Any writing or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at City Hall located at 147 Fourth Street, Gonzales, California, during normal business hours.
A G E N D A
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE
GONZALES CITY COUNCIL
AND
SOLEDAD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 117 FOURTH STREET
GONZALES, CA 93926
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022
6:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
1. ROLL CALL- Gonzales City Council
Mayor Pro Tem Scott Funk, Council Member Liz Silva, Council Member Lorraine Worthy, Council Member Paul Miller, Mayor Jose L. Rios
Soledad City Council
Mayor Pro Tem Marisela Lara, Council Member Alejandro Chavez, Council Member Ben Jimenez Jr., Council Member Maria Corralejo, Mayor Anna M. Velazquez
PUBLIC NOTICE
This meeting is being conducted consistent with State of California Executive Order N-29-20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The public may participate in person or online via zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83351328948 or call 1 (669) 900-6833 and use Meeting ID: 833 5132 8948. If you wish to make either a general public comment or to comment on a specific agenda item, please use the Raise Hand function. You will be allowed three minutes for your comments.
If you choose not to attend the City Council meeting but wish to make a comment on a specific agenda item, please submit your comment limited to 250 words or less by 12:00p.m. on Tuesday, October 25th to the Gonzales City Clerk at [email protected]
REGULAR AGENDA
2. Public Hearing – Receive Presentation on Transition to By-District Voting a) Presentation by Doug Johnson from National Demographics Corporation b) Open public hearing and receive comments and questions from public c) Close public hearing
d) Comments and Questions from City Council
e) Discuss future meeting dates and actions
ADJOURNMENT
In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (831) 675-5000. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. (CFR 35.102-
35.104 ADA Title II). This is a public meeting and as such, can be seen live by people present or online and is being recorded; therefore; anything you say or do here is public information. The recordings are available online.
AGENDA
ITEM
____
TO: Gonzales and Soledad City Councils
FROM: Mike Rodriquez, Legal Counsel
MEETING
DATE: October 25, 2022
SUBJECT: Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public Hearing #1 Recommendation:
Receive a presentation from the consulting demographer selected by each City regarding the process and criteria for establishing Council district boundaries for by-district elections and hold the first of two public hearings to receive public input and questions regarding district boundaries and composition of districts before maps of proposed district boundaries are drawn.
Background:
Earlier in the year, both Gonzales and Soledad (collectively “the Cities”) received a letter asserting that the current at-large election system in each City violates the California Voting Rights Act and demanding under threat of litigation a transition to by-district voting. Thereafter, the Cities adopted resolutions declaring their intent to transition from at-large to by-district elections of council members. The Cities also entered into “tolling agreements” with the party demanding the election transition which protect the Cities from litigation until mid-January of 2023 while the Cities undertake the transition process.
Currently, under the at-large voting system, voters throughout the Cities vote for four councilmembers and a mayor. A “by-district” election is one in which a city is divided into separate districts, each with a single council member who resides within the district and who is chosen by only the voters within that particular district. Cities adopting the by-district process have the option of continuing to have the Mayor selected by an at-large process. The first bydistrict council election in the Cities would occur during the November 2024 general municipal election.
Pursuant to Elections Code Section 10010, the Cities are required to hold at least five public hearings on the transition process. Public hearings #1 and #2 must be held over a period of not more than 30 days before any map or maps of the boundaries of the proposed voting districts are drawn. At these public hearings the community is invited to ask questions and provide input on communities of interest and the composition of the districts, including the number of districts to be considered. Three subsequent public hearings will be held once the maps are drawn. Since Gonzales and Soledad are going through the transition process at the same time, a decision was made to consolidate the first two meetings as a cost-savings measure. The first meeting is being held in Gonzales, while the second meeting will be held in Soledad. Translation services will be available at both meetings.
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Attachment: Staff Report (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public Hearing #1) 2 At this first hearing the Cities’ consulting demographer, Doug Johnson from National Demographics Corporation, will provide a presentation on the process and the legal parameters that must be considered when preparing district boundaries and opportunities for the public to engage in the process. The City Councils will then receive public comments. At the end of the second public hearing the City Councils will be asked to provide direction to the Cities’ demographer regarding the criteria to be used, consistent with required legal parameters, to create one or more proposed district maps. The Councils will also be asked to provide direction on the number of districts to be considered. Further information concerning the agenda for subsequent meetings #3-5, as well as a schedule for the same, will be provided at the next meeting.
