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HomeMy WebLinkAbout55E - RESO - SUPPORTING MISSION OF OCCUPYREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 28, 2011 TITLE: RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE MISSION OF THE "OCCUPY" ORGANIZATION RELATING TO THE NATION'S ECONOMIC CRISIS ITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ? As Recommended ? As Amended ? Ordinance on 1" Reading ? Ordinance on 2ntl Reading ? Implementing Resolution ? Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Adopt a resolution supporting the mission of the "Occupy" Organization relating to the nation's economic crisis. DISCUSSION The nation's current fiscal crisis has united a number of citizens who have formed the "Occupy" Organization. This organization's mission is to galvanize public support for solutions to the economic problems plaguing our country. The Occupy Organization has identified sustained unemployment, growing income disparities, banking system failures, unjust tax systems, and corporate influence in politics as contributing factors to the widespread economic instability in our nation. The Occupy Organization also calls on Congress to take proactive efforts to create jobs, adopt meaningful regulations of banks and corporations, and to retain local government revenues such as community development block grants that sustain local public services. The attached resolution is an action of support for the Organization's mission and efforts. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. 55E-1 55E-2 ti 11/15/11 RESOLUTION NO. 2011-XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA SUPPORTING THE MISSION AND GOALS OF THE "OCCUPY" ORGANIZATIONS RELATING TO THE CAUSES OF THE NATION'S ONGOING ECONOMIC CRISIS BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and declares as follows: A. The People of California and of Santa Ana are suffering from an ongoing economic crisis that threatens their health and financial security; and B. Members of Occupy movements throughout the nation and Santa Ana community members are frustrated by the continuing economic crisis that threatens individual, family, and City finances, and our community's quality of life, and are participating in Occupy protests to make their voices heard; and C. The reasons for these protests include sustained unemployment, growing income disparity, banking system failures, stalled earning power, unjust tax systems, and corporate influence in politics that all contribute to ongoing wealth disparities; and D. The causes and consequences of the current economic crisis erode confidence in the social contract upon which the Constitution of the United States of America is based; namely, the ability of Americans to come together and form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for all, allowing every American to strive for and share in our nation's prosperity through cooperation and hard work; and E. This prolonged economic downturn has hurt nearly all Americans, in the areas of wealth loss, unemployment, and housing access, and it has taken an even greater toll on people of color and women. Women are 29% more likely to be poor than men. The poverty rate for single mother families has increased to 40.7%. Economic gains made by people of color since the Civil Rights Movement have been substantially reduced by the Great Recession. Caucasian Americans experienced a net wealth loss of 16 percent from 2005 to 2009, African Americans lost about half of their wealth and Latinos lost two- thirds of their wealth in this same period; and 55E-3 Resolution No. 2011-XXX Page 1 of 2 F. More than 25 million Americans are unemployed and seeking work or working part-time because they are unable to secure full-time employment; more than 50 million Americans are living without health insurance; and, more than one in five American children are growing up in households living in poverty without sufficient resources to meet basic survival needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter; and G. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in its report, a "CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report - - United States, 2011" documents that income inequality in the United States is the highest among advanced industrialized nations, with wide-spread inequities in U.S. health outcomes by income, race, and gender; and H. One of the largest problems dragging down our economy is the foreclosure crisis, with many owners struggling to obtain loan adjustments and too many banks with flawed review procedures; and The County of Orange, in its 2011 Community Indicator Report, documents that: (1) the economic recession continues to dramatically affect Orange County's low income families, (2) in 2009-2010 there was an 18% increase in the number of pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students who were identified as living in unstable housing conditions, (3) based on student enrollment, the County has proportionately more homeless and unstably- housed students that the statewide average and all California peers compared, and (4) an estimated one in six Orange County residents have no health insurance. Section 2. The City of Santa Ana hereby adopts this Resolution so as to support the mission and goals of the "Occupy Santa Ana" organization and to recognize its right to the peaceful and lawful exercise of its First Amendment rights done in furtherance of its stated goals and objectives. The City does not condone actions that infringe upon the lawful rights of others, obstruct or interfere with the efforts of law enforcement to protect such rights, or cause personal injury or property destruction. Section 3. The City of Santa Ana requests our Congressional leaders to generate solutions for economically distressed Americans, specifically to: 1. Support job creation, substantial investments in the nation's critical physical and technological infrastructure and to reduce the Nation's deficit by adopting fiscal policies with equitable corporate and individual taxation. 2. Encourage the banking and financial sector to commence more reasonable and flexible lending practices that will further stimulate economic growth and job creation, in addition to the adoption of new rules concerning, and vigorous Resolution No. 2011-XXX Page 2 of 2 55E-4 investigation and prosecution of, individuals and corporations that violate the fraud, theft and securities laws. 3. Retain or increase community-building block grants for local schools and social services and protect public education from devastating cuts and prevent tuition levels that block fair access to higher education. Section 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. ADOPTED this day of 2011. Miguel A. Pulido Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: Joseph Straka, Interim City Attorney By: Teresa L. Judd Assistant City Attorney AYES: NOES: Councilmembers Councilmembers ABSTAIN: Councilmembers 55E-5 Resolution No. 2011-XXX Page 3 of 2 NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of the Council, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2011-XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on Date: Clerk of the Council City of Santa Ana Resolution No. 2011-XXX Page 4 of 2 55E-6