New Mayor Still An AFSCME 'Sister'

POMONA, CALIFORNIA

Norma Torres, sworn in Feb. 10 as the first Latina mayor here also holds the unique distinction of being the nation's first AFSCME-member mayor to retain membership in the union. That's because the job in Pomona — with 170,000 residents, the fifth-largest city in Los Angeles County — is part time. Torres, who is raising three teenaged sons, says she needs two incomes.

"I'm keeping my day job as a dispatcher for the L.A. Police Department and therefore my membership in Local 3090 of Council 36," Torres says. She works as a 911 police dispatcher from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., and then becomes "Her Honor" from noon to what she describes as "whenever." Of that demanding schedule, she says, with a laugh, "I'm sure I can handle it. I'm used to hand-ling the city's emergencies."

Torres praises AFSCME for the help it gave her campaign for mayor. "I most definitely could not have been elected without my union's support. Council members mailed campaign pieces, walked with me and handled phone banks. They were very effective."

Her term will last three years. Among her priorities is working with the police department to reduce violent gang activity and to stop placing halfway houses for sex offenders in residential neighborhoods.