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Brett Jones and Douglas Begonia recall, Los Banos, California (2024)
| Brett Jones and Douglas Begonia recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Douglas Begonia |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| November 5, 2024 |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in California California recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An election to recall City Councilmen Brett Jones and Douglas Begonia was scheduled for November 5, 2024, in Los Banos, California. Voters recalled Jones and Begonia.[1][2][3]
Recall organizers collected 1,650 valid signatures for the recall of Jones and 1,706 valid signatures for the recall of Begonia.[4]
Recall vote
Jones recall
Brett Jones recall, 2024
Brett Jones lost the Los Banos City Council District 3 recall election on November 5, 2024.
Recall Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✖ | Yes |
75.5
|
2,594 | ||
No |
24.5
|
840 | |||
Total Votes |
3,434 | ||||
|
|
Begonia recall
Douglas Begonia recall, 2024
Douglas Begonia lost the Los Banos City Council District 2 recall election on November 5, 2024.
Recall Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✖ | Yes |
81.6
|
2,699 | ||
No |
18.4
|
608 | |||
Total Votes |
3,307 | ||||
|
|
Recall supporters
Recall organizers served Jones with a notice of intention on April 23, 2024. The grounds given for the recall read as follows:[5]
| “ |
Councilperson Brett Jones is trying his best to remove accountability and integrity from the Los Banos City Council. In 2023, Jones decided to rehire a fired city manager and give him $1.8 million taxpayer dollars even after the city's insurer refused to cover the payment. Based on a single threatening letter, Jones gave his friend nearly a tenth of the city's unallocated general fund. Jones also voted to raise the city manager's base pay to $215,323 with annual 4% raises. Then Jones helped change city rules to require an unprecedented 5-0 vote to protect the "once already fired" city manager from any future termination. Los Banos has lost several high-level staff members because of the city manager's actions and Jones's inexplicably disparaging conduct during meetings. In March, Jones hatched an expensive scheme to solidify his grasp on power by voting to put two initiatives on the ballot at city's cost. The first would have changed the mayor's term from two years to four. The second would have removed the independently elected city clerk and place that position under council control. Los Banos voters rejected both. Let's finish the work begun in March. Recall Brett Jones -- Los Banos can't afford him. [6] |
” |
Recall organizers served Begonia with a notice of intention on April 20, 2024. The grounds given for the recall read as follows:[7]
| “ |
Councilman Douglas Begonia Jr. has broken faith with the residents of Los Banos District 2 and the entire city. Just three months after being sworn into office, Begonia voted to rehire the previously fired city manager, give him a $20,000 raise (plus $6,000 in car and phone allowances) with 4% annual raises. Begonia also voted to pay the city manager $1,800,000 to settle claims already rejected by the city's insurer. Begonia voted to take money that came from Los Banos' general fund and give it to someone he had known "his entire life." Then Begonia voted to tie the hands of future councils by requiring an unprecedented 5-0 vote to fire this city manager. Begonia also voted to spend taxpayer money on two self-serving ballot measures. One would have taken away the rights of voters to choose their city clerk and treasurer and give that power to the council. The other was a scheme to lengthen the mayor's term. Voters emphatically rejected both. Councilman Begonia goes along with his buddies to rig the system and reward friends. Los Banos needs a city government with integrity. Los Banos needs a fresh start. Los Banos needs to recall Douglas Begonia Jr. [6] |
” |
Recall opponents
Jones responded to the notice of intention with the following statement:[5]
| “ |
To the residents of Los Banos, I am writing to address the recent recall effort targeting me, Brett Jones, as your City Council Member. This recall is not a grassroots movement driven by genuine concerns for our community's well-being, but rather a calculated tactic orchestrated by a local developer. This developer has a vested interest in uncontrolled growth, seeking to bypass necessary standards and accountability measures for his projects. The developer's motivation is clear: to prioritize profit over the safety and sustainability of our community. By funding this recall effort, this developer aims to replace independent voices on the council with "puppets" aligned with his interests. To be clear, my primary responsibility is to the well-being of Los Banos and its residents, not the developer's financial interests. My duty is to ensure the safety, prosperity, and quality of life for all our community, and I remain committed to upholding this responsibility. I urge you to see through this deceptive tactic and consider the source behind this recall. We must stand together to protect our community's best interests and resist attempts to undermine our democratic processes for personal gain. Thank you for your continued support. Brett Jones Los Banos, CA 93635 [6] |
