Or maybe they’re just not happy with soon-to-be-former Mayor Isbell. Either way, they showed it.
Pasadena City Council
In a sign of waning confidence in its legal position, the Pasadena City Council voted Tuesday to withhold payment from the law firm that’s trying to prove that the city’s redistricting plan doesn’t discriminate against Hispanics.
The 7-1 vote, with Mayor Johnny Isbell absent, exposed the degree to which the mayor has unilaterally pressed for an appeal of a federal judge’s ruling that the plan was discriminatory.
Council members complained they don’t fully understand the status of the lawsuit or of the work being done by Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP of Austin.
Councilman Sammy Casados said he and other members have asked the mayor to put an update on the agenda, but he has declined.
[…]
Even council members who previously have aligned themselves with Isbell and his redistricting plan expressed concern.
Morrison noted the absence of city staff who could address questions about the lawsuit.
“Where do we stand on this thing and what is the next step?” Morrison asked. “For that reason, I won’t support this (payment).”
Only Councilwoman Pat Van Houte voted to make the $50,000 payment, but she did so reluctantly, saying it was compensation for work already completed and pledging not to vote for future payments.
See here and here for some background. The May election is proceeding under the pre-redistricting Council map, as an appeal to the Fifth Circuit to halt the judge’s order for this election was denied. The appeal of the ruling on the merits is still in process, though several candidates for Mayor including CM Van Houte have said they will drop the appeal if elected. I’m sure the city of Pasadena will eventually pay the law firm for the work it has already done, but this vote is a mighty clear indication that they’re had enough.
Pat Van Houte has opposed the redistricting and the lawsuit supporting it from the beginning but she feels it is irresponsible not to pay money you owe.
Lame duck Isbell’s waning influence and political calculations is the only explanation for the previous supporters suddenly dropping this.
If these folks had voted this way in the beginning we would not have wasted $2 Milllion plus.
Could the upcoming electdion have anything to do with the big change?
It is past time for this administration to end.