Resolution 1999-69
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RESOLUTION NO. 99-69
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY
OPPOSING B. F. GOODRICH "SCORCHER TIN' BRAND OF
COLOR-TREAD TIRES
WHEREAS, B. F. Goodrich Tires, a unit of Michelin, has announced plans to market the
"Scorcher TIN' line of tires having colored tread bands, and these colored tread bands are capable
ofleaving colored markings on street and roadway surfaces in the same manner as black tread
marks are left on these surfaces; and
WHEREAS, the B. F. Goodrich promotional material also makes clear that these tires will
leave these colors in the tread (skid) marks left on street surfaces during rapid acceleration and
hard braking stops. It is illegal to encourage anyone directly or indirectly to willfully leave tread
marks on streets. Leaving such markings is adding to the environmental hazards of contaminants
left on street surfaces, where rain water runoffs into storm drains can carry these hazards into
rivers, creeks, bays, deltas, and other such waterways, creating environmental and water quality
problems; and
WHEREAS, B. F. Goodrich Tires has chosen the colors Red, Blue and Yellow for these
tire tread colors, and the colors Red and Blue are the two primary colors chosen by gangs.
Regardless of the nature, background or ethnic makeup of the gangs, gang members are "loyal" to
their color choice and gang members are prone to violent behavior against anyone displaying a
color of an opposing gang. Gang members are known to leave graffiti written in their gang color
in opposing gang territory to insult and intimidate rival gangs, thereby provoking violent actions
in response from the rival gangs. The B. F. Goodrich colored-tread tires will provide a new
means for gangs to leave their color marking in rival gang territory, and such markings will be
very difficult to remove, increasing the level of insult and intimidation imposed on the rival gangs;
and
WHEREAS, B. F. Goodrich promotional material makes clear that these colored-tread
tires are intended for the "customization" aftermarket for cars, and this market segment is usually
considered to be adolescent males, and these males are usually the primary age group of gang
members in California.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of Gilroy
hereby asks the B. F. Goodrich Tires and the Michelin Company to recognize their social and
environmental responsibilities, and consequently voluntarily abandon this colored-tread tire
product line and therefore prevent the environmental and social problems these tires can
potentially cause, and failing this course of action,
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RESOLUTION NO. 99-69
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BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the City of Gilroy will ask our legislative representatives
on the State and Federal levels, to initiate legislation prohibiting the use of these color-tread tires
on our streets and roadways, and that we will also ask our law enforcement officials to use the full
power ofthe Laws of this State and of the United States to prevent the use of these color-tread
tires on our streets and roadways, and that we will also ask our local legal counsels to seek civil
court action and remedies to prevent these tires from being used, and to cover any cleanup cost
incurred by cities in removing any colored-tread markings these tires may leave on our streets and
roadways.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of August, 1999 by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ARELLANO, GIFFORD, MORALES,
ROWLISON, SPRINGER, SUDOL, GILROY
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
7C~ctG~,
K. A Mike Gilroy, Mayor \
ATTEST:
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Rhonda Pellin; City Clerk
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RESOLUTION NO. 99-69
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I, RHONDA PELLIN, City Clerk ofthe City of Gilroy, do hereby certify that the attached
Resolution No. 99-69 is an original resolution, duly adopted by the Council of the City of Gilroy
at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 2nd day of August, 1999, at which meeting a
quorum was present.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of
the City of Gilroy this 4th day of August, 1999.
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City Clerk of the l;ity of Gilroy
(Seal)