South San Francisco, CA June 29, 2018
The South San Francisco City Council has approved the district election map during the Wednesday Council meeting and have chosen map #109 which is shown below. To all the neighbors who put forth the arduous task of creating maps, showing up for the meetings, engaging others – thank you!
This change in voting from ‘at large’ to ‘district’ was brought about due to a threat of a lawsuit by attorney Kevin Shenkman, to which City officials decided it would be prudent to avoid excessive legal fees with the chance of not winning and realizing this change may be a benefit to local voters. {background info CLICK HERE} This same issue was brought up in 2016 by South City resident Michael Harris in his letter to then Mayor Mark Addiego {CLICK HERE} This subject was again broached in 2017 on Everything South City {CLICK HERE} when neighboring City Menlo Park was also threatened by a lawsuit. In April of this year our City Council agreed to ‘District Elections’ and began the process of identifying voting districts by inviting residents to create mock up maps which the City has shared on their website {CLICK HERE}
The City website states the proposed election sequence ‘The City’s historic Council election cycle has two Councilmembers up for election in 2020 and three in 2022. That cycle will continue with two districts up for election in 2020, and three districts in 2022.’ and further updates ‘On June 20th, the City Council selected Map 109 with Districts 2 and 4 to have elections in November 2020 and Districts 1, 3, and 5 to have elections in November 2022.’
It is important that neighbors be aware of the district boundaries for their neighborhood and to utilize upcoming opportunities like National Night Out or homeowner/renter group meetings to join with others in their area and discuss who might represent them during their election cycle.
UPDATE February 14, 2019 New map and list edit
The City Council had been asked to form vote by districts many times, but they refused, and it wasn’t a person of color or ‘minority’ making the request.
Two members have been representing SSF for more than 2 decades, times and neighborhoods change.
They hired a city manager who is doing what THEY want for us and not listening to our pleas. Local government is supposed to be our first defense dealing with local issues. The lifers on the council do not want to let go of their hold on this city. Time to cut them loose. Glad we have vote by district in SSF even though — again, it was THEY who chose the map. They controlled the process when it was supposed to be a neighborhood effort. The hostility shown by the council is further evidence how out of touch they are with the voters. One member on the council was Hispanic,but appointed, only then as an incumbent, elected. Incumbents have an easier time at election time. But, first time elected, not one Hispanic on the council. Important difference – blame politics. District elections will be reality anyway, just a matter of time, mandated by the State.
The City does nothing until they are forced through legal action. You can see that by the opinions given by 2 of the council people. They didn’t want this, and ultimately it is a good thing for us all.
I was against district elections — that is, before the PUC site was going to be developed into an 8- to 15-story monstrosity right in the middle of town causing grief to everyone — except the developer and the City Staff’s “vision” for our City. I am totally against the attorney making a living suing municipalities esp. when SSF has a diverse City Council, meaning the only ethnic group not represented at this time is Hispanic, but we had Pedro Gonzalez for years on the CC.
I think this will now make the City Council more in tune with the wants and needs of our residents by holding town hall meetings and sending out email notifications of what is on the horizon as our city metamorphoses into build, build, build, traffic, traffic, traffic, gridlock, gridlock, gridlock and the loss of quality of life.
I hope I don’t have to hold my nose to vote for my district council person, as I do with the National and State elections.