Defund the police, and you’ll be on your own
All American lives matter. At CHAZ or CHOP, five shootings, five injured, two murdered, multiple rapes, robberies, extortion, etc. The first teenager dead was not allowed medical help with a police escort. Do you know his name or even care? I thought black lives matter, all lives.
Dad was not notified by anyone not even the hospital, but by two friends two days later not from the city. Trump called the dad and Fox talked to him but not Seattle. Washington Post and the FBI stats for oneyear averages: 7,500 blacks killed by gunfire and 6,500 from other blacks; 770 by nonblacks or cops. 230 by cops — of those two-thirds were nonwhite, leaving 77 white cop shootings and all but 10 were proper. Six of the 10 at trial were acquitted, two guilty of manslaughter, and two still in court. Just facts, I know.
The mayor of 10 years bankrupt Vallejo, “with less police a person cannot walk the streets, park on the street, iffy in your own garage and 20 keys to open the front door while exposed to mayhem.” That is defunding in view. Murders have doubled in New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, and St. Louis. Hesitant police will only investigate after the crime, not protect you or your property before or during the attack. You will be on your own.
— Chuck Jasper, Chico
Housing presentation was filled with misinformation
First, a big shout out to the nice work done by City of Chico on the new website! It looks great as is easy to navigate.
Thank you.
Second, there is no notice of any meetings of the city council’s ad hoc housing committee (Stone, Ory, Huber) on the website because ad hoc committee meetings don’t require public notice. That’s why the public did not know that the housing committee received a presentation in June on the city of Davis’ inclusionary zoning ordinance. That presentation prompted their council report requesting an inclusionary zoning policy.
In looking at the presentation posted to the July 7 council agenda, it’s clear the presentation was filled with misinformation and had little application to Chico’s demographics and housing prices.
Last year this ad hoc housing committee received facts from locals on why inclusionary zoning will result in fewer and more expensive housing units in Chico. The April summary report from the housing committee does not recommend inclusionary zoning.
Now they are ignoring those facts and chasing after Davis’s inclusionary zoning model? Have you seen the price of homes in Davis? The household income, number of jobs in the area?
It’s a shame the housing committee is trying to disincentivize housing investment, while there are 1,500 low-income units currently proposed for our area, 50% of which would be in Chico.
— Kate Leyden, Chico
Making the best of a bad situation
In honor of my 76th birthday, the California DMV sent me a notice that I must appear in person at the DMV office to renew my driver’s license. I attempted to comply with this directive on two separate occasions. Both times I couldn’t make it past the front door because I didn’t have a “reservation.”
When I asked how I could get a “reservation” they responded that they’re not giving out any new reservations now. I then reasoned that at my age I should be exempt from having a valid California DL and with the defunding of the police there won’t be any traffic cops to stop me anyway.
So I’m saving the $37 renewal fee and using it to celebrate my birthday at the Sierra Nevada Tap Room (if they ever open up again and I don’t need a “reservation” to get in). Thank you California!
— Jim Ring, Chico
A financial reason for people to wear their mask
If nothing else seems to move us to shelter in place, wash our hands, and wear masks maybe money will? This COVID virus is expensive! The pandemic has cost our country (and world) trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars in just a few months. Hospitals are racking up huge debts. Bankruptcies of people, cities and businesses will skyrocket. Towns like
Chico, dependent on students, will see stores and restaurants shuttered permanently.
Retirement accounts are tanking, jobs are disappearing and it will be almost cost prohibitive to safely reopen schools. There will be painful, painful budget cuts for all of us. Unemployment will run out. If we don’t want to wear masks to protect each other, do it for the money.
— Patricia Puterbaugh,
Cohasset