California Voting Rights Act

I am enraged that a loosely written law has been leveraged, in the case of Martinez, with the expressed purpose of voter suppression. Local proponents of districting knew they lacked a groundswell of support and as a result former Councilwoman Farias instigated an action to force this change by making a baseless claim of racial polarization.

I knew the Palmdale of the 80s, when the lure of affordably priced homes enticed residents of the LA Basin to overlook commutes. The available land encouraged rapid growth and introduced a greater percentage of minority populations. I know how much tension these new residents caused folks in Palmdale as well as Lancaster and Quartz Hill. I can believe their's was a case of where the CVRA was the only remedy for residents seeking a representative government.

Martinez is no Palmdale. Our voting history bears this out.

I was at last nights meeting and shared that of the three maps drafted by city staff, I personally favor the Orange map. It is important to me that my elected officials have an equal stake in and are accountable to the entirety of the city, as they do today. From a geographic and demographic standpoint the Orange map accomplishes this at scale.

While I hadn't been physically in chambers during these initial meetings, I do watch the videos after. I take great exception to the characterization of how this process should go, what the process should entail, and I deeply resent outside voices interjecting themselves into our matters of local governance.

For those who have co-opted this force of law, this action was brought under the pretense of leveling the electoral map to benefit one very specific minority group, Hispanics. I resent attempts at leveraging my heritage and identity by non-Hispanics as they posture about fairness, and equity. The consequence of this action is neither.

As Councilman Ross rightly pointed out in a previous meeting, my Hispanic voice has not been elevated as a result of this action, rather it has been diminished by 75%. And adding insult to injury, there is a push to steal an even greater percentage of my voice and vote.

To the provocateurs; you have stolen my votes because you lack the capacity to inspire and are visionless. You are not leaders, you have no fire in your bellies, you are small minded thieves with deception and lust in your hearts.

Personally I don't like bringing race into a public discussion, however, this discussion began as an indictment over equal access and race. I will not allow those who instigated this action to forget. The audacity of this move to suppress votes by those who wrap themselves in a mantel of progressive ideals is galling. This was nothing more than a cynical, self-serving, stunt.