San Jose Voters For Democracy
P.O. Box O, San Jose, CA 95151 - 0015
Phone: (408) 679-8902
www.sjvoters4democracy.com
For Immediate Release
San Jose, March 10, 2008
We thank the City Council for rescinding its vote of November 20, 2007. We further thank the Mayor for having extended his invitation to San Jose Voters for Democracy to work with the Our Voice group, Mr. Henry Lee, and the city staff to come up with a process for naming the business district. For the reasons below, San Jose Voters For Democracy cannot accept this invitation.
The “petition” by 92 business owners, used by Councilman Sam Liccardo as the exclusive basis for his “alternative motion” leading to the adoption of Resolution 74270, has been proven to be fraudulent. Dozens of purported petitioners have been speaking out publicly, emphatically stating that they never signed this petition and that their signatures were grafted onto this petition without their consent, or that their signatures were forged. Additionally, a number of the businesses on this petition are located on Senter Road, which means that they are not located within the area to be designated.
We demand a full investigation in to this matter, particularly the role that various parties, not excluding any member of the Council, have played.
Councilmember Liccardo, a former prosecutor, should have done his due diligence before using this fraudulent petition to maneuver against Councilmember Chu’s motion, one that would truly acknowledge the majority’s choice by officially adopting the name “Little Saigon” for the area. The adoption of Resolution 74270 by the Mayor and Councilmembers Nguyen, Liccardo, Pyle, Williams, Chirco, and Campos was based completely on a petition that is now shown to be fraudulent.
This has further fueled Mr. Ly Tong’s hunger strike. Today is Mr. Ly Tong’s 23rd day without food and his 4th day without water.
We urge Mayor Reed and other members of the San Jose City Council to distance themselves from those who engage in illegal tactics. Though we are passionate, we have always acted legally, ethically and in good faith. San Jose Voters For Democracy will take pride in refusing to participate in a process derived through unlawful means. We simply cannot collaborate with those who break laws.
San Jose Voters For Democracy strongly urges the City Council to immediately hold an emergency meeting to rescind Resolution 74270, and to re-vote to approve the name “Little Saigon” for the area.
For more information, please contact Barry Hung Do at 408-679-8902.
