HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanelle Guerrero_09_16_2020 - Open Session - Agenda Item No. 6_RedactedFrom:Janelle Guerrero
To:Public Comments
Cc:
Subject:09/16/2020 - Open Session - Agenda Item No. 6
Date:Wednesday, September 16, 2020 2:52:16 PM
Dear San Bernardino Council Members,
This is to express my support of our street vendor community, and ask that you work to invest in
education and outreach before you adopt the Code Amendment to Section 5.30.120 and various
Sections of Chapter 8.01 that criminalize Street Vendors.
Leading a program with enforcement is asking for it to fail. Vendors don’t have access to
compliant carts. They need INVESTMENT NOT TICKETS! Invest in the infrastructure needed
for them to be successful so they, too, can continue to contribute to our economy.
San Bernardino City must invest in street vendors, they need comprehensive education and carts
NOT criminalization. For the past couple of months city staff and police officers are going out to
cite vendors. The city staff and proper outreach team should be working with vendors and
community organizations. Street vendors are an important part of our history. For the last 35
years they have fed our communities, including folks living or working in food deserts
throughout the city. It is time they receive investment like other small businesses.
The policy changes you are proposing only further criminalize and scale up enforcement, but fail
to properly address the real problem, which is that the proper cart required to be in compliance
DOES NOT EXIST, and therefore makes it nearly impossible to receive permits. By enforcing
these discriminatory policies, the city is choosing to enact racist and classist policies that target
and criminalize valued immigrant entrepreneurs.
Economic mobility for all residents is important and I urge you to expand educational resources
for vendors who are working to contribute to our economy. Please VOTE NO on Agenda Item
No. 6.
Sincerely,
Janelle Guerrero