PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale has reached an agreement with the plaintiffs in the California Voting Rights Act case and will hold a series of community meetings in the future to explain the upcoming changes to its method of electing its City Council members.
Under the settlement agreement that was reached Wednesday night, Palmdale agreed to pay $4.5 million to the plaintiffs’ attorneys and implement a new voting system, beginning with the November 2016 election. [View the settlement agreement with supporting exhibits here.]
Palmdale will be divided into four districts, using a map that was drafted by the plaintiffs and ordered by the trial court. There will be one councilmember per district. Residents will no longer be able to vote for the entire city council, but rather will vote only for the councilmember for their district. The seat of Mayor will continue to be a citywide, at large vote. Palmdale will hold its elections in November of even numbered years to coincide with either the presidential or gubernatorial election cycles, and the city will request that the Los Angeles County Registrar consolidate Palmdale’s election with the general election.
The voting rights lawsuit alleged that Palmdale’s at-large method of electing members to its City Council prevented Latino and African-American residents from electing candidates of their choice.
“Such vote dilution is illegal under both the federal and California Voting Rights Acts and the courts agreed that it was taking place in Palmdale,” stated attorney R. Rex Parris who represented the plaintiffs. Parris is the mayor of Lancaster, which uses the at-large method of electing members to its City Council.
In 2013, after a trial, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Mooney ruled that Palmdale had violated the California Voting Rights Act and ordered the city to propose changes to its voting process to address the violation. Palmdale appealed and continued with its at-large election in November 2013. In that election, Fred Thompson became the first African-American to win a seat on the Palmdale City Council.
“I’m in office in spite of, not because of, this lawsuit,” Thompson stated. “My story demonstrates that this lawsuit was both unnecessary and disingenuous.”
The City of Palmdale will pursue action to encourage the California Legislature to fix the California Voting Rights Act “which in its current form leaves cities, counties and school districts susceptible to frivolous lawsuits,” Palmdale city officials said in a press release.
“It’s not just Palmdale that’s being victimized. To date, and to our knowledge, there are 25 such cases across the state, and the taxpayers are currently on the hook for more than $13.8 million dollars – with the legal meter running,” stated City Attorney Matthew Ditzhazy. City officials listed all the voting rights cases in California and settlement costs. [View the list here.]
Palmdale will hold three public meetings (on dates to be announced) to inform the public on its new voting system. All current Palmdale Councilmembers will remain in office until the next Council is sworn in following the November 2016 election.
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Previous related stories:
Court grants Palmdale’s appeal to halt contempt proceedings in voting rights case
Palmdale to appeal in voting rights case
Palmdale continues to appeal voting rights court decision despite Supreme Court snub
Palmdale to continue fighting Voting Rights Act ruling
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
AV Truth says
I didn’t see this reported anywhere, but at Tuesday’s Lancaster City Council Meeting, Mayor R. Rex Parris, who sued the city of Palmdale over voting rights, appointed Nigel Holly to his Tapestry—formerly Section 8—Commission. Mr. Holly was one of the plaintiffs the Parris lawsuit.
Does the term Quid Pro Quo come to mind?
Congratulations to Mr. Holly. We can only hope he refrains from making homophobic and anti-Semitic remarks like his fellow Commissioner Stan Muhammad. As a side note, Stan was also involved in the voting rights lawsuit but had to step aside.
William says
Where did ‘Desert Linda’ go?
I knew she was a 1 hit wonder; a shill for rex and not a regular commentator here.
She’s got nothing and won’t answer a simple question.
Good riddance!!!!
And, it appears Tim Barkas left with his tail between his legs.
Anon says
Word on the street is it’s time to cut the losses. His reputation as checkered as it was took a big hit. People smile at him but trash him behind his back. He’s throwing up photos of himself with his grandkids and kids to try to humanize himself. Even his pathetic billboards have bailed on the billion dollar In settlements BS and are now showing families he claims to have restored. His shills efforts have been useless, but expect them to regroup after their next check and come up with some other angle. It’s never boring when you’re dealing with a megalomaniac with severe anger issues. What a mess.
William says
Maybe rex could get in the ring with Evander Holyfield to ‘humanize’ himself or at get at least his lights knocked out for a few minutes.
I’d pay to see that.