Public Notice:
This meeting and the joint public hearing were noticed in accordance with applicable requirements.
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Attachment: Staff Report (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public Hearing #1) Introduction to Districting
October 25, 2022
Douglas Johnson and Justin Levitt
National Demographics Corporation
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 2 Election Systems
1. “At Large”
2. “From District” or “Residence” Districts
3. “By District”
The California Voting Rights Act
was written to specifically
encourage by-district elections.
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 3 California Voting Rights Act Impact
¨ Switched (or in the process of switching) as
a result of CVRA:
¤ At least 240 school districts
¤ 34 Community College Districts
¤ 160+ cities
¤ 1 County Board of Supervisors
¤ Over 50 special districts.
¨ Cases So Far:
¤ Palmdale, Santa Clara and Santa Monica went
to trial on the merits. Palmdale and Santa
Clara lost. Santa Monica is awaiting a decision.
¤ Modesto and Palmdale each spent about $1.8
million on their defense (in addition to the
attorney fee awards in those cases).
¤ Santa Monica has spent an estimated $7 to
$10 million so far. Plaintiffs in Santa Monica
requested $22 million in legal fees after the
original trial.
¨ Key settlements:
¤ Palmdale: $4.7 million
¤ Modesto: $3 million
¤ Highland: $1.3 million
¤ Anaheim: $1.1 million
¤ Whittier: $1 million
¤ Santa Barbara: $600,000
¤ Tulare Hospital: $500,000
¤ Camarillo: $233,000
¤ Compton Unified: $200,000
¤ Madera Unified: about $170,000
¤ Hanford Joint Union Schools:
$118,000
¤ Merced City: $42,000
¨ An estimated $16 million in total
settlements and court awards so far.
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 4 Districting Process
Step Description
Two Initial Hearings Held prior to release of draft maps.
Education and to solicit input on the composition of districts.
Release draft maps Maps must be posted at least 7 days prior to 3rd hearing.
Two hearings on draft maps Two meetings to discuss and revise the draft maps and to discuss the election sequence.
Map adoption Final map must be posted at least 7 days prior to adoption.
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 5 Equal Population
Federal Voting Rights Act
No Racial Gerrymandering
Respect voters’ choices /
continuity in office
Future population growth
1. Federal Laws 2. California Criteria for
Cities
1. Geographically contiguous
2. Undivided neighborhoods
and “communities of
interest”
(Socio-economic geographic areas
that should be kept together)
3. Easily identifiable
boundaries
4. Compact
(Do not bypass one group of
people to get to a more distant
group of people)
Prohibited: “Shall not favor or
discriminate against a political party.”
3. Other Traditional
Redistricting Principles
5 Redistricting Rules and Goals
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 6 Demographic
Summary
Population per District
(with 4 districts):
Gonzales: 2,169
Soledad: 4,773
October 25, 2022
Category Field Gonzales Soledad
2020
Census
Total Population 8,674 19,093
Hispanic/Latino 92% 90%
NH White 5% 5%
NH Black 0% 1%
NH Asian/Pac.Isl. 2% 3%
NH Native Amer. 0% 0%
Total 3,804 6,286
Hisp 85% 82%
NH White 10% 14%
NH Black 1% 0%
Asian/Pac.Isl. 3% 3%
Native Amer. 1% 0%
Total Pop.
Citizen
Voting Age
Pop
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 7 Demographic Details
October 25, 2022
Category Field Total Category Field Total
2020 Census Total Population 8,674 age0-19 33%
Hispanic/Latino 92% age20-60 55%
NH White 5% age60plus 12%
NH Black 0% immigrants 36%
NH Asian/Pac.Isl. 2% naturalized 19%
NH Native Amer. 0% english 25%
Total 3,804 spanish 75%
Hisp 85% asian-lang 1%
NH White 10% other lang 0%
NH Black 1% Language Fluency
Speaks Eng. "Less
than Very Well" 31%
Asian/Pac.Isl. 3% hs-grad 52%
Native Amer. 1% bachelor 6%
Total 3,470 graduatedegree 2%
Latino est. 89% Child in Household child-under18 57%
Spanish-Surnamed 83% Pct of Pop. Age 16+ employed 64%
Asian-Surnamed 1% income 0-25k 14%
Filipino-Surnamed 2% income 25-50k 21%
NH White est. 12% income 50-75k 19%
NH Black 1% income 75-200k 43%
Total 2,508 income 200k-plus 3%
Latino est. 88% single family 76%
Spanish-Surnamed 81% multi-family 24%
Asian-Surnamed 1% rented 44%
Filipino-Surnamed 2% owned 56%
NH White est. 14%
NH Black 1%
Total 1,598
Latino est. 84%
Spanish-Surnamed 78%
Asian-Surnamed 1%
Filipino-Surnamed 2%
NH White est. 16%
NH Black est. 1%
Gonzales
Housing Stats
Voter Registration
(Nov 2020)
Voter Turnout (Nov
2020)
Age
Voter Turnout (Nov
2018)
Household Income
Education (among
those age 25+)
Immigration
Language spoken at
home
Total population data from California's adjusted 2020
Census data. Citizen Voting Age Population, Age,
Immigration, and other demographics from the 2016-
2020 American Community Survey and Special
Tabulation 5-year data. Turnout and Registration data
from California Statewide Database. "Latino" figures
calculated by NDC using Census Bureau's Latino
undercount by surname estimate.
