PALMDALE – The city is not ready to call it quits on maintaining its at-large elections – despite the fact that no California Voting Rights Act lawsuit has ever been successfully defended in the state.
Instead, Palmdale perceives the lawsuit as a passionate struggle to fight “interference by outside special interests.” So said Palmdale City Attorney Matthew Ditzhazy in a press release this week.
The press announcement appeared to be a public vow to never concede defeat. Instead, the city plans to appeal its ongoing voting rights case to the California Supreme Court, now that the 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on May 28.
The May 28 judgement upholds Superior Court Judge Mark Mooney’s ruling from November 2013 that supports the plaintiffs’ assertion that Palmdale’s system of at-large council seats dilutes the influence of minority voters. The team of plaintiffs, spanning five law firms, includes attorney Kevin Shenkman, Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris, and V. Jesse Smith, president of the Antelope Valley chapter of the NAACP.
Seeking to change Palmdale’s elections to district-by-district voting, plaintiffs say the city’s at-large election system violates the state’s 2001 Voting Rights Act, which safeguards against the disenfranchisement of minorities.
Palmdale City Attorney Matthew Ditzhazy expressed both frustration and irony with the court’s ruling to invalidate the city’s Nov. 5 election, which would overturn the electorate’s decision to seat the city’s first African-American, Frederick Thompson, on the council.
“Certainly we are disappointed that the will of the voters, who elected the first African-American to the City Council, will not be honored at this time,” Ditzhazy said in a May 28 press statement.
The Palmdale City Council reacted to the ruling last Wednesday by voting unanimously to request the state Supreme Court to review its case.
More bad news followed when the city learned on Friday that it would have to pay the plaintiffs more than $3.5 million for fees and costs related to the voting rights lawsuit. However, city officials said the payout is pending based on the results of Palmdale’s appeal with the state appellate court.
Expressing outrage that the plaintiff’s attorneys were not satisfied with the award money from the lawsuit, Ditzhazy said it was apparent that greed was the true motive behind the lawsuit.
“After initially trying to grab over $5 million in fees, Parris apparently just wasn’t satisfied with the court’s opinion of the value of his services,” the city attorney said in a statement. “In any event, the City believes that ultimately it will prevail and that the recent award will be reduced to zero.”
Ditzhazy continued to argue that Palmdale’s status as a charter city empowers its constituents to decide the city’s own procedure for conducting elections.
“Under the California Constitution, a charter city has plenary authority over the manner and method of selecting its representatives,” said Ditzhazy, noting that “Palmdale voters spoke in 2001 by rejecting district-based voting and again in 2009 when enacting the City Charter and maintaining at-large elections. We believe the California Supreme Court will agree that the City’s current at-large election system is appropriate.”
Palmdale is nearly 60 percent Latino and 15 percent African-American, according to the latest Census report. However, only one Latino and one African-American have been elected to the Palmdale City Council since the 1970s.
After a study was requested by the Lancaster City Council to examine its own adherence to the California Voting Rights Act, the city’s Elections Committee determined that Lancaster was in compliance with state law regarding minority voting rights.
In a released statement from its Feb. 18 meeting, Lancaster’s Elections Committee announced that not only was Lancaster in compliance, but “where racially polarized voting may have existed in some prior elections, the candidate of choice of the minority group was elected.”
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Previous related stories:
Thompson appointed to council vacancy
Lancaster compliant with Voting Rights Act, expert claims
Palmdale to residents: All elections are on!
Palmdale to appeal judge’s decision to cancel council election
Shenkman/Parris file injunction to halt Palmdale election
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Danny says
An AA didn’t work as president so what make you think he would work as a mayor. Got your attention this has nothing to do with race its just he easiest thing to claim. White america will always be called a racist if something is said or won by them that the other feels wasn’t “fair”. Hire white lawyers that have no morality to start with and their you go just another form of racism under the cover of darkness “no pun”.
