On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022, Republican and Democratic members of the Irvine City Council alike will likely vote to curtail your right to speak either in opposition or support of their proposals. They will also shorten the amount of time you have to prepare such a response. 

They claim to do it in the name of "efficiency." But that truly means that they consider our oversight of them to be an extravagance -- not a feature of the government of Irvine, but a bug. That is how little regard they have for democracy.

And, truthfully, it should come as no surprise. The system of elections by which we, the sovereign electorate of this city, allow them to achieve office routinely allows for the victor to win without a majority of votes cast.

So, tomorrow, five people who do not enjoy a popular mandate will vote as to whether what little say we actually do have in their conduct should be nerfed and rendered a shadow what we currently enjoy.

Tell them NO. Cynics love to tell you that democracy is a fool's errand, but that is only ever guaranteed to be true when we do not stand up to those who want to seek to rob us of our power. Democracy is only as real as our insistence that we, the people, rule. Let the Khans and Carrolls of the world have their way, and the cynics are right. Stand and make noise, and insist on our power, and watch them shrink from the audacity of trying to steal it.

Please oppose agenda item 5.1 by doing one or more of the following:

1. Email the City Council at IrvineCityCouncil@cityofirvine.org

2. Make a public comment in-person this Tuesday.

3. Call in and make a public comment via Zoom on Tuesday.

4. Submit an e-Comment here: https://irvine.granicusideas.com/meetings/1957-supplemental-agenda-city-council-regular-meeting-and-regular-joint-meeting-with-the-city-of-irvine-as-successor-agency-to-the-dissolved-irvine-redevelopment-agency/agenda_items/622ac3317d796536d90014f6-5-dot-1-update-to-ordinances-policies-and-procedures

5. Spread the petition: https://www.change.org/p/save-the-sunshine-ordinance/u/30345291?recruiter=859936050&utm_source=share_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive&recruited_by_id=e86f1ee0-5edd-11e8-91db-47753091a78a