Where We Stand Update

We need expedited action by CA Attorney General Rob Bonta to enable CD10 constituents to challenge the City Council’s failure to comply with the Charter’s provisions regarding term limits. We welcome his review. We are confident he will grant CD10 constituents standing to argue the issue of appointment of a term-limited former Councilmember to the unoccupied CD10 seat.

The court’s decision was a technical, procedural ruling: the City pursued a legal maneuver to deny CD10 residents standing to enforce provisions of the City Charter related to term limits. The City did this in order to avoid a decision by the court on the merits of the argument.

The City Council must adhere to the rule of law. The City Council must consistently abide by the Charter. It cannot pick and choose which provisions to honor. To do otherwise is to further erode its reputation and the public trust as well as violate the voting rights of CD10 constituents and residents.

We are disgusted by the process, particularly its lack of transparency and accountability to CD10 constituents. CD10 overwhelmingly supported its duly elected representative based on the vision of the district he articulated in a months-long campaign.

CD10 voters elected a Councilmember with a vibrant vision for our district. As a temporary appointee of the City Council, the CD10 interim representative will be making decisions for our communities that will last beyond when his temporary appointment is supposed to end.

The big question we must ask is, “How starkly do the temporary appointee’s views differ from our elected Councilmember?” For CD10, our key issues are: homelessness; economic development; arts and culture; competitive contracting; land use; public safety; community engagement; democratic participation; and district services. Does the temporary appointee share this quality of life vision for CD10? It is critical that we know. Perhaps had there been an open community selection process we would.