William says
I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.
PricklyPear says
Palmdale just needs to go to district voting, fighting the inevitable is a waste of taxpayer money. The funny part is, is that Xavier Flores’ choice of candidate still isn’t going to get elected. The same people who don’t vote now aren’t going to start voting all of a sudden because of a switch to district elections, the thought’s laughable.
William says
It’s a terrible law except in egregious circumstances.
The problem in Palmdale is low voter turnout and not that minorities are being deliberately underrepresented.
If Palmdale goes to districts and a minority district has a low voter turnout as in the past, a councilmember could be elected with a very few number of votes compared to another district that might have a much higher turnout.
The latter district’s voters’ individual votes won’t count as much on the council as the low voter district voters’ votes.
If 5,000 people vote in one district and get 1 councilmember and 500 vote in another district and get 1 councilmember, that also isn’t fair. I exaggerated the numbers to make the point but it’s valid even the it were 5,000 to 4,000.
Besides, Latinos AREN’T a minority in Palmdale.
mi·nor·i·ty noun, often attributive \mə-ˈnȯr-ə-tē, mī-, -ˈnär-\
: a number or amount that is less than half of a total
: the group that is the smaller part of a larger group
: a group of people who are different from the larger group in a country, area, etc., in some way (such as race or religion)
This is getting ridiculous.
Jay says
Yeah let just live 4/5 council member live in the westside….. Eastside is ignored compared to the “World Class” Rancho Vista. Pearblossom Highway from the 14 to fort Tejon Rd is in terrible conditions, has been. But its not Rancho Vista or 10st west….. Its the road the poor communiting Eastsiders drive in.
Jay says
Like I said before.. I support what is being done but not the way it is being done.
William says
@Jay
I believe there are more people living in central and east Palmdale and if they aren’t voting why are they complaining?
Like I said, it’s the low voter turnout. Rancho Vista residents only get 1 vote per person unless you know otherwise.
I didn’t know that the City of Palmdale did road repair on the Pearblossom Highway. Is that true?
Matt K says
No, the state of California does it through CalTrans, usually.
Get Out Much? says
Uh, have you been down 47th East in a while? 20 years ago it was practically empty. Now I can do most of my shopping there and grab something to eat. That Westside council has done a lot for us eastsiders which is quite a feat considering how far it is from the freeway. Hint: businesses like freeway access.
William says
Doesn’t Mayor Ledford live on the east side of Palmdale? So, that’s why he favors the west side. LOL
Plus, 25 years ago, there was nothing on the west side at all when I moved there.
As for freeway access, has anyone ever realized why the old Factory Outlet and the BLVD have no freeway access to Lancaster Boulevard.
Lancaster was the big deal way back when they built the 14 but they neglected to put on/off ramps there. They have them further north on avenues where there is nothing. I never understood that.
Maybe that’s why the Factory Outlet was a bust and the BLVD is a pain to get to unless you live in the neighborhood.
Voter says
Maybe the best solution would be to make Palmdale have the same election system as Lancaster.
William says
Good one. I like the way you think.
William says
I wonder is Lancaster residents would be allowed to wear “Rex Parris is a PIG” T-shirts to the council meetings.
If they can pray at the meetings under the First Amendment, then why not be able to ‘freely express’ by wearing a T-shirt saying that? The reiligious folks and the vegetarians can step outside the room or not, like they expect atheists to do when they pray.
Of course, the slogan would have to be on the front and back of the T-shirts so they can be seen on camera on TWC 28. If Rex tried to ban them, then he could be sued and that would draw attention to his ‘piggishness’.
Anyone know?
Eric says
You pay for it, I’ll wear it. I’ll see that we get the Captain one as well, sure he’d like one.
William says
Hmm. Me and my big mouth. I’ll look into it.
