Glendora vs. Azusa spat blamed on political flyer

GLENDORA, Calif. (KABC) -- Victor Penrod has called Glendora home for more than 40 years. He and his wife Norma can't get enough of it.

"I raised my family here, the schools are great. It's like a little Mayberry," Victor said.

That is why the Penrods agreed to be on a mailed-out flyer supporting Measure E, which would boost the local sales tax to increase funding for Glendora's city budget.

But when that flyer hit mailboxes around town, the Penrods were shocked.

One side of the card read "If you care about Glendora, please vote Yes on E. If not, maybe you should consider moving to Azusa."

That line about Azusa, Glendora's neighbor to the west, has angered some Azusa residents, who've fired back at the Penrods online.

The Penrods say they did not approve that statement.

"It's caused a lot of strife between our city and Azusa and we would have never condoned a comment like that," said Norma.

"I graduated from Azusa High School in '69, I lived there for several years and it was my home,' Victor told Eyewitness News. "I would never say anything like this about Azusa."

The statement came from Eleazar Elizondo, the campaign manager for the Glendora Municipal Employees Association. He's the man who put the flyer together.

"There's nothing in that statement that was a pejorative on Azusa," Elizondo explained, saying the line was actually meant as a compliment because Azusa doesn't have a looming budget crisis like Glendora.

"Azusa is not trying to raise taxes, is not trying to pass a new law, has not declared a fiscal emergency, so they're doing a good job over there."

But the Penrods just want the world to know they have nothing against Azusa. They're learning the hard way that supporting Measure E won't be called easy anytime soon.