220311 0648 CVRA Outreach ReportFrom:Peter Grant
To:Peter Grant
Cc:Fred Galante
Subject:CVRA Outreach Report
Date:Friday, March 11, 2022 6:47:34 AM
Attachments:Cypress Public Forum Report 3-9-2022 DRAFT.pdf
Mayor and Council,
Communications LAB’s summary of the CVRA/election system community forums is attached. There
may be some issues with automated transcriptions for the third forum and Communications LAB is
working on an update with a manual transcription.
Depending on how one counts participants, we had as many as 2,000-ish people engage.
Peter Grant
City Manager
City of Cypress
Office 714-229-6680
Cellular 714-335-1685
pgrant@cypressca.org
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ELECTION SYSTEM
OUTREACH REPORT
CITY OF CYPRESS
Presented by
Communications LAB • Orange, CA
www.communicationslab.com
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Executive Summary
In late 2021, the city of Cypress engaged Communications LAB to provide public
education and outreach services in support of an important community conversation
involving the City’s election system.
At issue was the City’s current at-large voting process that had come under scrutiny
relative to the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA).
Before the Cypress City Council began its deliberations on the matter,
Communications LAB was asked to undertake a robust community outreach effort
that included three (3) Public Forums, one (1) issue explainer video, one (1)
community survey, running Election FAQs, and to do so in multiple languages: English,
Korean, and Spanish. In addition, a dedicated CVRA Phone line and email address
were established for resident input. In this way, the City could begin an open and
transparent process to educate the community on the issue and solicit community
feedback.
OUTREACH SUMMARY
Public Forum #1 - (Virtual)
Jan 19, 2022
Zoom Participants 88
Facebook Viewers (Eng.) 301
Facebook Viewers (Kor.) 199
Facebook Viewers (Span.) 204
YouTube Viewers (Eng.) 73
YouTube Viewers (Kor.) 11
YouTube Viewers (Span.) 7
Public Forum #2 - (In-Person) Naval Golf Course
Feb 15, 2022 - 5:00 p.m.
In-Person Participants 12
Facebook Viewers 315
YouTube Viewers (Eng.) 13
YouTube Viewers (Kor.) 11
YouTube Viewers (Span.) 7
Public Forum #3 - (In-Person) Cypress Community Center
Feb 26, 2022 - 10:00 a.m.
In-Person Participants 26
Zoom Participants 2
Facebook Viewers 286
YouTube Viewers (Eng.) 38
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YouTube Viewers (Kor.) 2
YouTube Viewers (Span.) 1
Cypress Election Explainer Video(s)
YouTube Viewers (Eng.) 135
YouTube Viewers (Kor.) 8
YouTube Viewers (Span.) 10
Cypress Community Survey
Total Responses 141
Comments 86
Cypress Community Feedback
Written Emails 9
Text Message & Calls 22
Social Media 48
Mayor Morales Public Forum PSA
YouTube Viewers 64
Facebook Viewers 620
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Community Survey
The Community Survey was a simple outreach tool employed via Survey Monkey to
solicit general opinion and allow residents to provide comment for Council
consideration.
The survey asked two simple questions:
• Should the City of Cypress move to By-District Elections?
• Would you like to make a comment or pose a question?
The survey received 141 responses and 84 comments . Included in the responses to
Question 1 was the opportunity to provide “other” options (or comments) and there
were seven (7) responses in that category.
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Public Forums
This effort included three Public Forums conducted both in-person and virtually over
several weeks. After discussing the formats and needs of the Cypress community with
the City Council Ad Hoc Committee, it was decided that there would be a total of
three (3) Public Forums, one of which would be virtual, at different hours of the day,
and all would include live translations to support English, Korean, and Spanish
speakers in the community.
The schedule was decided as follows:
Public Forum #1 - Virtual
January 19, 2022 @ 7:00 p.m.
Live Stream Channels Included
• Zoom Webinar (English, Korean, Spanish)
• Facebook LIVE
• YouTube LIVE
Public Forum #2 - Naval Golf Course
February 15, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m.
Live Stream Channels Included
• Facebook LIVE
• YouTube LIVE
Public Forum #3 - Cypress Community Center
February 26, 2022 @ 10:00 a.m.
Live Stream Channels Included
• Zoom Webinar (English, Korean, Spanish)
• Facebook LIVE
• YouTube LIVE
The forums were advertised utili zing a variety of channels including:
• City of Cypress Website
• City of Cypress Facebook Page
• PSA with Mayor Morales - City Channel
• City of Cypress Newsletter
• City of Cypress Email Blast
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The in-person forums included a guest sign-in table, comment cards, in-language
support translators (Korean & Spanish), live -streaming, video production support and
full moderation by Communications LAB.
Participants had the opportunity to listen to the Explainer Video produced by
Communications LAB and provide feedback or pose questions in a variety of ways:
• Provide In-Person Public Comment
• Provide a Written Comment or Question
• Email a Written Comment or Question
• Text a Written Comment of Question
• Post a Question in the Social Media Feed
• Post a Question in the Zoom Webinar Feed
When possible, questions were answered live during the program. If answers were not
readily available, those questions were referred to city staff for response. All the
garnered questions became the basis for the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
listing on the City’s website. Print versions of the FAQs were made available at the in -
person forums and updated as the process moved forward.
Public Forum #1 - Questions & Comments Received
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o Why is the city spending so much money on hiring a consultant to do these
presentations when they couldn’t spend money on holding a special election
when filling Council member Berry’s vacant position? Rational at that was given
that a special election will cost too much ($200-$250k), yet the city council is
willing to spend just as much on the consult to try and convince the public that
single member districting is not good and then they will still have to pay in the
millions for the lawsuit.
o What is the opinion of our attorney on the chances of defending our current
voting method? Has anyone ever successfully defeated a CVRA challenge?
o How much will it potentially cost the city to defend?
o Will there be sample ballots to view? Can we submit our own map?
o Is our city large enough to break it down into districts?
o With district elections, what would happen if no one within a district wanted to
run?
o Has the City reached out to the Cypress Elementary School District to
understand how they moved into districts? Can we just adopt their district
map?
o If the City transitions to a by-district election system, can former council
members who already served two terms, now be able to seek election in the
new system?
o How will by-district voting affect the current City Council make up? Where are
all the current Council members located?
o Will the demographer's assessment (NOT just SLIDES) be made public? Where
will it be posted?
o Our city has grown significantly since the At Large Election System was
established. In order to have equal representation on the City Council from all
areas of our city, it’s time to transition to District Voting.
o What do we lose by changing to districts?
o With at-large voting I have a say on all of the council members. With district
voting I feel like I would have less of a voice.
o What are the criteria you are using to decide the change in voting? How do
you feel we will have more representation?
o I don’t feel my voice is always heard. How would this change your
communication within the community? My concern at the moment is Trash Hike
fee.
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o Based on what I've read, no city in California has ever successfully withstood a
CVRA challenge based on allegations of racially polarized voting in at -large
elections. Some cities like Santa Clara have spent over $5 million fighting and
still lost. Given that, voluntarily switching to district elections seems like the much
more prudent course of action.
o Why are sitting city council members voting on this deci sion to fight the lawsuit
or change to districts? That seems like a huge conflict of interest, does it not?
Can this go to a vote of the residents? Or can an independent committee be
formed?
o Cypress school district went to district voting several years ag o with NO issues,
the argument that the districts will cause division and less representation is
incorrect, it has been used for our school district for a few years now with no
issues. Very proud of our small school district for doing this voluntarily.
o Question: There was some mention of how districts might be drawn if the switch
to districts is made. But I didn't hear any mention of an independent redistricting
commission, which many cities use to insulate the process from political self-
interest. Would it be possible to have an independent redistricting commission
in Cypress?
o Why were public forums not held when deciding about how to fill Council
member Berry’s vacant position, but you are holding them for this?
o The real problem is existing council members were not elected to appoint
people into vacated seats which is what was done. A vacancy occurring soon
after an election should have been filled by the candidate with the next
highest votes, aka citizen’s choice. I support the lawsuit as my vote was n ot
respected.
o Is the Mayor the only person who will be replying to questions and comments?
o How will this redistricting study be Funded? Why is this being brought to our
attention now? How does this change the economic growth of Cypress?
o What are the pros and cons for the various methods of electing council
members? Are the negatives of transitioning to a district type structure
outweigh the cost of challenging the lawsuit?
o If Cypress decides to implement city council districts, would the city still be
required to pay Mr. Shenkman and his client?
o Would we still rotate who serves as mayor, or would it become a separately
elected position in addition to the council members?
o Are you saying that no decision will be made until after this coming (next)
election?
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o Can we expect a citywide mailer (some type of engagement) regarding at-
large vs. district voting? Provided in English, Korean and Spanish to seek
citywide community input and help staff/consultant provide a proper
recommendation.
o Will a transition to districts mean they will potentially have to be redrawn every
10 years like congressional districts?
o Assuming we go to district elections, are we limited to five districts? For
example, could we have seven districts or another number?
o Why wasn't there a public forum to discuss Barry's replacement? What was the
criteria for selecting Council members to the Task Force and why was Frances
Marquez not allowed to join? Should John Peat's wife run for city council, will he
be required to resign from the task force due to conflict of interest?
o Why are other Council members not on the public forum? We need to hear
from them too.
o “Contact city hall”, we do. We email our council members and the city
attorney and receive no responses. That is not going to solve the problem if the
people we contact don’t bother to have a conversation with us. Maybe
districts would be better because our representative would be more likely to
respond to us. (Comment)
o How will this redistricting study be Funded? Why is this being brought to our
attention now. How does this change the economic growth of Cypress?
o Assuming we go to district elections, are we limited to five districts? For
example, could we have seven districts or another number?
o Why are other Council members not on the public forum? We need to hear
from them too.
o To make it completely unbiased and fact based, why not get an independent
redistricting commission?
o This seems like another state of California game to swing the state further to the
left by making a huge move to modify a system designed to represent the
majority of citizens for the benefit of a smaller community. How does this not
take away the voting power of the majority?
o Can you post the demand letter on the city website or Facebook or make it
publicly available?
o Will results from the outreach be public?
o If we move to a district model and a council member steps down (similar to
Council Member Berry) what will be the process to fill the seat?
o City engagement has always been a concern of mine. how many people are
participating on tonight's event across Zoom, Facebook Live and YouTube?
About 85
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o Have you thought of increasing the number of council members? Having more
voices especially women and those of multi cultures. Cypress is made up many
ethnic groups
o My biggest concern over dividing the city into voting districts is a loss of unity.
Council members will be most concerned about their district and pleasing
those that vote rather than what’s best for the entire city. One of the beautiful
things about Cypress is that it is a “small-big town”. I would be disappointed to
see it lose that and to see more division and wrangling instead of moving
forward for the best for all in our community. - Melissa Murray
o Please provide a map of a breakdown of the council districts and the ethic
(numbers) per district.
I wanted to express my opposition to changing our voting system for Cypress
City Councils to a district system. Cypress is a small community, by dividing it
into "districts" it will create division, constant arguing over where the lines will be
drawn. Candidates and members will not have an interest in helping the entire
city of Cypress instead they will only want to spend their time ensuring that they
are in a district where they have enough supporters. For large cities like LA,
district-based voting makes more sense, but not for out little community. There is
already enough division in our nation and state, A person who is voted into
office needs to understand they are there to help the ENTIRE c ity, not just a few
square blocks.
David Halahmy
History Department Chair, Cypress College
I am concerned that the city has not complied with the California Voting Rights
Act. We should be complying; we should have granular and specific
representation for the distinct areas of our city.
There has been a growing concern by the citizens that the council is out of
touch with the direction and needs of the community. The design of the new
Lexington facility would have been different if a fair representation of affected
residents were in place. More inventive strategies for RHNA compliance that fit
in local communities would have been brought forward in time for compliance
solutions if connected leadership were in place. There have been several major
recreational, residential, or industrial installations that would impact one part of
the city more than the others. All this would be better managed with citizen
representation.
There is simply too much power and influence centered around an arbitrary
kernel of the city. We need to intentionally distribute this influence and
representation over the population. Local districting would resolve a lot of the
imbalance.
Further, the council has been meeting in private on this districting California
Voting Rights Act issue and not vetting direction with the citizens they are
theoretically representing; how is that even possible? IF the council is
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deliberating a legal battle with the state of California on this issue, they should
STOP now. We do NOT want an expensive legal battle
over this; just comply.
Thank you,
Edwin Kraemer
Concerned citizen and 20-year resident
Public Forum #2 - Questions & Comments Received
o Is there a strict timeline that is pushing Cypress to make a decision? Pls explain the
timeline.
o Was there a specific election named in the complaint?
o Can we know who in Cypress issues the complaint?
o What was the Asian Voter turnout in the last election? In percent and absolute
numbers?
o Is there a strict timeline that is pushing Cypress to make a decision? Please
explain the timeline.
o If it can be proven that Asian (or other minority) votes are not being diluted,
then would we need to redistrict?
o Does the CVRA have a population minimum before redistricting is required?
o We are not Santa Monica, so is spending millions on attorney fee s a scare
tactic?
o Is the CVRA designed to protect only Asian voters?
o In a district voting system, I could envision no qualified city council candidates
running for city now. What then?
o Can you commit to having an independent commission with leaders fro m or
outside this community drawing district lines?
o It seems this effort has been initiated because the current council unilaterally
chose to put another white man in the vacant seat which should have gone to
Kamatsu. Stop arguing with the commenters!!
o According to the latest census: with the white population at 36.3%, Asians at
35.2%, Latinos at 20.2% and African Americans at 3.9%, ⅔ of our residents are
from a diverse background…Cypress website is incorrect.
o Are you aware that people can vote multiple times in the survey posted online
where people can say whether they are for against districts? Can you fix that so
that people can't game the system by voting over and over again?
Public Forum #3 - Questions & Comments Received
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Hi my name is Harumi Lucak.
I live in the city of Cypress for over 20 years. I am a member of supposedly a
minority group (Asian), and I am very happy with at large election system.
All 5 city council members answer to each one of us residents, not just residents
in their district. I really like that all 5 members are accountable to run the city in
its entirety, and not just a piece of Cypress for each member.
This way it requires them to be more cohesive and requires each one to work
united and as a group. I want my vote to count for the entire city of Cypress,
not a piece of Cypress. If I can have a voice in voting for all 5 city council
members, why would I want to settle for voting for just one of them every 4
years?
If the city of Cypress go district, I will be losing 80% of my voting power. Why do I
want to do that? As a district, the city of Cypress will be divided, the city
council members will all be split, each one more concerned with their own
piece corner, instead of as a whole.
I was told that the city of Cypress was sued because it's racist. Really? In my 20
something years of living here, never once have I felt discriminated. Cypress is
not a racist city. It's a very diverse city, where every race live in harmony with
each other.
Splitting into districts will destroy this harmony
This is a city I am very proud to be a part of, and I want to have a voice in the
election of every single representative of my city.
At large elections keep a city united; district elections divide the city. Please
keep Cypress as at-large election, and I would like to see the city of Cypress do
whatever it can to keep it that way.
It's worth the fight.
Thank you
I feel that I need to voice my opinion on the districts. My biggest concern is
that the mention of doing district by the population of different races in certain
areas should be put into a district. I strongly oppose the districts to be selected
that way. Since I now have become a minority what's going to happen to
me? How will I be represented? I've lived in the same neighborhood since
1963. Racial demographics have greatly changed.
Since I became a widow, I don't even have my better half who was first
generation Mexican to fit in the demographics. He preferred to be classified as
Mexican and not Hispanic.
I would hate to see the district become ethnic neighborhoods. We don't need
that. I was born in New York. You had your Italian neighborhood, Polish
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neighborhood, Irish neighborhood, Puerto Rican neighborhood, Jewish
neighborhood, etc.
I like to believe that the people that live in the City of Cypress should be
considered as a community. Race should never have anything to do with
anything in politics or what party you belong to either. This is a city election of
our Cypress community and is a non-party affiliation election. It is a Cypress
community election. And each person that is elected should be representing
the Cypress community. They should listen to what we have to say and always
consider what we are asking for or about different projects that affect all of us
in this wonderful community of Cypress.
We all need to stand by each other regardless of race, religion, or politics. One
community committed to reach out and care for one another. That's why I
moved here in 1963 and raised my children here. My husband Tony Nieto
volunteered for years to help build this community to where it is today. Don't
spoil it by changing our neighborhoods into racial districts.
It looks like we really don't have a choice of districts or keeping the elections
like they've been for years. I always believe that if it's not broke, why fix it. All
we need is a council who will take the time to listen and react as a
group. Learn to compromise and make if work for the benefit of the city and
making it even better. It's a wonderful community. Don't destroy it.
Respectfully,
Anne Nieto
5191 Canterbury Dr
Cypress, Ca.
We attended the 2/15 forum and have a few additional questions and
comments.
Concerning the second difference between FVRA and CVRA: CVRA eliminates
the “totality of the circumstances” or “reasonableness” test. C an you explain
what this means?
It appears to give the courts wide latitude in deciding for the plaintiffs in these
lawsuits.
What unique strategy does our city attorney propose to prevail in court if a
lawsuit is filed?
Given the fact that it is very difficult for a city to win in court what promises to
be a lengthy and expensive fight (Santa Monica has been fighting this suit since
2016 and has spent upwards of 10 million dollars thus far) and the fact that no
California city thus far has won in court, it seems prudent to plan for district-
based elections.
More than 100 cities in CA have received a CVRA challenge and the vast
majority have opted not to fight an apparently futile battle.
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We advocate immediate planning for district elections for Cypre ss City Council.
Respectfully,
Wayne & Gail Comeau
6473 Anguilla Ave Cypress 90630
This is Rachel Strong, longtime Cypress resident and business owner and
Commissioner.
In the last week the city has seen both the distribution of anti-Semitic, hate
literature and a shooting. As a city, we have more pressing concerns than
inviting a potential legal battle that could be long and costly and end in an
outside entity drawing these district maps for us. I think the commonsense
response would be to comply and be in control of how we want our city fairly
represented. Perhaps a hybrid of districts for the election of council members
and an at large for mayor is an option? Either way let's settle this and get back
to resolving other issues that are far more impactful for our present and future.
Cypress is a beautiful community, and we can in front of these issues with a little
work and if people would feel better represented this way we should act on
that.
Thank you for these forums.
As an Asian-American voter, my concern is not so much that I elect an Asian-
American city council member, but more so that I elect a council member that
understands the needs of my particular area and neighborhood. Years back, I
once sent an email to all of the members on the council and only former
Councilwoman Berry took the time to personally write me back while another
simply forwarded my email to someone else in the city. Since then, I don't
bother writing to council members anymore, since most don't even bother to
respond.
If I had a council member that was elected from my district area, I could build
a relationship with that council member who would be a point person for the
area, with the knowledge and understanding that that they'd govern for the
best of the ENTIRE city, but with the added benefit of possessing specific
understanding for a specific
region. Is that not the way our federal government works, as well? We elect
representatives based on a particular area in hopes that the needs of that area
will be fairly represented in addition to entrusting that those representatives will
also govern what's best for the entire nation?
o How do we implement in our at-large system the ability to give multiple votes to
a single candidate?
o If Asian voter turnout data is not available, on what basis is the complaint
founded? Is data needed to make a complaint?
o Can we know who in Cypress issued the complaint?
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o Was there a specific election named in the complaint?
o What was the Asian voter turnout in the last election? In percent and absolute
numbers?
Subject: FW: KEEP IT AT-LARGE ELECTION!!!!!!
Dear Cypress City Council,
I am a member of a minority group (Asian), and I am very happy with at large
election, All 5 city council members answer to me, not just one of them. I really like
that all 5 members are accountable to run the city in its entirety, not just a piece of
Cypress for each member. This way it requires them to be more cohesive and
requires each one to work united and as a group. As a district, they are all sp lit,
each one more concerned with their own piece of land, instead of as a
whole unit. I want my vote to count for the entire city of Cypress, not a piece of
Cypress. If I can have a voice in voting for all 5 city council members, why would I
want to settle for voting for just one of them every 4 years?
It's my city, not my piece of city. I want to have a voice for the election of every
single one of representatives of the city. Please keep it at-large election no matter
what, and I want the city Cypress to do whatever it takes to keep it that way.
Thank you!
Clare Chu
Social Media Comments are provided in the Appendix
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Public Forum #2 - Location Set Up
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Public Forum Collateral
Support materials for each of the Public Forums included:
o Sign-In Sheets
o Directional Signage
o Community Survey QR Code Signage (English, Korean, Spanish)
o Comment Cards
o FAQs (English, Korean, Spanish)
Samples of these items are provided in the Appendix of this report.
In-Language Support
All three forums featured in-language support so that the events were available to
residents in English, Korean, and Spanish.
During the first forum, presented virtually, the ZOOM Webinar allowed residents to
click over to a stand-alone webinar “room” in which live translations were provided in
either Korean or Spanish.
During the second and third forums, presented in-person, participants who requested
assistance, were directed to the interpretation team who provided individual
headsets and live translations in either Korean or Spanish.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Throughout the public forum period, questions and comments were gathered and
provided to the public in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
As can be seen from the many questions and comments that were submitted during
the public forums, the vast majority of the questions were thoughtful, engaged inquiries
from the Cypress community.
The FAQs were provided to the public in two ways:
o City of Cypress Website
o Printed FAQ Handouts (English, Korean, Spanish)
The list of FAQs was frequently update d and added to throughout the process and
new FAQ handouts were created, translated, and provided at each of the in -person
public forums.
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Korean & Spanish Versions of the FAQs are included in the Appendix of this report.
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Explainer Videos
With direction from the City Council Ad Hoc Committee, City Manager, and the City
Attorney, a presentation was developed and produced as a video for the Cypress
community.
The video was utilized at all the public forums and distributed through the following City
channels:
o Facebook
o YouTube
o Cypress TV
o Cypress Website
The video was made available in English, Korean and Spanish.
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APPENDIX
• Public Forum #1 Transcript
• Public Forum #2 Transcript
• Public Forum #3 Transcript
• Public Forum #1 Participant List
• Public Forum #2 Participant List
• Public Forum #3 Participant List
• Public Forum Social Media Comments
• Public Forum Collateral Samples
o Public Forum Flyer
o FAQs - Korean
o FAQs - Spanish
o Sign-In Sheets
o Community Survey QR Code Flyers
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FULL TRANSCRIPT
City of Cypress
PUBLIC FORUM #1 - Virtual Event
February 26, 2022 @ 10 am
Speaker 1 (00:00:00):
Systems the city is reviewing a brief review of the city's most recent electio n history and provides several ways
for residents to share their comments and feedback. The federal voting rights act of 1965 was landmark
legislation that was born out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The legislation enforces the 14th and
15th amendments of the us constitution that guarantee equal protection under the law, an instituted national
protections for voting rights, the act prohibits any state or local government from imposing voting laws that
result in discrimination against racial or language minority, examples of past voter discrimination include
imposing restrictions on an individual's ability to vote such as the requiring of literacy test moral character
tests or poll taxes. In 1985, the Supreme court ruled that there are three conditions that must be met to prove
minority voters have had the rights violated. Number one, the affected minority group is sufficiently large
enough to elect a representative of its choice in a specific geographic location.
Speaker 1 (00:01:14):
Number two, that the minority group is politically cohesive and would likely vote similarly. And number the
white majority voters vote sufficiently as a block to usually defeat the minority group's preferred candidates,
the California voting rights act, or C V R a expands upon the federal voting rights act. The C V R a provides
additional statewide protections for Californians. The most significant being that the C B R a makes it easier for
minority groups to prove their votes are being diluted by at large elections, the C B R a eliminated one of the
three federal conditions needed to prove voter disenfranchisement that the affected minority group is
sufficiently large enough to elect a representative of its choice in a specific geographic location. This difference
between the federal and state law makes it easier for plaintiffs to assert that a violation has taken place and
issue a challenge letter, or file a lawsuit against local governments, such challenges typically seek the
elimination of an at large elections system where it asserted that a voting rights violation has taken place.
Speaker 1 (00:02:27):
It is important to note that when plaintiffs are successful, the local agency must initiate the process to
transition its selection system. Within 90 days since its passage in 2002 C B R a has promoted two decades of
change in the California re-election process in all 216 school districts, 34 community college districts, 137
cities, 35 water and other special districts, and all county boards of supervisors statewide are now electing
representatives by district prior to 2002, only 29 of California's 482 cities elected council members by district in
less than 20 years, that number has jumped to more than 160. Many of the jurisdictions noted here
transitioned to by district elections voluntarily, but others have changed after receiving a C V R a challenge
notification in September, 2021, Cypress received a challenge letter on behalf of the Southwest voter
registration education project, and a members residing in the city of Cypress.
