by Garth Meyer
Redondo Beach city councilman Zein Obagi, Jr. has filed a response to the intent to recall him.
State law requires the response to be included on recall petitions circulated by his opponents.
“Cannabis dealers, unhappy with Redondo Beach, have funded a recall effort to punish the resident-focused city council. They chose me as their target,” the North Redondo, District 4 council member wrote. “They are trying to confuse voters by misrepresenting the facts regarding a legal case I handled as an attorney.”
His filing also says that in his 10 months in office, 4-way stop signs have been installed at six North Redondo intersections, the district received its first neighborhood dog run, and funding for bike, pedestrian, storefront and park improvements. In addition, Obagi mentioned his “strong support for Enhanced Response to Homelessness, and “minimizing traffic, pollution and adverse impacts from state-ordered zoning.”
Recall proponents will have 90 days to gather signatures from at least 25 percent of District Four’s 9,000 registered voters, which would force a recall election.
Proponents have faulted Obagi for his support of a housing element that would put much of the city’s state-required affordable housing in his district, and for his vote to keep homeless pallet shelters all in District Four. Proponents also question Obagi for charges, by the State Bar, of professional misconduct in his law practice. ER
