Sarah Smith, Julia Ruiz, and Juan Garcia
Dear Las Crucens,
We need your help! Two new ordinances are being proposed to help with the crime situation in Las Cruces.
Will you please email, call, and/or attend the Monday April 29 work session to make a public comment? See below for more information and potential talking points.
THE SITUATION
TWO PROPOSED ORDINANCES
The Las Cruces police department has worked on two new ordinances to help with the crime situation. Snapshots of the ordinances are at the bottom of this email, or you can download and read the proposed ordinances in full here: https://lascruces.civicweb.net/document/198072/SOLICITATION%20AND%20SHOPPING%20CART%20ORDINANCES..pdf?handle=160DBA1DF7914506AC88FF6ABF5245F0
Shopping cart containment and retrieval ordinance:
- Requires businesses to be proactive in trying to prevent theft of their shopping carts
- Makes it unlawful to take shopping carts, possess shopping carts, and abandon shopping carts
- Imposes penalties such as petty misdemeanor charges and fines
Solicitation ordinance:
- Makes it illegal to aggressively panhandle
- Makes it illegal to solicit money on roadways (but does not prevent standing on the medians, as those types of prohibitions have not been upheld in legal challenges)
WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS ORDINANCES
These two ordinances will be discussed at the work session on Monday April 29. The ordinances are the ONLY items on the agenda for this meeting. The Mayor typically allows the public to ask questions or make comments during work sessions.
Comments and emails will be most effective if they relate to personal experiences with issues related to shopping carts or soliciting (panhandling) specifically.
NOTE: The City Council will NOT be voting on the Ordinances at the work session. They are only allowed to vote on Ordinances at City Council meetings (not at work sessions).
TWO WAYS TO TAKE ACTION
Potential talking points are provided below. Make sure to send individual emails instead of one group email if you want a response. Please be respectful in your communications for the maximum positive impact.
PLEASE EMAIL/CALL CITY COUNCIL
- Mayor – Eric Enriquez – [email protected] – 575-541-2067
- District 1 – Cassie McClure – [email protected] – 575-541-2073
- District 2 – Bill Mattiace – [email protected] – 575-541-2068
- District 3 – Becki Graham – [email protected] – 575-541-2070
- District 4 – Johana Bencomo – [email protected] – 575-541-2071
- District 5 – Becky Corran – [email protected] – 575-541-2072
- District 6 – Yvonne Flores – [email protected] – 575-541-2069
- City Clerk – Christine Rivera – [email protected] – 575 541-2115
All email addresses: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
PLEASE ATTEND THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
There will be a special City Council work session on Monday April 29 at 1pm. We need as many people as possible to attend. Even if you are not going to speak, please attend to show support for these ordinances.
WHAT: City Council Meeting
WHEN: Monday April 29 at 1pm
WHERE: City Hall, 700 N Main St, Las Cruces 88001
POTENTIAL TALKING POINTS
Here are some potential talking points about this issue. Please do NOT copy-paste these verbatim. Your communications will be most effective if you add in your own words as well. Please be respectful to make the most positive impact.
- Please support the shopping cart ordinance and solicitation ordinance.
- Shopping carts are being stolen and there need to be consequences.
- Please make it easier for businesses and families to be safe by approving the solicitation ordinance.
- [If you have any personal experiences related to shopping carts or panhandling, please share those as well.]
