Tag: Chico City Council

Let’s embrace responsibility and help the unhoused

Individual stories eclipse overused term ‘criminal vagrant’
by Scott Huber | Posted February 19, 2019

photo by Karen Laslo

Chico City Councilmember Scott Huber.

After recent experiences, I’m compelled to present a counter-narrative to those who have spoken out against a “Code Blue” cold-weather shelter (and other sheltering ideas).

At the Feb. 5 Chico City Council meeting, a minority of speakers expressed their reasons for opposing a city-sponsored cold-weather shelter. Their reasons included (paraphrased) “sheltering these people is not Chico’s responsibility, it is the responsibility of Butte County or the non-profits.” Others asserted that because this form of shelter would be open to anyone it would allow for “drug addicts, criminals and sexual predators” (again paraphrased). read more

Conservative candidates take an election-day campaign to campus

Free ice cream a bonus for students who pause near BMU polls
by ChicoSol staff | Posted November 7, 2018

photo by Karen Laslo

Conservative Kasey Reynolds, running for Chico City Council and co-owner of a legendary downtown ice cream shop, provided free ice cream to Chico State students on Tuesday across the walkway from the campus polling place at the Bell Memorial Union.

By state law, election-day campaigning — “electioneering” — can be conducted if it’s 100 feet or more from a polling-place entrance.

About six students protested the last-minute campaigning with signs that noted that Reynolds was endorsed by the police union and contending that she doesn’t support “queer people,” “people of color,” “homeless people.” Reynolds and fellow conservative Matt Gallaway, also a Council candidate, were both present. read more

Council passes new Sit and Lie Ordinance

Ordinance opponents stage quiet protest; one detention
by Leslie Layton | Posted October 18, 2018

photo by Karen Laslo

Audience members turn their backs on the Council in protest.

About 20 opponents of a law that bans sidewalk lounging near businesses turned their backs on Chico City Council Tuesday night as it voted 4-3 to reinstate the so-called Sit and Lie Ordinance.

The protest was quiet and emphatic and different in character from the orchestrated disruptions at the Sept. 4 City Council meeting when Mayor Sean Morgan ordered the chamber cleared and the panel proceeded to advance the ordinance in an almost empty auditorium. (ChicoSol journalists were barred from that meeting.)

But in what he calls an act of “civil disobedience 101,” activist and ordinance opponent Patrick Newman was led from the chamber in handcuffs Tuesday after he refused to stop reading from a recent court ruling that struck down a disorderly conduct ordinance in Boise, Idaho, targetting people who were sleeping outside and on private property. read more

Chico police didn’t ask for return of Sit and Lie law

Councilman Coolidge resurrected contentious ordinance
by Dave Waddell | Posted October 16, 2018

photo by Karen Laslo

Councilman Andrew Coolidge

Contrary to Chico’s latest urban legend – one sparked and fanned by certain news media and politicians in the midst of a City Council election campaign — Chico police did not “ask” for the highly controversial Sit and Lie Ordinance to be resurrected.

The distinction of raising Sit and Lie from the dead belongs to a single individual: City Councilman Andrew Coolidge, who’s seeking re-election in the Nov. 6 balloting.

The current Council, controlled by a 4-3 conservative majority, is expected to restore the Sit and Lie Ordinance to city law at its meeting tonight – three weeks before the election, and as voters are receiving their mail-in ballots. The ordinance outlaws sitting or lying on sidewalks next to businesses during certain hours. read more

Chico’s conservative candidates haul in $200,000

Esplanade League fined, quits; FPPC still probing conservative PAC
by Dave Waddell | Posted October 5, 2018

photo by Karen Laslo

When it comes to political action committees (PACs) operating in this year’s Chico City Council race, some things have changed while one has remained the same: Big bucks contributed by big developers to a PAC backing conservative candidates.

In fact, three conservative City Council candidates and the developers’ PAC supporting them have hauled in an unprecedented $200,000 in contributions for the Nov. 6 election, compared to a total of about $85,000 for three liberal candidates.

Meantime, the Esplanade League, a liberal PAC established in 1997, filed termination papers earlier this year in the wake of paying a fine to the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). read more

Chico resurrects Sit and Lie Ordinance

Sidewalk rules divide the City Council at a tense meeting
by Dave Waddell and Leslie Layton | Posted September 6, 2018

photo by Karen Laslo

Audience members begin series of chants.

The Chico City Council, after closing the council chamber to the public and ChicoSol, voted 4-3 in a tense and emotional meeting Tuesday to resurrect the expired Sit and Lie Ordinance.

The conservative council majority voted — after an audience disruption prompted the chamber closure — to bring back an ordinance aimed at people who they say are obstructing sidewalks and business entrances. City Attorney Vince Ewing said that under a California statute, the council could close the chamber to a disruptive audience — but not to members of the press.

Even so, Chico police officers barred ChicoSol News Director Dave Waddell from entering the meeting. Freelance photographer Karen Laslo explained to City Clerk Debbie Presson that she was on assignment for ChicoSol, but Presson nonetheless instructed Laslo to leave. read more