West Sacramento City Council votes to give street new name to eliminate offensive term
WEST SACRAMENTO — A controversial street in West Sacramento is getting a new name in an effort to eliminate an offensive term.
We first told you about this debate last year, but not everyone is happy with the alternatives.
"We're not going to all agree as a city and residents as to what a perfect name might be," West Sacramento City Councilmember Quirina Orozco said.
The city said that the street's current name, Squaw Road, is considered racist and offensive.
"In recent years, the sq word has widely been recognized as a derogatory term that is offensive to Native Americans," said John Robinson, West Sacramento deputy city manager.
Some say changing it will be a hassle for those who live there.
"It would change their electric bills, their driver's license, passport, all that," West Sacramento resident Guy Stevenson said.
There are more than 40 homes on the road and a city survey shows that most people support removing the current offensive name.
The residents' top choice for a new name was Sonoma Road, but a local Native American tribe suggested something else.
"They recommended the name Tebti, which means streams run together in reference to the Sacramento and American River confluence," Robinson said.
Some say that name is not easy to spell or pronounce.
"What is it? Tebti? It's hard for us to even understand and say the word," Said Ryan Fields. who lives on Squaw Road.
Others say Tebti doesn't fit in with the neighborhood's theme.
"In Bridgeway Lake community where we live, every single street is named after a lake and there is no lake Tebti," one resident said.
City councilmembers say it will show respect to the Native American community.
"In some way addressing the ills of the name that's been displayed in that area for so long," Orozco said.
A new name is mandated by state law which requires all places with this name to be changed by January of next year.
"We were shocked. We saw the name and said this has to go," West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero said.
Late Wednesday night, the city council unanimously voted to recommend changing the name to Tebti Road. It will now be forwarded to the state's committee on geographic names for final approval.