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City Council Being Recalled Over Wal-Mart Vote

Recall notices officially served against Suisun City Council, including mayor, after controversial vote to approve Wal-Mart project

Three members of the Suisun City Council - including the Mayor - were served with official notices to recall them during the city council meeting Tuesday night by a community group formed after the council ignored safety experts and approved a controversial Wal-Mart last month and "risked the health and safety" of Suisun residents.

Mayor Pete Sanchez, vice-mayor Jane Day and council member Mike Hudson will have a week to respond to the "Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition," according to Anthony Moscarelli, a member of "Save Our Suisun" (SOS) and one of the Suisun City residents to serve the notices. He said residents lined up to sign the notice of recall.

Petitions to force the recall election could begin circulating within 30 days, and proponents have up to 120 days to collect about 2,050 valid signatures of registered voters. SOS expects to collect at least 2,500 signatures.

Councilmembers Mike Segala and Sam Derting are not part of the recall because they are up for re-election in November. The campaign to un-elect them, and the recall campaign against those served Tuesday night will be run simultaneously, said SOS.

"Mayor Pete Sanchez...has not kept his public campaign promises to oppose a proposed big box development that has negative impacts on the health and safety of residents," said Moscarelli, quoting the recall notice. Sanchez promised to never vote for a Wal-Mart project during campaigning for Mayor - but did so in February. Sanchez treats "residents with disrespect," and his votes "needlessly exposes (the city) to the liability of an aircraft crash" at the site of a proposed Wal-Mart project, said Moscarelli.

Vice-Mayor Day also voted to approve the controversial Wal-Mart project, which "threatens the health and safety of residents of Suisun City, exposing Suisun City citizens to excessive traffic, crime, flooding, environmental damage and lower property values,"said recall proponent Peggy Hanson, quoting from the recall statement she served on Day.

Council member Hudson is being recalled for, among other reasons, refusing to recuse himself from the Wal-Mart vote despite the fact that he "chairs an organization that has accepted money from (Wal-Mart) pursuing approval of a multi-million dollar development...affecting the health and safety" of Suisun City residents, said Rich Hanson, who served Hudson.

The Notice(s) of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition, outlining the reasons to recall the Suisun City elected officials, are available upon request.