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August 31, 2022
By Brian Hews
At the close of the nomination period on Friday, August 12, no one had filed to run against current Mayor pro tem Sonny Santa Ines in the November 8 election for District 3 in Bellflower.
The estimated cost to conduct the elections for three City Council offices, Districts 1, 3, and 5, by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office is nearly $89,000.
Bellflower City Clerk Mayra Ochiqui stated, “The qualified candidate nominated to that office is mayor pro tem Sonny Santa Ines. The California election code sets forth provisions to cancel an election and the city council appoint a candidate to an office when the number of nominees is equal to the number of offices.”
Per government code, a public notice was published in every paper in the area except for this paper, even though HMG-CN is adjudicated with Bellflower City Manager Jeff Stewart opting for the Herald American, Press-Telegram, and La Opinion, none of which publish stories concerning Bellflower at the rate HMG-CN does every week.
BIAS? A portion of the agenda showing the city opting to run its public notice in every newspaper in the area except for HMG-CN even though HMG-CN is adjudicated to publish notices.
The city will save nearly $28,000 if they cancel the election and appoint Santa Ines to the seat. The motion was made by Councilmember Ray Hamada and seconded by Dan Koops, with the motion unanimously carried to appoint Santa Ines to District 3
