Pomona Mayor and Mobil-Home Space Rent Limits

What’s up with Pomona Mayor Eddie Cortez and the mobile-home ordinance? Before his election, Cortez told voters he was going to end the waiting, put a cap on space rents and give relief to high rents--i.e., return mobile parks to affordable housing.

Now, a month after his election Cortez tells mobile-home tenants, “it’s in the hands of the city staff and the city attorney.”

It’s too early to criticize Cortez, but mobile-home supporters of his would breathe a sigh of relief if he and the City Council would set a deadline when staff will present the revised ordinance for a vote.

While Cortez waits, the rents are going up and mobile-home residents are on a cliffhanger wondering if the new mayor will follow through with his campaign promises.

ALAN CARTNAL

Pomona

Assessment Districts Versus Utility Taxes

The current fad in California to circumvent Proposition 13 is the benefit assessment district. They are popping up in every community like weeds in springtime with just as many different varieties: lighting, landscaping, library, fire suppression, etc.

At the June 16 South Pasadena City Council meeting, several speakers suggested that they would support an increase in the current utility tax rather than pay for two newly proposed benefit assessments. I was one of them. The City Council was indifferent to the idea.

The utility tax does not go on forever as the landscaping assessment will. It’s a users tax and thus perceived by most to be more equitable. The utility tax is paid in 12 monthly payments; assessments are paid semi-annually on your county tax bill. Consumers can control utility usage (and taxes) by conservation of resources. No tax is popular, but the utility tax is palatable.

The South Pasadena City Council just doesn’t get it! A payee (city) in dire financial straits should allow the payer (taxpayers) to determine how the financial aid will be paid (a.k.a. beggars can’t be choosers).

ROBERT O. COOK

South Pasadena