Speaker 1 (00:03:42):
The challenge alleges that the city's current at large election system for city council is racially polarizing and
results in the vote dilution specifically of Asian voters. The challenge asserts that the city is in violation of the C
V R a C V R. Challenges are complex and difficult to defend. They can also be very expensive to the defendant
when cities lose such challenges, they're responsible for both their own legal expenses. And those of the
plaintiff, the city of Cypress is currently assessing the merits of the C B R a challenge to date. The city has not
found any merit to the allegation that it is in violation of the law. The city council is carefully reviewing its
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current electoral process and is seeking expert advice on next steps. This includes an initial demographic study
of the city's population past election history, and willingness to defend again, to challenge the city is also
seeking community input through these public forums.
Speaker 1 (00:04:46):
Furthermore, in many cases, cities that have not changed the election process voluntarily faced formal lawsuits
that change the election process involuntarily and without community input, all of these elements are
reviewed and wait as part of the deliberative process, the decision the city council must make is whether to
remain in an at large election system or transition to a by district election system. The city of Cypress currently
utilizes the at large election process, what our at large elections in, in an at large election candidates campaign
for election citywide, all Cypress voters elect all the council members. For example, if three council seats are
up for election, Cypress voters, select three candidates, candidates may live anywhere in Cypress candidates
who are elected represent the entire city. It is important to note that at large election systems are typically the
trigger for a C D R challenge. Alternatively, if Cypress holds district elections, the city may be equally divided by
population in city council districts, voters will no longer be able to vote for all of the seats on the city council as
occurs with the current at large election system.
Speaker 1 (00:06:07):
Instead, they will only be able to vote for the seat that represents their particular district. In addition,
candidates must live in a district, which they hope to represent candidates, run and campaign in the district
where they live, not citywide district voters choose one candidate to represent them. For example, if three
council seats are up for election voters, select one candidate to represent their distri ct voters in other districts
would do. Likewise because not all districts are up for election. At the same time, there may be some years
where cities do not have a city council election. There are several different types of district elections. And as
previously noted, single member district elections are the most common voters in a district elect a single
candidate to represent of them. Other examples include the orange unified school district, which utilizes an at
large by district process. All voters may vote for all open seats on the ballot, regardless of trustee area.
Speaker 1 (00:07:12):
However candidates must live in the trustee area. They hope to represent another example. Cumulative voting
means voters may cast as many votes as there are seats up for the election. For example, if three seats are up
for the election, a voter may cast all three votes for a single candidate or distribute those three votes among
multiple candidates. The candidates with the highest cumulative number of votes are elected. Should the city
decide to change its current process? There are many district options to review in the months to come. The
city council must determine whether it wishes to defend or accept the challenge. In either case, the city of
Cypress will seek public input and feedback from the community. It is to the council that community voice s are
heard. This community input will include a robust community outreach effort, multiple public forums and
online information. Following this public input process, the city council will begin formal deliberations, which
will include public care as part of regular city council or special meetings, final deliberations, and a vote by the
city council at a regular or special meeting.
Speaker 1 (00:08:29):
The city of Cypress is not alone in this issue. As noted previously, many cities have changed their voting
systems in the past two decades. Many others have opt to defend against sea V R a challenges, but the cost
can be high to date. Santa Monica has spent more than 10 million in legal fees defending against their C B R a
challenge. If they are unsuccessful, they will also be responsible for the plaintiff's legal fees by C V R a mandate
based on the initial assessment by the demographer. It has not been established that Cypress is in violation of
the C V R a. This is not unusual. Many cities have faced similar issues. The demographer examined the city's
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demo demographics and all city council elections from 2012 to 2020 in the initial assessment, the
demographer noted that there are a few precincts to analyze from a maximum of 63 to a low of 36.
Speaker 1 (00:09:30):
That previous elections all involve voters with multiple votes and many candidates, and that there are no
homogeneous Asian voter precincts. The maximum precinct has only 35.5% Asian voters. This means the
estimates are not reliable and require for study and more data. As part of the deliberative process, the city
council will discuss the matter fully next steps may include a more detailed and in depth demographic analysis.
However, even when inconclusive cities are presumed to be in violation, unless they can prove otherwise as
previously shown the cost to defend and possibly lose a C B a challenge are very high, often running a, in the
millions of dollars. According to the most recent 2020 census data, Cypress is a diverse community with a total
population of 50,151 as shown by our current demographics. The Cypress community is comprised of primarily
whites, Asian Pacific Islanders, and the Latinos, the follo wing Cypress election history underscores the
complexities of the issue.
Speaker 1 (00:10:44):
The city's C V R a challenged specifically referenced Asian voters and the possibility of racially polarized voting
and or vote dilution for this protected class using historical election gay, the demographer conducted an initial
study to ascertain if a violation had occurred relative to Asian voters, in Cypress's case, the data is unclear. For
example, in the 2020 and 2018 elections candidates who won were favored by voters overall, including Asian
voters in at least one instance. However, in each of these years, there was also one other candidate who was
preferred by Asian voters who was not elected because not all candidates preferred by Asian voters lost the
results are deemed inconclusive. If Cyprus chooses to move to district elections, the city is can committ to an
open and transparent process. A public process would begin to draw the maps outlining each district map
drawing tools would be available online for anyone to create a map for consideration public meetings would
be held to explain the guidelines and principles for drawing a map maps can also be created during these
public meetings with public input.
Speaker 1 (00:12:01):
Similar maps may be combined typically three or four final maps may emerge for public comment and council
deliberation. Several key principles are used in the districting process. Districts must include communities of
interest, be compact, be contiguous, have visible natural, or man made boundaries include respect for past
voter selections and plan for future growth. C V R a challenges may impose a additional considerations during
the districting process. When a C V a challenge is issued asserting minority dilution, that population will be
taken into special consideration. When districts are created when possible a majority minority or plurality
district will be created to ensure voters preferences are not diluted. It is not always possible to craft such a
district. If for example, the minority group is dispersed throughout the city. So what are the characteristics of
the at large election system? First, all voters vote on all available city counc il seats, city council can, can live in
any part of the city.
Speaker 1 (00:13:17):
And the elected city council members represent the entire city and answer to all city voters. Alternatively, in a
BI district election system, voters elect a single district. Representative candidates must live in the district
they're running to represent. And the elected city council members represent their local district on the city
council and answer to their district voters. The city is very interested in hearing from the community during
this public outreach period, to submit a comment or question you may do. So during the public forums, you
may also question online to the city email address CVRA forum@cypressca.org. In addition, the city has
created an online survey and you may visit the city's website to participate. This is an important and
momentous decision for our city, and it is only through the participation, all Cypress residents that our city
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council can make an informed and judicious decision. As we plan for our municipal future, you can learn more
at www, do Cypress ca.org/election system. This is an important and momentous decision for our city, and it is
only through the participation of all Cypress residents that our city council can make an informed and judicious
decision. As we plan for our municipal feature, you can learn more at www dot Cypress CA org slash election
system.
Speaker 2 (00:14:59):
Well, Mr. Mayor, hopefully that gives our community a really good grounding in, in what we're talking about
tonight. Um, and now we have some really important announcements before we jump into Q and a make sure
everyone has an opportunity.
Speaker 3 (00:15:10):
That's right, Ariana. We wanna remind everyone how they and participate. If you're joining us b y zoom, please
use the buttons in the zoom to post your questions. If you're watching via Facebook live or YouTube live, use
the chat features to post your questions or comments there, we will try to read and answer as many as we can
during this program. Those we cannot answer tonight. We will, will be posted and answered on the city's
website at www.cypressca.org/election system.
Speaker 2 (00:15:47):
Well, since the public forums were announced, the city had the, on the website of, of email address where
people could post questions. So from, for the last couple of days, you've had some coming in. So we're gonna
start off with those. Okay. Um, so I'll read the first one. Um, and once I've read this, it is more of a comment.
So this is from Melissa Murray. Um, my biggest concern over dividing the city and devoting districts is the loss
of unity. Council members will be most concerned about their district and pleasing those that vote rather than
what's best for the entire city. One of the beautiful things about Cypress is that it is a small, big town. I would
be disappointed to see it, lose that and to see more division and wrangling instead of moving forward for best,
for what's best, for all in the com in our community.
Speaker 2 (00:16:34):
So thank you, Melissa, for posting your, uh, comment. Um, the next is from David Burke. Um, and David asked
if he could use the email address to comment. So for going forward, I, I left this in there, David, because it's a
great question in order to let everybody know if you have comments going forward, if you have questions
going forward, please use the email address because we are going to be using that to continue filling out the
FAQs. Um, we may pose those questions in the next public forum, which tonight we're virtual, but the next
two are live in person. Um, so thank you for your question, David. Uh, you may have to help me with this.
David halal me. I believe, I hope I got that right. And I apologize, David, if I got it incorrectly, um, I wanted to
express my opposition to changing our voting systems for Cypress city council to a district based system.
Speaker 2 (00:17:28):
Cypress is a small community by dividing into districts. It will create division constant arguing over where the
lines will be drawn. Candidates and members will not have an, an interest in helping the entire city of Cypress.
Instead, they will want to spend their time ensuring that they are in a district where they have enough
supporters for large cities like Los Angeles district based voting makes more sense, but not for our little
community. There's already enough division in our nation and our state, a person who is voted into office
needs to understand that they're there to help the entire city, not just a few square blocks. Thank you, David,
for your comments. Um, the next comment is from, um, Edwin Kramer. And would you like to take this one,
Mr. Mayor? Sure. I'm gonna give you this actually. So these are the ones that came in early.
Speaker 3 (00:18:17):
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So Mr. Kramer writes that, uh, I am concerned that the city has not complied with the California voting rights
act. We should be complying. We should have granular and the city representation for the distinct areas of our
city. There's been a growing concern by the citizens that the council is out of touch with the direction and
needs of the community, the design, the new Lexington facility, would've been different. If a fair
representation of affected residents were in place, more inventive strategies for compliance that fit in, which is
the regional housing needs assessment, uh, a requisite by the state of California on all cities, uh, would be
compliance that would fit in local communities. Would've been brought forward in time for compliance
solutions. If connected leadership were in place, there have been several major recreational, residential, or
industrial that would impact one part of the city.
Speaker 3 (00:19:13):
More than the others. All this would be better managed with citizen representation. There is simply too much
power and influence centered around an arbitrary Colonel of the city. We need to intentionally distribute this
influence and representation over the population. Local dis would resolve a lot of the imbalance further. The
council has been meeting in private on this districting, California voting rights act issue, and not vetting
direction with the citizens that they are theoretically representing. How is that even possible? If the council is
deliberating a legal battle with the state of California on this issue, they should stop. Now, we do not want an
expensive legal battle over this just complying. So there are many issues that Mr. Kramer brings up. Uh, let me
go to one towards, uh, well Reno. So the regional regional housing needs assessment, uh, like many things.
And, and fact, I've heard that question before.
Speaker 3 (00:20:15):
What's the hardest part of my job or any council person's job and that's dispelling misinformation. Uh, people
hear only parts of a comment or parts of an issue, and they take off with that. And in this particular case, when
we first brought up the information of these arena requirements by the state people presume that we would
all of a sudden level, certain areas of the city, we were gonna break ground on new housing developments,
and that couldn't have been farther from the truth. What the arena requirement was simply that we had to
identify areas of our city, where we could possibly build additional homes, housing units, um, should that need
to need a rise. And we spent a lot of time in just dealing with that so well,
Speaker 2 (00:21:08):
And I know that Cypress isn't the only city that has, has had consternation over the arena numbers, but I
wanted to, um, just make a clarification on one item that Mr. Kramer said, um, he, um, had asked at the end of
his, or he had pushed in the end of his comments that, um, we would be in a fight with the state or the city of
Cypress to be in a fight with the state and just to be clean year, um, in the, uh, initial challenge, it's actually
with, um, a plaintiff who comes forward. Correct. So we do have, um, somebody who has written a letter
through a legal firm representing an organization. So it's not with the state of California. And I just wanted to
make that clarification, Mr. Mayor,
Speaker 3 (00:21:43):
Correct? Yeah, the, the voting rights act is through the state of California, but it is this attorney through a, a
party that they represent that has alleged, that the city has violated that California voting rights act. Correct.
So we're not taking on the state. What we're doing is responding to this allegation that the city has violated
the California voting rights act. And, and we're a long ways quite honestly, from that. And that's part largely
why we are here. It is not a simple topic. It is something that does require, um, you know, Mr. Kramer brings
up that we've been meeting in private and making all the decisions. It's not an issue of meeting in private and
keeping things secret. I think, uh, you're faced with something that's important. You don't come right out and
all of a sudden this is what we're going to do. Uh, it, these meetings have been simply to understand what the
challenges are what's before us. What do we need to do? Is there in fact, a violation. In fact, one of those
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many steps that we as a city council did was to contact a demographer, a person that basically looks at all of
this data and even start to explain, is there any substance to this alleged violation? And that was just the start.
And that's where we're at. We're still at the start of this whole process.
Speaker 2 (00:23:07):
And as we, as it was noted in the video where we right now is that it's very much, um, the demographer came
in and did an initial assessment. So, um, so now we're going to be, you know, there's still many layers as you
mentioned, which, which goes to the next question that I have, and this is from, um, Mary oor. Um, please
provide a map of a breakdown of the council district and the ethnic numbers per district. So, um, oh, I'm sorry.
This is from lean AOR lean. This is actually a fabulous question, but we don't have these answers just yet.
Correct. In fact, this would be probably step 20 of, um, you know, 40 different steps. Um, if the city decides to
go to districts, this would definitely be a part, um, this question would be answere d because we would start
building maps.
Speaker 3 (00:23:55):
That's correct. And in fact, that's where yes, the, the citizens, the residents of Cypress would clearly get an
opportunity to see what these districts would look like. Part of, uh, calling and contacting a demographer is for
them to tell us what the lay of the land is, where the particular groups are, uh, where this diversity is at. And if
they are in fact in pockets of the city. And, but we are such a long ways from that right now, we're still trying to
part of what this process is. And certainly the presentation we're doing and, and the ones to follow will be to
let people understand what the California voting rights act is, what this challenge is before the city. But we're
also doing this to provide the residents with a very unbiased explanation of what does it mean to vot e at large
versus what does it mean to vote in districts? Absolutely. And that's why we're here.
Speaker 2 (00:24:51):
Um, so I will go to the next question that we've gotten through the forum tonight. Um, so I'm sorry. Can you
scroll it down? Thank you. Okay. So the first question that we got through the public forum is why is the city
spending so much money on hiring a consultant to do these presentations when they couldn't spend money on
holding a special election? When filling council member Barrys vacant position rational at rationale, um, was
given that a special election will cost too much money, 2000, 200,000 to 250,000, approximately yet the city
council is willing to spend just as much on a consultant to try and convince the public that single member
districting is not good. And then they will still have to pay millions of dollars for a lawsuit. So there's, there's a
couple of things in there, but, um, and obviously as a council in person, as a council person, um, you know, our,
our residents are always concerned about the, the taxpayer dollar that we spend, but Mr. Marilyn me a sk you,
why is it so important to get the public feedback?
Speaker 3 (00:26:01):
Well, quite honestly, and, and very directly, that's why we were elected our job. We were elected by certainly
the residents we were by all of you. And, and it is, it it's a very, it's very much an honor, but it is very much, uh,
there is a lot of tasks. There's a lot of work, there are many things behind it. And the reality is there are so
many as time goes on, this is the start of my eighth year in office. And I can't tell you the number of topics. And
I can't possibly know, uh, how the public feels on every single one of them. And so certainly when we have
very involved topics like this one, we're going to reach out to the public, especially since this is one that
requires input from all of them. And it is very important that we understand what people are th inking, you
know, the amount that we're spending, uh, isn't anywhere near what they're talking about.
Speaker 3 (00:26:53):
And, and we haven't even decided whether we're challenging it. We want to hear from the residents as to do
we challenge or don't, we, here's the information we have. We want you to look at it, see it, and tell us what
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your thoughts are, and we'll go from there. And, and the reality is there are some of these things that people
like in, in the question alone, they're saying that we're here to tell you that why it's better to vote in single
districts or not know we're here to give you the information UN biased. Um, yes, we can all have opinions, but
our responsibility is to represent the citizens of Cypress in the best manner possible. And that means
wherever. And whenever we can to get their input.
Speaker 2 (00:27:36):
And, and, uh, another point I would like to make just as you know, from a council perspective, um, it is
important. There are people who feels strongly on both sides of this issue. So with that, it is important that
everybody get a chance to, to have their voice heard on both sides.
Speaker 3 (00:27:51):
A absolutely. And I mean, there are so many different facets to just this particular topic. Uh, one of 'em th at we
even introduced and that is it's available in different languages. It's available on different websites, it available
in many different ways so that we can reach as many of the residents as possible, simply because we know
there are so many facets, some of you work days, some nights, some weekends, some work from home, some
work from their office. There are many. And so we're trying to reach as many as possible, but that's just an
example of exactly everybody, everybody will have you're right. There's gonna be some force, some against
let's hear from everyone.
Speaker 2 (00:28:29):
And by front loading some of this process, again, regardless of what the decision final decision is, then we'll be
able to move, um, quickly one way or the other. Would that be true?
Speaker 3 (00:28:39):
Yeah. I, I mean, it's like anything else, you know, I guess one analogy would be, you know, when you went to
go buy your house, if that's what you went, did house hunting, you didn't just go look at the first house you
saw, you didn't buy it by color. You didn't buy it because it had a swim pool. You looked at many things, people
look at its location, the city, uh, the school district, they look at the shopping. What are the amenities in the, so
folks you didn't run out and quickly go to the bank and say, here's my deposit or my down payment. I wanna
buy, there are many factors and, and this is just one of them. And so we have a lot t o do, but once we start to
gather all of this information, then we can make a better, but more importantly informed decision. That's the
purpose behind all of what we're
Speaker 2 (00:29:29):
Doing. And, and we'll get back to some of that, like what that process is as we kind of wind down on questions,
but we still have more. Yes. So the next question is what is the opinion of our attorney on the chances of
defending, um, our current voting method? Has anyone ever successfully defeated a C B R a challenge? Um, a
great question, um, and kind of a tough one to an, it's not tough to answer, but sometimes it can be tough.
Um, when you realize what that is now, I don't know if any city attorney who gives odds, but, um, I believe of
the city attorney has made it clear. Um, just historically what's what some of the prospects are when you
defend against a C D R a challenge.
Speaker 3 (00:30:09):
Well, one of the, in, in the presentation that was made, there were a number of cities that we showed
information as to where they're at, what has happened in their particular challenges, where the particular situ,
um, the attorney is telling us that it is for us to decide it is for the residents to decide. And again, that's why
we're here. I can't say that enough times, but the reality is no, they're not giving us, you know, your chances
are three to one of winning this. We're looking at the real numbers. Uh, one of the biggest things is, are we in
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fact keeping down or not giving a particular, uh, community within our city, a particular group, uh, ethnic
group from having fair representation. And those are some of the things certainly it'll come out. This a gain is
just part, the demo. Demographer already gave us a good amount of information, not anything that we can
already see, but again, that's not everything.
Speaker 2 (00:31:07):
Right. Right. And it goes to the next question, which is, um, how much will it potentially cost the city to
defend? So again, you noted in the presentation, we give some of those numbers. Um, so to answer, the first
question goes into the second question, which it can cost a great deal of money to defend against one of these
challenges. And I, I have to say, I think to my knowledge, no one to date, no city has successfully defended
against a C B R a lawsuit. Um, if it goes to court, um, and Santa Monica is the only one I think that, that hasn't
been to, they've gone back and forth a couple times.
Speaker 3 (00:31:45):
I think actually there's two cities. Um, and you're right. I, I can't, I know Santa Monica is one, uh, I think
Huntington beach is actually the other. Um, but I, there are a couple of cities that, and yeah, in that, even then
the fact that there hasn't been decided is just that it has been decided and the monies and the cost to continue
putting that forward continues to add up.
Speaker 2 (00:32:07):
And that's a really big part of this discussion. I know it will be a big part of the discussion for the council. So,
um, for example, we just mentioned Santa Monica, um, Santa Monica is now their total legal bill is up over $10
million at this point for, and they've gone through several, several Lev levels of legal ballot ballots. Um, they
went through the initial, then they did an appeal. So their, their bill is rather high.
Speaker 3 (00:32:31):
You know, there, there are many things I I'm trying not to stray off of what our topic is here this evening, but,
you know, I can remember talking to a city, uh, a resident, um, a few years ago when it came to a development
and this particular resident even pointed out, they said, look, you should be voting no, to deny that conditional
use permit to allow 'em to build. And I explained to that particular resident, so you know, that if I, as long a s
they meet all city can county and state building codes, and as long as all of this falls within, you know, that if
we deny their permit, they can Sue us. And that resident said, yeah, I understand that. And you understand
that we'd lose in court to the tune of six to 8 million. Yes. I understand that. And so you're saying that I should
still deny that permit. And that resident said, yes, well, that's difficult because my job is looking at that as well.
That's not why I was elected my, I was elected to make the best decision for all of the residents, all of the city,
and certainly the way the monies are spent. Right. And that's a big issue here. We may see that people don't
want us to go into districts or they may, what's it gonna cost? There's a lot of information gathering that we
still have to
Speaker 2 (00:33:46):
Do. Absolutely. And just to, um, to finish out this question, uh, to give you some idea of the cost, the city of, we
mentioned the city of Santa Monica, but the city of Palmdale, 4.7 million city of Modesto, $3 million, uh, city of
Anaheim, a 1.1 million Santa Barbara spent 600,000 and west Covena spent $220,000. Um, so, so it can have a
very hefty price tag, correct? Yes. So, um, the next question, where will there be sampled ballots to view can
submit our own map. Um, so I'm gonna break that, that down into two questions, cuz they're both great
questions. So thank you to whoever has submitted these, um, we are going to do two more public forums, but
we could certainly create, um, a sample ballot of just what it might look like. So you can see how that voting
might work.
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Speaker 3 (00:34:37):
And of course they're not gonna have any real names. No, because, and we all not. Right. They're all in John
and Jane do because we don't know who it is. We don't know what portion of the city do we have two districts
within the center part of the city do so the bottom line is yes, we can create sample maps.
Speaker 2 (00:34:54):
It's actually a really good suggestion.
Speaker 3 (00:34:56):
It is a good question. And it, and something that we could probably do, but again, everyt hing is theoretical
because we're a long ways from coming to anything, uh, very formalized.
Speaker 2 (00:35:07):
So the next question is, is our city large enough to break it down into districts? So another great question. Um,
every city is pretty much small enough to break down into districts. The question becomes, um, that is it, uh,
large enough to break districts that meet C V R a requirements so that don't continue the VI, the alleged
violation, um, that allow communities of interest to stay together. So that would certainly be something, um,
that an, uh, like a second demographic view or in drawing maps that we would be looking at very carefully.
Speaker 3 (00:35:39):
Yeah. I mean, I mean to use a, a city and I'm not gonna go into great detail cause I don't know their particular
history, but you know, the cities of garden Grove and Westminster are an example, you know, as time went
on, you had a larger Asian population start to over the years, start to increase and grow. And there's a perfect
example that at what point did the Asian communities in both Westminster and garden grow, start to become
a majority or certainly in certain pockets of that city. And that 's what the CDR, the California voting lights act is
intended, right. To help support so that these particular communities are not, uh, or so they're not stepped on
or overlooked. And they're given that opportunity to select a representative of their choosing. So yes, I mean,
an answer is Cypress big enough for that. Yes, we are just depends on where demographics turn out.
Speaker 2 (00:36:31):
Absolutely. Um, the next question with district elections, what would happen if no one within a dis wanted to
run? That's a really interesting question.
Speaker 3 (00:36:41):
It is. And again, it's another hypothetical because we don't have districts. So that might be something we
certainly would have to address and legislation. Uh, we would have to bring up, but one of those would be
that's where you come up with appointments, similar to as, uh, one of the others. I believe those Kramer
talked about when Councilwoman Barry stepped down because of her relocating out of state, uh, something
that we could do, but appointments certainly is one of them. Uh, again, we're not there yet.
Speaker 2 (00:37:11):
Right. So for example, um, it might be that if you did decide to go to districts and once districts were created at
the same time, you might need to look at the city charter and make sure everything is aligned
Speaker 3 (00:37:21):
And up to date. Yes, very much so.