GettGrip says
Parris is a complete idiot who has ruined what little life the AV has to offer in the first place. Why voters continue to vote this guy back into office is beyond comprehension. Since he took office Parris and his questionable leadership has been instrumental in fostering half the problems in the AV and he is only in it for himself and his(neck deep in conflict of interests) law practice. This guy thinks he’s so above the law (must run in the family) that his wife was found with a loaded gun at LAX airport.
Red says
How is it even possible he can show his face here. I have to say Mayor Paris is consistently shameless in is pursuit of$$$ and power. I say we need to write in Jonathan Ervin, Steve Fox and then Steve Knight, then he’s has to resign from the Senate and Governor appoints new Senator, that’s the best we can do. Next city council race let’s get it together, cuz this really ruining this valley.
Yakkity yak says
Parris is a pig and an embarrassment to the City of Lancaster.
William says
@Yakkity yak
How dare you compare Rex Parris to a pig.
Pigs are intelligent animals. They roll in the mud because they don’t have sweat glands so they can cool off and the water in mud evaporates more slowly than water alone cooling them longer and it helps them avoid sunburn.
Rex Parris rolls around in the mud come election time because he is a filthy, rotten campaigner. See, pigs ARE smarter.
Rex isn’t done embarrassing Lancaster yet. He wants it to hit rock bottom so that everything will be looking up from there. That’s like hitting your head with a hammer over and over because it feels so good when you stop.
But, it would be kinda nice to see Rex with an apple in his mouth over a slow fire and some Hawaiian music. Rex, the SPAM of Lancaster.
The only people that like Rex less than I do are everyone else.
QT_1 says
and he hates those who cases he takes with his law firm…I still can’t figure out how he can be mayor, an injury attorney, and a business partner of damn near every store on Lanc Blvd. He also hates all things PALMDALE.
William says
Apparently, Rex’s hate and envy of Palmdale is good for Palmdale as new businesses keep opening here instead of his godforsaken city.
It keeps getting better and better in Palmdale while Lancaster keeps falling further behind.
Whatever money Lancaster residents save by having solar panels on their roofs, they’ll spend it on gas driving to Palmdale for shopping, dining and entertainment.
Cary says
Give Lancaster residents a break. A lot of them didn’t vote for Parris (unfortunately, not enough). Like a lot of elections, turnout is the problem. Palmdale shopping isn’t that far away either, much of SFV go the same distance for the big malls.
Koo Koo says
How dare you call our mayor a pig! Pigs serve a useful purpose. They provide pork (ham, bacon, sausage, chops), hides, and animal chew toys.
pirrurris says
Its all fun and games until Rex gets investigated by the FEDS. Still don’t understand why people keep voting for him.
Son of the Anti Rex says
We can only hope an investigation is forthcoming. It would make Bell look like a candy store theft.
Koo Koo says
Ron Smith was obviously the “choice of the minority group elected” in the Lancaster last election. His support for Arizona immigration policies clearly resonated with the Hispanic community. (This would be sarcasm for the Parris crowd in case they didn’t get it.)
William says
The only thing that crowd ‘gets’ is $$$$$s.
And, that’s why we luv ’em so much.
Red says
@Eric, you leave fellow Americans to die and you think anyone respects you and your Iimitless hypocrisy, you do know Jonathan Ervin is running in November. NO more Grumpy Old People, Eric.
Eric says
“you do know Jonathan Ervin is running in November”
No; Ervin ran for a city council position, which was decided earlier this year. I voted for him.
Red says
@Eric, THERE is a runoff in November it’s not decided. I’m not deciding between dumb and dumber, I’m writing in Jonathan Ervin, spread the word cuz we need to make a as statement.
Eric says
“where racially polarized voting may have existed in some prior elections, the candidate of choice of the minority group was elected.”
Lancaster’s fancy way of saying that the black guy (Ervin) lost the election, while the two white candidates were elected in. Who polarized the voting in Lancaster for the last city council election? Rex, Crist, Smith….