HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupplemental - xXIID Feedback and direction re potential ballot measure - Public Comments1
Niamh M. Ortega
From:kimffloyd@fastmail.com
Sent:Wednesday, May 11, 2022 5:25 PM
To:CouncilMeeting Comments
Subject:Public Comment 5.12.22 Council Mtg. Action Item D
Honorable Mayor, Counsel Members and Staff,
Oppose Acceptance of Staff Report: Action Calendar Item D Potential Ballot Measure Related to City Council Districts
I am writing to express my disappointment in the Council's actions to date on the issue of expanding the number of City
Council Districts and the staff report supporting Item D.
As I have stated to the Council in the past, we have a wonderful changing community. Our city is growing rapidly to the
north and east. We need council representation from those growing and changing areas of our city. I support five
districts to better represent our citizens by putting elected council members closer to their constituents in smaller
districts. Smaller districts will also make it easier for new candidates to compete for council membership.
The staff report's suggested ballot question as presented does not appear to be "neither argumentative nor likely to
create prejudice for or against the measure". The question should be a simple question: Should the city move from the
current 2 city council districts to 5 city council districts? Yes or No!
It appears that little or no citizen input was taken by staff or the Council Ad Hoc committee in preparing the staff
report. A citizens advisory committee representing different demographics and geographic areas of the city should be
appointed to advise the Council on future action on this issue. I also want to note that I am concerned about the
expense already incurred by the city fighting full implementation of the CVRA of 2001 and the risk of future litigation
around this issue if not handled properly.
Taking a no action position would be better than moving forward with this flawed proposal.
Respectfully submitted,
Kim F Floyd
44579 Sorrento CT
Palm Desert, CA
Item XI. D
1
Niamh M. Ortega
From:Carlos Garcia <carlosg@garciaresearch.com>
Sent:Wednesday, May 11, 2022 4:46 PM
To:CouncilMeeting Comments
Subject:Opposition to Calendar Item D -- Potential Ballot Measure Related to City Council Districts
Honorable Mayor, City Council Members and Staff:
I strongly oppose acceptance of the City's ad‐hoc committee report regarding putting a five district voting system on the
ballot for November, 2022. The reasons for my position include:
The language used in the report is clearly designed to obfuscate the ostensible purpose of the voter referendum
‐‐ voting yes or no should be clear, but in this case you vote no to vote yes. This classic ploy is obviously
designed to confuse voters.
Despite stating that the goal was to use clear, unprejudiced language in the referendum, this report proposes
the exact opposite. The use of the word "only" is clearly designed to make the five district effort look like it
takes away voting rights rather than equally and fairly distributing the city's political power across all of its
citizens and across all of its neighborhoods.
This language would leave the city vulnerable to future litigation. This council has already spent more than a
million dollars on its effort to avoid compliance with the CVRA, money that could have gone to community
projects, parks and grants to businesses that struggled during the pandemic. How much more money is this
council prepared to spend to avoid acknowledging the changes occurring in this city? This ongoing effort does
not reflect the council's fiduciary responsibilities to Palm Desert.
Therefore, the City Council should either:
Send this report back to a re‐designed committee that includes persons who support both sides of this issue
and, hopefully, includes some equally split citizens, or
It should vote this report down as it is too fiscally risky for the city to do otherwise and it is a dramatic sign of
bad faith with the citizens of this city.
In either case, Calendar Item D should not go forward as written.
Sincerely,
Carlos E. Garcia
CARLOS E. GARCIA CEO
1‐323‐376‐3622
carlosg@garciaresearch.com
GARCIA RESEARCH
www.garciaresearchops.com
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Item XI. D