Speaker 2 (00:37:24):
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Okay. Uh, the next question has the city reached out to Cypress elementary school district to understand how
they moved into districts. Can we just adopt their district map? Another interesting question.
Speaker 3 (00:37:35):
So actually we have contacted the Cypress elementary school. We talked to them because we are aware that
they ended up doing that, but the reality is we can't simply adopt their district map for a number of reasons.
One, it was their work, but number two, their map is different. It goes beyond the same limits, right. Uh, part
of it is low salamis. I mean, if you look at Cyprus there park, that's actually in Buena park. So it isn't a matter of
just adopting their district map. But yes, it is someone in an area, another person that we contacted. Yes.
Speaker 2 (00:38:10):
Uh, next question. And, and thank you all first, by the way, for submitting questions, correct. We have a lot
now. And so we're very grateful if the city t ransitions to a by district election system can former city council
members who already served two terms now be able to seek election in a new system. That is a fantastic
question. And one that I have very personal knowledge of actually. So
Speaker 3 (00:38:32):
Well I is, as you know, in your perspective is gonna be terrific. And I'll let you respond to that too, because in
Cypress, the answer to that one is simply no, because currently our city charter allows and hasn't to wear a
council member runs or serves two terms four years, each, a total of eight years, and one they're done, th ey
are done. There are other cities that I'll just use the one to our west Los salamis, Los salamis has to where you
can serve two terms. You sit out a cycle, which would be two years, and then you're eligible to run again. But
Cy, currently does not have that sort of a system. Oh, interesting. And so the reality is with another issue that
we would have to address if that was something that needed to occur or would occur, or if that's even support
and importantly, so that we get this out so that there is no misinformation that would also go to a vote of the
residents. It's not something that you have five council members that simply make this decision on their own
in a secret meeting, tap, tap. And who's it folks, these are all these things that we bring to you, the residents,
because it clearly affects all of you in your daily lives.
Speaker 2 (00:39:49):
So just to be clear. So in Cypress, the, this, the, um, way the policy reads now is that eight years and you're
done eight
Speaker 3 (00:39:58):
Years. Correct.
Speaker 2 (00:39:58):
Okay. So, and I know in Anaheim they do it different. And in the city of orange, when we moved to districts, we
had a council member who was a sitting council member termed out. Um, but did, did challenge, uh, ran and
was elected and was challenged that he had met that eight years. And the judge just that you met the eight
years, that was it. You were done, you had to sit out for two years. Um, so it, it, you know, the legal issues
don't necessarily go away. Once you make a final decision, lots of these things have to be figured out even
more so.
Speaker 3 (00:40:30):
Yeah. And, and, you know, the reason I knew, uh, and a response to that one is because we are already
listening. I'm mean it's not like we go home and we sit, you know, trust me, our pagers, go out, our phones go,
people, text us, people email us. And that's a question that had already come up and it is something that we
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we're well aware of. And we already know that. Yeah. Anything, um, like that would certainly go to a vote of
the residence. Right.
Speaker 2 (00:40:57):
Uh, net question, how will by district voting affect the current city council makeup? Where are all the current
council members located? Um, great question. Uh, obviously it's not something we're gonna, we're gonna
speak to right now in terms of where everybody lives, but in terms of the current makeup, um, I can just, I can
provide kind of what's happened in other jurisdictions, which is, um, you typically, if you decide to go to
districts, then you implement those districts over time. So you would pick, um, sometimes you could literally
be picking out of a hat or drawing straws, um, which districts, ones districts are set are gonna go up for
election first. Um, typically that coincides with council members who are turning off or rolling off. Um, and
then you, so it's two years and you vote then two years and you vote. Um, so that's how they kind of, you get
to all districts. It's, it's rare that it's everybody at once, you know, cuz you, you don't ever elect everybody
Speaker 3 (00:41:57):
At once. Well, at the same time too, you know, a, a council member has all this institutional knowledge.
Correct. And you would hate to lose those people just like that because we now moved into districts. And so
you want to transition to this, uh, to where you're keeping those people that have that experience that have
that knowledge and as you move through it yes. In time. Now, as soon as I say that, does that mean that's
what we're doing? No folks, we don't know because we're not there yet, but that is all a part of the decision.
And you can already see, as we pointed out, there are many facets to moving into districts. If that's, what's
ultimately decided it is not anything that's gonna be done. Um, in the next 30 days in the next s ix months, it
takes time. Right?
Speaker 2 (00:42:44):
Absolutely. Uh, the next question is will the demographer's assessment, not just slides be made public, where
will it be posted? Um, good question. Um, I think that, that if I'm not mistaken, much of that information is still
under the closed session. Um, protections, is it not
Speaker 3 (00:43:01):
Right? Well, we, even if I remember right on some of the information we pointed out, showed a little bit, um,
about which council members received percentages of certain ethnicities. So the information is out there and
if it comes down to it, yeah. We'll show you that information simply because it is, we want all of you to make
the best informed decision possible. It's not like we, you know, make these decisions just, uh, okay. That's it.
It's that simple. No. We also want you to make the best informed decision possible and we'll get you the
information, uh, when we can and where we can.
Speaker 2 (00:43:39):
Um, next question, our city has grown significantly since the at large system was established in order to have
equal representation on the city council from all areas of our city, it's time to transition to district voting. So
that's more of a comment. So thank you very much for your comments. Uh, next question. What do we lose by
changing to districts? Um, good question again, these, some of that's gonna be just subjective in terms of how
people feel about it. Um, and I know there's very different feelings about that.
Speaker 3 (00:44:11):
Well, yeah, even to go back to one of the early of your comments that was made, somebody said that it'll be
partisan or we already have too much. If I, you know, even now, you know, all of your council members don't
always agree on all of the topics. And i f we were to be in districts, you know, clearly your council would still
work together because it is the business of the city. It's the continuation, it's the growth, it's the sustainability,
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it's that, uh, pulse of the city that you always want to continue in the best manner possible. And for one district
to completely branch off and not have no folks granted you, you would be voting on just one particular person,
the person, the, that lives in the area that the district that you live in, but all of your c ouncil representatives,
your council, people would still work together. You have this staff that, uh, works. They're the ones that do the
work every day, day in and day out. They're the ones that are there to make sure that the business of city is
handled in the best way possible. The city manager, your directors, your staff, everyone there, your various
agencies and departments, everyone there that is there to deliver the services of the city, your council people
are there to make sure that they're also given what they need to put their best foot forward.
Speaker 2 (00:45:38):
And I know on the, on the flip side too, that other people can feel that within a district system, um, that their
council member is very close to them. Um, so one of the aspects that they, they list in terms of districting is
that you could walk, um, from precinct walking when you're during the election, that you could walk your
whole district. Um, so that you're really closer to the people. So there's pros and cons on both sides.
Speaker 3 (00:45:59):
Yeah. I, I, I would agree. I mean, when I walked door to door through the city, you know, uh, before I was
elected in just about everyone knows, I, uh, had worked for the city of Cypress police department for just over
25 years. And certainly I drove those streets, every single one of the streets in the city. But I have to tell you
when I was campaigning and walking door to door. Yeah. It is certainly a different perspective. And by going to
districts, yeah. You certainly get to know one area very well. And those, the particular, the residents in those
particular areas, uh, would certainly know you you'd be accountable to them. And it wouldn't mean that that
person is also limited to just the issues in that area. It's citywide, when you start coming to a major
development or things that'll happen. Yeah. They are gonna vote about all of those things that affect the city
as a whole. Right.
Speaker 2 (00:46:54):
Uh, next question with, at large voting, I have a say on all of the council members with district voting, I feel like
I would have less of a voice. Um, I think that's just a comment. So thank you for posting your comments. Um,
next question. What are the criteria you are using to decide the change in voting? How do you, um, feel, how
do you feel we will have more representation? I don't feel my voice is always heard. How would this change
your communication within the community? My concern that is I, that is my concern at the moment, I think,
oh, my concern at the moment is the trash height fee. So, um, we've talked a little bit about this in terms of
how representation might change.
Speaker 3 (00:47:40):
Yeah. So there's, there's obviously a number of questions here, so let's start at the, at the beginning. So the
criteria used to decide to change and voting is gonna be based on that issue with what does the demography
show, where, how is the community broken up? If we go to districts, that's what we'll have to discern that. And
I remember that it, uh, one of our others posed a question earlier about, would you be able to get to see the
maps? Yes, you would. That's gonna be a, a clear answer to what the represe representation would be. Um,
you're asking about how would this change your communication with the community? Well, certainly that
particular, if you go to districts that particular, uh, council person would be certainly contacting the people in
their particular district. And also, yeah, they have that opportunity. You know, you, you finish your question
with my concern at the moment is the trash height fee. Again, another example of this is one where people
only some of the information gets out. Some of the misinformation gets out and we're here for part the
California voting rights act. But here's another one. And I have always, always told people, contact city hall, this
way you get the information there's,
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Speaker 2 (00:48:57):
But it's a, it's a good example of a, of an issue that affects all the cities, correct? All council members vote and
deliberate on it, regardless of the district.
Speaker 3 (00:49:06):
And in this particular case, just, you know, so that I can answer that as one of those things, this is something
that is being mandated by the state to every city in the state of California. It is not j ust Cypress, uh, trust me,
many of these cities don't want to have to see this particular program. Okay. So the state legislators that are
there made this decision, that this was in the best interest for everyone in the state. Okay. This cha change
comes at a cost and we like every other city are trying to figure out the best way to manage that cost.
Speaker 2 (00:49:39):
My goodness, we haven't had that debate yet here, my city. So I guess you've given me something to look
forward to.
Speaker 3 (00:49:44):
It just, it's part of it, make sure that the best information or the Tru you know, all of that information gets out
there so that people aren't hearing only part of it.
Speaker 2 (00:49:53):
Um, one of the other things at, at the top of the question was the criteria. You mentioned some of those things
before in terms of, you know, the cost to defend or to move to that. But, um, I also just wanna underscore, and
this is true, I think for the entire council that, um, if a violation was clearly sh own, um, the council would be
United in that you, you would not let a violation stand. Um, part of the issue right now is that a violation is not,
um, there is no, um, evidence that a violation has occurred as of this moment with the initial demographer's
report.
Speaker 3 (00:50:27):
Very true. You know, one of those I've been here where we've done many things and looked at many things,
and one of those adages that we have come through about Cypress is that it is a beautiful, no, slight on your
city of orange that's okay. But we have, we've said many times over that Cypress is j ust a full place to live work
and to play. And you bet we would not allow a violation of the California voters, right. Act to just go on
unchecked, uh, to just overlook it and maybe it'll go away. No, it is clearly something that we are addressing
that we've looked at and we've looked at over, you know, time before is we we're aware that, uh, our
community has changed. Um, there's a, uh, area of our city known as the Sorento homes, uh, beautiful area.
And for those that did move into the city prior, before those homes were there, there were tank farms. And for
those that don't even know that before, you know, Cyprus before was, you know, we were dairy city, we were
a large, a lot of farms, dairy farms,
Speaker 2 (00:51:32):
I've seen the original signs.
Speaker 3 (00:51:33):
Yeah. And so there are many, many things. And so, yes, we're well aware that our city's changing. And again, it
is something that I said before that as our city continues to grow and evolve and change, what are the best
decisions that we can make so that our city continues to grow and to be the best city possible for not just our
residents, but the business community as well, for those people that also come to dis we
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Speaker 2 (00:51:56):
All depend on each other.
Speaker 3 (00:51:57):
Absolutely. Correct. And again, say if there was, so to go back to that question, if there was a violation of the
California voters, right. Voting rights act, yes. We're definitely going to address that and resolve it.
Speaker 2 (00:52:09):
Uh, next question, based on what I've read, no city in California has ever successfully withstood a C D R a
challenge based on allegations of racially polarized voting in at large elections. Some cities like Clint, Santa
Clara has spent over $5 million fighting and still lost. Given that voluntarily switching to district election seems
like the much more prudent course of action. Thank you very much for your comments. And I think we
answered a little bit of that in the last, in our last, uh, uh, question as well, right? Why are city city council
members voting on this decision to fight the lawsuit or change to districts? That seems like a huge conflict of
interest. Does it not on, can this go to a vote of the residents or can an in independent committee be formed?
So both good questions. Right. Um, and every city has done it differently. I would say because I know in
Anaheim, it was, um, in the city of Santee down in, um, San Diego, um, the, it was a referendum because, um,
they are, they were charter city and it had to go to the charter. So they did actual measures on their ballot.
Um, I don't think that's necessarily the case here in orange. It was city council at some of the school districts.
It's been like the, the organizational legislative body that's made the change.
Speaker 3 (00:53:24):
Well again, and this is why we're reaching out to all of our residents so that we can have your input. Here's just
one, another, another one of those areas where the costs, uh, occur. If we went to a referendum, it goes on
the ballot, it costs money to put that on a ballot. It, and it's not anything cheap. Uh, we're talking, you know, a
hundred, $200,000
Speaker 2 (00:53:48):
At a minimum just,
Speaker 3 (00:53:49):
Yeah. And, and then that's still not addressing the issue. Right. And then you still, we have to move into
districts. What is that gonna cost now, the work of a demographer to come back in and help us with that. And
then we go out. And so there are a lot, is this something that I believe the first part of their question, uh, dealt
with, it seems like a lot. And is this unfair for the, the city council? You know, ladies and gentlemen, please
remember you voted us into office to make the best decisions possible for all of you. And one of those
decisions is to bring this to you so that we are informed so that we, where you're at. And some you're thinking,
uh, where you're thinking is that some people have already voiced an opinion telling us that no, this makes it
sound like Cypress is a racist, biased community, and we are not so fight it. Well, agree. I, I like that. But
remember to do so right. Could cost potentially millions of dollars. So let's get the input of the residents. Again,
this is the start so we can make that decision.
Speaker 2 (00:54:51):
And what's always important to note in that situation is there are lots of people and that's, again, why we're
doing the public forums is that there are lots of people who don't feel that way, correct. Um, or who, and we
need to hear from everyone. So that, that is part of the deliberative process. All right. Uh, let's see. Next
question. Cypress school district went to district voted several years ago with no issues. The arg ument that the
districts will cause division and less representation is incorrect. It has been used for our school district for a few
years now with no issue, very proud of our small school district for doing this volunteer voluntarily. So more of
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a comment, thank you very much, much. Uh, next question, there was some mention of how districts might be
drawn if a switch to districts is made, but I didn't hear any mention of an independent redistricting committee,
which many cities use to insulate the process from the political self-interest. Would it be possible to have an
independent redistricting commission in Cypress?
Speaker 3 (00:55:49):
Anything is possible. Anything is possible. Then if the person says that many cities have done this right, and
many cities have not. Right. So again, this, this is all part of that process. Is it pos sible? Absolutely. It's possible.
What would it look like? Is it all residents? Is it council? Is it council residents and, uh, demo, you know, there
are many things, is that possible? It's possible, but again, folks we're not there yet.
Speaker 2 (00:56:13):
Uh, let's see. Uh, okay. Looking through questions really fast. Uh, let's see. Okay. Uh, why were public forums
not held when deciding on how to fill a council, how to fill Councilman varies a vacant position, but you are
holding them for this. So I think that's kind of more, probably off topic,
Speaker 3 (00:56:36):
For example. Right. But in, in a, in a nutshell and a response to that is that there are processes within our, the
charter and the other, um, laws that we have that tell us how to go about selecting. Right. Right. And in that
particular case, there was a process that was clear as to how we would re how we would fill a council
member's seat.
Speaker 2 (00:56:57):
And for, for districts, um, going to districts are not going, oh, we're kind of off the map right now. So we we're
trying to, to learn on that one. So the real problem is existing council members were not elected to appoint
people into vacated seat, which is what was done a vacancy occurring. Soon after an election should have
been filled by candidate with the next H votes, AKA citizens choice. I support the lawsuit as my vote was not
respected. So the add more of a comment than a question is the mayor, the only person who will be replying
to questions and comments, um, for tonight's forum, that is the case. Um, so, but at other public forums that
we'll have, might be, um, the other council members or the mayor prote, or several of you, uh, might happen.
Um, in addition, uh, the city's attorney at city manager, um, have be looking at some of the questions where
they're technical in nature. So the FAQs that'll be posted will become a amalgamation of all of those with a lot
of different expert voices weighing in. So thank you for your question. Uh, how will this, uh, redistricting study
be funded? Why is this being brought to our attention now? How does this change? The economic growth of
Cypress? So a couple of different questions there. Um, why don't we start with, why are we doing it now?
Speaker 3 (00:58:12):
Well, we're doing it now because the city was served, um, by the attorney, by the law firm, uh, advising us of
what they saw as a violation of California, California voting rights act. And so the city has, in order to respond
to that properly is to look and we, ourselves looking at it did, did a violation occur, is it occurring? And so there
are many things to do that. Um, that's part of it. And the answer specifically to your question, how's it being
funded through the taxpayer dollars and that's why these things are never very fun. Uh, there are monies that
these are monies that we're going to spend that could certainly be used elsewhere, whether it's our parts and
recreation department, whether it's our infrastructure, uh, whether they're landscape issues. Uh, there are
many places that we could, but the answer is the monies coming from, uh, the city's funds, um, and houses
changed the economic growth of Cypress. That's a larger question. You know, again, we're not here for that.
It's not like it's going to downgrade the city. It's a matter of folks. What this actually is. We're talking about
simply is, was there a violation? Is there a violation? What do we do to resolve it? If there's in fact, a violation
and how to best respond to the letter,
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Speaker 2 (00:59:32):
Right. Uh, what are the pros and cons for the various methods of, um, of elected council members are the
negatives of transitioning to a district type structure, outweigh the cost of challenging the lawsuit. Um, good
question. I'm not sure that there's a, a really straightforward answer. I, depending on where you sit on the
issue,
Speaker 3 (00:59:52):
But yeah, and, and I, folks I can tell you, I am not here tonight to start telling you what my opinion is. Uh, my
opinion quite on is gonna be a largely dependent or decided on what it is that you, the residents tell us. Um, I
can tell you, like one person pointed out, well, I feel like I'm only gonna be able to represen, uh, I represent
one person that's who I'm voting for versus right now I vote for everyone. Yeah, that's true. But is that all is the
only positive? No, there are many things. And so, uh, let's again, wait to see what everybody tells us and yeah.
Is it expensive? It, it could be, there are many things that could be done again. We're already telling you what
some of these costs are. Uh, do we know all of them just yet? No. I mean, let's throw out, let's say that we
come to a vote of the people and all of a sudden it becomes a tie. Right? Well, guess what, we've gotta have
another, so it just, now that I think that there would be, but folks, there are just many costs that we just don't
know altogether.
Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
Uh, if Cypress decides to implement city council districts, would he still be required to pay Mr. Shanken and his
client? Um, very good question. We're not in a legal dispute at this point. Um, a lawsuit has not been filed
against the city, right? It's only a letter has been issued, challenging and alleging there is a potential violation.
Speaker 3 (01:01:19):
Correct. And, uh, that is, is an area that is for the city attorney to address and respond to simply because I'm
not an attorney. That's why we have the city attorney, that's his area, uh, to respond to. And the reality is let's
see where that goes, because as you pointed out, Ariana, uh, we haven't been served with a lawsuit. We we've
only then sent the letter which we've received. And that's why all of what we're doing is responding or trying
to determine the best answer and how to respond to the letter.
Speaker 2 (01:01:54):
Um, I just wanna remind those who are viewing, uh, we're only going till seven 30 the T um, we still have a lot
more questions on the, on the screen for us to get through. So just a reminder, please, don't worry. If we don't
get to your question, we will post them all on the city website. We will get answers to everything. And thank
you so much for participating in the process. Uh, the next question, would we still rotate who serves as mayor
or would it become a separately elected position in addition to the city council? Really good question. Not
many cities have directly elected mayors in orange county most actually do it the way a Cypress does it
Speaker 3 (01:02:28):
Correct. And would we still rotate again? We don't know simply because it is not something we have decided
upon. Are there cities that, uh, uh, well, Anaheim is one Anaheim has districts, but then they have a specific
campaign for the office of mayor and they are not the only one. So we don't know we're not there yet. Again,
this is once we get all of the information together, when we start making those decisions, will we be able to
answer that right?
Speaker 2 (01:02:57):
Are you saying that no decision will be made, um, until after this coming next election? Um, I don't think that
that, that is the case, but
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Speaker 3 (01:03:06):
No, we, in fact, uh, the letter that came from Mr shaman's office, uh, gave us a particular timeframe. Uh, Mr.
Shankman was good in working with our city attorney and giving us some time to sort these things at out. You
know, I know that we had some residents that felt we were meeting a secret and we could make a decision or
making all these decisions. No, uh, Mr. Shanken was good enough to extend that time because he himself
realizes these aren't decisions that you make, you know, in five minutes or within one meeting in one night, it,
it takes time to respond. I
Speaker 2 (01:03:38):
Think there was also a recogni and that the city was doing some of this work to assess the violation. Yeah,
that's correct. Um, we're doing this, uh, this, uh, set of public forums and then the city will go into the
deliberative process. The city council will go into the very prescribed deliberative process, which is public
hearings. And then, um, you and your colleagues talking, um, and going, you know, basically, um, you know,
deciding and debating back and forth, then my understanding, and, and again, we will, um, confirm this and
put it, um, on the city's website. Once you decide to go to go to districts, if you decide to go to districts, should
there better way to say it. Um, there is a prescribed process for that as well. And I believe there's a certain
amount of time, um, that is given for which you to, for you to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:04:24):
That's correct. So specifically an answer to the question is a decision going to be made until after the next
election. I, I don't know. It just depends on that timeframe right now. The timeframe that we're trying to work
with is no it'll make you made prior to, um, because there is only a certain amount of, of time by which to
respond to Mr. Shaman's office.
Speaker 2 (01:04:45):
Um, thank you. Uh, the next question, uh, can we expect a citywide mailer or some type of engagement
regarding at large versus district voting provided an English, Korean and Spanish to seek citywide community
input and help staff and consultant provide a proper recommendation? It's a great question.
Speaker 3 (01:05:02):
And that's an easy one, actually go ahead. And the answer is yes. Yes. Um, you know, thanks to you and, and,
uh, these are, again, some of those things that we've had to decide on, uh, again, as I said, the beginning, our
responsibility and what we're doing here is to provide the community with the best unbiased information we
can, the best outreach that we can. And that means not just these forums, uh, not just on one night of the
week, but on various days of the week, correct. Various locations in the city, we're trying to reach as many as
possible. And in addition that in response directly to that question, yes, we'll have information going out to,
uh, all of the residents in the city so that they have more information, right. For them to look at. And again, as
all of that will show, please again, go back to our city's, uh, website, the Cypress ca.org/, um, election election,
election system, election system. And you'll find more information there as well. In addition to, again, all the
information that's being covered tonight.
Speaker 2 (01:06:03):
And, um, there was an ad hoc committee put together the city council. Um, so there was, um, a rather robust
community outreach, uh, a plan that was, um, engaged upon there that will include media outreach, social
media, um, actually some, you know, out in the community, like face to face, some outreach, all of these
forums, um, an online survey, uh, email newsletter there, it was, it was quite extensive. So, um, really, um,
showing the city council was kind of committed to making sure everyone heard about this issue.
Speaker 3 (01:06:35):
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Yes. And, and again, and that, doesn't also not to forget folks, all you ever have to do again, going back to the
city of Cypress's website, all of our we, um, email addresses are there. You can reach out to us directly, send us
emails, contact us, leave your messages, your comments, your questions, all of that. Trust me, that's what
we're here for. We're you to engage and to answer to the best of our ability so that you have all the
information necessary to make that decision and to help us.
Speaker 2 (01:07:07):
So we have about 50 more minutes to go. I know we still have a lot more, um, questions, um, will a transition
to districts me, and they will potentially have to be redrawn every 10 years like congressional districts. Um,
great question. And it's not potential. It is that they need to be re-looked at every 10 years. Correct. So the 10
year mark is based on the census. Um, every year we go, every 10 years, we go through that process. Um, it's
how our, we look and see how our numbers have changed. Um, has our population grown, has it changed?
