FAIR AND OPEN GOVERNMENT! Thousand Oak’s Right To Vote Initiative’s Mic Farris – to run for City Council!

After much thought and with the encouragement of his family and many supporters throughout the city from his Right To Vote Initiative, Mic Farris has decided to run for Thousand Oaks City Council this November.

“It will be a fun challenge and with the enthusiasm of our supporters for fair and open government I’m sure we can be successful this fall,”  he said.

Mic is also looking forward to working closely with Al Adam, who is also seeking one of the two seats available this election. “We will work very well with Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Bill-de la Peña to lead a government that is truly responsive to citizens,”, Mic said.

Mic is celebrating his Right To Vote victory and kicking off a campaign to do even more on the Council!  ** Tuesday night, July 24, 7 PM at 3217 Peppermint Street, Newbury Park **

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Congratulations Mic Farris! You did it.

From Mic Farris to his supporters:

Thanks to your hard work and support, the Thousand Oaks City Council saw the writing on the wall, and voted 4-0 to approve our Right To Vote Initiative into law! 

They could have sent the initiative to the voters this November, but I think we can all agree – they knew better. 

I can’t thank you enough for standing up for our rights – I think the city is a better place in which to live thanks to your efforts!

Again, thanks so much for all your help! 

Mic

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Previous Posts:

Planning Commissioner, Mic Farris, initiated and drove the successful Right to Vote campaign in Thousand Oaks. It’s up for consideration this Tuesday, July 10….see info and request for action from Mic below….

 Friends,

We’re about to take the next step in making our ‘Right To Vote’ initiative the law of the city!   Again, I can’t thank you enough for helping us get to this point! 

Now that the County has verified that we have enough signatures, the Council is required to take action at this upcoming July 10 meeting

Here are the steps:

1)  The City Council receives the Certificate of Sufficiency from the City Clerk (who received it from the County) certifying that our initiative petition has enough valid signatures to be placed on the November ballot. 

2)  The Council will receive the Impact Analysis Report which analyzes the impacts of approving the initative, according to the City.  You can read their report here

3)  The Council then has two options according to state law:  A)  Adopt the ‘Right To Vote’ ordinance, without alteration, at this meeting, or B)   Place the ‘Right To Vote’ ordinance, without alteration, on the November 6, 2012, ballot for voter approval.  

The agenda item for the ‘Right To Vote’ initiative is Item 9A.  There are other items on this agenda topic, including having the City Attorney prepare an impartial analysis of the measure, authorizing the Council or Councilmembers to file arguments against the measure, and allowing others to file rebuttal arguments on the measure. 

**  The City Council meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, July 10.  Please attend and encourage others to show their support for our Right To Vote AT THIS MEETING!  **

SPREAD THE WORD!

One last thing:  I believe our initiative represents the purest form of why the initiative process is here – preserving our own right to vote when our City Council won’t protect it.  We’ve had to stay vigilant in protecting our own right to vote in Thousand Oaks, so I’m proud to have had your support through this entire effort!

Mic Farris: micfarris@torighttovote.org

LVHF Note:  City Hall / Civic Arts Plaza
                     2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard
                     Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

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The Federation congratulates Thousand Oaks Planning Commissioner Mic Farris, author of the Thousand Oaks Right To Vote Initiative, who was notified today by the City Clerk’s office that his initiative has enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot!

In order to qualify for the ballot under California law, proponents of the Thousand Oaks Right To Vote Initiative needed 10% of the city’s 72,785 registered voters (7,279 voters) to sign the petition.  The County found 8,332 signatures to be sufficient, after which the counting was stopped.  Proponents of the initiative turned in 10,421 signatures on June 11.

“We are certainly very happy and look forward to taking the next steps in making ‘Right To Vote’ law,” said Farris. 

The Thousand Oaks Right To Vote Initiative calls for an election when future vacancies occur on the City Council, and allows the vacancy to be filled with an interim appointment, but only until the election filling the remainder of the term. 

“The interests of the voters are best served by allowing them to choose councilmembers for themselves,” said Farris.  “Requiring that Council vacancies are filled through elections will guarantee the voters’ rightful place in the governing of the City.”

According to state election law, the City Council must certify the petition at the next regular meeting of the Council, which is July 10.  At that meeting, the Council may either approve the ordinance without amendment, or submit the ordinance for approval by the voters at the next regular election, which is November 6, 2012.  The Council also has an option to order an impact analysis report on the initiative; however, the Council already ordered this report as the last Council meeting on June 26.

The Right To Vote Initiative has the support of Thousand Oaks Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Bill-de la Peña, former Thousand Oaks Planning Commissioner Al Adam, author of the Thousand Oaks Term Limits Initiative that will be on the November 2012 ballot.