Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
How did we get here with the expense of yet another $250,000 (cost to you, the Glendale taxpayer) special election this May? It’s Worker Power up to its tricks once again. The group is oftentimes the political arm of the Unite Here Local 11 labor union. First Worker Power started collecting petition signatures to kill the use of a GPLET between the City of Glendale and VAI Resort. That action became a moot point when the city and VAI Resort may clear publicly that they would not be using a GPLET. Round #1 lost by Worker Power.
Then Worker Power got a proposition on the November 2024 general election seeking a $25 an hour minimum wage for hospitality workers exclusively in Glendale. Glendale voters said, ‘no’. Round #2 lost by Worker Power.
Now this, their third attempt. This is a special election in Glendale at a cost of about $250,000.
They seek to overturn City Council decisions granting VIA Resort the ability to construct support office space and parking for the Resort. They say the “third time’s a charm.” Let’s finally put Worker Power’s shenanigans to bed and vote ‘yes’ on Propositions 401 and 402.
Propositions 401 and 402 are not about preserving “green space” as Worker Power claims. It’s another “in you face” attempt to unionize workers at the largest resort in the state. If they succeed they will go after every resort and hotel in the state. That’s the prize they are seeking. This effort is merely a smoke screen to cover their true motive. If they cannot get their way and unionize then they seek to kill VAI Resort.
In Proposition 401 Worker Power seeks to kill the city council Amendment GPA23-03 of the General Plan Map through Resolution No. R24-131 and Ordinance No. O24-46, both adopted by the Glendale City Council on November 26, 2024. These measures changed the land use designation on approximately 9 acres owned by VAI from “Parks and Open Space” to “Corporate Commerce Center.”
In Proposition 402 Worker Power seeks to kill city council Ordinance No. O24-46 amending the VAI Resort, Centerpoint Planned Area Development (PAD) to conditionally rezone that 9 acre parcel of land.
Worker Power is contending that swath of land along 95th Avenue, just south of Montebello Avenue, should be preserved for green space. Its use for commercial purposes, the nonprofit believes, won’t benefit residents and will exacerbate environmental issues. I ask you, exactly how much help to our environment will 9 acres be?
What they fail to tell you, the Glendale voter, is that the Resort will not only benefit Glendale residents but schools, the county and the state as well with projections estimated at $2 billion dollars. All of these entities will get more money earned from sales tax. In fact, Glendale is projected to receive $32 million dollars a year in sales tax once VAI is operational. That is a major benefit that Worker Power chooses to ignore.
Worker Power wants that piece of land to become green space. Hello, has anyone driven by that site lately? The office building is nearly completed along with the adjacent employee parking areas. I ask you, exactly how much help to our environment will 9 acres be? It’s akin to trying to empty an ocean with a teacup.
If Worker Power were to succeed all of that infrastructure would have to be torn down. VAI has stated that its plan to construct an office building and parking lot on the adjacent land is vital to the overall project. Without it, the resort’s construction can’t proceed or would be severely delayed.
In the Publicity Pamphlet guess who wrote in opposition to VAI Resort? Our three pals, Jamie Aldama, failed mayoral candidate; Rory Goree, desperately hoping to run against current Ocotillo Councilmember, Leandro Baldenegro through yet another $250,000 (paid by the taxpayer) special election; and current Cactus Councilmember Lupe Conchas. These three guys feed off one another. Their collective agenda is the same and that is to form a new, liberal, WOKE majority on city council. It’s enough to make your head spin.
I have lived in Glendale for 57 years. When I moved here in 1968, Glendale had a population of 45,000 and development only went as far as Northern Avenue. I served on city council for 24 years as the Yucca district councilmember. Over the years I have witnessed many positive changes and have been part of many of the extremely successful decisions that occurred in Glendale. I support VAI’s request to build an office and parking lot on that 9 acres. Everyone wants VAI Resort to open and to be wildly successful.
City council received all information necessary to make a positive decision to allow VAI to build on the land that they already own. I am not asking you to trust our decision for no one trusts government these days. Rather, look at how ridiculous Worker Power’s propositions are. They want VAI to tear down the building and parking lot and replace it with green space on 9 acres. Which do you think will be more impactful to the city? Green space on a postage size piece of land or a building that will house the administrative functions of VAI Resort? It’s kind of a no-brainer.
What can you do? Share this blog on your social media. Talk to your friends and neighbors and ask them to vote yes on these two propositions. When your mail in ballot arrives in May, take immediate action. Vote yes on both propositions and mail it back immediately. If you just put it somewhere to deal with later, it will probably be forgotten.
© Joyce Clark, 2025
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