HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/19/2024 Item 7a, Ayral
Colunga-Lopez, Andrea
Odile Ayral <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Item 7a
This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond.
Mayor Stewart and Council Members,
I urge you to vote against the pre-litigation settlement recommendation. I am amazed that so little effort has
been done to inform the residents about such an important change. Just a few months ago, I was talking with a
council member about how popular the idea of district voting is for me and many others, and at no point did she
inform me of the above. When I said I did not feel my neighborhood was represented because all the council
members live in the south part of the city, I was told I could always make an appointment with any of them, and
they would listen to me. I am sorry, but this is not at all the same thing as living in an area, seeing its problems
day in and day out, and learning that another student cyclist has been killed down the street because the city did
not listen to the neighbors. You must walk in someone’s shoes to understand their lives.
I know I am getting older, and my brain is not as sharp as it used to be, but I fail to understand how voting for
one person instead of two is going to help our problem, and how the contortions the staff is making in legalese
is going to turn it magically ok. So, the staff is patting itself on the back because they could have approved the
settlement in a closed session meeting, but they instead chose to be open. How kind of them!
I live across from Pacheco School, a bilingual magnet school that attracts many Hispanics to the school as well
as outsiders. A significant number of Hispanics live in the neighborhood, and I doubt they believe they are
represented. There are also more Cal Poly and Cuesta students than in other neighborhoods because of the
proximity of Cal Poly and Cuesta. This unique situation brings unique needs and calls for unique
solutions. Yet we have not been represented since John Ashbaugh left the council, and—believe me—it shows.
The staff’s one vote trial recommendation is a waste of time. You are going to evaluate the effectiveness of the
new system for a couple years! How? And then—and only then—you are going to turn to district elections if
the above did not work. How will you measure it? I have no doubt that the staff will decide that it worked, no
matter what. And the staff talks about “outreach” programs to enhance diverse candidates, but to be a
candidate, you must have enough financial means, time, and interest. You know as well as I do that focusing on
one area significantly reduces the money and time necessary to run for office, and makes it possible for more
people to run.
In conclusion, I urge you again to vote against the pre-litigation settlement recommendation, and to seriously
consider district elections.
Sincerely,
Odile Ayral
1
2