Pasadenans List Top Issues in Local Election

Opinions of people who live and work in Pasadena varied when asked what they considered to be the most important issues of Tuesday’s election.

Those contacted by Pasadena Now said that homelessness, COVID-19 and social justice issues were their top issues.

Local voters were set to choose the city’s mayor on Tuesday as Mayor Terry Tornek faces off against Councilman Victor Gordo. Polls are scheduled to close at 8 p.m.

“I don’t want to get into characterizations about a few candidates,” said Ross Selvidge, a former member of the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees. “I think that both candidates have hit on the issues: police reform, the COVID response, development, of course, the social justice angle, police reform, and homelessness,” Selvidge said.

Akila Gibbs, executive director of the Pasadena Senior Center, said members of the center have said there is too much growth.

“Too much building going on in Pasadena, and building that is not helping low-income people,” Gibbs said.

The city is struggling through a housing crisis and advocates have been desperately calling for more affordable housing.

Some local residents believed Tornek’s struggles with restaurant owners stemming from the $15 minimum wage debate could come back to hurt him.

Tornek promised restaurant owners a seat at the table as the city was crafting its wage ordinance. However, according to local restaurateurs, that meeting never happened.

“If Victor Gordo wins, it will be because he made the effort to at least speak with the small businesses, to speak with the restaurants, to try and help them figure out how to make a partial living during this lockdown,” said Ann-Marie Villicana, a local realtor and wife of Robin Salzer, who owned Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ for 27 years.

“If Terry Tornek wins, it’s because he’s the incumbent,” Villacana said.

The Rev. Mike Kinman of All Saints Church listed two key social justice issues when contacted by Pasadena Now.

“We have a great deal of concern as a congregation about those among us who are experiencing homelessness and what we can do as a city,” Kinman said. “That’s a huge issue for us.

“Homelessness in Pasadena, homelessness in Los Angeles and Los Angeles County are likely to get much worse over the next 12 to 18 months because of the economy. We need to think proactively about how to get people into housing and how to keep people in housing,” Kinman said.

“Police reform is also a huge issue for us. particularly with the shooting of Anthony McClain. We are looking for real reform and real change in the Police Department here. We’re encouraged by some of the steps that have been taken in the last month or so, and there is a long way to go. So those are two issues that are on the forefront of our minds,” he said.

McClain was fatally shot by an officer on Aug. 15 after he fled soon after being asked to step out of the passenger side of the vehicle he was traveling in.

Police said McClain’s DNA was recovered from a gun found at the scene.

The shooting brought the issue of police-on-Black shootings home to Pasadena.

Pasadena, like the rest of the nation, was forced to deal with social justice issues since the May 25 death of George Floyd. Floyd was killed by police in Minnesota. His death forced cities across the state to address systemic racism and the treatment of Black people at the hands of police.

Locally, Tornek and Councilmember John Kennedy crafted an ordinance that will produce a police oversight commission, but some residents were unhappy with the result. The ordinance does not give the commission subpoena power. A version of the model, including subpoena power, did not pass at the City Council. Gordo voted in support of both models.

“Our local election issues mirrored the national stage being police oversight and our health and economic recovery response to COVID-19,” said former Councilmember Jacque Robinson, who unsuccessfully challenged Tornek in 2015.