HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - March 4, 1981 (37)CITY. COUNCIL
WaT£R &ATNICH. Rayon
JAMES A TY' Maym rwrefn
RtCHARDL, HUCHE'S
i"iMUT a MORMY
tES W. PINKERTON, Jr.
The President
The White Muse
Washington, D.C. 20510
President:
HENRY X GUWES, jr.
City Marapi,
MICE RA. REIMCHE
City clerk
RONALD K STEIN
City Altorml
Since the passage of the 1975 Amendments to the Voting Rights Act, the
City Council of the City of Lodi has been keenly concerned with the costs
incurred in providing multi -language elections.
The language of the Act speaks to the "State" and "Political Subdivision".
The Act's terminology, "Political Subdivision", has been determined to
include counties and parishes. All cities, therefore, located within a
county or parish ,rust comply with the requirements of the Federal Voting
Rights Act to which that county or parish is responsible for compliance.
In many cases cities have been forced to expend funds which they can ill -
afford because of the broad geographical area covered within the "Political
Subdivision"
The City Council of the City of Lodi, over the past several years, has made
a concerted effort to determine the benefits to the citizens of this community
for such a costly program. In canvassing the municipal election results
in this community during the past several years, we have not found an instance
of the Spanish language portion of the ballot within our City being voted.
Election after election we are contacted by our constituents expressing
their anger over this mandated expenditure.
In view of the present economy of the nation and the financial reversals
being encountered by cities throughout this nation, the City Council of
the City of Lodi would.ask that immediate action be taken to rescind the
multi-lingual requirements of this Acte Certainly funds presently being
expended to meet the requirements of this Act can be better spent in meeting
the ongoing needs of our community.
Respectfully,
LODI CITY COUNCIL
II1
by Alice M. Reimche
City Clerk