He won reappointment in the first tally, something that did not happen during past votes for this AQMD seat and many others. Cacciotti picked up many other votes from cities not directly involved in the 710 northerly extension: El Monte, West Covina, Monrovia, La Verne, Claremont, Duarte, Glendora, Industry, Irwindale, Pomona and San Fernando.īy a 21-9 vote, Cacciotti, 57, easily bested Ly during a historical meeting of the City Selection Committee in which 30 of 34 cities from eastern Los Angeles County cast votes. Those against the 710 tunnel voted for Cacciotti, namely: Pasadena, South Pasadena, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge and Sierra Madre. One exception was San Gabriel, whose coalition member voted for Cacciotti. “We need to make sure that our land use rights continue to be protected,” he said.Īlhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead and San Marino - all members of the 710 Coalition advocating for completing the freeway via a tunnel with toll lanes - voted for Ly. Ly told delegates inside the Duarte Community Center that the anti-smog agency may try to take away local cities’ land use authority for large-scale projects such as football stadiums. Ly also said that doing nothing continues bad air for the people of Rosemead, Alhambra and Monterey Park due to congestion, something he said was not addressed by the anti-smog agency. They contend the agency overstepped its authority. That opinion was followed up in similar fashion by a letter from the U.S. Most cities in favor of digging a $5.65-billion tunnel under El Sereno, South Pasadena and Pasadena connecting the 710 Freeway from where it ends in Alhambra to the 134/210 freeway interchange cast votes for Ly.īoth Ly and Alhambra City Councilwoman Barbara Messina criticized the AQMD for releasing a blistering assessment of the 710 tunnel plan last summer that said the project would result in higher pollution, and in many other areas was grossly inadequate.

South Pasadena City Councilman Michael Cacciotti, from a city actively opposed to the 710 completion for over 40 years, was reappointed to the four-county South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board Thursday, handily defeating first-time challenger Rosemead City Councilman Steven Ly.

DUARTE > What was billed as a clash between advocates of cleaner air versus those favoring fewer government regulations, as well as between groups in favor and against a 710 Freeway tunnel, ended quickly Thursday in a victory for environmentalists and other entities opposed to the freeway extension.

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