As former Mayor Paul Tanaka was forced out of office June 27, when he was sentenced to five years in prison on federal corruption convictions, the Gardena City Council has decided to leave his seat vacant.
The Council voted 3-1 to not appoint a successor, with Councilwoman Tasha Cerda the dissenting vote at the Aug. 9 Council meeting.
Instead, officials will allow Tanaka’s third and final four-year term to expire in March, and also avoid a costly special election. Voters will decide on Gardena’s next mayor during the March 2017 General Municipal Elections.
As former Mayor Paul Tanaka was forced out of office June 27, when he was sentenced to five years in prison on federal corruption convictions, the Gardena City Council has decided to leave his seat vacant.
The Council voted 3-1 to not appoint a successor, with Councilwoman Tasha Cerda the dissenting vote at the Aug. 9 Council meeting.
Instead, officials will allow Tanaka’s third and final four-year term to expire in March, and also avoid a costly special election. Voters will decide on Gardena’s next mayor during the March 2017 General Municipal Elections.
“Consensus was, if you run in November, you will have to run again in March,” said Councilman Dan Medina.
The vacant post is expected to attract numerous candidates.
Both councilmembers Medina and Cerda have announced their intensions to run for mayor. Filing for the March elections begins later this year.
Tanaka’s last council meeting was June 14. By state and federal law, he had to surrender his elected seat when he was sentenced for a felony conviction. He was to begin his prison term Aug. 1.
The popular Tanaka helped pull Gardena out of financial ruin by working closely with City Manager Mitch Lansdell and creditors in 2005-2006, to pay off the city’s extensive debt.
One of Tanaka’s last duties as mayor wwas to cast the deciding vote to promote Gardena Police Chief Edward Medrano to city manager. Medrano is expected to replace City Manager Mitch Lansdell, who announced his plans to retire later this year.
Tanaka left the Sheriff Department amid controversy in 2013, during an FBI investigation into inmate abuse and department misconduct. He still won a third mayoral term that same year. First elected to the Gardena City Council in 1999, Tanaka won the mayor’s post in 2005 with 62 percent of the votes. He defeated then mayor Terrence Terauchi, who returned to win a council seat in 2013.
At Tanaka’s final council meeting, well-wishers gathered to bid farewell and thank him for his service and commitment to the Gardena community.
