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Appeal to the Colton City Council July I8, 2006 _ by Jess Vasquez In all my years of work in community activism I have never encountered a sadder day. Today, I get to see firsthand that corporate greed and money will be put ahead of the community's health and well being by my elected city leaders. Pve pondered for many hours as to why the city leaders are so attracted to this certain toxic danger in our city. Is it jobs? The jobs are low tech and yard jobs. The city budget will not even see a ripple from the taxes collected. Is it use of electricity? I would rather hold the city reserves a bit longer to supply the new home tracts that are now in the planning stage. Is it the development of an ancient, bedraggled eyesore? I would rather put up with the eyesore than deal with all the toxics, traffic, and fires that will blow out of the Pacific Rail property after the shredder starts up and the trash piles up. I sent each of you and every planning commissioner a detailed study by the state of Minnesota of the toxics produced by an auto shredder operation. It appears that none of you appreciate or will take heed of the damage the mercury, the PCB's, the exhaust, the arsenic and the heavy metals will inflict on the neighbors... especially the _young ones. This is called toxic racism and I have no alternative but to accuse you of being a toxic racist if you vote this shredder into the barrio. The barrio will take a major step backwards when the shredder smashes it's first car. The new brick wall and new landscaping will not keep in the creeping monster that will leap the wall and slither out and attack our developing and unborn children. I lay this responsibility on your shoulders. As long as I am alive, my children are alive, and my grandchildren are alive the community will know the names of the toxic racists who brought this poisoner into our city. I believe that there is money involved. And, by money I mean big money: I asked the city clerk for a list of donors to the city for the last five years and my eyes were opened. These public records I have gathered (and attached to this document) indicate that Charles Siroonian or his companies have contributed over $23,500 to the city within the past three years. I must remind you that this is REPORTED money. It is interesting to note that none of you have declared one penny of these gifts in accordance with the gift disclosure requirements (2.04.03) in today's public agenda. It reads: "Prior to rendering a decision in any proceeding involving a license, permit, contract, or any other entitlement pending before the city council, any council member who has received been provided a gift or gifts aggregating $50 or more in