Um, and, and within that, especially districts, if you are looking at C D R a, um, oh, I just lost my, I lost the
word. I was, if you have C, D R a, um, considerations within a city, you're gonna Gar very carefully look how
your demographics have changed from, um, an ethnicity point of view. So to make sure that a new violation
doesn't occur or that, um, things have, it changed to an extent that the districts have to change even more. So
that is something that would happen once you go to districts, you do have to, to look at them once a census
comes
Speaker 3 (01:08:09):
Through. Yeah. I mean, I think anyone certainly, um, paying attention to the news or reading the papers have
seen how the, uh, supervis Orial districts here in orange county have changed, changes, changes, right. Uh,
congressional districts on the federal level, Senator, you know, even state senatorial districts, all of those have
changed because of the recent census. So yes, the simple answer to questions. Yes. Every 10 years, we have to
look at that in,
Speaker 2 (01:08:35):
And I'm sorry, the questions are going up and down. Can we move them up again, please? Up more? I miss
one. There we go. Um, I it's, you need to go up more. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 3 (01:08:48):
Actually, that was, uh, okay. So assuming we go to district elections, are we limited to five districts? For
example, could we have seven districts or another number? Yeah, absolutely. We might even just have four
districts, three districts. We don't know, uh, if that's what we determine from the residents and all of the input
we get, then again, that's where the work from the demographer, uh, helps us determine how many districts.
So there really is. No decision is yet that would, would be three, four or, or seven, whatever that number i s.
Correct.
Speaker 2 (01:09:20):
Um, and you also mentioned too, someone had asked about the mayor, right? So if that becomes a directly
elected seat, that's an option as well, um, which would increase your council by more, if that was a decision
that was made. Um, next question. Why are other council members not on the public forum? We need to hear
from them too. Um, as I said tonight, um, because of COVID regulations and mandates, and we need to be very
careful, um, tonight it's just the mayor and our other council members are listening. It's a really big part of this
process, the public outreach process, there will be an opportunity to hear from other council members as we
move through this process at the, um, in person, uh, that we'll be doing. Um, and just a quick note, the import,
the in person forums, which right now are set and they have locations and times and dates, um, can be found
on the city's website as well. Um, if those, the, just wanna warn everyone, they might move based on just
where we're at with our COVID numbers, but right. You know, hopefully let's hopefully can
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Speaker 3 (01:10:19):
Keep them in, in person. Yeah. Because to hear from you directly, there wouldn't be that lag time. We can give
you your answers directly and respond to each and every one of you. Absolutely. We want to do,
Speaker 2 (01:10:31):
Uh, how will this redistricting study be funded? Why is this being brought to our attention now? Oh, wait a
minute. We got that one. I'm sorry. Um, let's see, uh, to make it complet ely unbiased and fact based fact based
why not get an independent redistricting commission, which is a that question,
Speaker 3 (01:10:51):
Is we, yeah. We've already answered that in the sense that yeah, we could very much do that. One of those
simple questions though, that goes to that is, well, what or who compromises or comprises, excuse me, that
redistricting commission and the reality, is it all residents? Is it all people demographer? Uh, that's something
that yeah. Certainly can happen and, uh, will make those decisions when that time comes.
Speaker 2 (01:11:16):
Absolutely. Um, next question, this seems like another state of California game to swing the sta te further to
the left, by making a huge move, to modify a system designed to represent the majority of citizens for the
benefit of a smaller community. How does this not take away the voting power of the majority? Um, I, I think
that's, um, an interesting question, but, uh, certainly with the C R a and even with the federal rights, uh,
federal voting rights act, um, the whole point is that, um, we don't, uh, step on anyone's right to vote. It's such
a important right. That we hold as us citizens,
Speaker 3 (01:11:53):
Right? I mean, all, whatever has to look at are some of these communities that have changed over the
decades. Yes. And nothing has ever occurred over a year or two, but over time, many communities have
changed. Their demographics have changed. Uh, their outlook has, excuse me, not their outlook, their outlay,
whether, uh, again, and Cypress just took the Cypress, Cypress used to be many, many dairy farms throughout,
uh, the lay of the land. And over time, I mean, you can look at one of the, uh, photographs of Cypress college
when it laid its foundation and right across the way was a dairy farm. So the reality is, yeah. Uh, all of these
things have changed. It's a matter of, but as that change has occurred, we don't want to leave out anyone. No,
any community, any group, any particular, anyone, that's why that is, this is som ething we're looking at. And
again, wanting the input of all our res
Speaker 2 (01:12:53):
The next question, can you post the debate and letter on the city website or Facebook, or make it publicly
available? Great question. We'll check on that and make sure that we can make that available. Right. Um, at
some point in the process, it, it probably will become available. We'll see, um, how quickly that can
Speaker 3 (01:13:08):
Happen and that we'll get that from the city attorney us know that,
Speaker 2 (01:13:12):
Uh, next question, will the results from the outreach being public? Yes. Yes. It will. Um, a number of things
we'll be public. You'll be seeing it happen as, as we go. Um, some of it, as far as the final report on the
outreach, all the effort and, um, comment from the public, um, will be, um, done as a final report to the city
council at the end of this process. Um, if we move to district a district model and a council member steps down
similar to member Barry, what will the process be to fill the seat? And this is similar to questions we've already
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Speaker 3 (01:13:42):
Answered, right? And, and again, folks that process is already there has been there. And in fact, uh, I'm trying
to remember, I think it was outlined
Speaker 2 (01:13:50):
In your city
Speaker 3 (01:13:51):
Charter, perhaps, and in measure P which was on the very same ballot when, uh, now mayor pro Anne Hertz,
Mallory and Councilwoman Marquez were voted into office. That particular measure was there. And the
voters, 16,000 of our voters, our residents voted to change that process, or to give us the city council more
time to select that person in the manner that we did from 30 days to 60 days. So again, and a lot of people,
and that's just another example of how every day, the citizens, every day don't understand or know of all of
those processes. And in the last seven years, anytime somebody's had a question I've taken the time I've, I've
made the best effort to show, to explain, to describe, to show and inform, because there are many things that
they don't know. And that's just one that, you know, they felt that it, you know, the runner up should have
received it well, again, there is a process already described and, um, in our city charter that tolds us that, but
again, 16,000 residents voted to extend that time from 30, 60 days, right. To allow that process to occur.
Speaker 2 (01:15:01):
Um, and, uh, we're almost at the end of our time. So, um, a last question that we have is, uh, city engagement
has always been a concern of mine. How many people are parti painting on tonight's event, across zoom,
Facebook live and YouTube. And, um, the elves in the back of the room have told me it's about 85. Um, so, and
then a couple of housekeeping items of that is that this entire program is evening, will actually, um, has been
recorded. Um, we will post on the city's website as are the videos that you saw. Um, the videos will be posted
in Spanish and Korean as well. And then any of the questions that came in all of this transcript will also be
posted on the city website. So everyone will have a chance to see all the questions and anything that we didn't
get to answer will work either with the experts or the city attorney to answer for our, um, our residents.
Speaker 3 (01:15:54):
Well, and I would even add to that, you know, folks for those of you that are watching right now, you are our
best assist here in telling your neighbor, telling your friends, telling the other residents to, to tune in, to watch,
to go on the particular websites and look at it. Your, you know, this number of 85, I could tell you that, yeah, it
is such a small, small number, but you know, difficult. It is, this is always the problem with public engagement,
because a lot of people don't always tune in or don't always get themselves involved to all of this. Sadly
there's, some of them are, are only gonna hear a portion. They're gonna see these community webpages. I
remember when I was first elected officer was, uh, when we had, uh, uh, Councilwoman. Now she's turned off
Mary Ellen, ya wonderful lady. She was our mayor at the time.
Speaker 3 (01:16:48):
And we had a public forum. We had one open to the public at, um, our park at Oak and as difficult as it was our
city attorney, our city manager, city staff went through all this separate to have us all up there and be ready to
answer questions directly to the public S savvy. We only had about 40 people from the entire city show up. So
as difficult as it is, these are the numbers we're familiar with, but folks spread that word, get other people to
get on the websites and hear and see the information for yourselves. Please do not rely on just community
web pages and forums where a lot of times the information is inaccurate, um, or only we have the
information.
Speaker 2 (01:17:30):
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Um, so thank you all for your participation tonight and the, just the flurry of questions. That was exactly what
we were hoping for. Um, again, as I said, and the mayor said all of this will be posted on the city website, in
addition, um, some of the things that will be coming public in the next few days is going to be, um, a survey
link that you can share around via email and other channels. Uh, we'll be collecting information that way, um,
as well as additional public outreach, as we already mentioned, um, two more public forums are scheduled.
Um, one will be at, um, the community center. Um, now I think, I believe that one is, um, on a Saturday, so I'll
have another one that's in the, in the early evening. So again, switching up the times to try to make sure
everyone has a chance and an opportunity to participate in also in different areas of the city, correct. And then
this entire program will be posted in its entirety. Um, so you can go back and take a look at everything that
was, uh, presented this evening and with that, Mr. Mayer.
Speaker 3 (01:18:27):
Well, that is all the time that we have tonight. So thank you for joining us for this important conversation, a
special thanks to all, uh, for those who submitted questions and comments, and also to my colleagues for
joining me and listening to our residents tonight. Ariana, thank you for helping us moderate tonight. Thank you
a lot.
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FULL TRANSCRIPT
City of Cypress
PUBLIC FORUM #2 - Naval Golf Course
February 15, 2022 @ 5 am
Speaker 1: 00:06:06 Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, good evening to the city of
Cypress and all of you joining us here this evening. Thank you for
coming this evening is the second of three public forums to educate
and discuss the city's election systems. This is an important
conversation and my fellow council members are eager to hear from
you tonight is about listening to the questions and the comments from
the community. Our program is being simulcast in both Korean and
Spanish. If you need translations, please use the headphones that are
located on the back tables. But first I'd like to introduce my colleagues
who are joining us tonight. Mayor prote and Hertz council member,
France, marque council member, Scott MIUs and council member.
John P. Finally, I'd like to introduce our moderator Adriana Barrios.
She's the executive director of the OC forum and the council member
in the city of orange. Ariana, thank you for joining us tonight.
Speaker 2: 00:07:09 Thank you, mayor Morales. It's nice to be back with you. So this
evening, um, as the mayor had already said, we have a very important
discussion. Um, we're gonna do several things and that includes, we're
going to provide you the residents members of our community with an
overview of Cypress's current election process. We're gonna describe
and tell in more detail what the C V R a or California voting rights act is
and what it, what it does, and the challenge that the city of Cypress
has received. And most importantly, we're going to allow the
community an opportunity to ask questions, and we have a myriad of
ways that they can do that. To begin our discussion. The city has
created a short video, which I'm gonna play in just a moment that has
some solutions talks a little bit more in detail and some potential
outcomes.
Speaker 2: 00:07:57 Following the VI video, we will open the floor to questions. And as I
said, there's several ways to do that. First of all, if you'd like to speak
here tonight, it is a community open public forum. There is a
microphone right in the middle of the, in the center aisle. If you want
to come up and just give your name and do a comment during Q and
a, also at the front table, out, outside in the hallway, there were also
comic cards. If you would refer to just write a comment and turn it in,
we'll read it. And if you're a little shy about going up to the
microphone, we also have several online methods that you can do in
public comment or send in a question. So those include, um, you can
text our dedicated hotline. That number is area code 7 1 4 6 9 9 3 6 0
7. Once again, dedicated text line 4 7 1 4 6 9 9 3 6 0 7. You can also
send us an email. And that email address is CV R a forum F O R U M
Cypress ca.org. And finally, if you are watching on Facebook live this
evening, you can insert a question into the comments. So with that,
um, we will prepare for your questions and your comments, and you
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can also finally find more information about this entire process. And
when our next meeting is by going to the city's website@cypressca.org
slash election system. And with that, we're gonna watch the video.
Speaker 3: 00:09:33 Let's go. Thank you very much.
Speaker 4: 00:09:35 The city of Cypress welcomes you to our public forum in this
discussion about the city's election systems. In this presentation, we
will provide the following information, an overview of federal and
state legislation related voting rights and protections. An explanation
of the California voting rights act known as the C V R a an overview of
the C V R a violation inquiry. The city of Cypress has received an
overview of current and potential voting systems. The city is reviewing
a brief review of the city's most recent election history and provides
several ways for residents to share their comments and feedback. The
federal voting rights act of 1965 was landmark legislation that was
born out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The legislation
enforces the 14th and 15th amendments of the us constitution that
guarantee equal protection under the law and instituted national
protections for voting rights, the act prohibits any state or local
government from imposing voting laws that result in discrimination
against racial or language minorities, examples of past voter
discrimination include imposing restrictions on an individual's ability
to vote such as the requiring of literacy test, moral character or tests
or poll taxes in 1985, the Supreme court ruled that there are three
conditions that must be met to prove minority voters have had their
rights violated.
Speaker 4: 00:11:08 Number one, the affected minority group is sufficiently large enough
to elect a representative of its choice in a specific geographic location.
Number two, that the minority group is politically cohesive and would
likely vote similarly. And number three, the white majority voters vote
sufficiently as a block to usually defeat the minority group's preferred
candidates, the California voting rights act, or C V R a and upon the
federal voting rights act, the C V R a provides additional statewide
protections for Californians. The most significant being that the C V R a
makes it easier for minority groups to prove their votes are being
diluted by at large elections, the C V R a eliminated one of the three
federal conditions needed to prove voter disenfranchisement that the
affected minority group is sufficiently large enough to elect a
representative of its choice in a specific geographic location. This
difference between the federal state law makes it easier for plaintiffs
to assert that a violation has taken place and issue a challenge letter,
or file a lawsuit against local governments, such challenges typically
seek the elimination of an at large elections system where it is
asserted that a voting rights violation has taken place.
Speaker 4: 00:12:32 It is important to note that when plaintiffs are successful, the local
agency must initiate the process to transition its election system.
Within 90 days since its passage in 2002 C V R a has promoted two
decades of change in the California election process in all 216 school
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districts, 34 community college districts, 137 cities, 35 water and other
special districts, and all county boards of supervisors statewide are
now electing representatives by district prior to 2002, only 29 of
California's 482 cities elected council members by district in less than
20 years, that number has jumped to more than 160. Many of the
jurisdictions noted here transitioned to by district elections
voluntarily, but others have changed after receiving a C V R a
challenge notification in September, 2021, Cypress received a
challenge letter on behalf of the Southwest voter registration
education project and its members residing in the city of Cypress.
Speaker 4: 00:13:46 The challenge alleges that the city's current at large election system
for city council is racially polarizing and results in the vote ocean
specifically of Asian voters. The challenge asserts that the city is in
violation of the C V R a CV, R a challenges are complex and difficult to
defend. They can also be very expensive to the defendant when cities
lose such challenges, they're responsible for both their own legal
expense. And those of the plaintiff, the city of Cypress is currently
assessing the merits of the C V R a challenge to date. The city has not
found any merit to the allegation that it is in violation of the law. The
city council is carefully reviewing its current electoral process and is
seeking expert advice. On next, this includes an initial demographic
study of the city's population past election history, and willingness to
defend against a challenge.
Speaker 4: 00:14:46 The city is also seeking community input through these public forums .
Furthermore, in many cases, cities that have not changed the election
process voluntarily faced formal lawsuits that changed the election
process involuntarily and without community input, all of these
elements are being reviewed and weighed as part of the deliberative
process. The decision the city council must make is whether to remain
in an at large election system or transition to a by district election
system. The city of Cypress currently utilizes the at large election
process. What are at large elections in an at large election candidates
campaign for election citywide. Also Cypress voters elect all the
council members. For example, if three council seats are up for
election, Cypress voters, select three candidates, candidates may live
anywhere in Cypress candidates who are elected represent the entire
city. It is important to note that at large election systems are typically
the trigger for a C V R a challenge.
Speaker 4: 00:15:54 Alternatively, if Cypress holds district elections, the city may be equally
divided by population into city council districts. Voters will no longer
be able to vote for all of the seats on the city council as occurs with
the current at large election system. Instead, they will only be able to
vote for the seat that represents their particular district. In addition,
candidates must live in the district, which they hope to represent
candidates, run and campaign in the district where they live, not
citywide district voters choose one candidate to represent them for if
three council seats are up for election voters, select one candidate to
represent their district voters in other districts would do. Likewise
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because not all districts are up for election. At the same time, there
may be some years where cities do not have a city council election.
There are several different types of district election.
Speaker 4: 00:16:53 And as previously noted, single member district elections are the most
common voters in a district, elect a single candidate to represent
them. Other examples include the orange unified school district, which
utilizes an at large by district process. All voters may vote for all open
seat, the ballot, regardless of trustee area. However candidates must
live in the trustee area. They hope to represent another example.
Cumulative voting means voters may cast as many votes as there are
seats up for the election. For example, if three seats are up for the
election, a voter may cast all three votes for a single candidate or
distribute those three votes among multiple candidates. The
candidates with the highest cumulative number of votes are elected.
Should the city decide to change its current process? There are many
district options to review in the months to come. The city council must
determine whether it wishes to defend or accept the challenge.
Speaker 4: 00:17:57 In either case, the city of Cypress will seek public input and feedback
from the community. It is important to the council that community
voices are heard. This community input include a robust community
outreach effort, multiple public forums and online information.
Following this public input process, the city council will begin their
formal deliberations, which will include public hearings as part of
regular city council or special meetings, final deliberations, and a vote
by the city council at a regular or special meeting. The city of Cypress
is not alone in this issue. As noted previously, many cities have
changed their voting systems in the past two decades. Many others
have opted to defend against C V R a challenges, but the cost can be
high to date. Anna Monica has spent more than 10 million in legal fees
defending against their CV. R a challenge. If they're unsuccessful, they
will also be responsible for the plaintiff's legal fees by C V R a mandate
based on the initial assessment by the demographer.
Speaker 4: 00:19:07 It has not been established that Cypress is a in violation of the C V R a.
This is not unusual. Many cities have faced similar issues. The
demographer examined the city's demographics and all city council
elections from 2012 to 2020 in the initial assessment, the
demographer noted that there are few precincts to analyze a
maximum of 63 to a low of 36. That previous elections all involve
voters with multiple votes and many candidates, and that there are no
homogeneous Asian voter precincts. The maximum precinct has only
35.5% Asian voters. This means the estimates are not reliable and
require further study and more data. As part of the deliberative
process, the city council will discuss the matter fully next steps may
include a more detailed and in depth demographic analysis. However,
even when inconclusive cities are presumed to be in violation, unless
they can prove otherwise as previously shown the cost to defend and
possibly lose a CV.
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Speaker 4: 00:20:17 A challenge are very high, often running in the millions of dollars.
According to the most recent 2020 census data, Cypress is a diverse
community with a total population of 50,151 as shown by our current
demographics. The Cypress community is comprised of primarily
whites, Asian, Pacific Islanders and Latinos. The following Cypress
election history underscores the complexities of the issue. The city's C
V R a challenged specifically referenced Asian voters and the
possibility of racially polarized voting and or vote dilution for this
protected class using historical election data, a demographer
conducted an initial study to ascertain if a violation had occurred
relative to Asian voters, in Cypress's case, the data is unclear. For
example, in the 2020 and 2018 elections candidates who won were
favored by voters overall, including Asian voters in at least one
instance. However, in each of these years, there was also another
candidate who was preferred by Asian voters who was not elected
because not all candidates preferred by Asian voters lost the results
are deemed inconclusive.
Speaker 4: 00:21:38 If Cypress chooses to move to district elections, the city is committed
to an open and transparent process. A public process would begin to
draw the, the maps outlining each district map drawing tools would be
available online for anyone to create a map for consideration public
meetings would be held to explain the guidelines and principles for
drawing a map maps can also be created during these public meetings
with public input. Similar maps may be combined typically three or
four final maps may emerge for public comment and council
deliberation. Several key principles are used in the districting process.
Districts must include communities of interest, be compact, be
contiguous, have visible natural, or man made boundary include
respect for past voter selections and plan for future growth. CV R a
challenges may impose additional considerations during the districting
process. When a C V R a challenge is issued asserting minority dilution,
that population will be taken into special consideration.
Speaker 4: 00:22:49 When districts are created when possible a majority minority or
plurality district will be created to ensure those voters preferences are
not diluted. It is not always possible to craft such a district. If for
example, the minority group is dispersed throughout the city. So what
are the characteristics of the at large election system? First, all voters
vote on all available city council seats, city council candidates can live
in any part of the city and the elected city council members represent
the entire city and answer to all city voters. Alternatively, in a by
district election system, voters elect a single district. Representative
candidates must live in the district they're running to represent. And
the elected city council members represent their local district on the
city council and answer to their district voters. The city is very
interested in hearing from the community during this public outreach
period, to submit a comment or question you may do. So during the
public forums, you may also submit a question online to the city email
address, CV R a forum@sitepressca.org. In addition, the city has
created an online survey and you may visit the city's website to
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participate. This is an important and momentous decision for our city,
and it is only through the participation of all Cypress residents that our
city council can make an informed and judicious decision. As we plan
for our municipal future, you can learn more@wwwcypressca.org
slash election system.
Speaker 4: 00:24:37 This is an important andous decision for our city, and it is only through
the participation of all Cypress residents that our city council for our
city. And it is only through the participation of all Cypress residents
that our city council can make an informed and judicious decision. You
can learn more@wwwcypressca.org
Speaker 2: 00:25:11 Of my apologies that the AV system is always a little touchy. So Mr.
Mayor and honorable members of the city council, um, as you heard, I
hope this gives a really good overview of kind of what we're facing
right now. Sorry. It's better. You're changing me out.
Speaker 5: 00:25:37 Excuse me.
Speaker 2: 00:25:40 As I like to say, I got a guy. Okay. Testing. Can you hear me now? Yep.
Okay. Thank you. Um, so what we're gonna do before we go to the Q
and a portion is we really should remind everyone how they can either
put in a comment or, um, ask a question at this time, Mr. Mayor.
Speaker 1: 00:26:06 That's right, Ariana. So we wanna remind everyone how, how they can
participate. So first you can complete a question card, which is located
at the back table, or even outside in the hallway. There are those,
again, you can make a text message or send your question via text to
the dedicated line, which is area code 7 1 4 6 9 9 3 6 0 7. Or you can
send an email to CV R a California voting right act CVRA forum, Cypress
ca.org.org.
Speaker 2: 00:26:46 All right. So first I will ask if anyone in the room has a question if they'd
like to come up to the microphone and make a comment or for your
question at this time? No. Okay. And I will check, oh, yes, please. And
would you mind stating your name?
Speaker 6: 00:27:08 My name is Wayne Como
Speaker 7: 00:27:10 And I live in Cypress. Um, I'm interested to know, are you actually
considering pursuing, fighting this with the potential of l osing millions
of dollars? And I also think that having this, this, the new type of
election process where we have a representative in like five different
districts in the city would be more equitable to the people in the city
of Cypress, because it, uh, it would allow people to have in their
particular area in the community, it would discourage the council from
putting all, uh, the negative aspects of a city in one area and avoiding,
uh, their own districts, because everybody would have a district.
That's just my opinion. Um, I think it's foolish to try and fight this cuz
most in spending millions of dollars to me is a big mistake. Um,
anyway, that's what I think about it. Thank you.
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Speaker 2: 00:28:16 Well, thank you Mr. Kowa so much for kicking us off and a great
question. Um, and I think that that's part of what we're here tonight to
do is that your city council is here to live. Um, particularly everybody
has a different opinion, has a different point of view. So it gives them a
chance to write those down, get answers and come back as they go
into the final deliberative process. So what that means is that
following the series of community meetings, they will make a final
decision whether or not to defend against the challenge or to actually
go ahead and voluntarily go into districts. And then there is a process
after that, that is dictated by law about how we make districts in the
city. So it's a very, it's very procedural. Um, but that, that decision has
yet to be made. And that's why they're asking you for your opinion. So
I appreciate that anybody else like to come up and an ask you a
question, Thank you so much. And if you could state your name as
well.
Speaker 8: 00:29:20 Sure. Um, I'm Gail commo or actually formally formerly formally Mary
Gail commo. I'm my voter card. Okay. Uh, related to this guy here, um,
can you tell me what, what are the numbers? We're looking at a total
population of 50,000 1 51, and you may have sh own it on the screen,
but I didn't get it. What are the numbers who identify as white, Asian,
Latino, cuz those are the three big groups
Speaker 2: 00:29:51 And you know, it's really interesting. And that is a great question. So if
you, if I'm hoping everyone at home heard it, um, but the census has
changed up a little bit, how we, um, look at at race and ethnicity, but it
works out to be, and, and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Mayor, to be
approximately a third, a third and a third in terms of like the biggest
groups within the, within the city,
Speaker 1: 00:30:12 The white community is the largest group. The Asian group is second.
