HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE- 65EDecember 20, 2016
City Council Meeting
Correspondence
65E. EVALUATION OF OPTION CONCERNING POTENTIAL TRANSITIONS TO A
BY- DISTRICT ELECTIONS SYSTEM
Date of Sender /Representative Agency
Corresp.
In Support of item.
1, 12/20/2016 Dave Hoen Santa Ana Resident
B1Agendes12010 AgendesUhlblts 2016 - Current Medng12010d2- 20_Exhlblte_Correspondense 65Edo
Alcala, Abigail
From: Mitre - Ramirez, Norma
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 9:45 AM
To: Alcala, Abigail
Subject: FW: City Council Meeting Agenda Item 65E, December 20, 2016
From: Dave and Darren [
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2016 12:21 PM
To: eComment
Subject: City Council Meeting Agenda Item 65E, December 20, 2016
Dave Hoen
December 20, 2016
City of Santa Ana Mayor and Councilmembers
Via email: eCommerugsanta- ana.org
RE: City Council Meeting December 20, 2016, Agenda Item 65E. [EVALUATION OF OPTIONS
CONCERNING POTENTIAL TRANSITION TO A BY- DISTRICT ELECTIONS SYSTEM]
Dear Mayor Pulido and Councilmembers:
I wanted to deliver these comments during public comment this evening but seeing the other agenda items, I
knew that there would be a line outside making it difficult to even get into the meeting in time to submit a
comment card and that time limits would be imposed on public comment.
Darren and I have a very diverse group of friends here in Santa Ana and in our various social gatherings we
sometimes talk about all of you and the positive and the negative things about each of you. Yep, sounds boring
but you should hear some of the things people think of you! We inevitably play the game of, "Who would make
a good Councilmember". The overriding game rule is that our candidate must have a Latino last name. We
come up with some that would be great but don't want to serve under the present system. Occasionally someone
forgets the rules and suggests someone who would be really great but doesn't have a Latino last name. Then we
laugh about the truckload of money that would be required to overcome the lack of a Latino last name.
I am in no way saying that there is anything wrong with having all Latino names on the City Council, especially
in a City that is mostly Latino. But what I am saying is there is something wrong if a great candidate is excluded
from serving because of his or her last name. Because there are great candidates that have Asian names and
European names and African American names and Middle Eastern names, and, and, and.... And there are
great candidates who have Latino names. Three of you on the Council have spouses with a different ethnicity
than yourself. What if by some fluke of tradition you took your spouse's name instead of your family name?
Should that disqualify you or your children from serving on this Council?
And yes, our residents have a legitimate complaint that for years it was impossible to get any Latino
representation on the Council. That wasn't right either.
Even with `By District" elections, it would still be difficult for anyone new to be elected to City Council and
there would be a good chance that it would still be an all Latino Council and that's okay. But at least District
elections might open the City Council to great candidates, regardless of what their last name might be and might
make the truckload of money required, be just a mini -truck instead of a dump truck.
Wouldn't each of you want to serve with great Council members, regardless of their ethnicity who will
represent all of the residents of Santa Ana, regardless of ethnicity?
I urge you to take the steps towards `By District" elections.
Sincerely,
Dave Hoen
32 year resident of Santa Ana