Total Pop.
Citizen Voting Age Pop
Category Field Total Category Field Total
2020 Census Total Population 19,093 age0-19 40%
Hispanic/Latino 90% age20-60 50%
NH White 5% age60plus 10%
NH Black 1% immigrants 36%
NH Asian/Pac.Isl. 3% naturalized 16%
NH Native Amer. 0% english 23%
Total 6,286 spanish 75%
Hisp 82% asian-lang 0%
NH White 14% other lang 1%
NH Black 0% Language Fluency
Speaks Eng. "Less
than Very Well" 39%
Asian/Pac.Isl. 3% hs-grad 41%
Native Amer. 0% bachelor 5%
Total 7,741 graduatedegree 3%
Latino est. 88% Child in Household child-under18 61%
Spanish-Surnamed 82% Pct of Pop. Age 16+ employed 55%
Asian-Surnamed 1% income 0-25k 12%
Filipino-Surnamed 2% income 25-50k 28%
NH White est. 14% income 50-75k 16%
NH Black 0% income 75-200k 39%
Total 5,321 income 200k-plus 7%
Latino est. 87% single family 82%
Spanish-Surnamed 81% multi-family 18%
Asian-Surnamed 1% rented 38%
Filipino-Surnamed 2% owned 62%
NH White est. 15%
NH Black 0%
Total 3,017
Latino est. 84%
Spanish-Surnamed 79%
Asian-Surnamed 1%
Filipino-Surnamed 2%
NH White est. 17%
NH Black est. 0%
Voter Turnout (Nov
2018)
Household Income
Education (among
those age 25+)
Immigration
Language spoken at
home
Total population data from California's adjusted 2020
Census data. Citizen Voting Age Population, Age,
Immigration, and other demographics from the 2016-
2020 American Community Survey and Special
Tabulation 5-year data. Turnout and Registration data
from California Statewide Database. "Latino" figures
calculated by NDC using Census Bureau's Latino
undercount by surname estimate.
Total Pop.
Citizen Voting Age Pop
Soledad
Housing Stats
Voter Registration
(Nov 2020)
Voter Turnout (Nov
2020)
Age
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 8 Population Distribution
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 9 Latino CVAP
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 10 Other Socio-Economic
Demographics
October 25, 2022
% With Child Under
18 at Home
% Renters
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 11 Defining Neighborhoods
1 st Question: What is your neighborhood?
2 nd Question: What are its geographic boundaries?
Examples of physical features defining a neighborhood boundary:
§ Natural neighborhood dividing lines, such as highway or major roads, rivers, canals and/or hills
§ Areas around parks or schools
§ Other neighborhood landmarks
In the absence of public testimony, planning records and other similar documents may provide definition.
October 25, 2022 11
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 12 Beyond Neighborhoods:
Defining Communities of Interest
1 st Question: What defines your community?
§ Geographic Area, plus
§ Shared issue or characteristic
§ Shared social or economic interest
§ Impacted by county policies
§ Tell us “your community’s story”
2 nd Question: Would this community benefit from being “included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation”? § Or would it benefit more from having multiple representatives? Definitions of Communities of Interest may not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.
October 25, 2022 12
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public 13 Public Hearing & Discussion
What is your neighborhood and what are its boundaries?
What other notable areas are in the City, and what are their boundaries?
October 25, 2022
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Attachment: NDC Presentation (2560 : Transition to District-Based Elections for Councilmembers- Public