Citizen About Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

Email: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

The hot button topic discussed at the Monterey Park City Council meetings is titled Adopt a Resolution to Pursuant to Election Codes.

California Voting Rights Act authored and presented by Hispanic elected officials in 2005. Governor Jerry Brown signed it into law.

Southwest Voter Registration Education Project from Texas has decided that the Latino voters in the United States have not be given an even playing field serving in our local governments.

Shenkman & Hughes, their attorneys, are suing general law cities and demanding that each city votes by district to prevent their protected class of minorities from losing their bid to serve in the city government.

Monterey Park has already received a warning letter from them to create election districts or be sued.

Monterey Park residents are requested to attend the Public Hearings on this issue since we, the voters, do not get to vote on this important matter.

The city has hired Robert McIntire, a consultant to help us divide up our city by the census data on the number of residents living in our city at the time of the 2010 census.

I am not concerned about dividing up the city by election districts. I am concerned that we make the best decisions for the benefit of our community, Monterey Park.

I recommend that we keep our rotation of mayor system by having five election districts.

I recommend that we begin our mapping by using our five police districts.

Our city has already been divided up by the Zip Codes (91754 & 91755); Area Codes (323 & 626) and School Districts (Garvey Grammar School, Alhambra Grammar School, Alhambra High School, Montebello School and Los Angeles Unified Districts).

Other dividing lines could be North and South of Garvey and East and West of Garfield. Or we could use Garvey Ranch Park, Barnes Park and Elder Park as central points in our map.

I realize that our City Council candidates must live in their legal district but our residents should still be able to vote at large for all of the candidates like the Alhambra voters.

The Monterey Park voters could still have the best of both voting systems (election districts and still vote at large for all of the candidates.).

We need our City Attorneys to research this law and the so call rules imposed on us by outside interests.

I recommend that we pattern our election laws on the City of Alhambra with the five election districts and still vote for all of the candidates at large.

In January 2019 we will have newly elected and reelected government officials that we should contact to help us amend the CVRA to give the voting rights back to the cities, counties, school districts and other election districts forced to rewrite their laws to satisfy Southwest Voter Registration Education Project from Texas and Shenkman & Hughes, their attorneys.

I believe that Southwest Voter Registration Education Project from Texas and Shenkman & Hughes, their attorneys are using the CVRA as a cash cow for them to gain political power and wealth.

I wonder what the United States Department of Justice would say about their racist intimidation tactics used against California voters of all ethnic groups?

This is one of my many Christmas wishes that the Federal government defends our constitutional rights to vote for the best people to govern our America.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happiness in the New Year!