And, um, that gone from between 35 and 39%, the Hispanic group
comes in third. And then we have a number of other cultures that, uh,
fill in the 100%
Speaker 2: 00:30:35 And um, to, in order to get the specifics on that in the PowerPoint
presentation, which is available online on the city's website, where
that actual, um, census data comes from, the link is right there. So you
can pull it and see exactly for yourself, um, how that breaks out
individually,
Speaker 8: 00:30:54 Because is there really a white majority block voting block then if it's
so evenly divided
Speaker 2: 00:31:01 And in terms of, of the city, do
Speaker 8: 00:31:02 You mean? Yeah,
Speaker 1: 00:31:05 So Mrs. Commo, one of the things that comes up, so again, it is not a
very easy thing to just say you're right, Mr. Commo, you're right. Going
back to yours as well. Correct. It wouldn't make sense to fight it. And
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knowing that we're going to expend thousands, hundreds of
thousands, maybe millions of dollars. You're absolutely right. Part of
the problem that comes with this is there's information and which is
why we're telling you. And there's that link to look the information of
yourself. We've had people that have used numbers from the previous
census. We have the most current census we'll even have people
that'll make reference to what the city was like when it first started,
which of course is very different when we had livestock that
outnumbered the number of residents and as lighthearted as that
might be, that still is a very serious point because a lot of what we're
doing here is trying to get information, to build the residents and to
obtain information from the residents as well, not just give it out, but
to receive the information and the direction you'd like, and it is more
involved.
Speaker 1: 00:32:11 Still. Some people still don't understand what the purpose of it is when
we hear some of the comments that we've received, whether it be
online or when we have the very first, um, forum, you have people
that says, well, Cypress, we're not racist. No, we're not. But if by
agreeing to the letter to some people, it suggests that we're rolling
over and that it says that we are so fight it. Well, again, there's many
more issues than that. And that's all a part of what this is. And then
going back again, I'm sorry, I'm bouncing between you and Mr.
Commo, but Mr. Commo, you talked about districts. We don't even
know how many districts that's down the road. If we choose to do
that, we, we don't know if it's 3, 4, 5, 6 districts. It just depends on
how that breaks up. People have asked, will we take input? Yes. We're
gonna take lots of input. There's a lot of things, but that's down the
line still right now. We're just trying to get the input from the
residents.
Speaker 2: 00:33:14 And I, I did wanna add specific to your question when a city, and this
is, um, the case in point with Santa Monica, why they were having so
many issues and mission right here in orange county is that their, um,
the populations of ethnic minority groups within their city, weren't
large enough to create single member districts that represented them
well. Um, and there was a diversity, uh, there's disbursement in the
community. So what they looked at was actually, and Santa Monica is
looking at this now is doing what we, what we said in the video was
cumulative voting, where you might not be broken up into districts,
but you'd actually have a different voting system that would allow for
ethnic minority groups and under, under rep represented groups to
have a better chance of electing their own representatives. And that
those types of systems are looked at specifically when there isn't, um,
an easy district that you can make by carving out a district. So those,
um, questions will be part of the process if, um, the, if you choose not
to defend the against the C V R a challenge, so that you'll have a
couple of decisions, the council will have a couple of decisions to make
one. Do you go to districts? Do you look at a different type of system
that allows for better representation? So there's still a lot of questions
to go.
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Speaker 8: 00:34:36 Yeah, all that being said, I am in favor of geographical districts, just
from the standpoint that I feel like the north end of the city and the
far south end of the city has often been under underrepresented.
Speaker 1: 00:34:53 Well, and that's also part of what we're gonna look at to say
geographical is, uh, quick, it's easy. The problem is, does that do a fair
representation? Right? Remember that? And again, you've been here,
not a lot of years. I'm not gonna throw that out there, but you've been
here a while. And so you'd remember that the north part of our city
used to be unincorporated orange county, and then we annexed that
portion. And that really changed the demographics of our city, our
layout, the area, the different types, the how, I mean, th ere were
many things. So to say that you'd like a geographic you're right. That's
a good idea. That's one way. But then we have to look at, by breaking
it up geographically, does that create a fair district or a distribution of
where everyone is and those particular represe the representation,
excuse
Speaker 2: 00:35:41 Me, I understand this. And that's why the district, the pillars of
districting and the principles of districting are really important to
understand. Cause while they do offer the opportunity to look at
geographic areas and ask for boundaries to be made as very, not, you
know, very recognizable boundaries within any city. So for example, in
the city that I live in an orange, old town, orange, the historic district is
considered a very recognizable area, geographic area. So they built
around that in some of the other areas and Cypress, it may be a little
bit more difficult to do that when you're also looking at population,
you're also looking at communities of interest. So, um, and
communities of interest can be kind of tricky when you're drawing
those districts and trying to make everything as even, and as fair as
possible.
Speaker 8: 00:36:29 Yeah. I understand if the population is very evenly dispersed
throughout all the geographic areas
Speaker 2: 00:36:36 And one of the last things that I, that a lot of people forget about
when you're talking about districts and C V R a, is that it also needs to
plan for the future. And when, um, the mayor mentioned that we're
looking at a new census data right now, and you can actually see from
the previous census to now where the population trends are going. So
if this districts are chosen or whatever form of voting is chosen, we
also have to plan ahead, look ahead to the next 10 years.
Speaker 1: 00:37:06 And that these districts are looked at every 10 years. Absolutely. So
that if we do that, let's just say 2022, the time of the next census in
2030, we'll be looking at possibly RERA growing those districts again.
Um, part of where that also comes from is where is our city headed for
the future, these recent, uh, requirements by the state arena, the
acronym for the regional housing needs assessment. The state is
telling us, we have to add so many more units, so many more living
quarters to our city, blah, the council we're already standing around
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city staffs. Where are we gonna put those? Well, that's very important
when it comes to, where will those ultimately go and how will it play
out in the districts? So, and, and again, it's gonna go back and I'm
sorry, I'm hoping I'm not digressing too much on your question, but
you know, one of the things that came up by some of the people that
says, well, you're, you're dragging your feet. This should be a simple
decision. Well is evident by the number of questions and the number
of things that people still come up and ask. It really is not so simple.
Speaker 2: 00:38:11 And I also just wanted to give everybody a chance. Is there any other
question we can answer for you? Thank you so much, Mrs. Como,
anybody else in the room? Yes, sir. And I do wanna note too, in the
video that you saw, we mentioned that there was a survey, there are
QR code links out on the back table. We also have the printed, uh,
FAQs that were on the city's website. So I encourage you to grab those
on your way out or grab them now. So you can look through them. Sir.
Can you please share name?
Speaker 9: 00:38:41 Uh, yeah. My name is Hank mole, uh, been in the community most all
of my life. Uh, my wife, definitely most all of hers. Um, there's quite a
lot to unpack here and, and, and I'm learning most of this tonight. So
in the things that I've read, I do have a couple of questions, Southwest
voter registration education project. Um, is this something that these
folks do regularly, other cities, I mean, is this kind of their job?
They've, they've sent this to us, but was this originated from
community members?
Speaker 2: 00:39:18 Well, I don't wanna be disparaging of them in any way. Um, but I do
want to, I, I can say quite truthfully that, uh, the, uh, law firm of
Howard Shankman and the Southwest voter registration, um,
education group are typically so far that we lawsuits have been the
lead plaintiffs.
Speaker 9: 00:39:39 Okay. Um, I, I, again want to echo some of what we've heard, uh, in
the length of time that I've been in the city. Um, and, and we'll use the
two, probably largest groups that we have white and Asian there seem
to be the very diverse amongst the community. So I I'm actually in
opposition to rolling over onto the, using the term rolling over, or, you
know, accepting this challenge. I I'm in opposition to it. One last
question that I have, um, let's say for instance, we do end up going to
a district and in the area that I am in, in that district, am I to
understand that I now can only vote for candidates that run within
that district?
Speaker 2: 00:40:31 That is correct. That
Speaker 1: 00:40:32 Would be correct.
Speaker 2: 00:40:35 So, whereas now in, at large, if there are three seats open, you get
three votes, you can vote any way. You'd like for those representatives
and in a single member district, you may have several people running,
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but you only vote for one within your district to represent your
district.
Speaker 1: 00:40:51 And in election cycles, you may not even have a vote that particular
year. Uh, let's use the SIM numbers. Let's say we have five districts cuz
we currently have five council members. If in the upcoming year, this
one, three of us term out, you'll be voting for three people. Well, if
that's not one of the districts you live in, then you won't be voting in
that particular election. So it just depends on how all of plays out,
Speaker 9: 00:41:20 Borrowing any additional information I stand in opposition. Thank you.
Speaker 1: 00:41:24 Understood your
Speaker 2: 00:41:25 Comments. Would anyone else like to make a comment or ask you a
question? Yes, please. And I do have a number, um, Mr. Mayor that
have come through the text line and
Speaker 1: 00:41:34 Online, and I'll also, I'll also point something out. We had a gentleman
last night speak at the council meeting, talking about this and, and
that's why it is not such a simple, simple thing that we should have
already acted on. Uh, this particular gentleman pointed out that he is
Asian, but also pointed out that a Philippine, he is not the same as
Koreans or Japanese or Chinese or any of the other ethnicities that
make up the Asian population. And it's a valid, a valid point. I fall into
the same category, Hispanic or Latino, um, where my family originates
from, uh, is not the same as the many others that make up that group.
And that's why it is difficult. It isn't something so black and white or
something so simple. So anyway, yes, ma'am
Speaker 10: 00:42:23 As a, in my youth, I worked for the city of Anaheim and they're
planning and zoning. So my, my gray sales are being dusted off by the,
the complications that are involved. So I do understand what's going
on and that was a long few years back, but I have a question and I'm
kind of like curious about how this will alter redistrict and that's
proposition nine and 10, how will they affect by percentages? How will
this affect what's going on redistricting?
Speaker 1: 00:42:52 Well, uh, we don't know because we don't have the final numbers. We
don't really know where the districts are laid out because again, that's
not anything, one of the things the demographer said, and that was in
the PowerPoint when we had a chance to speak with him and he laid
out, uh, you know, as an example, here is our city map and, and part
of what the California voter rights act or actually the federal voting
rights act shows that if you have a particular area of a city where a
particular minority group is large enough to have representation, but
gets voted out by the balance of the city, then you have that problem.
So the demographer tells us, but Cypress, when we look at your Asian
population, it's pretty well scattered and dispersed throughout the
city. You don't have a particular area. Okay. Well, if this entire issue
has to deal with that, the Asian population hasn't properly
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represented that they're not getting a chance to elect their
representative, their chosen representative. How do we draw a district
that gives them that opportunity? Well, that's still, again, further down
the line when we get to that point. But to answer the question I, we
don't know yet. We're, we're still, that's a lot for us to do. We again,
will take the input from the public. It's one of the things we're doing
here, but we don't know how those districts are gonna play out. We
don't know if there's gonna be 3, 4, 5, 6, or however many. It just
depends on how that breaks down.
Speaker 2: 00:44:28 But I think it's important to note too, especially since you mentioned
Anaheim, I was actually working in Anaheim when they went through
their, um, uh, C B R a challenge and then went to districts. Anaheim is
four times the size of Cypress, if not bigger. Um, but when they did the
initial assessment, um, demographic assessment, it was very clear that
there were two areas of the city. And one in particular where, um,
minority votes, particularly of Latinos was being diluted and that they
were not having an opportunity to elect the, their representatives to
the council in my own city, in orange, same thing, we had a C V R a
challenge. We did the initial assessment. It was very clear in the two
historic, um, Latino Barrios that we have in our city, that their votes
were being diluted. And it was very, it was a very, it was difficult. It
took a long time, but it was, we were able to get to districts very
simply, um, with very recognizable boundaries, but 10 years later or
after the census, we're changing those again. So it's not always this
clear cut. It is a very difficult process to through,
Speaker 10: 00:45:32 I have another concern and that is in my, where I live. I, I love it. And
there's a, over a certain area. There's a lot of Filipino in there. And I
know because I've been the Philippines, this is a, this is their
community. So is the line gonna be drawn right there and separate
split that community? That's not, you know, a good thing. And also I
do know the difference between the different Asians, the ethnics, and
I love it. And to separate this community is not fair to the Asian
community. When you divide, you know, the Chinese, Japanese, or
Korean and, and the Asian it's, it's not cool. You know, they need to,
they have their own neat stuff going on and it really should be
respected and not divided.
Speaker 2: 00:46:13 That's thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. We
appreciate you coming forward and speaking, anybody else would like
to, yes, sir. I'm gonna turn on the lights back here while you do that, or
Speaker 11: 00:46:24 Not careful of dropping the mic. Uh, this is Glen button. Uh, my wife
and I, we've been residents of, uh, this wonderful city for over a
quarter of a century. And, uh, just really appreciate the fact that this is
a, a warm, welcoming committee, uh, city. And it's not a huge city. It's
not a long beach. It's not a, uh, Santa a, it's not an Anaheim. Uh, we're
a small, and as you've mentioned, uh, in many ways more
homogeneous, you know, New York, city's got their boroughs, and
that makes sense for them. Uh, I'm trying to think if we were to
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hypothetically, uh, break the city up into five districts, boroughs,
whatever, uh, that takes our ability to vote for the direction of the city
as, as each citizen from, uh, voting every two years to voting every
four years when our district happens to come up. Is there any
advantage to that?
Speaker 2: 00:47:34 That's a tough one. And I think, I think it's a very good question. And I
think it's one that we probably need to dig deeper into and get maybe
some better answers for you. Um, cuz we can have, we have the
opportunity to go back to the demographer and, and ask some of
those questions and, and what you suggest right. There is also one of
the reasons why it may not be actual districts. It may be, um, the, and
why am I gonna that it's the, uh, cumulative voting, um, because it's
not as easy, but that way you vote as a city, but you have a choice. You
still get all three votes, but how you, you choose to use them is
completely up to you. Um, so if you heard a, in the video, you could
take your three votes and give 'em to one candidate or you could give
them the three candidates. So that could be your choice. So that is an
exceptional, um, that is an acceptable version of, um, voting that
allows keeps the dilution at a ver at a minimum, if not completely
erases it. So there's some alternatives there as well. The, I think
number one is that for the city council and all the council members
and your mayor and your city staff, is that we want this conversation
to keep going and to be respectful, that we all have very different
opinions and we need to listen to each other.
Speaker 1: 00:48:44 Agreed. Uh, you know, in just the time again, in listening to the
PowerPoint and the information that we have, we received this letter
back in September of last year. Okay. So almost five months ago and
you'll have people that'll say you're dragging your feet. And that's one
of the comments I clearly heard and I responded absolutely not. It
takes time and the time to get information out, to contact people, to,
to people you had Hank who even told us, look, this is the first time
he's hearing more information about it. And we know that, and we
know that there are a lot of people. We also know that there's a lot of
misinformation. We also know that people don't really know where to
get the information. And so we're trying to put that out. It is not as
simple one, if it was as simple as, yeah, well, let's go ahead and give in
or we start spending the millions. Absolutely. But it is not that simple
because you do have people of this various opinion of the varied
opinions
Speaker 11: 00:49:41 And I'll speak as, uh, one of the many citizens of our city that, uh, I'm
very grateful, very appreciative, uh, of the council of each of you, uh,
taking the time to meet with us as the citizens and, and gather input.
Uh, I had the opportunity to work with the city of orange leadership
association and, uh, many fine people there. So thank you for
participating as well, but, uh, the C V R a challenge, uh, that whole,
you may not be able to speak to it as a California issue, but, uh, it, it
seems like it's a, A problem, a solution looking for a problem. Uh, the
complaint comes from a, a law firm that's basically attacking and I'll,
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I'll use that word, uh, but, uh, they seem to be coming against cities
across the state with, uh, no evidence of any wrongdoing of any need
for what they're advocating. Am I mistaken on that?
Speaker 2: 00:50:45 Well, I don't think either or of us could necessarily comment on that
directly, but I would, I would go back to saying that there are many
differing opinions on that. Um, so we are not gonna necessarily
answer that, but I think the other important thing is, is that that is the
difference in the C V R a from the federal voting rights act. When we
talk about that, it removes one of the federal voting rights act, uh,
premises of that there has actually been a violation and that is the
geography and that, why is that so big? Because if you remove
geography from the equation, then all of a sudden where you may
have a very strong minority group within a city, for example, but
they're dispersed. How do you carve a district to that're moving
geography from that and allow, allows the CVRE to be much easier to
be met in terms of violations. So in that case, there are other options
for voting that's where cumulative and some other, um, concepts like
the one in orange unified come in, where you can do by district at
large. So just making sure that people have the opportunity to have
their voices heard.
Speaker 11: 00:51:49 So I'll close by again, saying thank you for meeting with us. Thank you
for taking your time, not for rushing into anything. Thank you for
carefully considering, uh, the numerous facets of this kind of an issue.
Uh, I, I think that caution prudence of, you know, being very careful
about this and not rushing into anything, I appreciate what you're
doing. Thank you. Agreed.
Speaker 2: 00:52:14 Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Anyone else? Yes, please.
Speaker 12: 00:52:23 Hi, my name is Tai and I live in the state of Cypress for a very, very long
time. And, uh, for all the council members. Thank you so much for
keeping up with this city of Cyprus. You guys do a beautiful job, but in,
in as far as, uh, redistricting, you know, as, um, resident of Cyprus, I,
when I vote, I would like to vote for the city of Cyprus, not a piece of
Cypress, and I would like to be represented by a body of city council.
So I'm, um, against this redistricting. Thank
Speaker 2: 00:53:03 You. Ma'am thank you so much for sharing. Would you mind sharing
your name? Would that be all right. Thank you. Um, so we had a
couple more questions. Um, some of them we have already answered,
um, for example, can we know who the Cypress who in Cypress issued
the complaint and that was the Southwest voter education group. Um,
and the next question, this is from Val Mallory. Um, I think I got that,
right? Yes, yes. Okay. Um, what was the Asian voter turnout in the last
election in percent and absolute numbers? That is a fantastic question.
I do not have the exact numbers of those, but, um, Val, what we will
do is, um, we will the answers to this and we'll put it on the city
website as part of the FAQs cause it's very good. Um, it's a very good
question. So we will make sure that we answer that. Um, the next one
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is also from Val. Um, was there a specific election named in the
complaint and no, there was not to my knowledge. Um, it was a
general, um, a general,
Speaker 1: 00:54:05 So it, it basically cited that, um, the manner in which the city council
selected a replacement for Councilwoman Barry mayor, prote Barry,
when she stepped down in relocating to Arizona, um, you had a
number of people that felt that we should simply select the person
who in third place in the November 20, 20 election. And that would've
been Carrie Hayashida Asian. And we, uh, as indicated in the charter,
that is one way, but another way the process is spelled out as to how
to name the replacement. We had even on the, at very same ballot of
November, 2020 asked the citizens of Cypress, if we should come up
on this. And of course, this is well before Councilwoman Barry had, uh,
mayor prote Berry had stepped down. If we should have to ever find a
replacement, the current is 30 days, 60 days is the time we would
need in order to properly go through the process.
Speaker 1: 00:55:08 Okay. So those quick numbers, 6,000, we kept hearing how, uh, Ms.
Hayashida had 6,000 of she did, but at the same time on the same
ballot, there were 16,000 Cypress voters that it approved extending
that measure to give us 60 days. So if you removed the 6,000, there's
still 10,000 voters that said, yes, use that process. That's what we did.
So there was a difference of opinion and eventually we'll get this. So
part of that, I'm sure had to deal with the fact that they felt that the
Asian, uh, population here in the city were not properly being represe,
not getting a chance, especially as Ms. Haida was not picked as the
replacement.
Speaker 2: 00:55:54 And again, as we know from the census data, 10 years ago, from what
the Asian population in the city was then, and what it is now, oh my
goodness. That's karma,
Speaker 1: 00:56:04 That's voter approval.
Speaker 2: 00:56:06 I'm glad you can't see my face. Uh, so, um, but it has grown correct,
um, a significant amount for in the last 10 years, so that, you know,
preparing for future growth. And that is also an important, um, point
of that. So we have a number of people who have texted questions. So
I'm gonna share those. Is there a strict timeline that is pushing Cyprus
to make a decision and please explain the timeline. So this is an
interesting question, and thank you for, um, the anonymous individual
who sent it. There is a SI a timeline that is, um, listed in the CV R a 90,
um, 90 days. Um, however, um, as you have our, you said Mr. Mayor,
that you have gone through a very deliberate process, a very, um,
deliberate process at the moment, getting to this point, making sure
the community had input, and then you will go through a deliberative
process.
Speaker 1: 00:56:55 So part of the answer to that question is it is the 90 days, but through
the work of our city manager and our city at attorney being in contact,
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uh, primarily the city attorney with Mr. Shaman's office, they arranged
Mr. Shanken arranged to give us time to look into this. Um,
Speaker 2: 00:57:15 And, and I think that's an important point, um, that the, the complaint
has not been ignored and you have not correct turned a blind eye that
you have been in contact with.
Speaker 1: 00:57:23 We've stayed in touch, keeping him, touch his office, letting him know
some of the things that we have done, some of the things that we're
looking to do, and that we still need more time in order to get through
this process, but is there a push by his office to get that done?
Absolutely. And so we're trying to work with him.
Speaker 2: 00:57:43 Okay. That was really creepy. Yeah. Is that what it is? Is it, oh my
goodness. So lighting. Okay. So for those of you watching at home, if
you still have power, the weather's getting very interesting out here.
Um, okay. Next comment. Also anonymous, according to the latest
census with the white population is 36.3% Asian at 35.2 and Latinos at
20% and African Americans at 3.9% in the city of Cypress, two thirds of
our residents are from diverse backgrounds. Cypress website is
incorrect. So this isn't a question, Mr. City manager, this is a comment.
So, um, we will look into that. Thank you for letting us know, uh, next
question. If it can be proven that Asian or other minority voters are
not being diluted, then would we need to redistrict? Very good
question. Um, however, as we said in the video, very difficult to prove,
Speaker 1: 00:58:39 And that that's where your input comes from. Does the majority of the
residents want us to challenge that? Do the majority of the residents
want us to simply say, you know what, we've got this letter potentially
it could cost us X number of dollars. Um, do we just say, yes, let's go to
districts or as some have clearly said, but we don't see that we, we
don't feel that the Cypress hasn't done that hasn't, uh, pushed back on
any minority group, not allowing. So that is all of what this is, or part
of all of what this is about is getting your input to see where the
community stands and what they'd like us to do.
Speaker 2: 00:59:24 Um, next question. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, does the C V R a have a
population minimum for redistricting to, um, before redistricting is
required. So, um, in other words, do, does the city or jurisdiction have
to have a minimum population and order for the C V R a to be in effect
or to,
Speaker 1: 00:59:43 And, and the answer to that is no. No. If you look at the city
immediately to our west low salamis, smaller town, beautiful town,
but they are in districts. And, uh, so the answer to that is no, yes.
Speaker 2: 00:59:56 Uh, next question. We are not Santa Monica, so is spending millions
on attorney fee fees, a scare tactic. Um,
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Speaker 1: 01:00:06 I, I wouldn't say that it's a scare tactic. I would just say that in, and
these are things that, uh, it we're looking at what it takes to get the
information out and to make an inform decision. Uh,
Speaker 2: 01:00:21 Well also say that for one of the commenters who, who said we
should fight, um, there are people or that people feel differently.
That's absolutely true. Some people feel very passionate on one side
or another. Um, but it is important that everyone makes an informed
dis decision. You could feel very passionately that districts are not the
right move for your city, but everyone needs to be, make an informed
decision that it could be very costly. So that's not even a right or
wrong question. That's just a factual, a factual consideration,
Speaker 1: 01:00:51 You know, to, to put together the PowerPoint, to have these, uh, town
hall meetings, to be able to do it online, to be able to hire the
demographer, to have, you know, the city attorney representing and
responding to all of those are monies that go into this. But those are
all things necessary. One to make sure that the city has not committed
a violation. I think certainly that is paramount. That's important.
People need to know the residents need to know that we have not
done this, so certainly not intentionally, but if we've even done it, then
that's what we have found. We don't see that right now. Clearly the
demographer showed that, but to take the next steps that we need to
do to handle this and address this properly.
Speaker 2: 01:01:37 Mr. Be, can I ask you for a time
Speaker 1: 01:01:39 Check? Yes. It is little difficult to read with our, like, there you go. 5 58
Speaker 2: 01:01:47 And you have military time just making it harder on me. So
Speaker 1: 01:01:49 Old Navy guy.
Speaker 2: 01:01:50 Yeah, there you go. Okay. So we just have a few more questions and I
think that'll take us unless we have, we'll go back to the room one
more time. Um, so the next question also anonymous is C V R a
designed to protect only Asian voters. Not it is man. It is meant to
protect any voter in California, how some, whether you are minority
population of whatever.
