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City Council Meeting Minutes April 7, 2020 <br />prove themselves. If they are just given this HAND OUT, there is no work on <br />their part. They are not going to be held accountable. They are not going to <br />show up to court. They will just keep committing crimes over and over <br />because they know they will not suffer much of a consequence. I do not think <br />that the council, as an elected body, should make law enforcement decisions. <br />Those decisions should be left to the very people trained, hired, and prepared <br />to do the law enforcement tasks. We all need to stay in our lanes. This lane, <br />council, is not yours. You should continue to legislate and make the laws and <br />ALLOW the officers to retain their discretion. Therefore, I oppose the cite and <br />release ordinance. I do not agree that you should pass that ordinance. I <br />would hope you would consider this response in your decision-making. You <br />have all been elected by the people. To keep victims (law abiding citizens) <br />whole, you should not pass this ordinance. Support your law enforcement." <br />Cristina Zamora: <br />"My husband, the late Aguinaldo Zamora, and I lived through the civil rights <br />movement of the 60-90s in our efforts to desegregate the schools, create <br />single -member districts and fight the discrimination of our time. My husband <br />was viewed as a threat and a troublemaker by many in our community for <br />many years. A decade later after the desegregation suit was won did many in <br />the community begin to have respect for my husband and I for what we fought <br />for in our community. The injustices we lived through and time has taught us <br />that yes, the doors had to be opened for many in our community. We later <br />saw that many walked through and achieved great things with the education <br />THEY achieved. An open door was only but a step that led to success. <br />Commitment and dedication, study, hard work and personal sacrifices, led <br />many the rest of the way. So, we arrive at the Ordinance 2020-18. Yes, we wish <br />to open the door as it should be. As we saw in the system of education not <br />every child walked through the door. Some were unable and others unwilling <br />to do what was necessary to get a degree, start a career and achieve their <br />dream. That is the reality that time has allowed us to see. This ordinance is <br />similar in that opportunities for correcting a mistake should apply to all those <br />that are eligible. But consideration should be given to the reality that some <br />will overcome with such an opportunity and for those the struggle is just and <br />right. Others will choose the opposite. In reforming the system there must be a <br />balance between public safety for all citizens, the rights of victims, and the role <br />of law enforcement. Society expects that its citizens will follow the law and if <br />they don't consequences will follow. In my view, this ordinance is more about <br />achieving a guaranteed outcome which leads to avoidance of an arrest for <br />those who choose to continually break laws. Is the guaranteed outcome meant <br />to condition offenders to avoid consequences? If so, that type of system will <br />City of San Marcos Page 6 <br />