribed by law? Thus began the game
of "Jurisdictional Jeopardy."
The reason for an initiative is to give citizens the right to make a decision by popular vote
instead of through representatives or delegates. Such representatives and /or delegates are
prohibited by law from obstructing or subverting the initiative process from reaching the voters
once sufficiency of voter signatures has been validated. You can offer opinions and issue dire
warnings about content and impact until palm trees grow in Iceland. The only actions you can
take are: 1) Adopt the initiative without alteration; or 2) Place it on the ballot without
alteration. That's it!
As of now we assume all of you have seen and read the article from the July 31, 2014 edition of
the "Fresno Bee" which reported what happened when the City of Fresno played the game of
"Jurisdictional Jeopardy" by attempting to block an initiative from the voters. Fresno lost in a
lower court decision and also on appeal. Such a fate may be in the future for Arcadia.
Gentlemen, do the right thing! Obey the law! Avoid unintended consequences! Your
constituents are watching and listening. May God protect our nation.