Letters from the Public - 2 of 6 — San Jose City Council, December 5, 2022

December 2, 2022
San Jose City Council
200 E. Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95111
Mayor Liccardo, Vice Mayor Jones, and Councilmembers Jimenez, Esparza, Cohen, Davis, Foley, Peralez, Carrasco, Mahan, and Arenas,
Re: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 As leaders of community, labor and multiracial grassroots organizations that represent working families and tenants, we’re urging you to support a thoughtful, transparent and community-centered appointment process to ﬁll the vacancies in
Districts 8 and 10 to ensure that residents in these districts have continuity of representation, and that the new council can get to work on pressing priorities such as homelessness, public safety, and
ﬁlling almost 1000 vacancies towards providing
critical community services..

We urge you to approve recommendations laid out in the memo put forth by Councilmembers Cohen and Jimenez, and allow Council to exercise their right as written in the city charter to appoint new councilmembers to ﬁnish out the districts’
respective terms. As pointed out in the memo from the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters: a special election could cost $7-11 million dollars, have extremely low, consequently unrepresentative, voter turnout and will not yield a councilmember until August of next year, just a few months before the 2024 election cycle begins.

As public servants, non pro
ﬁt employees, and labor leaders, we are united in the
shared goal of ensuring that our institutions build community and serve our most vulnerable residents. We know that tax dollars should be invested back into communities to keep parks clean, expand library and
community center hours,
and ensure public safety is a priority — especially in the face of a possible recession and the introduction of austerity budgeting. Resources must be invested into employees and programs, not expensive low turnout special elections that will have low voter participation and diminish the voices of most residents.

A thoughtful and community centered appointment process would seat council members on a much shorter timeline, involve the community in a more meaningful way, and avoid wasting millions of dollars from the city budget that can instead be used to focus on issues that our organizations have been advocating for, and that your o
ﬃces have identiﬁed as urgent priorities: Real solutions to homelessness, housing access, safer neighborhoods, essential services and critical infrastructure for the future.

We appreciate your thoughtful consideration of this important decision to ensure that those who live, work and play in Districts 8 and 10 have a high quality representative on the Council in the near-term. We encourage you to scrap an expensive and time consuming special election in favor of a thoughtful, community centered appointment process.

We are happy to answer any questions.

Sincerely,
Mayra Pelagio, Executive Director, Latinos Unidos for a New America Bill James, President, Santa Clara County Democratic Party David Bini, Executive Director, Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building Trades Council
Derecka Mehrens, Executive Director, Working Partnerships USA Maria Noel Fernandez, Director, Silicon Valley Rising Action Richard Konda, Executive Director, Asian Law Alliance
Jahmal Williams, Co-Chairs, Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet John Tucker, Union Representative, AFSCME-MEF
Bob Nunez, Chapter President, San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP Gabriela Chavez-Lopez, Executive Director, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Enrique Arguello, Business Manager, LIUNA Local 270
Victor Garza, Chairman, La Raza Roundtable
Silicon Valley Working Blue Democratic Club
Dan Romero, Business Manager, IBEW Local 332
Dominick Torreano, South Bay Executive Board Member, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104
Andrea Portillo, Organizing and Policy Director, SOMOS Mayfair Ashley Raggio, COO, Joint Venture Silicon Valley
Sarah McDermott, Political Director, UNITE HERE Local 19

December 3, 2022

Mayor Sam Liccardo & San Jose City Council
200 E. Santa Clara St.

San José, CA 95113
Transmitted via EMAIL

RE: December 5, 2022 Council Agenda Item: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Dear Mayor Liccardo and San Jose City Councilmembers,

I am writing to strongly recommend the council vote to allow the residents of District 8 and District 10 to exercise their democratic and constitutional right to vote for their next council representatives by special election. The core foundation of a true and democratic society is to allow the citizenry to exercise their right to vote.

While concerns about the cost of conducting a special election or what the turnout may be are worth examining, they should not be the determinant factor over a district resident’s right to select their political representative via the electoral process.