How ’bout holding the fight in front of BeX in the circle thingy?
Is one allowed to box with one’s cowboy boots on?
Son of the Anti Rex says
Humanize? Surely you jest. He is an evil ogre. With apologies to ogres. Ogres do not belittle staff, contractors, residents, officials, peers,etc. Ogres do not lie. Others do not intentionally hurt people for sport.
Tim says
He did show up to an event in his gym shorts. I’ve almost recovered from it. But I think you’re onto something with holding fights in front of BeX. Those could take place early in the evening and then the drunks could take over in the wee hours.
Tim Barkas says
I just gotta say, the rampant and pathetic Rex obsession on display here is both revealing and thoroughly entertaining.
William says
Oh, wow, Barkas. Oh, wow.
Now, how is that supposed to make us feel?
You really got us good.
Read my comment below.
Son of the Anti Rex says
Having to live with the crap thrown at us by Rex sucks. Must be nice to live somewhere else. Here in the AV, if you dare go against his stupid, looney ideas, you can lose your livelihood. Think backwoods. That’s what it’s like. He is a bully. A mean, bitter man who reads a book and thinks he is an expert. But to those who watched him do and sell dope, we know who he really is. Now that he’s got a few bucks, he can afford to pay a few shills. The people know the truth, however. We know who he really is.
Uber says
Are you for real? So you have the faintest clue of who he is? I don’t think so.
William says
rex is a royal pain in the same place that Barkas likes to kiss on rex.
OG says
This Tim guy seems to be the lone Rex supporter left standing. He’s been all over facebook trying to win some rex groupy of the year award. Tim hasn’t figured out yet that no one else is competing.
If you really want to see Tim lose his mind, mention Lancaster’s questionable election practices.
Rumor has it Rex went shopping for someone to say nice things about him, and when he got no takers, Tim came saddling up to him and whispered in Rex’s ear he would do it for free. Something about having a “thing” for men who resemble Santa Clause. Or they partied together back in the days of wine, drugs and women!
Tim insults anyone who dares speak against Rex’s make believe land of perpetual “Marvelousness”! Someone should tell Rex to put a leash on it. Tim is turning as many people off Rex as Rex does himself!
William says
Ya got that right, OG.
Forget the Kenny Rogers comparison. rex looks like Captain Edward Smith of the RMS Titanic.
Only, rex is captain of the RMS Lancaster and Tim Barkas is one of the guys in the band that played as the ship went down in the North Atlantic.
Play it again, Tim.
Palmdale seems to be captain rex’s iceberg. It wins while Lancaster sinks.
So, Timmy, tell us how Lancaster benefited now that Palmdale is going to district council elections. Will it help the blvd or bring any new businesses to L-town for rex to sue?
Oh, Timmy, it must be painful to be you having to defend a real doofus like rex. You should move to New Jersey and be Chris Christie’s defender. The only thing that separates Christie from parris is most of the country. Othewise, they’re interchangeable give or take 200 pounds.
William says
Tim Barkas and Desert Linda remind me of Monty Python’s ‘Black Knight’.
They probably weren’t prepared for the backlash they received from their pathetic comments and replies.
But, they’ll keep on keepin’ on, fighting a losing war.
They won the battle of Palmdale City Council elections but are ultimately losing the war when it comes to Lancaster going down the tubes thanks to r. rex parris. They just can’t come to grips with that reality. So, they lash out helplessly much to our amusement.
Palmdale’s change to district council elections won’t make the blvd any better or Lancaster any more desirable for businesses. Or, fill all those half empty shopping centers with a Whole Foods or a Gelson’s. For a city of over 150,000 residents, Tim and Linda, Lancaster isn’t much better than it was 25 years ago. Just more Walmarts.
At least they had a Sears, Duke n Slim’s and other places to shop but no more. Even Smart n Final and Fresca II skipped town. Can you believe that Lancaster once had a Tony Roma’s restaurant 25 years ago? All gone.
Moving the fairgrounds from one side of the 14 freeway to the other side is no big accomplishment. It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the RMS Titanic.
Even Chick-fil-A, a Christian, faith based company that is closed on Sundays, didn’t locate in the ‘Christian community’ of Lancaster which has slightly more residents than Palmdale and touts itself as ‘business friendly’.
Why is that Tim and Linda? You 2 seem to know everything about everything. Please tell us.