Speaker 1: 01:02:12 Well, as even in, as spoke to the city of orange, the city of Santa Ana
city of Anaheim, they had heavy Latino districts. And so it went to
giving them better representation. Absolutely. It absolutely has
nothing to do with a particular culture, ethnic, ethnic group.
Speaker 2: 01:02:29 Um, the next question in a district voting system, I could envision no
qualified city council candidates running for city for, for city. Now, I
I'm, I'm assuming that means city council. What happens then? And
this question came up when we had our first public forum. And what
would happen in that particular case is we would go back and fall back
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onto the city charter, which does already have a process lined out for
such
Speaker 1: 01:02:54 A, and I'm sure that the city charter would have to be amended
because we don't currently talk about voting by district, but has that
happened before? Well, there have been times because again, like
some of the other residents here, I've been a long time resident now
and certainly worked for the city prior
Speaker 2: 01:03:10 Where you've had vacancies.
Speaker 1: 01:03:12 Correct. And so, and then you've also had it where you've had people
that run ran unchallenged. So there are a number of things that would
result, um, go back to the city as far as selecting it. Is there a chance
that you could have somebody that's unqualified? I'm sure there is.
Um, it's a, it's a reality. It's a fact of life. We don't like to see it. We'd
always like to think that the best people are there to represent our
interests in the city, but it's very much a possibility. Yes.
Speaker 2: 01:03:42 Um, so I will let, uh, Katie Shapiro have our last online question and
that is, can you commit to having an independent commission with
leaders from, or outside this community drawing district lines? And I
don't think that I don't think you would be able to commit now. So
something like that. And certainly I think most residents would want a
voice in that
Speaker 1: 01:04:05 A absolutely. Again, that's a question that's down that line down the
road, excuse me for, if we decide to go to districting. And so yes, we
will certainly look at that. We certainly, again, can I, it to us certainly
wanting the input. That's why we're here, ladies and gentlemen, we
we're asking you for that now. And we'll ask for that input all
throughout this process.
Speaker 2: 01:04:30 And, but I would share just from, um, the standpoint of just educating,
um, that what's interesting about the independent commissions, cuz
we just went through that here in the state of California. They don't
always have the local knowledge of what are communities that are
really tightly bound together. Um, so for an example, in my town, um,
they just drew the new Senate and uh, assembly lines and they went
right down the middle of the street and one of the most, um, you
know, kind of really tight-knit areas of our city, which was very
surprise, the same would be held true for Cypress. There are places
that you as residents know better than anybody and can give that
input into the drawing process of maps. So all of that would be taken
into consideration before a final decision would
Speaker 1: 01:05:15 Be made. Right. And if, and if Ms Shapper, you're referring to the
independent meaning, having some of the residents there, certainly
again, it's that issue of yes, we want the input from the residents of
the city.
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Speaker 2: 01:05:27 So that's all the questions I have, but I will turn back to the room just
to ask one final time, if there's any other questions and I did wanna
make it, um, a point to, to that the city council members will stay
after. I'm sure you have other questions that you might like to ask and
they're happy to take those questions and speak with you a little bit
more informally and to close on our meeting. I just wanted to remind
our viewers, um, that they, even though, if you didn't send a question
in for this particular meeting, you still have an opportunity to provide
your voice. So you can either do that by joining us at our third and
final community meeting, which will be at the, um, city's community
center on the 26th on the 26th, Saturday, that's a Saturday. So we've
tried to make these all a little different, make it easier for everyone to
participate at a different time and place. Uh, I
Speaker 1: 01:06:15 Believe it's 10:00 AM. Yes am.
Speaker 2: 01:06:18 And that is available. Um, that information is on the city website. All of
these are being filmed. So those are all will be on the city website. You
can still text a comment at any time at 7 1 4 6 9 9 3 6 0 7, or you can
send an email to CVRA or Cypress ca.org. And finally, um, I mentioned
it before it was in the video. We have set up a survey there are QR
codes on the table, right outside this room. Um, and there are links
directly on the city's website. If you go to Cypress ca.org/election
system, I, and there are links there directly to the survey as well. I've
had a number of people already participate in that and really good
feedback. So we appreciate everyone who's already taken the time to
do that. Correct.
Speaker 1: 01:07:10 So thank you ladies and gentlemen for coming out tonight. And again,
as Ariana pointed out, my fellow council members will remain here. So
if you want to ask us question, come up to us. Talk to us, share more,
give us your input. That's clearly what we're here for. So again, thank
you and good luck with the weather going home.
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FULL TRANSCRIPT
City of Cypress
PUBLIC FORUM #3 - Cypress Community Center
February 26, 2022 @ 10 am
(NOTE: The video audio was not clear and the auto-transcription is incomplete. This transcription is
being redone manually and will be provided separately when complete.)
Speaker 1 (00:00:14):
Good morning, everyone, city of Cypress. And thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 1 (00:00:19):
This morning is the third and final public forum to educat e and discuss the city's election systems. This is
important conversation and my fellow council members are eager to hear from you today is about listening to
the questions and to the comment and the comments from our community. Our program is being on Fac ebook
and Simcast via zoom in English, Korean, and Spanish. Those links are located in the Facebook event
description and on the city's website. If you're joining us in person and you need translations, we have
translators with us today and you can find headphones in the back of the room for Korean and Spanish
assistance. Next I'd like to introduce my colleagues who are joining us today to my right is Anne Hertz, Mallory,
the mayor prote for the city of Cypress council member, Francis Marquez, council membe r, Scott MIUs and
council member, John Pete. Finally, I'd like to introduce our moderator executive director of OC forum and a
council member in this video. Ariana, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:01:37):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (00:01:40):
Thank you so much
Speaker 2 (00:01:41):
And an honor to
Speaker 3 (00:01:43):
Help the city facilitate the important discussion.
Speaker 2 (00:01:47):
We're
Speaker 4 (00:01:47):
Gonna several things.
Speaker 2 (00:01:48):
We're going provide the resident C with an overview of the city's
Speaker 3 (00:01:52):
Current election system,
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Speaker 4 (00:01:54):
Discuss and describe the C in more detail to, and how that,
Speaker 2 (00:02:01):
Why the city actually seemed out. We're going to community who are By asking questions.
Speaker 4 (00:02:14):
We also,
Speaker 3 (00:02:17):
So to begin
Speaker 2 (00:02:18):
Discuss the city created Just a moment.
Speaker 4 (00:02:35):
We have a couple of different
Speaker 4 (00:03:21):
Cypress ca.org. And I'll say that again. C B R a forum@cypressca.org. We will now try we will try and read and
answer as many comments and questions as we receive. We do intend only to go until 1130. So if we go longer
your questions will be answered and post on a website as part of the FAQs that have gotten pretty long at this
point, which we're very grateful for everyone's comments and questions. And again, you can find those on the
website at www dot Cypress CA or back slash. Now we will video
Speaker 5 (00:04:06):
The city of Cypress welcomes you to our public forum in this discussion about the city's election systems. In
this presentation, we will provide the following information, an overview of federal and state legislation
related voting rights and protections, explanation of the California voting rights act known as the C V R a a n
overview of the CV, R a violation inquiry. The city of Cypress has received an overview of current and potential
voting systems. The city is reviewing a brief review of the city's most recent election history and provide
several ways for residents to share their comments and feedback. The federal voting rights act of 1965 was
landmark legislation that was born out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The legislation enforces the
14th and 15th amendments of the us constitution that guarantee equal protection under the law and
instituted national protections for voting rights, the act prohibits any state or local government from imposing
voting laws that result in discrimination against racial or language minorities, examples of past voter
discrimination include imposing restrictions on an individual's ability to a vote such as the requiring of literacy
tests, moral character tests, or poll taxes in 1985, the Supreme court ruled that there are three conditions that
must be met to prove minority voters have had their rights violated.
Speaker 5 (00:05:40):
Number one, the affected minority group is sufficiently large enough to elect a representative of its choice in a
specific geographic location. Number two, that the minority group is politically cohesive and would likely vote
similarly. And number the white majority voters vote sufficiently as a block to usually defeat the minorit y
group's preferred candidates, the California voting rights act, or CV R a expands upon the federal voting rights
act. The C V R a provides additional statewide protections for Californians. The most significant being that the
C V R a makes it easier for minority groups to prove their votes are being diluted by at large elections, the C V R
a eliminated one of the three federal conditions needed to prove voter disenfranchisement that the affected
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minority group is sufficiently large enough to elect a rep presentative of its choice in a specific geographic
location. This difference between the federal and state law makes it easier for plaintiffs to assert that a
violation has taken place and issue a challenge letter, or file a lawsuit against local governmen ts, such
challenges typically seek the elimination of an at large election system where it is asserted that a voting rights
violation has taken place.
Speaker 5 (00:07:03):
It is important to note that when plaintiffs are successful, the local agency must initiate the process to
transition its election system. Within 90 days since its passage in 2002 C V R a has promoted decades of change
in the California election process in all 216 school districts, 34 community college districts, 137 cities, 35 water
and other special districts, and all county boards of supervisors statewide are now electing representative of
spy district prior to 2002, only 29 of California's 482 cities elected council members by district in less than 20
years, that number has jumped to more than 160. Many of the jurisdictions noted here transitioned to by
district a elections voluntarily, but others have changed after receiving a C V R a challenge notification in
September, 2021, Cypress received a challenge letter on behalf of the Southwest voter registration education
project and its members residing in the city of Cypress.
Speaker 5 (00:08:18):
The challenge alleges that the is current at large election system for city council is racially polarizing and results
in the vote dilution specifically of Asian voters. The challenge asserts that the city is in violation of the C V R a
CV, R a challenges are complex and difficult to defend. They can also be very expensive to the defendant when
cities lose such challenges, they're responsible for both their own legal expenses. And those of the plaintiff, the
city of Cypress is currently assessing the merits of the C V R a challenge to date. The city has not found any
merit to the allegation that it is in violation of the law. The city council is carefully reviewing its current
electoral process and is seeking expert advice on next steps. This includes an initial demographic study of the
city's population past election history and, and willingness to defend against a challenge.
Speaker 5 (00:09:17):
The city is also seeking community input through these public forums. Furthermore, in many cases, cities that
have not changed the election process voluntarily faced formal lawsuits that change the election process
involuntarily and without community input, all of these elements are being reviewed and weighed as part of
the deliberative process. The decision the city council must make is whether to remain in an at large election
system or transition to a by district election system. The city of C ypress currently utilizes the at large election
process, what our at large elections in an at large election candidates campaign for election citywide, all
Cypress voters elect all the council members. For example, if three council seats are up for electio n, Cypress
voters, select three candidates, candidates may live anywhere in Cypress candidates who are elected. It
represent the entire city. It is important to note that at large election systems are typically the trigger for a C V
R a challenge.
Speaker 5 (00:10:25):
Alternatively, if Cypress holds district elections, the city may be equally divided by population into city council
districts. Voters will no longer be able to vote for all of the seats on the city council as occurs with the current
at large election system. Instead, they will only be able to vote for the seat that represe nts their particular
district. In addition, candidates must live in the district, which they hope to represent candidates, run and
campaign in the district where they live of not citywide district voters choose one candidate to represent
them. For example, if three council seats are up for election voters, select one candidate to represent their
district voters in other districts would do. Likewise because not all districts are up for election. At the same
time, there may be some years where cities do not have a city council election. There are several different
types of district elections.
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Speaker 5 (00:11:24):
And as previously noted, single member district elections are the most common voters in a district, elect a
single candidate to represent them. Other examples include the orange unified school district, which utilizes an
at large by district process. All voters may vote for all open seats on the ballot, regardless of trustee area.
However candidates must live in the trustee area. They hope to represent another example. Cumulative voting
means voters may cast as many votes as there are seats up for the election. For example, if three seats are up
for the election, a voter may cast all three votes for a single candidate or distribute those three votes among
multiple candidates. The candidates with the highest cumulative number of vote s are elected. Should the city
decide to change its current process? There are many district options to review in the months to come. The
city council must determine whether it wishes to defend or accept the challenge.
Speaker 5 (00:12:28):
In either case the city of Cypress will seek public input and feedback from the, it is important to the council
that community voices are heard. This community input will include a robust community outreach effort,
multiple public forums and online information. Following this public input process, the city council will begin
their formal deliberations, which will include public hearings as part of regular city council or special meetings,
final deliberations, and a vote by the city council at a regular or special meeting. The city of Cypress is not
alone in this issue. As noted previously, many cities have changed their voting systems in the past two
decades. Many others have opted to defend against CV R a challenges, but the cost can be high to date. Santa
Monica has spent more than 10 million in legal fees defending against their CV. R a challenge. If they're
unsuccessful, they will also be responsible for the plaintiff's legal fees by CV man date, based on the initial
assessment by the demographer, it has not been established that Cypress is in violation of the C V R a.
Speaker 5 (00:13:43):
This is not unusual. Many cities have faced similar issues. The demographer examined the cit y's demographics
and all city council elections from 2012 to 2020 in the initial assessment, the demographer noted that there
are few precincts to analyze from a maximum of 63 to a low of 36. That previous elections all involve voters
with multiple votes and many candidates, and that there are no homogeneous Asian voter precincts. The
maximum precinct has only 35.5% Asian voters. This means the estimates are not reliable and require further
study and more data. As part of the deliberative process, the city council will discuss the matter fully next steps
may include a more detailed and in depth demographic analysis, how ever even when inconclusive cities are
presumed to be in violation, unless they can prove otherwise as previously shown the cost to defend and
possibly lose a CV. A challenge are very high, often running in the millions of dollars.
Speaker 5 (00:14:53):
According to the most recent 2020 census data, Cypress is a diverse community with a total population of
50,151 as shown by our current demographics. The Cypress community is comprised of primarily whites, Asian,
Pacific Islanders and Latinos. The following Cypress election history underscores the complexities of the issue.
The city's C V R a challenged specifically referenced Asian voters and the possibility of racially polarized voting
and or vote dilution for this protected class using historical election data, a demographer conducted an initial
study to ascertain if a violation had occurred relative to Asian voters, in Cypress's case, the data is unclear. For
example, in the 2020 and 2018 elections candidates who won were favored by voters overall, including Asian
voters in at least one instance. However, in each of these years, there was also one other candidate who was
preferred by Asian voters who was not elected because not all candidates preferred by Asian voters lost the
results are deemed inconclusive.
Speaker 5 (00:16:09):
If Cypress chooses to move to district elect, the city is committed to an open and transparent process. A public
process would begin to draw the maps outlining each district map drawing tools would be available online for
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anyone to create a map for consideration public meetings would be held to explain the guidelines and
principles for drawing a map maps can also be created during these public meetings with public input. Similar
maps may be combined typically three or four final maps may emerge for public comment and council
deliberation. Several key principles are used in the districting process. Districts must include community of
interest. Be compact, be contiguous, have visible natural or man-made boundaries include respect for past
voter selections and plan for future growth. CV R a challenges may impose additional considerations during the
districting process. When a C V H challenges issued asserting minority dilution, that population will be taken
into special consideration.
Speaker 5 (00:17:20):
When districts are created when possible a majority minority or plurality district will be created to ensure
those voters preferences are not diluted. It is not always possible to craft such a district. If for example, the
minority group is dispersed throughout the city. So what are the characteristics of the at large election system?
First, all voters vote on all available city council seats, city council candidates can live in any part of the city.
And the elected city council members represent the entire city and answer to all city voters. Alternatively, in a
by district election system, voters elect a single district. Representative candidates must live in the district.
They are running to represent. And the elected city council members represent their local district on the city
council and answer to their district voters. The city is very interested in hearing from the community during
this public outreach period, to submit a comment or question you may do. So during the public forums, you
may also submit a question online to the city email address, CVRA forum, Cypress ca.org. In addition, the city
has created an online survey and you may visit the city's website to participate. This is an important and
momentous decision for our city. And it only through the participation of all Cypress residents that our city
council can make an informed and judicious decision. As we plan for a municipal future, you can learn
more@wwwdocypressca.org slash election system.
Speaker 4 (00:19:14):
Well, Mr. Marin, I'm honorable members of the city council, hopefully that provides our community and those
watching at home with a strong grounding in this issue and what the city is facing. So now we are going to
open the Q and a program, but first I know you have some board reminders for our audience.
Speaker 1 (00:19:33):
That's right. So, as we said earlier, as we started, we were on remind everyone that's here and at home, how
they, so you can either speak in person and we'll ask you to come up to the podium during this meeting, you
can also text the deputy deadline and that's at area code 7 1 4 6 9 9 3 6 0 7. One more time. That's se code 7 1
4 6 9 9 3 6 0 7. Or you can send us an email at Cypress I'm sorry, CV forum, Cypress CA.
Speaker 4 (00:20:12):
So since the public forums were announced, all of these lines of communication, questions and comments
have been open. So we did receive a you before. We got started today. So Mr. Me, if you wouldn't mind, I'm
gonna hand those to you. Okay. They are mostly comments. So I'm gonna give this to you. And
Speaker 1 (00:20:35):
We,
Speaker 4 (00:20:37):
I think we just start with the name.
Speaker 1 (00:20:38):
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Okay. So the first one is a common and it comes from HAI Lucha says I live in the city of Cypress for over 20
years. I'm a member of a supposedly a minority group, Asian, and I'm very happy with an at large election
system. All five city council members answer to each one of us residents, not just residents in their district. I
really like that. All five members are accountable to run the city in its entirety and not just a piece of Cyprus.
Each member, this Wade requires them to be more cohesive and requires each one to work United. And as a
group, I want my vote to count for the entire city of Cypress, not a piece of Cypress. If I can have a voice in
voting for all five city council members, why would I want to settle for voting for just one of them every four
years, if the city of Cypress is to go to district voting, I will be losing 80% of my voting power.
Speaker 1 (00:21:34):
Why do I want to do that? As a district, the city of Cypress will be divided. The city council members will all be
split each one, more concerned with their own peace or corner. Instead, as of a whole, I was told that the city
of Cypress was sued because it's racist really in my twentysomething years of living here, never once have I felt
discriminated. Cypress is not a racist city. It's a very diverse city where every race live in harmony with each
other, splitting into districts will destroy this harmony. This is a city I am very proud to be a part of. And I want
to have a voice in the election of every single representative of my city at large elections, keep a city United
district elections, divide the city. Please keep Cypress as an at large election. And I would like to see the city of
Cyprus, do whatever it can to keep it. That will it's worth the fight. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (00:22:32):
And the other one starts at the bottom there.
Speaker 1 (00:22:39):
So this one is written by Anne NTO that says, I feel that I need to voice my opinion on the districts. My biggest
concern is that the mention of doing district by the population of different races in certain areas should be put
into a district. I strongly oppose the districts to be selected that way. Since I now have become a minority,
what's going to happen to me, how will I be represented? I lived in the same neighborhood since 1963. Racial
demographics have greatly changed since I became a widow. I do don't even have my better half who was first
generation Mexican to fit in the demographics. He preferred to be classified as Mexican and not Hispanic. I
would hate to see the district become ethnic neighborhoods. We don't need that. I was born in New York. You
had your Italian neighborhood, Polish neighborhood, Irish neighborhood, Puerto Rican neighborhood, Jewish
neighborhood, et cetera.
Speaker 1 (00:23:41):
I like to believe that the people that live in the city of Cyprus should be considered as a community. Race
should never have anything to do with anything in politics or what party you belong to either. This is a city
election of our Cypress community and is a non-party affiliation election. It is a Cypress community election
and each person that is, should be representing the Cyprus community. They should listen t o what we have to
say and always consider what we are asking for or about different projects that affect all of us in this
wonderful community of Cyprus. We all need to stand by each other, regardless of race, religion, or politics,
our community committed to reach out and care for one another. That's why I moved here in 1963 and raised
my children here. My husband, Tony Nepo volunteered for years to help build this community to where it is
today. Don't spoil it by changing our neighborhoods into racial districts. It looks like we really don't have a
choice of districts or keep in the elections like they've been for years. I always believe that if it's not broke, why
fix it? All we need is a council who will take the time to listen and react as a group, learn to compromise and
make it work for the benefit of the city and making it even better. It's a wonderful community. Don't destroy it
respectfully and
Speaker 2 (00:25:11):
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Wonderful
Speaker 1 (00:25:18):
And have additional comments
Speaker 2 (00:25:21):
Concerning
Speaker 1 (00:25:22):
The second difference between the
Speaker 2 (00:25:25):
Federal
Speaker 1 (00:25:26):
Voter rights act and the California voter rights act, the California
Speaker 2 (00:25:30):
Voter rights act eliminates the totality of circumstances or
Speaker 1 (00:25:36):
Reasonable Can. It appears to give the court
Speaker 2 (00:25:45):
Why, what
Speaker 1 (00:25:51):
Our, the attorney proposed
Speaker 2 (00:25:53):
For
Speaker 1 (00:25:54):
Court. If a lawsuit file A fight, Santa Monica has been fighting this suit since 2016, Seems
Speaker 2 (00:26:20):
More than California, California,
Speaker 1 (00:26:25):
And have opted not to fight. And apparently feudal battle. We advocate planning for district elec tions for
Cypress city council, respectfully Wayne and Gail Como.
Speaker 4 (00:26:37):
And that's the last of the emails we received is for mayor, but that one had a number of questions in it. So I
think we need to go back. And the first one I wanted to address was the one specifically about legal strategy.
And I know our city manager is here. And at the present time, we can't necessarily go into any legal strategy
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because that's still part of the deliberative process and closed session for the time being correct. But certainly I
think it would be fair to say that these meetings and all the community comment we're soliciting is part of
what a future strategy might be based on what the community feedback is that the city receives
Speaker 1 (00:27:14):
Correct. Part of all of what we've been doing in these community forums. And the outreach is certainly trying
to get the information from our resident, what it is you'd like us to do. And quite honestly answer those
particular questions. As Ariana pointed out, the frequently asked questions that were getting our list of fact
questions. Faqs keeps growing because there are a lot. And what it also tells us that there are s till a lot of
people that he don't even know what this is about and that's the per, but the other side of that is that we're on
a deadline. We have only a certain amount of time by which to respond to the letter and make a decision as to
which direction the city will go.
Speaker 4 (00:27:56):
And while the plaintiff has worked with you, because well, past the original 90 days receiving the challenge
letter, you have been a in contact with them to let them know that you were going through this process. That's
a city,
Speaker 1 (00:28:08):
Correct? We received that letter or was already mentioned in September of last year and like we're, But in
working with, We've been time to be able again, to,
Speaker 2 (00:28:31):
But certainly an issue of Appear to be given by the lawsuit
Speaker 4 (00:28:52):
Fact. That's several of the pillars in the federal
Speaker 2 (00:28:57):
Act state
Speaker 4 (00:29:06):
That have been removed
Speaker 2 (00:29:07):
From
Speaker 4 (00:29:07):
Geographic diversity within the jurisdiction. What does that mean? So if you can show right now that you have
say, Or protected class living certain area, their votes are deleted by the federal act. That's, that's a clear
violation by removing that it
Speaker 2 (00:29:38):
Jurisdiction to the, of that group is
Speaker 4 (00:29:46):
When go to the
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Speaker 2 (00:29:48):
S it's jurisdiction, easier
Speaker 4 (00:30:02):
Violation, challenge letters to come through, but much more difficult for cities and jurisdictions.
Speaker 2 (00:30:08):
That
Speaker 4 (00:30:09):
Makes sense.
Speaker 2 (00:30:10):
So,
Speaker 1 (00:30:10):
So give you another, a clearer example of one of the things that has happened. And one of the more difficult
challenges that the city council has faced which many city council as in the past always has to deal with is the
misinformation that's out there. There are a lot of things that get said, certainly there are always differences of
opinion. People have their particular thoughts and their processes, but what I've always encouraged people to
do is to find, if you don't know, ask questions, call city hall will direct you to those informations into the
websites. We'll direct you to those FAQ, the frequently asked questions, but one of those, we had a newspaper
that said, so the city council is dragging its heels. And I was quickly responded, said, absolutely not. We have
been since the the receipt of that letter in September doing a number of things. So what's one of those that
will help understand what we're talking about. We contacted
Speaker 2 (00:31:08):
Looking at these numbers,
Speaker 1 (00:31:16):
Looks at the numbers and the number I wrote, which I know is already from the previous one, but you haven't
popular of 30%.
