Anaheim voters will decide June 4 whether Councilmember Natalie Rubalcava should be removed from her office.
Unite Here Local 11, a labor union representing service workers in Southern California, is behind the recall effort against Rubalcava and gathered enough valid signatures to initiate the special election. The City Council on Tuesday scheduled the date for the public vote.
The union argues Rubalcava should no longer hold office because of criticism of her in a city-funded independent investigation released last summer. “The recall process exists to remedy this exact kind of situation,” Kurt Petersen, co-president UNITE HERE Local 11, has said.
Rubalcava, who represents District 3 in central Anaheim, told her council colleagues that she was comfortable with the date. Rubalcava has argued recalls should be reserved for severe cases, “not policy differences or political games,” and has suggested that the recall effort is a political weapon.
Unite Here Local 11 in January filed more than 9,100 signatures to support the recall. The Orange County Registrar of Voters verified that more than 5,100 signatures were valid, enough to force the recall election to proceed.
If a majority of voters agree to remove Rubalcava, her seat would be vacant until the City Council makes an appointment. It has 60 days or a special election is prompted. The appointed person would hold the position until the next general municipal election, which would be November.
“Serving on my hometown City Council over the past year has been an honor,” Rubalcava said Wednesday in a statement. “Working together with my colleagues, we’ve secured funding to enhance La Palma Park, expanded library hours, established a new public art program, improved communications with residents about tree trimming, and built needed affordable housing. Although I don’t agree with the arguments made by the recall proponents, I respect the process, and I’m looking forward to making my case to…
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