Custard anyone?
Stinger says
Perhaps it is time for the City of Palmdale to file suit against the City of Lancaster for not having districted elections…
William says
What’s interesting or should be interesting to Tim Barkas and Desert Linda, is that most of the people who criticize, mock, ridicule and otherwise have disdain for rex parris ARE LANCASTER RESIDENTS.
I’m one of the few Palmdale residents who like to point out his rotten words and actions that have affected my city and even Quartz Hill where I know people who didn’t want the Walmart and I supported their protests.
Barkas and Linda aren’t doing Lancaster any favors with their misguided ‘public relations’ comments.
Their comments accurately reflect the obnoxious rex parris and rex accurately represents constituents such as them to the detriment of the city.
SHOP LANCASTER if you can find a place to shop other than a Walmart. Right Desert Linda? Is that where you buy clothes? I’m sure you don’t dare visit the Mall just like rex doesn’t dare show his face in Palmdale.
Tim Barkas says
And in the end, capitulation. Complete surrender. Expensive, humiliating surrender.
The “leadership” in Palmdale – misguided at best; craven to their core – has thrown in the towel, two years and $5 million dollars too late. They should be ashamed of themselves. But they are not. They are beyond shame, these self-serving buffoons.
Palmdale violated the California Voting Rights Act. This is not up for debate. It was ruled on in the courts long ago, and the city’s capitulation last night must settle the issue for even the most stubborn, recalcitrant citizen.
It’s not about Rex. It’s not about the “Cactus Curtain.” It’s about selfish, self-serving, short-sighted individuals flouting the laws they swore to uphold and betraying the trust of the people they serve.
They had many opportunities to settle this case long before now and far less expensively. But they did not. They chose to defy the courts and betray the public that elected and supported them. They allowed their personal interests and agendas to rule their decision-making.
If Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford and council members Mike Dispenza, Steven Hofbauer, Fred Thompson and Roxana Martinez had any sense of personal honor whatsoever, they would resign in disgrace.
moll flanders says
You must be on the Mayor’s payroll as his Spin Doctor! that’s what you do (Public Relations).
Stinger says
Yep. Tim is yet another lockstep, koolaid drinking parrisite. I wonder how much Parris pays him…
Anon says
Rex should ask for his money back. His shill is awful.
William says
@Tim Barkus
Are you at all willing to see the other side of the issue?
The voters of Palmdale voted to have at-large city council elections over 10 years ago.
The voters of Palmdale voted for citywide council elections when the votes were counted.
There is a large minority population in Palmdale distributed throughout the city. If minorities wanted representation based on the ethnicity or race of a candidate, they had enough people, if they were registered to vote, to vote for such candidates.
The issue in Palmdale is low voter turnout by fairly large minority groups and that seemed to fly right past the judge.
In your comment demanding that the Mayor and council members resign, the list included 1 black and one Latina council member, assuming Roxanna Martinez is a Latina and not simply has a Hispanic last name by marriage. That seems to undermine your apparently feigned concern for minority represntation in Palmdale.
Or, is it simply the expense of the litigation that concerns you? I trust Mayor Ledford and the City of Palmdale’s genuine belief that they had a good case going in, especially as they believed that a charter city could do what Palmdale did.
Where exactly was the ‘greed’ in pursuing a case you think was lost to begin with? Mayor Ledford isn’t a greedy trial attorney with billboards in the Valley boasting of a billion dollars in lawsuit judgments.
It will all work out as Palmdale forges ahead as the premier city in the Antelope Valley while Lancaster is left behind thanks to r. rex parris. The game is over. rex made big bucks while Lancaster suffered.
Barkus, are you really simultaneously complaining about Palmdale pursuing the costly litigation AND capitulating too. Did you want the City to contnue fighting the case? You seem to be playing it from both angles.
If it was wrongheaded, in your opinion, to fight the lawsuit from the start, then why your intense upset over the settlement? Do you realize that you don’t make sense?
Desert Linda says
William, whenever someone begins by talking about the other side of an issue, I can generally guess that they don’t really know the issue at all.
You made this quite apparent in your comment.
You don’t know the California Voter’s Rights Act very well at all. Your comments prove that.
it is NOT about electing minorities, it is about electing people who can represent minorities. Big difference.
