RULES COMMITTEE: 3/12/2025
Item: B.1
File ID: ROGC 25-089
TO: Honorable Mayor & FROM: Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Council City Clerk
SUBJECT: The Public Record DATE: March 12, 2025
February 27, 2025 – March 6, 2025
ITEMS FILED FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD
Letters from Boards, Commissions, and Committees
Letters from the Public Comment:
1-3. Letters from three members of the public, dated February 28 – March 3, 2025, regarding: Restore Virtual Comments at City Council meetings.
4. Letter from Terri Branch, dated March 2, 2025, regarding: Maybe San Jose CA can help the homeless people like San Diego CA.
5. Letter from Louise Wood, dated March 2, 2025, regarding: Item C-2 Jan. 15 Rules Committee: Support for Immigrant Protection Memo.
6. Letter from Max Overland (Valley Water), dated March 4, 2025, regarding: Santa Clara Valley Water District Annual Report on the Protection and Augmentation of Water Supplies, February 2025.
____________________________
Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk
TJT/tt
Public Record: 1
Public Record: 2
3/3/25, 12 03 PM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook ~ Outlook
Fw: David Luu 95122 - Restore Virtual Comments at City Council meetings From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Mon 3/3/2025 11 :35 AM
To Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 3, 2025 11:16 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: David Luu 95122 - Restore Virtual Comments at City Council meetings From: District 5 United
Sent: Monday, March ,
To: District2 <[email protected]>; District3
<[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; Districts <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>; District! <[email protected]>; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: David Luu 95122 - Restore Virtual Comments at City Council meetings [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. learn morel Dear Mayor Mahan and San Jose City Council,
I ask you to rise to the challenge rather than cave to bullies intent on stifling the input of disadvantaged communities. The City needs to immediately restore virtual public comment for all City Council, Committee, and Commission meetings.
It is clear there is an effort to silence members of disadvantaged communities. Many residents rely on being able to provide virtual public comment due to reasons of disability, health, work schedules, parenting and other demands of modern life. The strategy appears to be to engage in racist and hateful speech in order to bully the Council into eliminating virtual public comment. The bullies scored a victory when the Council decided to eliminate this option without first seeking community input and not at the bequest from community members.
By eliminating remote access on the heels of restricting access to the council chambers in December, San Jose has fallen from a model of good government dedicated to promoting civic participation to a city displaying troubling behavior and giving the impression that hearing from its residents is a bother.
We agree that the comments of a few bad actors are vile and have no place in a community meeting.
Rather than using racist and hateful speech as an excuse to cut off community participation and hamper people's First Amendment right to petition their government, however, the City should rise to https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/ AAQkADhh Yzk3NTk1 L TBmZDAtN Dc4Yi1 h N2Q0L TZjNmZjNTk5MT .. 1 /2 Public Record: 3
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. the challenge of finding solutions to preserve access for everyone while continuing to facilitate public comment by providing a virtual option.
Ending the process of remote participation, is to deny a large segment of the community the opportunity to participate in our democratic process. Some examples include:
— Disabled residents who rely on technology to speak, or who otherwise have to arrange rides with Paratransit.
— Immunocompromised residents who take on unnecessary risks to their health by spending hours in a packed room.
— Working people without the ability to arrange their schedules around hours-long council meetings. — Parents with small children who can't take time off to attend City meetings.
For example, budget season is the most critical time of year for civic engagement. The ban on remote comments means the people most in need of an equitable city budget will be sidelined throughout the process.
The possibility that the ban on remote comments might only last months is no comfort to those who wish to comment on current City Council, Committee and Commission matters in order to ensure that quality of life in San Jose is maximized. I ask that you immediately restore virtual public comment to ensure that you and the City once again benefit from the voices silenced by your recent decision.
David Luu
95122
You may not use my contact information for any purpose other than to respond to my concern regarding the topic listed above, nor may you share my address with any other organization(s) or individual(s).
—
This mail was sent on behalf of a San Jose resident via District 5 United Community Working Together
3/3/25, 12:03 PM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT… 2/2 3/3/25, 8:51 AM Mall - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook • Outlook
Fw: Maybe San Jose CA can help the homeless people like San Diego CA.
From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Mon 3/3/2025 8:46 AM
To Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 3, 2025 8:29 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: Maybe San Jose CA can help the homeless people like San Diego CA.
From: Terri Branch
Sent: Sunday, March 2, 2025 11:05 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Maybe Sa n Jose CA can help the homeless people like San Diego CA. [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhh Yzk3NTk1 L TBmZDAtNDc4Yi1 hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT... 1 /1 Public Record: 4
3/3/25, 8:50 AM Mall - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook • Outlook
FW: Item C-2 Jan. 15 Rules Committee: Support for Immigrant Protection Memo From City Clerk <[email protected]>
Date Mon 3/3/2025 8:29 AM
To Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> From: Louise Woo
Sent: Sunday, March 2, 2025 7:52 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Item C-2 Jan. 15 Rules Committee: Support for Immigrant Protection Memo [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel Clerk San Jose Councilmember,
Dear Rules Committee Members,
As a resident of San Jose, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the memo proposed by Councilmembers Ortiz, Campos, Cohen, and Candelas, which outlines critical actions to expose our city's residents to the harmful policies of encouraging illegal activities.
San Jose has always been a city that values its diversity and stands with its LEGAL immigrant communities, who are essential to our city. The threats posed by mass immigration policies and heightened crime, drugs and cartels. spreading fear, and undermining public safety.
The steps outlined in this memo - strengthening the Rapid Response Network, providing legal and support services, and reaffirming our sanctuary city policies - are undermining the trust, safety, and dignity of all moral, law respecting, San Jose residents. By NOT passing this memo, the City Council can send a clear message that San Jose will remain a place where all communities are valued and protected.
I urge you to vet the illegals residing in San Jose and cooperate with ICE on removing the threats. I urge you NOT to pass this memo to safeguard our city's future. https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhh Yzk3NTk1 L TBmZDAtNDc4Yi1 hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT.. . 1 /2 Public Record: 5
3/3/25, 8:50 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook Thank you for your leadership and commitment to ensuring that San Jose remains a welcoming and law abiding city for everyone.
Sincerely
LOUISE}
Louise Wood
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2QOLTZjNmZjNTk5MT... 2/2 Public Record: 6
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose CA 95118
Clean Water • Healthy Environment • Flood ProtecƟon
3/4/25, 1:25 PM Mail - City Clerk - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/[email protected]/id/AAQkAGJiNDY2NWI3LTY1ODktNDczNy1iYjdkLWZlNWFjYmFmNmQ3ZQAQALv6C47… 2/2