Respectfully,

Patricia E. Sausedo
Former District 8 Council Representative (1981-1992)

[External Email]
Fw: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 12:08 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Fama Perea <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 12:08 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

San Jose City Clerk Toni Taber,
I am writing in support of the City Council appointing new members of council to fill Districts 8 and 10. According to the City Charter, the City Council has the discretion to appoint someone to fill the two vacancies for the remainder of the term. This option would require no city funding and create an opportunity for a genuinely representative electorate to select their next councilmember. The alternative, a special election, could cost $7-11 million dollars, have extremely low, consequently unrepresentative, voter turnout and will not yield a councilmember until August of next year, months before the 2024 election cycle begins, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of V oters.

As a San José resident, it’s clear to me that our city is currently at a critical juncture, in dire need of resources for public safety, parks, and vital infrastructure — every dollar that is unwisely spent means there is less, much needed, funding towards addressing our current housing crisis, and need for public safety and regional economic development. These are urgent issues that impact each and everyone that lives and works in San José. We need our local leaders to focus on funding and implementing solutions that make it possible for each of us to have a roof over our heads, feel safe in our neighborhoods and parks, and have access to critical infrastructure and care.

I stand alongside a broad coalition of partners from labor, community and multi ethnic organizations in supporting a process that would lead to genuine representation and afford for an electorate reflective of our community. I ask the San José City Council to put their constituents first and adopt a fair, transparent, inclusive, and expeditious process to appoint members to represent Districts 8 and 10 until the next regular election in 2024.

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fatima Perea

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Dear Mayor Liccardo, Vice Mayor Jones, and Members of the San José City Council, I want you to adopt the Housing Department Staff’s direction on the Affordable Housing Siting Policy as presented at the October 13, 2022 Community Meeting.

I am in favor of the Housing Department Staff’s proposed changes because the Affordable Housing Siting Policy now centers equity in many ways. For example, it:
•Provides diverse housing choices so everyone can access affordable housing throughout San José,
•Increases funding for affordable housing in historically-redlined communities, •Incentivizes and funds historically-exclusive communities to build their fair share of affordable housing in their neighborhoods, and
•Uses inclusive language, abandoning divisive classifications.

I wish to see a San José where every neighborhood is accessible to people of all income levels and every neighborhood is a desirable place to live. I am confident that you also share this vision and will make the right choice come December 6, 2022.

Ana Tellez

[External Email]
Fw: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 12:02 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Fama Perea <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 11:15 AM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fatima Perea

[External Email]
Fw: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 12:03 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Ingrid Granados <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 11:13 AM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Ingrid Granados

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fw: District 8 - Please let us vote
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 12:03 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 11:07 AM
Subject: Fw: District 8 - Please let us vote

FYI
From: Lawrence Wagner <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 11:06 AM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo < District1 < District2 < District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: District 8 - Please let us vote

You don't often get email from Learn why this is important

San Jose City Council Members,

It’s come to our neighborhood’s aenon that there is a planned vote on Monday to consider appoinng a new District 8 council member as opposed to having a special elecon.

While there may be arguments around cost and me, we encourage you to consider an eﬃcient mail in vong process that would signiﬁcantly reduce me & eﬀort while maintaining the people’s right to elect their representaves and eliminang any chance of a recall eﬀort.

Please let us vote.

Thank You,

Lawrence Wagner

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 12:03 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Jeﬀ Braley <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 11:57 AM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
[External Email]
The people should vote for the new council members.

Thanks
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 10 and District 8 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:54 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Gail Dance <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 3:51 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma. City Clerk <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 10 and District 8

You don't often get email from Learn why this is important

Please Do Not take this ill thought out action to appoint council representatives and take away the right of the residents of San Jose to vote for their OWN Council member.

I am a life long resident and while I currently live in District 10, I spent most of my life in Willow Glen. Over the years I have been involved in many City of San Jose projects, volunteer at my local community center and pay my taxes. I also have friends and family all over this city and every single one of them agrees that any attempt by others to "appoint" a representative for another resident is outrageous. If YOU appoint someone, that person will have an allegiance to YOU. It's human nature and leads me to believe this proposal actually might be a "power grab". Do not damage your truth and reputation for that purpose.