It’s absurd to say that if Hispanics turned out to vote they could elect a Hispanic. That is not what the Act is about.
You also preclude the difficulty of minorities garnering enough clout to advance a candidate that would be representative. Simply having a candidate of designated hue does not fit the bill. Current appointees cases in point.
You do know that Martinez is appointed by the mayor piggybacking an appointment he made earlier? You know that the information on this relationship and process shows why we need the Act and not why we should thumb our noses at it, right? Or maybe not.
Do you think that Mr. Thompson would have won his seat in a districted election? Against the longstanding powers that be? Now, THAT would have been a fascinating process.
While the actual money trail is very telling, your money trail is just fictitious and does not reflect reality.
Tim Barkas says
Best post of the day, and possibly of the thread. Well done, Linda.
William says
Well, Barkus.
Which is it? Didn’t you read my reply to your silly comment.
You complained about Palmdale fighting the lawsuit and then complained about it capitulating. Did you want Palmdale to continue fighting the suit?
Of course you would then find Desert Linda’s comment brilliant considering what you wrote.
You 2 should get a room………in Lancaster, please.
Tim Barkas says
Bill (do you mind if I call you Bill, “William”? I mean, if you’re going to hide inside your cowardly anonymous posts, you won’t mind a shortening, right!?)
Capitulation. Look it up. It’s important. It’s all that really matters now, here at the end, at the moment of resolution. Yes, they’ve reached a resolution, finally; expensively.
NOTHING is your comments posted here is germane. Nothing. Discursive, yes. Irrelevant, to be sure. Germane? Nope.
This is about leadership; the (low) quality of leadership put on display by the elected officials of Palmdale. They were notified that their at-large election process operates in violation of the CVRA. Now read this next sentence VERY carefully, because it is the CENTRAL FACT of the whole thing:
Palmdale election process DID IN FACT violate the CVRA. DONE! FINISHED! SETTLED! How do we know that? Because they capitulated! By accepting this agreement, they ratified the findings against them, and accepted a resolution that was available to them two years and four-point-five MILLION DOLLARS AGO! THESE! ARE! FACTS!
Now, kids…you can whine about the CVRA all you want. But it’s the law. You don’t like it, go change it. But until you do, it’s the law. You can protest that the citizens of Palmdale voted in favor of at-large elections long ago. But if the citizens of Palmdale voted to prohibit Tibetans from buying property in Palmdale, that would not stand up to court scrutiny either. I’m sorry (but not surprised) if you don’t understand this, but state and federal law trumps limited local support for at-large elections in cases like this. Again, THAT! IS! A! FACT!
So, let’s review…
Palmdale’s mayor and City Council were put on notice that their election process violated the law. They were offered a path to resolution, and rejected it. They were sued. They lost. The appealed, and lost again. They were ordered by the court to stand down and take action to remedy the situation. The defied these legal court orders (GREAT example to set for our children, eh?) and appealed again.
And here’s the thing: at every step along the way they were offered settlements and easy, less costly remedies that were LESS burdensome than what they’ve agreed to now. Indeed, they could have settled this at one time for ZERO CENTS on the dollar! But instead, they decided to fight, and ran up the tab for the opposition lawyers.
The opposition lawyers should thank them. (More on THAT in a minute.)
So why did they do this? This case was not a new wrinkle in the law. It was not precedent-setting. Indeed, the precedent had already been firmly set, and reaffirmed many times. And by “reaffirmed,” I mean many other civic entities had faced this very same challenge, fought it, and LOST. The battle has been waged MANY times, and NO CIVIC ENTITY has EVER emerged victorious from this fight. Not one!
NOT! ONE!!
And Palmdale knew this. So you have to ask yourself: why did they fight? What made them think they would win this battle? What did they intend to do differently? What made them think they could succeed where every other entity that ever fought this battle failed?
Whatever it was, they were wrong. Just about as wrong as they could be. About $5 million dollars wrong – which they have now confirmed, by virtue of the settlement.
So why did they pursue this stupid, misguided, disastrous path?
Two reasons, I believe. (And by saying “I believe,” I’m acknowledging that what follows is opinion, rather than demonstrable fact):
1. They selfishly wanted to keep their elected positions, and put their personal interests ahead of their community. It is no accident that the settlement doesn’t take effect until 2016. Had they accepted the initial settlement offer years ago, the most recent election would never have taken place, and Jim Ledford, et al. would be sweeping floors in a bar somewhere.
