Yorba Linda Water District recalls, California (2016)

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Yorba Linda Water District Board recall
YorbaLindaWater.jpg
Officeholders
Gary Melton
Robert Kiley
Recall status
Recall approved
Recall election date
November 8, 2016
See also
Recall overview
Political recall efforts, 2016
Recalls in California
California recall laws
Special district recalls
Recall reports

An effort to recall Gary Melton and Robert Kiley from their positions on the Yorba Linda Water District board was initiated in March 2016. The Yorba Linda Water District is in Orange County, California[1] Melton and Kiley were both recalled on November 8, 2016.[2]

The effort was launched because of the board's decision to raise rates 380 percent over five years. Eddy Jackson of the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association served the recall papers to Melton and Kiley during the water board meeting on March 10, 2016. Jackson said the board used a "deceptive campaign that leveraged California's water crisis as a means to excessively increase water rates."[3]

Two other members of the five-person board, Ric Collett and Mike Beverage, were up for re-election in 2016. The recall appeared on the November 8, 2016, general election ballot.[4] Voters therefore had the option of totally overhauling the board.[1] All five members of the board had voted to increase water rates.[5]

Recall vote

The recalls for Melton and Kiley occurred on November 8, 2016. In addition to voting either to recall or retain each official, voters chose a successor for each position. Robert Wren and Albert Nederhood ran for Melton's seat, and Eileen Barme and Brooke Jones ran for Kiley's seat.

Melton

Recall Gary Melton Question
ResultVotesProzentualer Anteil
Yes check.svg Recall17,41670.55%
Retain7,26929.45%
To Succeed Gary Melton
ResultVotesProzentualer Anteil
Red x.svgRobert Wren 10,705 48.58%
Yes check.svgAlbert Nederhood 11,332 51.42%

Kiley

Recall Robert Kiley Question
ResultVotesProzentualer Anteil
Yes check.svg Recall17,75170.81%
Retain7,31929.19%
To Succeed Robert Kiley
ResultVotesProzentualer Anteil
Red x.svgEileen Barme 6,104 28.02%
Yes check.svgBrooke Jones 15,677 71.98%

Supporters

Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association

In addition to the recall efforts, the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association filed a lawsuit seeking to retract the water rate increases.[1] Jeff Decker, the association's cofounder, said the board was charging more than was necessary and was not looking out for the taxpayers' interests.[6]

The video below shows Eddy Jackson serving the recall papers during the board meeting on March 10.

Opponents

Gary Melton defended the rates increase. Due to the drought, Yorba Linda was required by the state to reduce its water use by 36 percent in 2015. Because people were using less water, the water district was bringing in less money. "This was the best resolution to keep the district going at least through this water crisis," said Melton.[1]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in California

Recall proponents had 120 days to collect 9,520 valid signatures for both Melton and Kiley, which is equal to 20 percent of the district's registered voters. The recall papers were served on March 10, 2016, and the two targets had seven days to file a response.[1] The The Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association turned in the petitions June 9, 2016, and said that they had 11,714 signatures on Melton's petition and 11,702 on Kiley's. The county had 30 days to certify the signatures.[7] The recall was approved for the November 2016 ballot.[4]

Recent news

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See also

External links

Footnotes