WATSONVILLE — About a dozen volunteers pounded Watsonville’s pavement on Saturday, Aug. 10, gathering signatures for three petitions aimed squarely at a City Council that they say has been unresponsive to residents while serving the desires of city administration.
The three petitions would seem far ranging, but all have the same root. One is a petition to amend the city charter so that a council member, if resigning from office, cannot vote on his or her replacement. The second petition would amend the city charter to require a vote by residents if the name of a park or city structure is to be changed; the third petition would change the way the mayor is selected. Currently the council votes on the appointment, but the petition would change it to simply rotate the honor between districts.
Two of the three petitions can be tied to controversies created by State Assemblyman Luis Alejo when he was mayor. Alejo voted on his replacement when he resigned, sparking a battle in court that the city spent tens of thousands of dollars to defend; and Alejo attempted to rename Watsonville City Plaza to Dolores Huerta Plaza, which outraged many residents. The vote for mayor also seemed to become much more political and controversial during Alejo’s time on the council and has remained so ever since.
County Supervisor Greg Caput, who served on the Watsonville City Council during Alejo’s tenure and after, was at Saturday’s event showing his support for the petitions while gathering signatures for them himself.
“These petitions are actually a response to the way the City Council has been pushing things and doing things — and I think it’s time that people get a little more voice on what is happening around the city,” Caput said. “What’s to blame for these petitions right now is the City Council and the way they operate.”
Caput said, as an independent voice on the council, there was no way he was ever going to be named mayor. He said it was a frustrating time. It was difficult to get issues on the agenda and the four-member majority disregarded the minority.
“An independent voice on the council should not be ignored, it should be heard,” he said.
Carlos Rico, often an outspoken resident on Latino issues, said Hispanics in Watsonville had historically been mistreated and politically ignored. But things have definitely changed over the past two decades.
“The pendulum has swung the other way. We Latinos, we outnumber the whites, but now we don’t want to be fair. I’m appalled,” Rico said. “The City Council and mayor just don’t know how to treat people.”
Caput said he didn’t see it as a racial issue, but just that a few members of the community seemed to have their own agenda regardless of residents’ opinions. He said he didn’t fear retribution from council members or the city administration campaigning against him when it comes time to run for his office again.
“I’ve got to stand up for what I believe — and I do believe in this,” Caput said.
Nine different residents started the petitions. Rick Danna, Yolanda Ruiz Danna and Georgia Acosta started the petition to fill future council vacancies by a vote of the residents. Gerry Martin, Aurora Parker and Rico started the petition to require a vote by residents to change the name of a public place; and Rhea DeHart, Delia Mendez and Cathy Perez started the petition to change the way the mayor is selected.
The petitions need signatures from 15 percent of the approximately 14,000 residents registered to vote.
“We really need this for Watsonville,” DeHart said.