2. The “honorable” mayor of Palmdale couldn’t stand it that the legal team that brought this case against his city included a member that has been a nemesis and rival since their formative years way back in AV history. Yes, Rex Parris was part of the legal team that sued Jim Ledford, and you gotta know that just sticks in Mayor Jimmy’s craw.
SO when this case was first brought, Jim said “NO!” Blinded by personal avarice, this community “leader” let his unrestrained animus cloud his judgment and dug in his heels! And, in so doing, he accomplished nothing, delayed the inevitable and ultimately INCREASED the costs of the settlement – which included Rex’s fees.
That’s right kids, Rex benefits financially from Jim’s stubborn, stupid recalcitrance!
This is what he brought about through his leadership” His personal adversary and nemesis benefits. His city bleeds money. And he gets to keep his job for another year, despite acknowledging that his city broke the law.
The man is a disgrace, and his council joined in the corruption. Not one of them (including the “ethnic” members) spoke out against this misguided “strategy” at any point. They are all therefore tainted by the stain of these actions, and should resign immediately.
And Bill, on a side note, take a tip from your old friend Tim: henceforth, use your full name on your posts. Have the stones to stand behind what you say, just as I do. By hiding behind a nom de guerre (look it up!) you cut your credibility by half (at least) and come off as a coward.
And I’m not just talking to “William” here. I’m talking to all of you.
My name is Tim Barkas. That’s my real name, and I stand tall behind what I write. You could all take a lesson from that.
William says
Wow! Timmy. May I call you “Timmy”? Why didn’t you tell ‘Desert Linda’ to use her real name? Oh, that’s right, you are a selective enforcer. She’s one of those 1 hit wonders that posts a comment and is never heard from again.
That was quite a rant, if I do say so.
I trust that Mayor Ledford and the Palmdale City Council acted in good faith and not from some greedy or vengeful motives. He’s the opposite of ‘wrecks’ parris.
After all, the voters in Palmdale DID vote for at-large council elections. Mayor Ledford and the Council didn’t just have at-large elections out of their own greed and selfishness.
The bottom line, as I’ve said here many time, is that Palmdale will be just fine with district elections while Lancaster continues its downward spiral under the masterful leadership of rex parris. Do you dispute that assertion?
Isn’t that called ‘poetic justice? You live in Lancaster, don’t you? Why do you have such an intense interest and reaction to this Palmdale issue as it doesn’t affect you. If it does, how so?
Lancaster doesn’t benefit one bit from this change in Palmdale’s council elections. In fact, it has suffered from parris’s leadership and will continue to suffer as long as he’s mayor. Live with that, Timmy.
You blame Mayor Ledford for the tension between the 2 cities. How blind you must be. Anyone who has been paying attention knows who the real ‘doofus’ is in the Antelope Valley.
In fact, rex’s silliness is known nationwide. And, he’s your guy. No wonder you are so giddy about the resolution of the lawsuit. rex wins/Palmdale loses. And, Lancaster loses even more. That must hurt and you won’t admit it.
Anon says
tim, it’s obvious you don’t live here or your ignorance of the political climate wouldn’t be so obvious. Let’s be upfront: Parris is a bully who hurts people who challenge him. Those of us who own businesses and could have our livelihoods affected by him can’t speak up. You wouldn’t understand that because you apparently don’t live here, so I can’t hold that against you. But we will continue to tell the truth about him in the tradition of Silence Dogood, and we will not allow outsiders to chart our course. I plead nolo contendre to the fact that I will not post my name. But single moms find it inappropriate to touch these things and expose themselves to the wrath of Rex. Glendale is most fortunate to be void of his presence-except for all his pesky lawsuits.
William says
@Desert Linda
You comment makes litle sense. It’s all over the place.
You need to read it yourself and write another one that does make sense. “…your money trail is fictitious….” What money trail are you talking about that I didn’t mention?
-Is there a low voter turnout by the minority population of Palmdale? Yes or no.
-Wasn’t the small number of minority members on the Palmdale Council in the past used as one of the justifications for the lawsuit? Yes or no
-Just how do you know that non-minority council members weren’t representing minority interests, since you said it’s not about electing minority candidates.
