Al Pinheiro recall, Gilroy, California (2009)
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An effort to recall Al Pinheiro is underway as of August 2009. Pinheiro is the mayor of Gilroy, California in Santa Clara County.[1] Pinheiro is currently serving his second term as mayor of the city of about 40,000 residents known as the "Garlic Capital of the World."
The local police union is leading the effort to recall Pinheiro. They are angry at him because of a 5-2 vote of the Gilroy City Council in July 2009 to cut $1.1 million from the policy department budget.
Gilroy has a $4.7 million deficit.
Pinheiro responded to the recall effort by saying that the city must cut 20% of its budget and that all departments will have to adjust to this economic reality caused by the city's falling tax revenues.
Policing density
The FBI keeps statistics on policing density. According to the FBI, Gilroy has about 1.1 police officers per 1,000 residents, compared with the national average of 1.5.
Path to the ballot
3,700 signatures will be needed to force a recall election. Mark Zappa is the primary activist involved in collecting these signatures. Zappa says that if the City of Gilroy hadn't purchased Bonfante Gardens in 2008 for $13.2 million it would have more money for necessities like policing.
Cost to conduct election
Depending on when recall signatures are collected and turned in, the election may take place on June 8, 2010. In that case, the price tag to the city of conducting the election would be about $75,000.
If, instead, the recall question goes on the November 2, 2010 ballot, it will cost about $45,000.
But, if the recall election is held as a special election, the cost of conducting it would be between $400,000 and $420,000.
