Poway council to set election date for recall of Councilmember Tony Blain

With enough petition signatures verified to hold an election for the recall of Poway City Councilmember Tony Blain, the City Council will vote at its meeting on Tuesday to set an election date.

The proposed date for a special municipal election is Nov. 18. Only residents of Poway’s District 2 would be voting on whether to recall Blain, who represents the district.

The City Council will also decide on Tuesday whether to spend up to $305,000 for the special election and whether to authorize the San Diego County Registrar of Voters to conduct the election.

A Recall Tony Blain campaign was launched on March 19, when proponents submitted a notice of intent to circulate a recall petition for Blain with the City Clerk’s office. After the signature gathering effort was approved April 17, recall volunteers and paid signature gatherers had 90 days to collect 2,425 valid signatures from District 2 residents.

Organizers of the recall effort, which is led by former Councilmembers John Mullin and Anita Edmondson along with businessman John Couvrette, announced Wednesday that the minimum 2,425 signatures threshold was met to qualify for a recall election. The Registrar of Voters verified the signatures and the City Clerk notified the recall group by email the same day as their announcement, Mullin said.

“We’ve had a recall before but nothing on this scale in terms of Tony Blain’s behavior and activity,” said Mullin, referring to the successful 2010 recall effort of former Poway City Councilmember Betty Rexford. “When the community sees something wrong it’s impressive how people mobilize to fix it. The residents care about the city.”

The Recall Tony Blain website lists several allegations against Blain related to public records, bullying and harassment, an investigation by the San Diego County District Attorney’s office and two censures from the City Council.

Blain said Thursday in a press release sent by his attorney Robert Salgado of Counterpoint Legal that the recall effort – and multiple censure attempts – are not about misconduct. They are about silencing someone who refuses to go along with business as usual, Blain said.

“I ran for City Council to bring a voice of independence, accountability and reform to Poway,” he said in the statement. “From day one, I have worked to shine a light on backroom deals, excessive spending, and insider politics that have gone unchecked for too long. It is no surprise that these efforts have made some people uncomfortable.”

Blain also said the recall campaign is “political backlash” designed to block him from fully participating in council meetings and to “punish” him for asking tough questions.

Mullin said the roughly 55 volunteers who are involved in the recall effort will develop a campaign strategy for the recall election closer to the proposed election date.