-You didn’t address my comment that if there continues to be low voter turnout in a heavily minority district compared to a non-minority district, that their individual votes will count more than those individual votes in a non-minority district. That is the case when a voter in Montana has a greater say in the U.S. Senate than a California voter. That was by design. Is Palmdale made up of 4 districts that joined to become 1 city analogous to how the U.S. was created?
and are you employeed by rex parris? There is something fishy about your comment.
Desert Linda says
The answers to your questions are obvious, William.
It’s even more obvious that you don’t understand that the answers invalidate your puffery.
William says
Desert Linda, if the answers are so obvious why couldn’t you answer them.
For example, is there a low voter turnout in the minority population of Palmdale? Yes or no.
We’ll just start with something simple for ya.
Your reply was ridiculous. Is the ‘obvious’ answer to that that question a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’?
If you can’t or won’t answer that, you will have shown just how nonsensical your replies are.
If you can answer that simple question, we’ll proceed to the next one. Baby steps for ya.
Your turn.
Anon says
Here is a story on the hit mailer and the pastors.
https://www.theavtimes.com/2014/04/07/lancaster-deputy-mayor-behind-last-minute-mailer/
You must be new to the area. Parris uses local churches all the time. Are you familiar with Lancaster Baptist Church and the money the city spent to put in infrastructure?
Desert Linda says
Thanks Anon. I did know that. I thought I had missed something. Thanks again.
William says
Assuming you live in Lancaster, Desert Linda, you deserve everything that rex has brought down on the city.
Anon says
Gee Desert Linda…Fred Thompson won a citywide election just like all the white west side male candidates did in Lancaster. Could Fred Thompson win a districted election? Time will tell . We will never know in Lancaster because the hypocrites who run that city won’t allow it.
William says
@Anon
I doubt we’ll hear from Desert Linda again.
When someone new shows up with a rant on 1 topic, they typically disappear after they’ve left their ‘droppings’.
At least cats know enough to bury their ‘stuff’. Not our Desert Linda.
Desert Linda says
Question for you, Anon.
Do you want Lancaster to have districted city elections or is that just a talking point that you think indicates hypocrisy?
William says
Well, well, well. Desert Linda does return.
A shill for parris doesn’t do Lancaster any good.
parris has made himself and Lancaster a laughingstock locally and elsewhere.
But, keep it up Desert Linda. Defend the indefensible.
William says
Well, Desert Linda, has there historically been a low voter turnout in the minority community in Palmdale?
Are you deliberately avoiding answering that after your lengthy diatribe?
I’m going to keep asking you as often as you post a comment.
Right now, I’m assuming that if you answer either ‘yes’ or ‘no’, it undermines your argument and you know that. That’s why you can’t or won’t answer the question.
Son of the Anti Rex says
It is about selfish, self-serving, short sighted individuals. R. Rex Parris and his ilk. He should mind his own bees wax. The people of Palmdale should rise up and file a class action suit against that clown for all the harm he has done to them. Santa Clarita too. We are embarrassed and ashamed of what he has done to your city.
William says
As I’ve written many times before, Palmdale and even Santa Clarita will be fine into the future.
r. rex parris has done more damage to Lancaster as its mayor than he’s done to either of the other cities.
What do Lancaster residents get out of rex’s succesful lawsuits of other cities and even Lancaster businesses?
When rex does harm to his neighbors, it’s hard to respect the residents of Lancaster who don’t vote and especially those who voted for rex.
The Lancaster residents who have voted against rex and his minons on the council deserve our support but how?
I wrote comments supporting Jonathan Ervin but I can’t vote for him in Lancaster. His election would have made a huge difference as rex and the rest of the ‘Yes’ votes on the council couldn’t do things behind closed doors with him in attendance. And, if they tried to do things without him, I’m sure we’d hear about it from him. It was a missed opportunity for Lancaster’s residents to sit out that election.
Is Ron Smith still on the council? Or, is that a cardboard cutout sitting there. His name is rarely mentioned any more.
moll flanders says
Get off your High Horse William! It doesn’t matter whether you do or don’t respect the citizens in Lancaster. Your self-importance is amazingly arrogant. Of course you just had to throw into your comment, all the many times you have written before that Palmdale and Santa Clarita will be fine. Get over yourself William!
bird says
Moll Flanders-why don’t you give it a rest? You keep asking for it from William.