” |
Begonia responded to the notice of intention with the following statement:[7]
| “ |
Dear residents of Los Banos, I write to you today with a deep sense of responsibility and transparency regarding the recent attempt to remove me, Douglas Begonia Jr. from my position as a City Council member. This carefully orchestrated initiative, spearheaded by a local developer driven solely by personal financial motives, poses a significant threat to the cohesion and well-being of our community. The actions of this developer raise serious concerns as they prioritize financial gain over the safety, welfare, and future prosperity of our residents. Their intentions are crystal clear: to manipulate our local governance in pursuit of their own interests, disregarding the genuine needs and aspirations of the people of Los Banos. I stand firm in my resolve to serve you with unwavering dedication and integrity. My sole focus remains on advancing the common good, fostering a thriving community, and safeguarding the interests of all individuals who call Los Banos home. I humbly seek your continued support and trust in upholding the values of accountability, fairness, and community well-being. Together, we can ensure that the voice of the people prevails over the narrow interests of a select few. Yours faithfully. Douglas Begonia Jr. Los Banos, CA 93635 [6] |
” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
No specific grounds are required for recall in California. The recall process starts with a notice of intention to recall. The notice must be served to the officer whose recall is being sought as well as published in a newspaper of general circulation. The notice must then be filed with the relevant election office. Once the notice has been deemed sufficient by the election office, a petition must also be filed and approved by the election office. Once the petition is approved, it can be circulated. To get a recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from registered voters in the jurisdiction. The number of signatures required is between 10% and 30% of registered voters in the jurisdiction, depending on the size of the jurisdiction. Jurisdictions with 1,000 registered voters or fewer require 30%, and jurisdictions with 100,000 or more registered voters require 10%. Charter cities can also set their own signature threshold. The amount of time allowed for the circulation of recall petitions also varies by the number of registered voters in a jurisdiction, between 40 and 160 days. Jurisdictions with fewer than 1,000 registered voters allow 40 days, and jurisdictions with more than 50,000 registered voters allow 160 days.[8]
In Los Banos, recall organizers needed to collect signatures from 25% of registered voters to trigger a recall election.[9]
Recall context
- See also: Ballotpedia's Recall Report
Ballotpedia covers recall efforts across the country for all state and local elected offices. A recall effort is considered official if the petitioning party has filed an official form, such as a notice of intent to recall, with the relevant election agency.
The chart below shows how many officials were included in recall efforts from 2012 to 2024 as well as how many of them defeated recall elections to stay in office and how many were removed from office in recall elections.
See also
- Ballotpedia's Recall Report
- Los Banos, California
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2024
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Los Banos Enterprise, "LOS BANOS EMBARKS ON RECALL," accessed May 24, 2024
- ↑ Los Banos Enterprise, "Los Banos City Clerk issues Notice of Special Recall Elections for two councilmembers," August 8, 2024
- ↑ Merced Sun-Star, "Merced County voters approve public safety tax, recall council members in official election results," December 3, 2024
- ↑ The Westside Express, "Petitions trigger recall vote on Jones & Begonia," July 3, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 City of Los Banos, "Petition for Local Recall," accessed May 24, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 City of Los Banos, "Petition for Local Recall," accessed May 24, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Recall Procedures Guide 2023," accessed October 16, 2023
- ↑ The Merced Focus, "Two Los Banos council members face a recall. They’re blaming a local developer," May 20, 2024
