AgdaPkt 2020-06-15 Special Virtual BCC Interviews AMENDED

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From: Nisha Masharani To: PublicComment Subject: Public comment on Agenda item 4 during Monday, June 15 city council meeting Date: Monday, June 15, 2020 11:56:22 AM Hello, my name is Nisha Masharani and I've been a resident of Redwood City for 2 years and have lived on the peninsula my entire life. My comment relates to the board, commissions and committees interviews. First, for the Housing and Human Concerns Committee. As we know, access to safe, affordable, and accessible housing is a priority for Redwood City. Committee members should be willing to advocate for policies that will improve conditions for all residents who are impacted by the current gentrification and rent crisis. As a result, I encourage the Council to appoint Stasha Powell, Angela Piazza, and Katie Goetz to the Housing and Human Concerns committee, given their strong track records in supporting affordable housing for all. Regarding the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission, there appear to be many fine candidates. However, I recommend the council not reappoint Jim Dudley. Jim Dudley has pushed for more law enforcement in public spaces and supports policing policies that have historically targeted communities of color. For example, Jim has advocated for increased police presence in schools, despite discomfort expressed by local students and teachers, including in the Sequoia High School Raven Report this past year. In addition, he supports broken windows policing measures, which have been historically used to promote racial profiling and encourage gentrification, both of which harm our communities of color. In addition, Jim contributed material for a book by Heather MacDonald, a political commentator who supports policing practices that are known to harm racial minorities, including stop -and -frisk tactics. For example, MacDonald once told Rush Limbaugh that former President Barack Obama is "'attacking the very foundation of civilization' by giving credibility to Black Lives Matter." She also argued that Donald Trump is not racially divisive because he "rarely uses racial categories in his speech or his tweets." In addition to providing Heather material, Jim frequently supports her inaccurate positions on social media. Given his long history of advocacy for policing that harms minority communities, I believe Jim is not the right fit for helping to guide our parks, which are critical for all of our community members, including our communities of color, who Jim advocates for policing more strongly. By appointing Stasha, Angela and Katie, and not reappointing Jim, the City Council has a chance to prove that they stand in solidarity with all the communities that make up our fine city. Thank you for your time.