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Alcala, Abigail From: Helen Yajaira Estrada < Sent: Friday, October 13, 2023 7:18 PM To: eComment Subject: Agenda item #27 Good evening City Councilmembers, My name is Helen Yajaira Estrada, and I'm a proud Santanera, a resident of Ward 6, and someone engaged with several community organizations. I am in support of Agenda item #27, the proposal to adopt resolutions to place ballot measures of 1) adopting a Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and 2) permitting Noncitizen Voting in Municipal Elections on the 2024 General Election ballot. Firstly, I would like to thank city staff for their work drafting the resolution and ballot measure language. These are important first steps to ensuring that all residents are able to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Nearly one out of every four residents living in the city are non -citizens who have been politically excluded from voting despite being impacted by the decisions made by the municipal government. All residents of voting age, regardless of immigration status, should be able to participate in local elections. We often hear from electeds announce their support of immigrant and refugee communities. Yet, the issue of noncitizen voting has revealed to Santa Ana residents that some electeds only support those who fit within their narrow-minded mold of the good immigrant. They only support immigrants and refugees when it suits their political agenda and maintains their political power. Noncitizen voting is a threat to their power. They are threatened by immigrant and refugee communities. As a daughter of two undocumented Santaneros who originate from Guatemala, I have seen how engaged my family has been with Santa Ana. Whether it is taking us to the Public Library on Civic Center in order to enhance our education and reading skills, or seeing my dad work at the local donut shop for 14 years. My parents, like many in my community, are engaged in -person, online, and talk to each other about the changes they wish to see. I will be the first to ever vote next year in the Presidential and local elections. A real democracy involves ALL of us. I urge the Council to amend the current draft resolution language to further align with the spirit and principles of the original proposal made by Councilmembers Hernandez and Lopez and supported by community members. Again, I support Agenda items 427. Thank you. Thank you, Helen Yajaira Estrada