Turkey Tussle Debate Emerges During Pasadena Budget Discussions

The annual Turkey Tussle football game unexpectedly became a focal point Monday night as City Councilmembers debated whether longstanding community events should remain exempt from potential budget cuts amid the city’s growing financial challenges.

The discussion arose during a budget workshop as city officials reviewed options for addressing projected long-term fiscal pressures.

Interim City Manager Matthew Hawksworth told Councilmembers that staff had examined a range of possibilities, including reductions to programs and events that are not considered part of the city’s core mission. Among the examples cited was the Turkey Tussle, the annual Thanksgiving rivalry football game between Pasadena and John Muir high schools, which receives support from the city’s General Fund.

There is no proposal to cut the longtime high school football game.

“We were asked to think about things that we fund that aren’t part of our core mission,” Hawksworth said, noting that the city pays the majority of the costs associated with hosting the game.

The suggestion quickly drew a response from Councilmembers, several of whom defended the historic event as a treasured local tradition.

Councilmember Justin Jones, a Pasadena High School graduate, who played in the game, jokingly declared that there were “no sacred cows” in the budget discussion except the Turkey Tussle. Jones noted that he played in the game four times while attending Pasadena High School.

Mayor Victor Gordo and other Councilmembers argued that community events such as the Turkey Tussle and AmericaFest provide benefits that extend beyond their direct costs.

Gordo said such events generate goodwill, attract visitors and support local businesses. While eliminating them might produce modest savings, he argued the community would lose valuable traditions and economic activity in return.

Councilmember Jason Lyon urged colleagues not to frame the issue as a choice between preserving or eliminating the event.

“The question is whether we need to be paying for that event or whether someone else will step up and take it,” Lyon said. He described the Turkey Tussle as being “at the heart of this community” and said no one was proposing to cancel it. Instead, he said the city should evaluate whether alternative funding sources could support the game while allowing the city to reduce expenses.

Lyon also cautioned against turning the discussion into an all-or-nothing debate, noting that many small expenditures can add up over time as the city works to address budget challenges.

Gordo responded that discussions about reducing city support for the game have occurred and said he wanted to make clear his position that the event remains important to the community. While acknowledging that every expenditure deserves scrutiny, he said some traditions warrant special consideration because of their cultural and economic value.

The Turkey Tussle discussion came as Councilmembers weighed options for addressing a projected structural budget imbalance driven by rising costs, aging infrastructure and uncertainty surrounding future revenues.

City officials stressed that the conversation was part of a broader review of spending priorities and not a recommendation to eliminate the game.

The budget discussion will continue as the council works toward adoption of the Fiscal Year 2027 spending plan.