It does not seem that long ago - just over a year - on June 5 of 2023, that some 40 people, mostly young, showed up at City Council chambers supporting Measure Y, ‘The Kids’ Initiative,’ on the November 5 ballot.
Measure Y is the initiative that would create, maintain, and expand youth services, such as affordable child care, housing support and rental assistance for families with young children, violence prevention, job training, after-school programs; sports, arts, STEM and educational programs at public venues such as parks, our public library, and community centers from existing City general funds.
That night in June, Measure Y supporters filled the chambers, overflowing into the foyer, and some 25 spoke. Many were fairly recent Pomona USD graduates. Some were recent college graduates from places like UC Berkeley and Cal Poly Pomona. Their general refrain, reworded into various permutations throughout the evening was this:
"I am here to ask the Mayor and Council members to support this initiative or at the very least to not interfere with this community-led effort.”
Council members are not allowed to answer public comments during a meeting, but more than a year later, at least 4 of them, including Mayor Tim Sandoval, Council members Victor Preciado, Steve Lustro and Nora Garcia, have come roaring back in opposition to Measure Y with yard signs and posts on social media. This, even though many have campaigned citing their past or present work as educators for youth or supporters of youth. Pomona’s Ethics Commissioner John Clifford and Library Commissioner Duane Smith have also re-posted No on Measure Y literature on social media generated by the Our Pomona Public Library Advocacy Group.
The Our Pomona Public Library Advocacy Group fears that Measure Y would reduce police services, close more Fire Stations, decrease library hours, and reduce park services. They call Measure Y a money grab funded by outside interests that would create a new bureaucracy. One of their complaints about Measure Y is that, if passed, it would mean the creation of a new 15-member commission over half of which would be filled by youth, up to the age of 24. They declare that “Youth deserve a voice, but they are generally not experienced enough to have control, and have a higher turnover than more settled city residents.” Their slogan is that “Measure Y is the wrong way to help Pomona’s children.”
According to the Y on Measure campaign, funded, in part, by the California Community Foundation, Children’s Funding Accelerator, Heising Simons Fund, if passed, it would be funded “without increasing taxes or new bureaucracies – by reordering city priorities, coordinating services, and holding the city accountable for youth impact. With the creation of the Department of Children and Youth, the City will have the infrastructure to sustain and expand services for children while establishing oversight, accountability over tax dollars, and creating local jobs.” Their slogan is, “For our children, for our families, for our future.”
Pamela Casey Nagler, Pomona-born, is an independent scholar, currently conducting research on California’s indigenous people, focusing on the Spanish, Russian, Mexican and US invasions between 1769 and the 1860s. The point of studying this history is to tell us how we got here from there.
Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books and writer in training, but mostly a photographer. Julian is the founder of Mirrored Society Books. Julian was once called a “bitter artist” on the Nextdoor app and “stupid” by one of Pomona’s leadership. Julian embraces name calling, because he believes when people express themselves uncensored, they are their most creative self.