Desert Linda says
Jonathan Ervin, if we are to believe his own story, called a developer before a vote and said he’d vote to put the WalMart in next to QHHS if the developer would pay for a building at the high school.
Besides showing the dismal lack of intelligence on his part, since he apparently knew nothing about how you get buildings for high schools, and demonstrating his utter lack of knowledge of how you shouldn’t bribe people with your vote, we still do not know if he even cared if Quartz Hill got a Walmart or not.
Yet Ledford and all of his past and current Lackeys are happy to exploit Mr. Ervin’s lack of knowledge and/or ethics to war against Parris. Pun is intended.
Anon says
That is the Parris version of events but Parris is not someone who I trust, based only on experience. One Jobathan Ervin tool a stand against Walmart, Parris turned on him and ultimately used a survey by two Lancaster pastors to smear him. Parris also put out a racist hit mailer calling Ervin a gang candidate. I made the news. Did you see it? Parris is quite the rascal.
Stinger says
Now I KNOW ‘Desert Linda’ is a parrisite plant! That little BS story by Parris is ONLY believed by his paid bloggers.
Desert Linda says
Anon, I only know the story as reported by Mr. Ervin during his recent campaign. I was going by his version because it was the first I had heard of it. I know about the mailer but not about the two ministers. Perhaps you can reveal that to me?
pirruris says
Isn’t this a conflict of interest? To sue your own cpnstitients. What are we going to do about it? I think wr should get a list of all the lawsuits that rex parris has done, while in office, and request the department of justice to look into this. We are sick of this idiot suing his own city and nearby cities. Let’s organize because the weak Palmdale City Council, will not.
Anon says
There is a list of who he has sued, or just do a Google search. He sounds proud of his new goldmine of suing cities and schools. He has sued Palmdale, Santa Clarita city and schools and Highland. He also is suing two VFW halls in the Antelope Valley. What a nice thought as we approach Memorial Day. Let’s face it-he is a low as they come. The people of Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Highland and all veterans should avoid Lancaster like the plague until the true plague-Parris-is no longer in power. He should just stay at his beach mansion and fly around in his private plane.
AV Truth says
Craven to the core? Are you serious? Let’s look at Mayor R. Rex Parris.
Says he is building a “Christian community” in Lancaster, to the exclusion of Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, et. al.
Gets into a fight with a resident at a local gym.
Purchases a building in a redevelopment zone while he was a redevelopment official, which is a violation of State law.
Closed a hotel on Sierra Highway out of fear of a Mongul convention and was sued by its owner.
Sued two Antelope Valley VFW halls for an incident that happened at a baseball game.
Had a Lancaster resident harassed and eventually arrested after said resident appeared at Council meetings and criticized him.
Appointed one of his employees as Deputy Mayor.
Appointed one of his interns and the Vice Mayor’s son as a Planning Commissioner.
Enabled the slaughter of more than 1,000 canines.
Removed the former Cedar St. Theater group leadership for not appointing “his people”.
Told the Wall Street Journal that his piped in bird sounds on the BLVD were lowering crime in Lancaster.
Compared a power plant to the Challenger disaster.
Authorized the spending of ten million dollars on the so-called Eye in the Sky plane which is owned in part by his political contributor and has yet to produce results.
Said the BLVD was better than Disneyland.
Supported a council person who made anti-Muslim statements on her Facebook page.
Selected and continued to support a Lancaster commissioner who made homophobic and anti-Semitic statements.
Sent out a racist political hit mailer that called an African-American United States military veteran a “gang” candidate.
Approved the rezoning of residential property in Quartz Hill to commercial property to allow a Super Walmart to be built across from a high school, despite the overwhelming objection of his residents.
Sued his neighboring cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita for a voting system that he refused to implement in his own city.
Held a press conference to promote a Halloween event and dressed up a doll and called it “Mayor Ledford”.
Declared “war” on Section 8 which led to a Department of Justice lawsuit.
Believes Bangladesh will disappear during his life time. (Note: he may be clairvoyant. It could happen).
Told two different stories about his knowledge of birth tourism coming to Antelope Valley Hospital. One that he knew, one that he didn’t.
