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Thursday, May 28-June 03, 2026
Arcadia Councilman Fu responds to critics over mayor's resignation By Joe Taglieri
A
joet@civicnewsgroup.com
rcadia Mayor Pro Tem David Fu responded to criticisms over the City Council's lack of action to remove from office or limit the mayoral duties of Eileen Wang, who resigned from the council earlier this month after she admitted that she was a secret agent of the People's Republic of China. In an email to HeySoCal. com, he shared his points of view on a range of issues discussed during the council's last meeting. On Tuesday, council members reassigned the mayor and mayor pro tem positions and started an application process for appointees to serve the rest of Wang's term through November. Among the more than 20 people who spoke during the meeting's public comments segment, former Councilman and Mayor Tom Beck chastised the current council majority for what he said were missteps such as egomania, ineligible residency by Mayor Paul Cheng and Councilman Michael Cao in their respective council districts, the Fu-led censure against Councilwoman Sharon Kwan in August and allegations that
Arcadia Councilman David Fu. | Photo courtesy of David Fu
the majority “ignored” the Wang controversy. "I am quite disappointed with Tom Beck," Fu said via email. "I know he long served this city. That service was not without controversy nor rather obvious error, but it was not for me to judge. This latest diatribe is quite disturbing." Beck followed up his curtailed remarks at Tues-
day's meeting because of a three-minute time limit for public commenters with an email to the council and others. “Your pre-planned speeches for the most part missed the issues your residents raised last night and are concerned about,” Beck said in his email, obtained by
HeySoCal.com. “This is NOT about our country or about how great Arcadia is or how great the residents are. It’s about YOU! The three of you and (City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto) and (City Attorney Michael Maurer) basically said or inferred there was nothing you could do to prevent Eileen from becoming Mayor when she did. It was said that the Charter and new rules regarding Mayor succession gave you no options to prevent her from becoming Mayor.” Beck then asked: “1) Why were you all so effusive about Eileen when you knew all the facts I recited last night and you may have known a lot more disturbing facts," he said referring to the Wang controversy’s timeline that started in December 2024 through this year. Beck also questioned: “2) Why didn’t one or all of you take Eileen aside and suggest that now was not the right time for her to be Mayor under these circumstances? “3) If the City Council had no authority to stop someone from being Mayor why was
See Arcadia councilman Page 35
VOL. 17, 15,
NO. 277
LA City Council approves revised $14.9B budget By Jose Herrera, City News Service
T
he Los Angeles City Council last week approved a revised $14.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-27, preserving the core structure of Mayor Karen Bass' proposal while making adjustments to reinforce reserves. The City Council voted 12-1 May 21 to approve the revised budget, which increased the city's reserve fund from $490 million to $515.9 million, and represents about 6% of general fund revenues. The spending plan increased the city's budget stabilization fund from $9 million to $14.5 million. Councilwoman Traci Park was the lone dissenter, while Councilman Curren Price recused himself, citing a potential conflict of interest as he is a landlord. Councilman Tim McOsker was absent during the vote. Revisions bring the city's cumulative reserve fund from about 8.41% up to 9%. The revised budget is well above a 5% minimum for reserves, but still below a 10% financial policy set by the city. "Our compliance with
fiscal policies directly affects the city's credibility and borrowing costs, especially as Los Angeles prepares to finance $2 billion for the Convention Center expansion," City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, said in a statement. "This budget sends a clear signal that the city is taking its fiscal responsibilities and its future seriously," Yaroslavsky added. Bass is expected to consider the spending plan, and has the ability to approve or veto it. City Council members touted the revised budget maintains Bass' proposed goal of hiring 510 Los Angeles Police Officers to keep pace with project attrition, protects core fire department funding, expands the unarmed model of crisis response program, preserves interim housing and homelessness interventions. It also boosts spending for street cleaning, tree trimming, graffiti abatement, deferred maintenance and sidewalk and other
See Budget Page 17
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