Speaker 2 (00:31:25):
And one of the first things,
Speaker 1 (00:31:29):
This situation, here's your city. There's not one particular area in your city where there is a large concentration
of, Okay. So if we were to, so how do you go about doing that? The federal
Speaker 2 (00:32:11):
Same thing, but the
Speaker 1 (00:32:19):
It's not percent Latino. And even with that, as I pointed out and we have it generally, I
Speaker 2 (00:32:25):
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That as well,
Speaker 1 (00:32:27):
What makes this even Harder is people are group together, But you, when I can speak to you, because I, If you
heard From a, Her husband did not Here be classified as Latin
Speaker 2 (00:32:45):
Or Hispanic
Speaker 6 (00:32:46):
Was Mexican
Speaker 2 (00:32:51):
As group
Speaker 6 (00:32:52):
As, as the Japanese Chinese, Korean Vietnam are many. And as one resident pointed out
Speaker 2 (00:33:02):
He was looking in,
Speaker 1 (00:33:04):
It's not culture, it's all new.
Speaker 6 (00:33:06):
So that's
Speaker 1 (00:33:07):
Just one example, but a very big example, a very glaring example as to what makes this or why it makes it so
difficult.
Speaker 4 (00:33:15):
And I think it's a part of these public forum too, is to let people know that there are even divisions within the
by district. So there are several different versions of by district that would accomplish the goal of allowing
people to have a stronger voice, particularly protected classes. But aren't necessarily dividing up the city by
district. So once city council decides one way or the other, are we defending the challenge or are we accepting
the challenge? Then we get into the next phase, which is then what does it look like? Are we going to have
districts in the city? Are we going to look at cumulative voting or as said in a video orange unified school
district where you have to live in a, but everybody in the city vote. So there's several options beyond ju once
we've made the, once the council, I say, Leah, I'm sorry. Once the council has made the final decision. And Mr.
Mayor, I know we already had someone who had put their name in early to come up and speak. And is that,
Speaker 7 (00:34:40):
And we've been in our house since 1980, when not planning to move. We like Cy and up until recently, I never
even thought about the fact that Cypress is about half Asian and half Latino never occurred to me. I'm Jewish
and white. I don't even belong I guess, but I don't know. I never thought about it. I, that this is my city a nd we
all live here and we all care about the city, even if we have different views. And that's another thing I wanna
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talk about is the fact that all five council members have probably heard me over the years from something
when I get upset about something. And hopefully I write also when I'm happy, but mostly when I might be
that. But you all, even though I disagree with you, sometimes you all care about diapers, all five of you, one,
two different whatever.
Speaker 8 (00:35:37):
So it really bothers me that then things about when we're district, it really does because what's gonna hap pen.
And it's just logical is that all of a sudden, you're gonna focus on your district. You have to, you wanna be
reelected. You want the people to be happy, but what happen is we will have five cities in cyber city, a city B,
obviously five different cyber cities, and it's not gonna be good for the whole community cyber. What makes it
so unique and the people at home, but makes it so unique is fact that a small community with a very broad
group of national and international companies, that my head here, we have wide amenities and a very small
city like feeling. And I really fear that we might lose that. So I, again, it, I know it might cost a lot of money, but
I think the bigger picture that we should, the thank you letting share my view, Robin.
Speaker 4 (00:36:40):
Thank you. Thank you so much. Would anyone else like to come up and speak at this time? Yes. yes, sir. Please.
And could you please provide your name?
Speaker 8 (00:36:53):
Yes. My name is Tim Keenan. I'm a 46 reside city. And I also started on state council way back for eight years.
And I'll, I'll discuss that a little bit, but I started out looking at this and I said, you know, I'm looking at my home
call DEAC. And so it's point, I didn't have analysis a breakdown on my own call, DEAC 19 homes, including the
three homes that across the street when ICUL DEAC. And if you break it down, seven of the families are white.
Two are black, three are Indian, or from that area two are Korean, three are Japanese, two are Hispanic. So
we're a white minority cul-de-sac. But the fact that I had to do that analysis is creepy. The fact that you're
doing demography and an analysis is creepy because I never looked at my neighborhood like that.
Speaker 8 (00:37:42):
Nobody looks at their neighborhood like that, and they should look at their neighborhood like that. So then
let's look at another analysis property taxes, one person in that cul-de-sac is pre-pro 13 pays a few hundred
dollars years in taxes, and then many of the homes have turned over and they're paying close to $10,000 a
year and property taxes under the rest are kind of in between let's look at age. There is a combination of
seniors when I moved into that neighborhood, my wife and I were the youngest couple in the block. And now
we're close to the oldest couple on the block. So there's a mix there's people with young kids and schools that
use the school system. So how do you divide up that? Cul-De-Sac and I use my cul-de-sac as a microcosm, cuz I
know that I can look around at all the cul-de-sacs or all the streets in cyberus and it's the same story, you
know, so six square miles.
Speaker 8 (00:38:34):
And I won't say as a state council member, I was involved in a couple of my own personal elections, but also
during that same time period of maybe 15 years, I was involved in personally involved in 12 elections where
either I was my own campaign and I ran it or I ran somebody else's campaign and managed it or co-managed a
campaign. And so that process really educated me on what's going on in Cypress. I walked every neighborhood
in Cypress. I got a chance to see every single community and talk to neighbors in different communities. If you
look at, and I also looked at statistics voting statistics, and so if you look at votings statistics, it's very unusual.
You would think the highest voter turnout would be like right in the heart of Cypress, near city hall, but no, the
highest voter turnout and the all the years that I analyzed it.
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Speaker 8 (00:39:25):
I dunno if it's necessarily true today, but was Cypress village, a tiny little area over in the Southeast corner of
the city of Cypress and why was their high voter turnout? Because they had a very active com munity, a very
active community that had a homeowner association that put out lots of information and newsletters. They
held their own personal forum for elections during that time period. And so that they educated their voters
and they had a high voter turnout, whereas the lowest voter turn out in Cyprus. And you wouldn't think of this
either. It's the richest community in Cypress Sorento, for whatever reason, whether it's the fact that many are
not citizens or whatever. I mean, so you look at those statistics and you say, well, what throw that out? You
know, I mean, what, what do you use as a dividing line?
Speaker 8 (00:40:11):
You know, do you divide little homes on each cul-de-sac and call that a community? So now that I've heard a
little bit more about the process, I, I would definitely, if you're forced to go to districts is that people vote
citywide, that you can divide the city into districts, but that everybody gets a vote for every person in every
election. That that would be one of the most reasonable things. That's really about all I had to add. I just have
a lot of feedback because as you council members know, have had a chance to walk the city, I've seen every
neighborhood in the city of Cypress, and I can tell you that there are people who are involved and then there
are people who don't care. I'm never gonna vote. I don't care. I don't want to vote. Is whatever happens
happening and that's fine, I'll pay whatever, you know, and then the other people's like, wait, I want to be
involved. I want to scrutinize every item I want to scrutinize. Every time the water company comes and wants
an increase in their feed, which was another most recent thing. And then every time the trash hauler gets
changed or wants something else, you know, they're concerned about it. So that's that what you can care
about and they want to citywide and some of the other people mentioned. So thank you.
Speaker 4 (00:41:22):
Thank you very much, sir, please. And again, if you don't mind sharing your name, that would be very helpful.
Speaker 8 (00:41:28):
My name is Beth Culver and I spoken before and I live, I lived in Cypress since 19 80, 79, 80, and I never knew
the word racism. So I did some research and that word came about in the 1920s and thirties in Germany, when
they were trying to turn and divide their cities in their country, racism is the stupidest word item ever heard in
my life. I never knew what racism was except for the last 20 years. Everybody talks about it. What, what the
heck I was in high school? We didn't know what that I never heard of such a word. It was not an issue we
learned. And we learned all about our neighbors, our friends, and how to get along with each other. I love sight
because is such a mix. And how are you gonna define how we gonna our spirit? How are they gonna divide our
communities?
Speaker 8 (00:42:21):
How are we gonna do it? I don't rather see money spent. I'm hiring, defending signs that even considering
hiring a demographer. Cause they have, I know from working with the orange county school board and that
nonsense, but the very, I I've read this and reread this. And all I wanna say is this is the description of racism.
When you focus on class color, skin, nature, money, no money, senior seniors, juniors minors. It doesn't
matter. That's is divisive and you want to see divising. There was a movie recently. Now it was filmed in
Australia. It's about Germany. And it's about these. It's called it's the line of separation. It's it's spoken in
German, but you don't need the subtitle. You know, what's going on. It's about the division of the country afte r
the end of world war II, we Don and that's what Ray districting is to me.
Speaker 8 (00:43:17):
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It's divisive. It's what, what's it all saying? Divided. We fall. Ha haha. Unitedly stand. That's not an old sentence.
That's really. So the fact that when you taught even here in the say it says protective classes. I want to throw
up. What's a protective class in the 10 years in the last 10 years on my street, I've become a minority. There's
only five white houses and the rest of, I love it. There's only one lady that's lived there longer than I have. And
she's the other white lady. They're either Korean neighbor. They're Chinese, they're Thai, they're Vietnamese.
It's just a wonderful, we all look after each other. You know, we may not know each other's name, not, but can
you imagine how destructive group down our streets say this? Okay. M ake up this demographic. We've gotta
have so many blacks here. So many whites here.
Speaker 8 (00:44:09):
So many paints, heres so many yellows here. You can't do it. It's absolutely destructive. And you know,
threatening that they're saying, well, it's gonna be expensive. That's blackmail. That's BS two. It's not the only
thing that's gonna keep voter identity voter is voter iden identification. I've worked on the election integrity
project for three years. I know what fraud looks like has nothing to do with who, making sure this class votes
and its class votes and class votes. They all vote. The only thing that prevents people from voting is the vote
not being counted. And I watch that happen many, many times, keep side together. Don't bring that many
speed districts.
Speaker 4 (00:44:56):
Thank you so much for sharing your opinions. Yes, please.
Speaker 8 (00:45:05):
Good one. I, and that I live across the street, so I'm proud of being a president. I love this beautiful city and a
peaceful city and I highly appreciate the city council including on that woman and hard working to make this
community even better. And I feel so upset to hear that our, our election system need to be changed as
dispute or the, I totally don't understand what that purpose is. And if some party want their agenda into our
city, your guys need to learn. Don't let divide us United we Cypress. So don't let them put any ego agenda into
our city who is the one who will take the most advantage from district both system. And I think it in deep, it
not just, just begin and after we compromise, it will move forward even more. That's usually their way they
played race and cart on the table and yes, for the half century they play a successful and it made a tremendous
progress on the grace issue.
Speaker 8 (00:46:41):
But I should say America, I, I as America even. So I'm Asian. I think I feel so comfortable and the free in this God
blends the land. I don't feel any race discrimination. It just does someone want to take this as a big issue to
take their advantage on whatever aspects they know much better than me. I just guess they want to take that
as two to put their ideology and agenda. So we want to our city as a big vote area, same as is don't make any
tiny change. I want be my voice to be heard. And I think I cannot say I represent all Asian, but most of Asian
want our Cypress like this way. And I highly appreciate your hard working. Thank so much.
Speaker 4 (00:47:50):
Thank you so much. I would just like to remind everyone, obviously, Mr. Mayor, this issue brings up a lot of
passions, correct. But one of the reasons we are doing the, the community forums is that we can speak
dignified and, and respectfully for everyone. So I just, I just wanna call that to every one's attention. I know we
have more speakers. I'm gonna get to you in just a moment of Tanya before. I just wanted to give y ou a
chance. Do we have things that have come through on the text messages as well? So if you wanna bring those
up and I I'm so sorry, sir. I'm gonna let the lady go first. I saw her hand first. He
Speaker 1 (00:48:25):
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Said gentleman, anyway, he'll always defer.
Speaker 4 (00:48:28):
So please I'm, if you could state your name. Hi and thank you for joining us gentlemen,
Speaker 8 (00:48:33):
My name is Katie Shapira. I'm a resident of Cypress. First of all, thank you for holding these forums. I've been
tuning in online. This is the first time I've been able to come in person. So I'm sort of still learning a lot. I've
been on a crash course. What redistricting would look like, especially in the community of Cypress, which is
relatively small. And I think the, a couple things that I've just been studying. And I know I've talked to Dr.
Marque a few times. One of the things that I like about the idea of redistricting, just in a general way, is it sort
of forms this really tight relationship with your representative? So for example, if I live off Balu moody, I
doesn't, it's not that I don't care, but it doesn't really intimately affect me if there's something that happens at
the state or brothers on valley view.
Speaker 8 (00:49:28):
Right? And so relationship that I have with my particular representative and whoever that is obviously has to
live in that district my voice will be stronger because they will have a more intimate knowledge of what's going
on in our pocket of the community. And so I really like the idea of greater representation in that sense, just,
just by a smaller demographic. The other thing is I, I like redistricting, but with a caveat of, and I think I
commented this last week, which is I would like us to have an independent commission. So the redistricting
lines, how would they be drawn as of, and like you alluded to mayor there's, you can be, it can be done several
different ways, right? I like the idea of having people in the community, business owners, professors people
that have intimate knowledge of what it's like to live in Cypress, be in charge of drawing t he lines so that there
is no gerrymandering.
Speaker 8 (00:50:32):
Right? I also like the idea of having somebody outside of the community that really has no investment in what
happens in the city of Cypress. And so therefore there's no bias. And I think if you have a responsible,
independent commission that draws the lines, you could avoid a lawsuit. Right? I think all of us can agree. I'm
assuming that, you know, if we're anything akin to the city of Santa Monica with a 10 million lawsuit, when we
red Cypress wouldn't be you know, would be more apt to, I think, look at what it would m ean to have just
being our community. And I think in terms of the racism element, I mean, you know, I could go on and on, but I
just I think where I've seen it work has been that there's a camaraderie that you develop with the people in
your neighborhood and your community, regardless of whatever the racial demographic is that makes of that
community.
Speaker 8 (00:51:28):
And as I saw at the beginning, which I still have to do some fact checking on, there is no heavily diluted racist
or minority group represented specifically in that community. And so it would look a little bit more sp read out.
And I think where I saw this being debated, we were talking about really quickly just gonna grab my little book
here. Okay. So in regards to cumulative voting, right I think mission Diego, my friend David sent me some
information and here's an excerpt about what happened regarding communing cumulative voting which is not
redistricting in mission Diego. So it said while the city tried and failed for over three years to implement a
system called cumulative voting, they gave in last July and began the process of establishing districts. Council
members didn't spend much time debating the pros and cons of either map at their Tuesday meeting, but
bemoan the loss of their current system. And in fact, that cumulative voting had been pushed off the table by
the California secretary of state who said in multiple letters to the city, it would not be allowed without the
state legislatures approval. And so I think we need to look at the consequences of what that would be. That
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was the if that was the route that we determined to go. So anyway, thank you for letting me speak and have a
good opportu
Speaker 4 (00:53:04):
And, and you bring up a good point. That Bishop BA is a very interesting case, much like the city of Cypress the
different protected class minorities within the city were not in any one particular area. They were, it was
dispersed throughout the city. So to create districts that would've protected those, or given them more voice
in a district was going to be difficult. What's interesting about mission Viejo and it's like the ultimate case study
is that both Mr. Shaman's law office and the city held hands, came together and said, in this instance,
cumulative voting would be the best opportunity to remove the challenge and to move forward. And so
everybody was in agreement and then they went to the state, even a judge was in agreeme nt, but then they
went to the state and the state had the final word and said, no, you can't do this.
Speaker 4 (00:53:57):
And I think to your point of the, what you're reading in terms of quotes, I think everyone at that point was just
exhausted. So they are, are trying to do districts. What they're not sure about is will the, those districts now
cure the C V R a challenge. And that's why in the, in the PowerPoint, it does say that that is a consideration. If
you've received a challenge letter and you also have to give that thought as you build districts, but there are,
it's not immediate that if the city, as we are going to accept the challenge and not go on the defense, there are
several different types of voting systems you could look at that would suit your city. Cuz I do think that's been
an ongoing theme with everybody we've heard from is that you really love your city and everybody feels very
strongly about that. Correct.
Speaker 1 (00:54:44):
And, and also too your point and about an independent person coming in, of course, we're gonna look at a lot
of things. If that's the route we choose to go, but also remember to bring somebody from the outside, they
clearly don't know the city, so there's both good and good and bad to independent to a group made up of
these and those. And that's why this is not by any stretch, the imagination and easy topic and easy do, hence
again, the public forums, let's see what the community tells us once suggest what we're hearing, the many
questions that we get asked, and then there are, where do we go from here? And how do we go about that?
So again, it is not something that is so simple. Yeah. Thank you to Mr. Shanken for working with us and giving
us more time. Cuz I can't imagine if we would've already had to have made a decision back in January. So that's
where we're at.
Speaker 4 (00:55:39):
For those of you who are watching online and at home, thank you. We've have a number of comments and
questions that have come out through the text line and that email lines. So the first is Tim Keenan who writes
that he is opposed to districts and the next is from Steve Carre which is being new to Cyprus. I'd like
clarification on the current system specifically whether on an date there are races for different seats each with
different sets of candidates or is there only one set of candidates. So I think the current system that CI city of
Cypress uses is at large. So what does that mean at large means that there are certain seats up from election
to election because it's not the whole council is not up for election at the same time. That would be
Speaker 1 (00:56:35):
So to answer Mr Korea, to answer your question, there are, as you can see five council members up here and
every two year the seats, some of the seats are up for reelection or election depending on whether they have
an incumbent, somebody already in office. So in the election coming up December, well, excuse me,
November of this year, there will be three seats avail able. So there will be three candidates that will be elected
to this city council two years from now in November of 2024, there will be the other two seats that come
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about. So every four years a person is elected to the council or excuse me for a term of four years. And so we
don't elect all five, every two years. It's a four year term this year, it'll be three people two years from now. It'll
be two people. And those particular candidates who are successful will sit on the city council and answer and
govern all issues that come up in the city.
Speaker 4 (00:57:37):
And two is question in particular right now, whether it's three or two, everyone in the city votes for all the
seats that are available. That is correct. That is the system we have now. Correct. Okay. Let's see. I think I got I
think Steve sent another question. So we'll just read that too. Thank you for having these forums re sults of
these discussions could be long term gains for all in to turnout exclusive inclusivity, inclusivity. Thank you very
much. And quality of discourse, patience for getting this right patience for the best option will be rewarded as
opposed to rushing past public input. The council is making the right steps here. Thank you Mr. Car. I'm gonna
put that one aside. Okay. This is a long one. You want this one? You get this one.
Speaker 1 (00:58:30):
So this comes comes from Claire two. I am a member of a minority group, Asian and I am very happy with at
large election, all five city council members. Answer to me, not just one of them. I really like that. All five
members are accountable to run the city in its entirety, not just a piece of Cypress for each member this way.
It requires them to be more cohesive and requires each one to work United. And as a group, as a district, they
are all split each one more concerned with their own piece of land instead of as a whole unit. It, I want my vote
to count for the entire city of Cypress, not a piece of Cypress. If I can have a voice in voting for all city, five city
council, why would I wanna settle for voting for just one of them every four years? It's my city, not my piece of
city. I want to have a voice for the election of every single one of the representatives of the city. Please keep it
at large election, no matter what. And I want the city of Cypress to do whatever it takes to keep it that way.
And thank you.
Speaker 4 (00:59:39):
And the next one is from Rachel Strong. This is Rachel Strong longtime resident and business owner and
commissioner. In the last week, the city has seen both the distribution of antisemitic hate literature and a
shooting. As a city, we have more pressing concerns than inviting a potential legal battle that could be and
costly and end in an outside entity drawing lines drawing these district maps for us. I think the common sense
response would be to comply and be in control of how we want our city fairly represented perhaps the hybrid
of districts for the election of council members and at large for mayor and is an option either way. Let's settle
this and get back to resolving our issues that are far more impactful for our present and future. Cypress is a
beautiful community and we can in, and we can in front of these issues, oh, we maybe get in front. We can get
in front of these issues. I'm sorry, Rachel, if I'm putting words in your mouth with a little more with a little work
and if people would feel better represented this way, we should act on that. Thank you for these forums.
Speaker 4 (01:00:52):
And
Speaker 1 (01:00:53):
So this is from Val Mallory. If Asian turnout data is not available on what basis is the complaint founded is the
data needed to make a complaint. And thank you. So two questions
Speaker 4 (01:01:07):
There, right? And I think Ms. Mallory, if, if I recalling correctly, you had actually sent in this question as well,
and it's not so much that the data isn't available, it's that the initial assessment that was done by the
demographer, all of his initial assessment, isn't a available that we couldn't share on the city website. So I
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believe we have in the, in the presentation we used two election years. He did a few others that the city is
looking at and is using. And those are still part of your close session deliberations, am I correct? Correct. So
unfortunately we just couldn't share it at this time. But Ms. Mallory, I, I wanna assure you that it is being
looked at and it will be made public at a later date And this is anonymous.
Speaker 1 (01:01:54):
So there's no name on this one, but it asks how do we implement in our, at large system, the ability to give
multiple votes to a single candidate.
Speaker 4 (01:02:04):
So what this individual is asking about is what we would call cumulative voting. So in the same way right no w
when the elections come up, depending on if there's three seats available or two seats available, you as a voter
have that many votes, the same would happen in cumulative voting. However, you have some choices with
your votes, you always do, but this is an, an interesting change that you might decide that you wanted to give
all three of your votes available for the three seats to council member Pete. Or you may decide that you wanna
give all three of your vote votes to council member Marquez. So you can do that. And especially when you're
talking about different protected classes of folks, they may band together and say, everybody in the Latino
community would like to vote for mayor prote, Hertz, Mallory, and we're all going to do that. And that gives
them a larger vote without necessarily moving city dividing the city by districts. So there's a couple of different
options in the way that would work. All right. And you have waited very patiently. I'm going to let you have
your say,
Speaker 9 (01:03:14):
Thank you. My name is Carlos Ramirez. I've been a resident since 1971 and raised our children here. Thank you
for the opportunity for allowing the public to speak. First of all, I'd like to comment that I very happy with the,
at large voting mechanism we have now. And I'm very sorry that some people feel that that's not
representative of their ethnicity. I hope this can be resolved shortly. I will, it seems to be protracted, but I have
a comment or question looking at the different, the two different voting systems at large versus district has
any estimate been given given to the fact that once we get this resolved, whatever method we end up with
what's the ongoing call to supporting one system versus another?
Speaker 1 (01:04:05):
Well, one of those costs, one of the things we taught on, we don't have. And in fact, I always looked at the city
manager, cuz he always seems to have numbers, right, the top of his head. But one of those that I know he
does and it's it's every 10 years when the census comes out, then the city itself has to look at districting. And
so there would certainly be a cost, but that's where I don't know what that cost would be to assist, facilitate u s
in. Okay. That's what the districts look like. Now. Now with 10 years later, the districts maybe need to look like
this and there's a cost associated with that. We just don't know what those costs would be, but yes, there is an
on w cost every 10 years, that's principally what it would be the city would still have.
Speaker 1 (01:04:47):
And this one, I know I would always look to the city clerk because she works in conjunction with the the county
of orange. But whether we put two candidates or three candidates or Harvard is whether it's by districts, that's
pretty much going to be the same. So that's more an informational administrative process that needs to get
done. I think the larger cost comes with every 10 years certainly for a candidate not having to campaign
throughout an entire city. That's more of an individual cost as opposed to something that affects the city. I
hope that answered that. Thank
Speaker 4 (01:05:23):
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You. Great. And just to expand on that a little bit, my own city went to districts three years ago, last year or
2020 was the first year we ran in districts. I was elected into a district. I actually drew the short straw because
we had to keep on the right types of alternative alternating. So I will have to run again this year. But since the
census has come out the new census data shows that my city and the, the demographics and the districts, we
originally drew changed dramatically. So my part district grew by 3,500 people. So that instantly triggers that
every other district is gonna have to change, cuz it, we were out of proportion from district to district to
district. And what was interesting, the most interesting thing is that our Latino population in the city actually
also changed dramatically in terms of the distribution. So what was originally deemed as the pure where the
protected district for Latinos actually shifted to another part of the city. And so now we're looking at, okay,
that's the district. We need to protect to make sure that those lines stayed the same, but everything else
needs to be proportional. So now we'll go through the us every 10 years. It's unusual that we just kind of went,
boom, boom, boom. But it does impact exactly how your districts look over time. So yes, ma'am Robin.
Speaker 1 (01:06:48):
I
Speaker 4 (01:06:49):
Have a question, of course,
Speaker 7 (01:06:51):
Listening to everybody and talking, I have a question and again, this is because all of a sudden, now I have to
think of a Asian Latinos and the rest of us, I guess. What do you really see is the benefit of having a, a council
member who represents the Asian community, the Latino, what exactly do they want that they're not getting?
