Prior to 2004, tensions had grown as the small street parade held by community organizers evolved into a large-scale celebration that attracted thousands of partygoers, mostly students, from California and the Western United States.
"As a career emergency physician, I dread Mardi Gras like no other event," Dr. Steve Sainbury posted on the website, which also carried letters from the heads of Cuesta College and Cal Poly.
Then-mayor Dave Romero noted the event's positive history but observed that it had grown in size, with the post-riot cleanup in 2004 costing almost half a million dollars.
Cal Poly's Student Community Liaison Committee noted concerns regarding a smaller "safety zone" that would have tripled fines only in specific areas, including downtown and on Foothill and California Boulevards.
[5] In February 2005, then-Senator Abel Maldonado introduced California Senate Bill 337 (SB 337), calling for the immediate dismissal of "any student convicted, pleading guilty to, or being adjudicated a delinquent minor with respect to specified rioting provisions of the Penal Code."
[6] The Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) created a bill opposing SB 337, noting that it altered the Donahoe Higher Education Act and eligibility for Cal Grants, a form of financial aid.
"[7] In preparation for the 2005 Mardi Gras, some students attempted to circumvent the new ordinances by creating an underground event called Polygras, which was discussed online from late 2004 to early 2005.