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Becerra, Alexis From: Jesse Rodriguez < Sent: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 11:48 AM To: eComment Subject: Public Comment Regarding Item 23 — Support for SAPAAL and the Youth Commission Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana.Use caution when opening attachments or links. Honorable Mayor Amezcua, Honorable Mayor Pro Tern Penaloza, and Esteemed Members of the City Council: Thank you for your service to our community and for the opportunity to address you today. My name is Jesse Rodriguez, Vice Chair of the Youth Commission and a resident of Ward 6. 1 am writing regarding Item 23 on the June 2, 2026 agenda. I respectfully ask that you allocate funding to preserve the Santa Ana Police Athletic & Activity League (SAPAAL) and expand its programs to serve junior high and high school students. I strongly support SAPAAL because it provides my peers with a safe place to learn, grow, stay active, and build positive relationships. These programs play an important role in strengthening our community and helping young people succeed. Additionally, I respectfully request that the Youth Commission remain in place. Civic engagement is essential in teaching young people how local government works and empowering them to use their voices to advocate for parks, programs, and services that benefit their community. Through the Youth Commission, students receive hands-on experience in public speaking, leadership, and community involvement, skills that cannot be fully learned from a textbook. Rather than reducing funding, I encourage you to continue investing in youth programs and explore opportunities to expand them so they can serve even more students throughout Santa Ana. Thank you for your time, consideration, and commitment to the youth of our city. Respectfully, Jesse Rodriguez Vice Chair, Youth Commission Ward 6 Resident i