I mean, are they gonna be putting signs up in Spanish and, and an Asian language? What exactly is the purpose
of having that breakup? I, I, I don't understand cuz I don't think like that.
Speaker 4 (01:07:28):
And, and I think that that's a, I think you bring up an important point. That's important for everyone to
understand is that while and why this issue gets so passionate for everybody, is that while you may a not
necessarily individually understand, I may not understand being, you know being a Latina, you know, having
grown up in those neighborhoods, I may not understand Asian Americans. The point is, is that we are
respectful that there are people who don't feel exactly how we feel on this issue and that it can be very, it can
seem divisive, but we just need to handle it with sensitivities in terms of what do, what does anyone want? I, I
don't think that any of us could answer that right off the top, but I think it's important that someone else
brought up and I think you ma'am in the red and the back brought up protected class. That is an element in our
state law. And it is important that we respect that. And legally we have to adhere to protecting protected
classes. So if I, I know it can be difficult, but, and I appreciate the question and I, I,
Speaker 1 (01:08:35):
Well, and I'll add Robin adding to that. We don't really know either because remember that this law, this letter
from Mr. Shaman's office was sent to us on behalf of the Southwest voter registration education project. Okay.
Does an identify a particular person? Well, I, I know it, what that group is because I'm a Hispanic guy and I
know where they started and what they're about, but they're not representing a Hispanic, Latino issue. It's
they're representing the Asian vote in this particular case. Okay. Again, I'm just as confused as you are,
because if you looked at the information from what the demographer showed, showed us, if in fact that this
Asian population was not being provided an equal voice and equal opportunity, then in theory, if we look at
those numbers, that should have been an Asian candidate that should have received the highest number of
votes, but yet when you break down who the Asian population voted highest, it was a non-Asian candidate. So
to answer your question, I don't know,
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Speaker 4 (01:09:48):
But it's not a simple answer. And that's a very important point to bring up that it's not necessarily that they
want, you know, something different, but that they have a preferred candidate is typically the syntax that you
hear so that their preferred candidate. So they have the ability to elect their preferred candidates
Speaker 1 (01:10:07):
To represent them.
Speaker 4 (01:10:08):
And that is why the inconclusive statement was made on what we showed on the election results. We say
inconclusive because for the Asian American Pacific Islanders of Cypress, they had two candidates that they
preferred. When you look just at demographics, if you just look at those demographics, one was elected. One
was not right. So had you looked at those demographics over the years and every single time Asian America n
Pacific is voters had a preferred candidate and they lost all of them over and over again that would've been
deemed a conclusive example, a
Speaker 1 (01:10:48):
Clear issue, right. That the representative of their choice was not getting elected, their
Speaker 4 (01:10:53):
Voice that they were being. Right. Correct. And then that would be a direct example of racially polarized
voting. In Cypress's case, it is unclear at this time that that has happened
Speaker 7 (01:11:07):
At the Jewish as Jewish woman. I never vote just for someone who's Jewish. And I assume that other American
Speaker 10 (01:11:14):
Think that more exactly. Right.
Speaker 4 (01:11:16):
And you've waited very patiently.
Speaker 10 (01:11:19):
I don't understand if all men are created equal and we do not choose to whom we are born. What do
demographics matter? If we focus on the fact that we're American citizens first, and we want the best for our
children, we want the best for our future. And we vote the person in, that's gonna do the best job to, in to
ensure that
Speaker 1 (01:11:43):
So you
Speaker 10 (01:11:44):
I'm so sick of the racism in demographics, does it really matter? We're Americans, we vote Americans.
Speaker 1 (01:11:54):
And that's your name? I'm sorry. I didn't get that.
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Speaker 10 (01:11:56):
Amy. Soton been resident for over 25 years and I'm just sick that we wanna change. Cypress. Cypress is
perfect. Just the way it is. I moved here because Cypress was Cypress.
Speaker 1 (01:12:11):
So Amy, your opinion and your thoughts are that's. What we're trying to get is everybody's cuz yours is just
Speaker 10 (01:12:17):
American citizens first and this demographic is just racism. It's, it's just racism, all our votes count equally.
Speaker 4 (01:12:25):
Well, thank you very much. That's much to be. Thank you for sharing your opinions. I really appreciate it. Yes,
sir. Please.
Speaker 11 (01:12:39):
Good morning everybody. Thank you for having this. My name's David feta. My family's lived in Cypress for
about 30 years. My family's lived in Cypress for about 30 years. My name's David feta. I grew up here. I went to
junior high school here. I went to high school here. I spent a quick stint at Cypress college. Growing up here,
my friends predominantly were Hispanic and Latino, my best friends, and that's a trend that's continued. And I
never really gave it a thought and my friends never really gave it a thought. I mean we understood that there
were cultural differences and even within the Hispanic community different views. As I observed among my
friends about how people feel about issues I'm very grateful. I had the opportunity to attend Claremont
graduate university where I graduated.
Speaker 11 (01:13:27):
I studied fine art, fine art was wonderful for me. As coming from a family that suffered abuse was therapeutic
thing. I, art traffics and ideas. So I focus on ideas. And so one of the things I, you know, when you go through
the university system in California is a lot of the pedagogy that they're teaching or the curriculum that they're
teaching is based off of a concept called Ray racial essentialism. And what this means is that race is the only
thing or the number one thing, the main thing that matters to your life. And if you do not get that right,
everything else is gonna collapse. That was not what I observed growing up. That was totally crazy to me to
hear that. But yet it was being taught and being in grad school. That's wonderful. Cause I want hear the bad
ideas and the good ideas so I can figure it out for myself.
Speaker 11 (01:14:21):
So when I started hearing about, you know, when I was reading and you know, thinking about this
redistricting, I started to think about sort of my transition from being a hardcore leftist, supporting Bernie
Sanders, to seeing that there were minorities on YouTube that were African American, that were Hispanic, that
were Asian, that were saying, Donald, Trump's not racist. These people aren't racist. And I followed them. I
kept listening to what they had to say because they were minorities that were giving a different opinion. So
ultimately, and this maybe goes to your question, my family was murdered in the Holocaust too. So I'm very
offended by all of this and is racism to me, it seems that the lawmakers in California are rac ial essentialist that
believe that by promoting racism in a positive light, they can eradicate people's racist thinking, which is
ridiculous because racism is it's, it's like sin.
Speaker 11 (01:15:21):
It's, it's not anything that it's it, you can't control people's hate in their heart. If they're stupid, like that's what
they choose to do. So just to wrap it up, it seems to me that when I was looking at the concept of redistricting,
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all those people that said, Hey I'm a minority. I don't vote with a big block of minorities. And I started to think,
well, what happens when you last to all the black people and last to all the Asians and last to all the Hispanics,
you just last 'em all together. What happens to the dissent minority opinions in those communities? Do they
get a vote? Do they have a chance to say I'd like to vote somebody that doesn't vote with what the university
and the democratic party says is a real Hispanic, because a democratic party is involved in calling black men,
the black face of white supremacy.
Speaker 11 (01:16:11):
They're involved in calling you not Hispanic you're and you're not, they erase your identity. This is, and the
reason it stays around is because it's in the universities and people that don't know that are busy, having jobs
that are busy trying to raise a family. They don't, it's difficult to get into this subject matter and really get down
into it. I have a master's degree. I've gone far as I can with this degree. And it's taken me several years to get
through all the garbage that is laid down on us. This doesn't help us move forward. And I feel like it is an attack
on the American way of life. That is exactly what it is. And I wonder if this is not being funded by other
countries, through lawmakers, in order destroy the United States. And that's how it makes me feel. I've never
had bad feelings towards people.
Speaker 11 (01:16:59):
Now, when I go out, I'm aware, okay. A, a African American gentleman serves me over at the coffee, bean and
tea leave. And all of a sudden my coffee doesn't taste like coffee. It tastes like watermelon juice. And I'm
starting to think that these young people are being racially indoctrinated and are making racial hate their way
of life. I've had people, black women stop me at Starbucks feeling it was their duty while I'm ordering coffee,
to try to tell me that the way I think and feel is, and she doesn't even know who I am. My family was murdered
in the Holocaust. And she's assuming I'm a white guy. You guys are terrorists. You're disgu sting racists. And we
don't want you in this country. Just leave. I, I, I, I don't. We want to hear your opinions is just very offensive.
Sorry for getting emotional. Thank you guys.
Speaker 4 (01:17:47):
Thank you very much. Thank well, Mr. Mayor. We are I, we're gonna take one more question, but we're almost
at time please.
Speaker 12 (01:17:59):
Hi, my name is HAI and I'm thank you for this opportunity. I live in the city of Cyprus for over 20 years and I
love city of Cyprus. It's we it's a well run city and I thank the members of the city council for keeping that way.
So they say that Cypress is racist. Please give me a break. In over 20 years, I'm an Asian, I'm a minority. And
over 20 years that I've lived in the Cy in the Cy, the city of Cyprus, not once have felt discrimination. It's a very
diverse community and that we all live in harmony with every other race. So please don't divide us with this
stupid districting or districting, whatever this is going to divide the city. Please don't do that.
Speaker 12 (01:18:51):
So with, at large, that's what we are right now at large elections, correct? We each one of us get to get to vote
for five council members. Why do you wanna sh why do you wanna shorten myself with just one, one council
member every four years? That's like, I mean, I mean, diminishing my voting power by 80%. So if I, you know, I,
I want to have the voice to fire my city council. If I'm not happy with it, it doesn't matter where she's from. If
likewise, if I'm happy with that city council, with the city council, I want to have the power to reelect that city
council. It doesn't matter where, where she, or she's from. I, I don't wanna give that up. District will, you will
have to give that up because it's only one person that you will be voting for. So as a voter, as a voter who, you
know, whoever feel this file, this violation against the city in actuality, wants to diminish my voting power by
80%. And this is absolutely not acceptable as a voter. I want this city to keep at at larg e the way it is take,
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whatever it takes. I really want you guys to, to fight. And I think it's worth the fight and it's worth the money
spent.
Speaker 12 (01:20:19):
I think that at the cost district to every 10 years, we'll probably offset the cost. So thank you very much for the
opportunity.
Speaker 4 (01:20:28):
Thank you. We have just a few minutes left. Okay. Yes.
Speaker 8 (01:20:36):
Okay. Being a registered voter in Cyprus, I have the right to vote five council members, not just one of them,
correct. Why? Because those five council members serve in, in this community serve in Cypress. How can I
vote? Just one of them. That's not right. Okay. And also I would like to say who made the slight show? I think.
Okay.
Speaker 4 (01:21:05):
I will take responsibility for that.
Speaker 8 (01:21:07):
Our approval kind of like implies something I don't like, but it's okay. Nevermind. So it, it basically, you can see
I'm not go to any party. I criticize whatever. I don't like. I'm not based on liberal and conservative. Right. It's
fairly. And someone in our community works tirelessly to want to divide us, want to split our Cypress and
separate people by races. Okay. And if you want to play like Hispanic, American, black, Asian American, and
African American, if you want to play like this by race, I use your concept. Do you dare to separate the Soren
area and the mobile house next to the Bloomfield and the Carson dear you, I'm pretty sure you were not doing
that because if you are doing that, you will put a big label. What kind of personality you are. So in this, you
know, sir, you should not separate our Cyprus with different races. That's it? Thank you so much. Thank rich
Speaker 4 (01:22:36):
You. And that is the last comment I know. We have more that have come in, but we will, for those of you who
sent your comments in either by the email or the text message, I'm sorry, we didn't get to answer it live this
morning, but we will answer it. It will be part of the continuing continually evolving and growing FAQs. So I
apologize if we didn't get it during this show. So again, before we end, Mr. May I just wanna give everybody an
opportunity to know where they can send in additional comments. Clearly the issue is brought up a lot of
passions. And going back to that the phone number for text messages, (714) 699-3607. And the email address
is CV R a forum@cypressca.org. And for those of you who are in the room tonight, or those of you who are
visiting through the zoom or online the city still will have its survey open for another week. So that survey,
which is available in English, Spanish and Korean, please take the time to go to those links and to be p art of
that survey, your voice is important and I will leave it with you, Mr. Mayer, thank you for allowing me to
facilitate.
Speaker 1 (01:23:51):
Thank you, Ariana. So a special thanks to all of those that submitted questions, certainly to all of you that
joined us here today and taking time out of your day to be with us. Thank you to my colleagues, to the left and
to the right, for joining me and listening to our residents. And as I said, so for our guests my colleague s and I
will stay here for a little bit to speak with you and answer any questions that you have or any additional
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thoughts and comments and that you'd like to share. And again, thank you very much for helping us facilitate
this within our city.
Speaker 4 (01:24:23):
And there are refreshments if anyone would like to take them. And that thank you very much for joining
Speaker 1 (01:24:27):
Us. Thanks for coming out. Have a great day.
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Public Forum #1 - January 19, 2022
Zoom Log-In Data
Panelist Details
Attended User Name (Original Name) Email
Yes Diana Moreno diana@communicationslab.com
Yes Diana Moreno diana@communicationslab.com
Yes Scott Minikus sminikus@cypressca.org
Yes Diego (Martin McIntosh) martin@communicationslab.com
Yes Korean Translation 1 (Martin McIntosh) martin@communicationslab.com
Yes Korean Translation 2 (Martin McIntosh) martin@communicationslab.com
Yes Martin McIntosh martin@communicationslab.com
Yes Martin McIntosh martin@communicationslab.com
Yes Jon Peat bonniepeat@att.net
Yes frances marquez marquezfrances13@gmail.com
Yes Anne Hertz-Mallari# Mayor Pro Tem ahertz-mallari@cypressca.org
Attendee Details
Attended User Name (Original Name) Email
Yes jessicareynoza jessi@communicationslab.com
Yes Rebecca Mauss rjmauss@gmail.com
Yes DGersten dsgersten@hotmail.com
Yes Jeffrey G. dzeff@hotmail.com
Yes Joti (not right spelling) V jyotivyas101@gmail.com
Yes Philip Luebben philip.luebben@sce.com
Yes Edward Falcone falconee30@gmail.com
Yes Edward Falcone falconee30@gmail.com
Yes Studio 1 rachel@strongdancestudios.com
Yes Malini Nagpal mnagpal@aoristspeak.com
Yes Malini Nagpal mnagpal@aoristspeak.com
Yes frances marquez marquezfrances13@gmail.com
Yes Jan janridgeway@hotmail.com
Yes Val mallarival@yahoo.com
Yes Glenn Button gmbassoc2@gmail.com
Yes Luke F lukefarnell@hotmail.com
Yes Peter Grant pgrant@cypressca.org
Yes Arlene Simonds arlenesimonds@yahoo.com
Yes Jon Peat bonniepeat@att.net
Yes Colleen Janssen colleenj02@gmail.com
Yes Janice amomof2sons@yahoo.com
Yes Anne Hertz-Mallari# Mayor Pro Tem ahertz-mallari@cypressca.org
Yes Ken kball50@netscape.net
Yes Arianna Barrios arianna@communicationslab.com
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Yes Carrie ch4change2020@gmail.com
Yes Barbara Roberts bjroberts411@gmail.com
Yes Nancy nsprague03@yahoo.com
Yes Anthony Uy antzuy@gmail.com
Yes William Maxey maxeyone@yahoo.com
Yes David Burke davidedwardburke@gmail.com
Yes Brian Bosma bbosma@memorialcare.org
Yes Ed Kraemer ed@kraemer.net
Yes Scott Do scott@newman2020.com
Yes Hannah forrent2go@gmail.com
Yes Dan Willoughby dwilloughby@fullcoll.edu
Yes David N. Young editor@event-newsenterprise.com
Yes Sandhya Shimoga vssandhya@yahoo.com
Yes SS vssandhya@yahoo.com
Yes Maria Krekos mtcampos74@hotmail.com
Yes vbatt vbatts5369@yahoo.com
Yes James Harrison jgharrison@sbcglobal.net
Yes Nancy nancy0612@yahoo.com
Yes Brooke N brookebnafarrete@gmail.com
Yes Brooke brookebnafarrete@gmail.com
Yes Brooke brookebnafarrete@gmail.com
Yes Brittney Cook bcook90630@gmail.com
Yes Gay Hannah twohannahs@yahoo.com
Yes Jessica jessicawaseloff@pm.me
Yes Katie S. katieshapiro36@gmail.com
Yes Tim Hohmann hohmanntj@gmail.com
Yes Linda tierneel@yahoo.com
Yes Linda tierneel@yahoo.com
Yes Alicia Velasco avelasco@cypressca.org
Yes Alicia Velasco avelasco@cypressca.org
Yes Judy Kraemer jkraemer99@icloud.com
Yes Annika Miyashiro-Ruiz amiyashi02@yahoo.com
Yes Scott Minikus sminikus@cypressca.org
Yes Shaunna Hunter shaunnadona@gmail.com
Yes Jan Stein jnelstein@aol.com
Yes Barb Parsons barbaraparsons@yahoo.com
Yes Cora & Andy Miller avmiller2@gmail.com
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Public Forum #2 - February 15
Sign-In Sheet Data
(Please Note that not all attendees chose to sign-in.)
First Name Last Name Address Email
Anne Hertz
Hank Machal 5450 Orange Ave. Cypress, CA 90630 hmachal@machinsurance.com
Andrew Lachina 11476 Culebra, Cypress, CA 92630 lachinaslaw@gmail.com
Ginger Osman 9327 Christopher St., Cypress 90630 gosmas@uci.edu
Marlena Selga 4874 Firenza Dr., Cypress CA 90630 mselga007@gmail.com
Bonnie Peat 5612 Karen Ave., Cypress 90630 bonniepeat@att.net
Frances Marquez 6445 San Andres Ave., 90630 fmarquez@cypress.org
Bob Bestian 9199 Esther Street, Cypress, 90630 bobbestian@aol.com
Tim Hohmann 9809 Via Sonoma, Cypress, 90630 hohmanntj@gmail.com
Glenn Button 10441 Santa Elise St. Cypress, 90630 gnbassoc2@gmail.com
Public Forum #3 - February 26
Sign-In Sheet Data
(Please Note that not all attendees chose to sign-in.)
First Name Last Name Address
Tim Keenan 4157 Devon Circle, Cypress, CA 90630
Beth Culver 4412 Via Majorca, Cypress, CA 90630
Aimee Celentano 4203 Paso de Plata, Cypress, CA 90630
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Social Media Comments - January 19, 2022
41 Comments on English Video
David Halahmy
4:20
How much is this driven by partisan politics, instead of what is good for Cypress? For a small city district voting is a bad idea. Creates
division, will be constant arguments about who draws line and where. Will just cause conflicts and division. Not worth it, it's not like one
part if the city is so different from the rest. You drive 5 minutes in any direction and you are out of Cypress. There is always a real reason
these things come up, I would like to know the agenda behind this fuss? Is there some sort of special interest group promoting this?
Becky Nuanez
0:01
Thank you so much, City of Cypress for letting me watching this video of my favorite friend and a Council Member Frances Marquez
virtually for City of Cypress Public Forum - City Elections on your Facebook page tonight! I really enjoyed it!!
Becky Nuanez
1:24:50
That will be so awesome!! I really enjoyed watching this video on City of Cypress's Facebook page for the Public Forum - City Elections
and got to see Jon Peat, Paulo Morales, and Frances Marquez virtually tonight!! I'm so happy!! I'm looking forward to see you again
really soon!!
Becky Nuanez
1:16:44
How many years that you have to become a Council Member, Mayor Pro Tem, or Mayor?
Annika Miya-Ruiz
1:16:35
Would likely remain 5 due to City Council seats. Odd number for voting reasons... right?
Anthony Uy
1:15:40
If we move to a district model and a council member steps down (similar to Council Member Berry) what will be the process to fill the
seat?
Annika Miya-Ruiz
1:13:43
Will results from the outreach be public?
Becky Nuanez
58:37
I really love Cypress and 3 of my favorite friends Jon Peat, Frances Marquez, and Paulo Morales forever!!
Anthony Uy
57:32
how did Los Al get that trash cost to be controlled? and why did Cypress extend the contract to 15 years without at least trying to go out
for a competitive bid?
Annika Miya-Ruiz
53:28
Can we expect a citywide mailer (some type of engagement) regarding at-large vs. district voting? Provided in English, Korean and
Spanish to seek citywide community input and help staff/consultant provide a proper recommendation.
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Anthony Uy
52:29
Are the negatives of transitioning to a district type structure outweigh the cost of challenging the lawsuit?
Anthony Uy
51:40
What are the pros and cons for the various methods of electing council members?
Rachel Strong
44:28
I think with the number of candidates in the last election - 9 for 2 vacant seats - and the turnout for the appointment - 12 candidates for 1 -
I don't think getting candidates for each region will be an issue.
Julie A Beveridge
22:25
Personally at only 30,000 voters an at large election system seems more than sufficient to keep everyone represented
Anthony Uy
43:28
I don't know about the race issue in the lawsuit, but I think if we had representatives from different parts of the city you
wouldn't have seen the trash transfer station proposal go as far as it did nor have the Lexington Park to have ended up the way it
did.
Rachel Strong
42:32
let's just comply. the city council is intended to represent voters, and ultimately if there is still just one vote on the council for each
district no one area will have undue influence.
Annika Miya-Ruiz
39:13
Many other cities have already complied. On a quick look Buena Park, Los Al, Anaheim, Lakewood and Bellflower have voting districts
in place. Cypress should just comply. We do not have funds like HB or Santa Monica to throw away
Katie Shapiro
35:52
Was that question answered? I'm confused.
Becky Nuanez
34:27
Also, I'm so happy to see my favorite friend Paulo Morales to be here on City of Cypress's Facebook page tonight!!!
Rachel Strong
27:42
i dont think anyone thinks that.
Becky Nuanez
I'm so happy to see 2 of my favorite friends Jon Peat and Frances Marquez to be here on City of Cypress's Facebook page tonight!!!
Catherine Youngerman
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100
22:12
Cypress is spelled wrong on the slide text
Catherine Youngerman
20:20
and it costs more
Catherine Youngerman
15:57
Sounds much more costly than current system
Anthony Uy
19:26
Not sure if this is true since we already have a district type vote for the school board.
Julie A Beveridge
15:04
Is our city large enough to break it down into districts
Anthony Uy
17:34
Julie, the Cypress Elementary School District board already is a district model for representation. The city has about 30,000 registered
voters.
Malini Nagpal
15:26
My understanding is that it’s going cost in the millions to fight the law suit. Single member district election will allow for equal
representation for everyone
Julie A Beveridge
0:00
Well it might but living in the north side having one seat may not be enough to bring any changes that we may need.
Annika Miya-Ruiz
14:50
Will there be sample ballots to view? Can we submit our own map?
Anthony Uy
14:17
How will by-district voting affect the current City Council make up? Where are all the current Council members located?
Anthony Uy
13:16
Has the City reached out to the Cypress Elementary School District to understand why they moved to a districts? Can we just adopt their
district map?
Anthony Uy
11:51
How much will it potentially cost the city to defend?
Malini Nagpal
11:41
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Malini Nagpal (You): Why is the city spending so much money on hiring a consultant to do these presentations when they couldn’t spend
money on holding a special election when filling Council member Berry’s vacant position? Rational at that was given that a special
election will cost too much ($200-$250k), yet the city council is willing to spend just as much on the consult to try and convince the
public that single member districting is not good and then they will still have to pay in the millions for the law suite.
Anthony Uy
8:57
What is the opinion of our attorney on the chances of defending our current voting method? Has anyone ever successfully defeated a
CVRA challenge?
Rachel Strong
9:59
great question. Nice to see you here!
Katie Shapiro
7:15
Hi Frances Marquez! Happy to he here and support you.
Becky Nuanez
6:30
Hi Frances Marquez!!!
Becky Nuanez
4:35
Hi Jon Peat!!
Julie A Beveridge
2:37
Hi
Becky Nuanez
2:26
Hi City of Cypress!!
2 Comments on Korean Video
Becky Nuanez
I'm so happy that I got to see my favorite friend and a Council Member Frances Marquez on the stream for City of Cypress Public Forum
- City Elections on your Facebook page last night!!!
Britta Laski
I don’t understand…
1 Comment on Spanish Video
Becky Nuanez
Thank you so much, City of Cypress for letting me watching this video of my favorite friend and a Council Member Frances Marquez
virtually for City of Cypress Public Forum - City Elections on your Facebook page last night! I really enjoyed it!!
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