Incumbents Shelley Ryan and C. Joseph Chang have told the Tribune that they plan to defend their seats on the San Marino Unified School District Board at the Nov. 8 election. Jim Barger, who sought one of two open seats that were up for appointment in 2021, has also confirmed that his name will be on the ballot in November.
Chang has served five terms on the School Board and Ryan has served two.
Nomination papers were available on Monday, July 18, and the deadline to submit a declaration of candidacy is Friday, Aug. 12. If incumbents fail to file a declaration of candidacy by the deadline, it will be extended to Wednesday, Aug. 17.
The San Marino City Council will have three seats appearing on the ballot, with the terms of Mayor Susan Jakubowski and Council Members Gretchen Shepherd Romey and Ken Ude ending in November. Jakubowski and Ude have already announced that they will not be defending their seats, while Shepherd Romey recently stated that she will be running in November. Council Members Steve Talt and Dr. Steven Huang are currently serving their second terms, which end in December 2024. Huang and Talt must leave the Council due to a term limit but are able to run again in a later election. Steven Jones has also pulled papers for a possible run at a seat on the City Council.
The School Board will have four seats on the ballot as the four-year terms of Ryan and Chang will be finished, requiring them to seek reelection. But the number of seats on the ballot has increased to four, with the 2021 resignation of Corey Barberie and Julie Chan Lin. Under state law, an appointed candidate serving in a vacated seat may only serve until the next regularly scheduled election. Jane Chon, who was elected in November 2020, is currently serving the second year of her four-year term.
School Board President Jeanie Caldwell said she will not be defending her seat while Michael Killackey has indicated he will decide at a later date.
City Council candidates are encouraged to email cityclerk@cityofsanmarino.org, and those interested in running for a school board seat may contact Jennifer De La Torre at jdelatorre@smusd.us.
Also on the Nov. 8 ballot will be a proposed vacancy tax that — if passed — will generate approximately $4.7 million to be used for public safety services (including police, fire protection and code enforcement), maintenance of school facilities and school staffing. The tax will require a two-thirds majority vote to pass and will charge those who have lived on their properties for less than 120 days per year at a rate of $10,000 per parcel.