Under his administration, $12.4 million was spent to build a culvert over Armagosa Creek on a property owned by his political contributors Frank Visco and Jim Gilley.
Craven to the core? Allow me to introduce to you, Mayor R. Rex Parris.
Anon says
You must be a fan of his. You only listed his good points.
John says
Section 8 DOES introduce trouble into normally settled neighborhoods. I saw more cops, helicopters, People move in and out in less than a month after cleaning out the neighbors houses, and civil disturbances in one year than I have in my entire life in a quaint town like this. It’s an alibi that the government stands up for saying “They are putting people in places for a BETTER way of life”! Democrats, bah humbug!
Look at Detroit, Atlanta,Baltimore, East St. Louis, Cleveland, South Central LA, Houston, …….
William says
Don’t ya forget, John. rex welcomed Section 8 voucher holders to fill up the vacant homes in Lancaster.
rex is a republican.
Who do you think owns most of the houses that rent to Section 8 renters, republicans or Democrats?
Remember, your tax dollars go directly to the Section 8 landlords, not the renters.
Why do you suppose that the GOP has wanted to cut everyting but Section 8 benefits. I haven’t heard any talk from the GOP about defunding the program like they go on and on about cutting life-saving health care insurances and/or Mediaid.
If you know of a republican that has supported cutting the Section 8 program or even disallowing it for large new homes with POOLS, let me know.
People not on Section 8 make do living in apartments, trailer parks and little houses built in the 1940s, so why are we subsidizng renters living in new 5 bedroom, 3 bath homes with POOLS, so that the poor landlords get a guaranteed rent payment every month and don’t have to rent the house on the open market fro probably less money.
William says
Palmdale will be fine. It has overcome many other difficult challenges before and rex can try and try as hard as he can, he can’t hurt Palmdale.
But, he sure hurts Lancaster while he focuses on doing damage to Palmdale.
Is that poetic justice or just plain old rex being stoopid? Or both.
John says
I guess he could put up more of his billboards, paint his poster on all buses, in or around Palmdale as a visual eye sore.
William says
Be careful what you wish for.
If you are a minority in a largely white district (that’s the case all over Palmdale) good luck. Even if there is a minority candidate running in your district, it’s unlikely you will be represented by a candidate who is a member of your minority, if that’s what you want.
That’s not how we are supposed to vote but the lawsuit was based on that notion, wasn’t it; minorities electing council members from their own minority group? .
You won’t be able to vote for a minority candidate in another district whom you’d like to support. And, if that candidate did get elected, s/he would be representing that district and not you.
Meanwhioe, since there is a very large Latino population in Palmdale, the real problem has been low voter turnout by that group. If they turned out to vote, there would many minority council members already, based on population.
So, we’ll have a situation where a predomiinatly Latino district will elect a council member who won with a total of 100 votes while in another district with a high voter turnout will elect a council member with 1,000 votes. I exaggerated the numbers for emphasis.
A council member elected in a low turnout district will mean that voters in that district have more representation per voter than in a large turnout district. Their individual votes will county more.
Now, that may change with district elections but we’ll have to wait and see.
Meanwhile, it will be cheaper and easier for rex to buy a council seat in Palmdale and we’ll have to be vigilant in case he tries that. Don’t count on the Valley Press to notice.
moll flanders says
Dear Mayor Rex Parris: It’s all about you; your motives, your justifications, your greed, your comfort. You’re the happiest when you can bend people to your will! You couldn’t care less about the good of the people. The only thing you care about is control, and manipulating people. Your staying power is only because you bully, harass, intimidate, and threaten. I hope for a more positive future filled with human kindness, and a sense of a tight knit community, instead of lawsuits, and contentiousness.
Lawyers in Love says
Congrats Rex. What are you going to do with all the money you stole? Buy another beach house? Buy another private plane? Pay for your Eye in the Sky? Lower than whale poop which is at the bottom of the ocean.
Elizabeth says
So, when will Parris implement this here in Lancaster? Our voting here is completely skewed and have the same issues as Palmdale. I love how Parris thinks it’s ok for Lancaster but not ok for Palmdale. He’s hypocritical because he does the same exact thing here!!
John says
Money is power. I had a buddy who told me about his juvenile past. Very interesting, not so clean.