Cities nationwide are moving quickly to remove Cesar Chavez’s name from buildings, parks and streets following allegations of sexual misconduct by the labor-rights leader. But while initial votes and proclamations have come swiftly, the reality of implementing those decisions is more complex and, in some cases, costly.
Even in cases where costs are minimal, the process is not. In Modesto, California, officials began the process of renaming Cesar E. Chavez Park on March 23 following a unanimous vote by the city’s Culture Commission. Residents have until April 24 to submit ideas for a new name.
Modesto’s Culture Commission will select the top three names and forward those to the City Council for a vote to determine the new name, said Jeremy Rogers, director of Modesto’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department.
“The city of Modesto has renamed a few parks in the past but never due to a situation like this,” Rogers said. “We want to be thoughtful and collaborative to capture the sentiment of our community and ensure the park’s name reflects the shared values of all residents.”
Once a new name is determined, the cost of changing it will be minimal, Rogers said. “There is only one park sign that would need to be replaced,” he said. “The cost of the sign as well as the installation would come out of the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods general fund budget.”
In Denver, a bronze bust of Chavez was quickly removed from a park bearing his name, and the park will be called the 41st and Tennyson Park until a new name is established through legislative action, a Denver Parks and Recreation representative said. The Denver City Council voted on a proclamation to rename Cesar Chavez Day — a holiday the city had observed since 2001 — to Si Se Puede Day.
“To actually change the name of the designated city holiday going forward will require a bill through the legislative process because the holiday was set by ordinance,” said Robert Austin, a council communications specialist. “It will take an ordinance to undo that.”
Costs can escalate quickly depending on the scale of the asset being renamed. San Antonio, Texas, estimates the cost of renaming Cesar Chavez Boulevard, which is about a mile and a half long, to be about $200,000. Plus, people who live on the street would have to pay $26 to $51 to update ID cards, legal documents and other records after the renaming, according to KSAT.
In Austin, Texas, renaming Cesar Chavez Street would require a City Council member or a resident who owns property on the street to make a request. The city would then hold a public hearing and council vote. Two council members, a county attorney and the mayor pro tem issued a statement March 18 in support of renaming the street.
In Phoenix, the cost of renaming Cesar Chavez High School is steep.The city will have to spend almost $2.4 million on new signage, sports uniforms, painting and turf replacement. The Phoenix City Council voted March 26 to change any streets and public buildings that bear Chavez’s name, KTAR reported.
Other cities are opting for less resource-intensive changes. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed a proclamation declaring the last Monday of March — previously Cesar Chavez Day — as Farm Workers Day. Similarly, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to rename Cesar E. Chavez Day, celebrated March 31, Sacramento County Farm Workers Appreciation Day.
Chavez, who lived most of his life in California and was one of the most influential labor leaders in U.S. history, was born in 1927 on March 31, a day that many cities declared Cesar Chavez Day after his death in 1993.