Thank you for listening.
_________________________
Gail Dance

[External Email]
Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:56 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: David Noel <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 3:43 PM
To: City Clerk < Sam Liccardo < The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ Jones, Chappie < District1
< Jimenez, Sergio < District2 < Peralez, Raul
< District3 < Cohen, David < District4
< Carrasco, Magdalena < District5 < Davis,
Dev < District 6 < Esparza, Maya < District7
< Arenas, Sylvia < District8 < Foley, Pam
< District9 < Mahan, Ma <Ma. District 10
<
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Honorable Mayor and City Council members,
I urge you to adopt the following steps for filling the District 8 and 10 council seat vacancies:

Hold special elections to select permanent replacements Appoint temporary replacements to serve from January 1st until permanent replacements are selected by district voters Work with the Registrar of Voters to expedite the special election process as much as possible without significantly increasing the cost
Consider ways of reducing the cost of the special elections, for example by holding them as 100% mail-in/drop-off, potentially with a limited number of voting centers to accommodate voters with special needs or a strong desire to vote in person Establish minimum criteria for selection of temporary appointees (see draft list below) We often heard that democracy was on the ballot in the November election. More fundamentally, voter trust was on the ballot. The new council will face major challenges and need the trust and support of their constituents. Please don't set the new council up for failure by stripping them of the public trust.

It's ironic and quite telling the same forces who decried voter suppression during the redistricting process now want you to eliminate the ability of two entire districts to select their own representatives. Clearly they are attempting to game the system for their benefit, which is completely unacceptable. If they are truly concerned about voter turnout, they need to do the hard work of getting out the vote, just like each of you did. Please don't stoop to the level of former President Trump in attempts to subvert free and fair elections.

Before selecting candidates for temporary replacements, I urge you to memorialize selection criteria. I offer this set of draft criteria as a starting point:

Temporary appointees must agree not to run for the open seat

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Temporary appointees must demonstrate very good knowledge of their respective district's neighborhoods and issues, preferably with experience as a prior elected official, having served on a San Jose or Santa Clara County commission, or having served as an established neighborhood leader
Temporary appointees should demonstrate very good knowledge of San Jose governance, preferably having worked closely with at least one city council member and their staff for at least two years over the past four years If allowable by charter, allow temporary appointees to reside in immediately adjacent districts, especially if they lived in the district immediately prior to 2022 redistricting
Thank you,
David Noel
San Jose District 9 Neighborhood leader

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:39 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Dorothy Mensinger <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 2:15 PM
To: Arenas, Sylvia < Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie
< Jimenez, Sergio < Peralez, Raul <
Cohen, David < Carrasco, Magdalena < Davis, Dev
< Esparza, Maya < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma. City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important

Please let the voters decide who will replace the 2 vacancies on city council. Having the council APPOINT new council member is not representing the interest of the voters.

Blessings,
D
<><
🐟
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13 Sent from my Metro by T-Mobile 5G

[External Email]
Fw: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:39 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 2:06 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Fw: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

From: Meriam Ahmad <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 1:13 PM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Mayor Sam Liccardo,
I am writing in support of the City Council appointing new members of council to fill Districts 8 and 10. According to the City Charter, the City Council has the discretion to appoint someone to fill the two vacancies for the remainder of the term. This option would require no city funding and create an opportunity for a genuinely representative electorate to select their next councilmember. The alternative, a special election, could cost $7-11 million dollars, have extremely low, consequently unrepresentative, voter turnout and will not yield a councilmember until August of next year, months before the 2024 election cycle begins, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of V oters.

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. of us to have a roof over our heads, feel safe in our neighborhoods and parks, and have access to critical infrastructure and care.

Meriam Ahmad

From: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 2:04 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Fw: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

FYI
From: josephine rice <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 1:58 PM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:40 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Ben <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 1:58 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma. City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

[Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
[External Email]
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
The voters deserve to vote for open councilman positions.

Please respect the voters you work for us.

