Central Los Angeles

RECALL REDUX: Bell Gardens’ Mayor Maria S. Chacon and Councilman Ramiro Morales should know how to fight a recently launched recall campaign against them: Both were the leaders of a nationally publicized 1991 recall of four white City Council members who were accused by activists of racism against the city’s largely Latino residents.

This time around it’s the layoff of 13 employees and accusations of power-grabbing that have recallers angry. The layoffs came last month in an effort to close a $4-million city budget deficit.

Councilman Frank B. Duran, a recall campaign organizer, complained that the layoffs have caused cuts in the city’s youth services and in a drug education program for fifth-graders.

“Our main concern is the reduction in services to the community,” Duran said.

Recall organizers have 90 days to gather the 1,583 signatures necessary to hold a special election, which could be scheduled as early as January.

Marco Firebaugh, a volunteer consultant to the mayor, said Chacon is taking the recall threat seriously. She raised $5,000 at a breakfast last week, and an anti-recall committee is organizing.