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By Brian Hews
Publisher | Follow X
March 26, 2026
The political fallout from Cerritos’ controversial water and sewer rate increases is no longer theoretical—it’s now in ink.
A recall campaign targeting Mayor Frank Aurelio Yokoyama and Mayor Pro Tem Lynda P. Johnson is actively underway, with signed petitions already circulating throughout the city and published this week in Los Cerritos Community News.
The petitions, which include pages of resident names, addresses, and signatures, mark a significant escalation in opposition to the City Council’s approval of sweeping rate increases earlier this year.
What began as roughly 6,400 written protests during the Proposition 218 process has now evolved into a coordinated effort to remove two of the city’s top elected officials.
And unlike earlier opposition, this time residents are putting their names on the line.
The recall documents cite the council’s decision to approve the multi-year water and sewer rate increases despite widespread public opposition. Organizers also point to concerns over spending priorities, including council travel, participation in city-funded international trips, and discretionary expenditures during a period when residents were being asked to absorb higher utility costs.
The filings further reference public meeting tensions, including remarks made from the dais characterizing some opponents of the rate increases as “bullies,” a comment that appears to have deepened frustration among residents.
City officials have defended the rate increases, pointing to aging infrastructure and long-term system costs. But for many residents, the explanation hasn’t been enough.
Now, the process moves into a critical phase.
Under California recall law, once petitions are approved for circulation, supporters must gather signatures from registered voters within a limited timeframe—typically up to 160 days for a city the size of Cerritos. The number of required signatures is tied to voter registration and can be significant, often requiring thousands of valid names to qualify a recall for the ballot.
Only registered voters within the city can sign the petition, and each signature must include a valid address and be verified by election officials. Once submitted, signatures are reviewed—either fully or through sampling—to determine if the recall effort meets the required threshold.
Based on recent Los Angeles County voter registration data, Cerritos has roughly 31,000 to 33,000 registered voters. Under California recall law, that places the city in the 20% threshold category, meaning organizers must collect signatures equal to about one-fifth of registered voters—approximately 6,400 valid signatures—to qualify the recall for the ballot.
The number carries a striking parallel, closely matching the roughly 6,400 protest forms submitted during the Proposition 218 process opposing the water and sewer rate increases. City officials, however, argue the increases are necessary, pointing to aging infrastructure and recent failures such as the breakdown of Well C-4, as well as long-term system costs. They also note that even with the increases, Cerritos’ water rates will fall in the middle range compared to surrounding cities, not at the high end.
If enough valid signatures are confirmed, the City Council must call a recall election, where voters will decide whether to remove the officials from office. If a majority votes yes, the official is removed.
At this stage, petitions are actively being circulated, marking a clear shift from protest to organized political action.
Whether the effort ultimately qualifies for the ballot remains to be seen, but the presence of multiple signed petition sheets already in circulation indicates growing momentum—and a level of political unrest rarely seen in Cerritos.
Recalls targeting both the mayor and mayor pro tem at the same time are highly unusual and signal a widening divide between City Hall and residents.
For now, the message from a segment of Cerritos voters is clear: the fight over water rates is far from over—and this time, it may end at the ballot box.
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