Regards,
Bernard Morway
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

[External Email]
Fw: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:40 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: josephine rice <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 1:58 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. josephine rice

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:40 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 1:09 PM
To: Foley, Pam < District9 < City Clerk <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

You don't often get email from Learn why this is important

Councilperson Foley,

A decision to fill vacancies in council districts 8 and 10 by appointment disenfranchises the voters of San Jose in perhaps the most cynical way possible. For me it evokes comparison to Tammany Hall political shenanigans. At a time when democracy in under siege such an action is simply unacceptable.

Please do not approve any proposal to appoint councilpersons for the open seats. Vote for democracy.

Allow the voters of districts 8 and 10 decide who will represent them on the San Jose City Council.

Sincerely,

Michael Overholt

From: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 1:00 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Fwd: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

From: Fama Perea <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 12:08:14 PM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Fatima Perea

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:41 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: John Basinger <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 12:34 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma. City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important

As residents and tax payers who have lived in San Jose since the 60’s, both my wife and I think the tax payer dollars spent on a special elecon to replace two out going city council members is money well spent. San Jose voters deserve the right to elect their city council representaves.

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:41 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Diane Forst <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 12:21 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma. City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

[Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
[External Email]
Hold a special election. Let the voters decide as it’s been done in the past.

Diane Forst
District 6
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

From: David Seeba <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 12:15 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma. City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important

I’ve been a San Jose resident since 1970 and in the last 20 years increasingly concerned about the health and vitality of our City. The people of San Jose need to be served and represented by their district council, but everyone in the City is aﬀected by the joint decisions of the City Council. That’s why, as a resident of District 9 I’m sll wring you about the importance of ﬁlling the Council seat vacancies in neighboring districts via elecon. I know all of us cizens will foot the $11-$12M bill for these elecons, but the City Council, as much as possible, needs to reﬂect the current will of the people through the elecon process. Because the City Council as a whole has been unable to eﬀecvely address many of our current city problems, we need the people of Districts 8 & 10 to decide who to place in oﬃce, not let those currently sing in other Council seats pick out people they know, who will likely share their viewpoints. It’s me for change and progress. The City needs it. Let the people of Districts 8 & 10 decide, using the elecon process, about who’s best to help bring the needed voices of change to the Council.

David A. Seeba

[External Email]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Let Us Vote
Marty Bloise <
Fri 12/2/2022 3:43 PM
To:Glenna Howcroft < Agendadesk < The Office of Mayor Sam Liccardo < District1 < District2
< < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10
< <
You don't often get email from Learn why this is important

To city council,
I'm writing this letter to remind you that it's the people's right to vote for who and what they want in a democracy country. It looks like you the city council are forgot that right and are trying to take that right away from us! We the people should have the right to appoint who we want to fill the vacancies left after the election for districts 8 & 10.

We all demand that you uphold are right to to elect our own representatives for districts 8 & 10.

Just remember this is a democracy not a dictatorship!
Sincerely Marty

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 5:59 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Thu Le <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 4:54 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma City Clerk < Dis trict1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

[Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
[External Email]
As a constituent, I urge you to vote for a Special Election to allow the people to determine who will serve as their representatives.

It would be unethical to disenfranchise voters by denying them their voice in who represents them.

Please vote to call a Special Election for Districts 8 & 10.

Sincerely,
Thu Le and Family residing in District 7
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

[External Email]
Fw: Special Meeting on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10 City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 5:59 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 4:31 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Fw: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

From: <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 4:29 PM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ
Subject: Special Meeng on Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

Fw: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10
City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 6:00 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Casey Tharp <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 4:29 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < Davis, Dev < Esparza, Maya
< Arenas, Sylvia < Foley, Pam < Mahan, Ma
<Ma City Clerk < Dis trict1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Subject: Filling Vacancies in Council Districts 8 and 10

[You don't often get email from Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
[External Email]
Dear City Leaders,
I was just made aware of a plan to eliminate the right of San Jose residents to vote for the two open city council positions and instead have them appointed by current city council members. This is wrong, San Jose voters should be able to vote for these two open positions. The right to vote is very important, military members sacrificed a lot for this right. I hope you reconsider and allow a vote for these 2 open council positions.

Sincerely,
Casey Tharp
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

[External Email]
Fw: Let Us Vote, SJ’; Voters, Not Council, Should Fill Vacancies City Clerk <
Fri 12/2/2022 6:01 PM
To:Agendadesk <
Office of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Please take our short survey.

From: Barb MacNeil <
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2022 5:42 PM
To: Liccardo, Sam < Jones, Chappie < Jimenez, Sergio
< Peralez, Raul < Cohen, David < Carrasco,
Magdalena < District7 < District8 < District9
< ma <ma City Clerk < Dis trict 6
<
Subject: Let Us Vote, SJ’; Voters, Not Council, Should Fill Vacancies

I am copying and pasting an article in the San Jose publication dated November 17, 2022, written by Pat Waite (President of Citizens for Fiscal responsibility) & Rich Crowley (Vice President of CFR) titled “ ‘Let Us Vote’; Voters, Not Council, Should Fill Vacancies”
We wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Waite and Mr. Crowley. Until redistricting, we were in D10. We can’t imagine not being able to vote for a person who would be representing our District.

Article:

San Jose voters have spoken. Our choices have created two upcoming vacancies on our next City Council. Our City Charter provides three options for filling these seats: leaving them vacant pending a special election, appointing interim council persons until a special election fills the seats for the remaining term, and appointing someone to serve out the remaining term. Our current City Council will determine how to fill the vacated seats of Districts 8 and 10 over the next several weeks.

Several arguments are being made in favor of appointing people to fulfill the remaining terms instead of holding a special election. First, special elections are an expensive incremental

cost. Second, it is unfair that residents go unrepresented during the time it takes for a special election. Finally, turnout in special elections is historically low.

Council members have vacated their seats mid-term several times in the past 25 years. In every instance our City Council held special elections. Only once did the council opt to appoint an interim council member pending the results of a special election, and that was a contentious split vote decision. The council has never usurped voters’ rights by appointing someone to fulfill a remaining term.

Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility (CFR) feels that precedent should prevail; the council should convene a special election to fill the vacancies. The arguments against doing so don’t hold water.

The issue of historically low turnout numbers does not justify appointments to fulfill the remaining terms. CFR believes allowing the 10,000 or so people who will vote in each district’s special election to choose their representatives makes more sense than having six councilmembers (a majority of the City Council, possibly none of whom might reside in Districts 8 or 10) appoint the next representatives of the approximately 200,000 total residents of Districts 8 and 10. Voters are entitled to the right to select their representatives.

As for the special election’s cost, that is the cost of democracy. Voters’ right to elect their representatives is so much more valuable than the cost of a special election. Besides, San Jose has a general fund budget of $1.7 billion and a total budget approaching $6 billion. Surely our City Council can reprioritize spending to safeguard our voting rights.

Finally, it is a conceit to believe that residents will suffer while the councilmembers’ seats are empty. For starters, many residents can name neither their district number nor their council representative. Secondly, for many of us our council member serves as a conduit to our government services. As long as staff is available to answer our phone calls regarding potholes, garbage service, graffiti, and the like we are generally satisfied. Third, significant issues involving those unrepresented districts can be deferred until such time as newly elected council members are sworn in. Lastly, we residents do have representation in the form of our mayor, who represents all residents of San Jose.

During the just concluded political campaign we often heard the phrase “democracy is on the ballot.” The word “democracy” stems from the Greek words “demos” and “kratos,” literally meaning “people power.” A City Council decision appointing representatives for the remaining terms would be the antithesis of democracy. It would disempower people and contradict the actions taken to increase voter participation.

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Now is not the time to reverse course on the hard work done to create a more inclusive, participative, and representative government. It is only fair that the residents of Districts 8 and 10 choose their representatives. CFR believes the City Council should let us vote. We urge you to raise your voices in support of the voting rights of our fellow residents of Districts 8 and 10.

Barb MacNeil
Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPhone

San Jose City CouncilDecember 5, 2022

San Jose City Council
December 5, 2022