A tale of two campgrounds in Chico

“Enslave Chico,” the conservative city council majority, since its installation has been working on the homeless issue. And by “working,” I mean ignoring possible solutions presented by the many knowledgeable groups and individuals to appear before them, excluding the possible corporate‘workcamp’ style option near the fairgrounds. Instead they passed ordinances and executed costly sweeps to “just keep moving them along until they leave town,” by means of secret meetings, pre-planned votes and backroom deals including firing the existing city attorney in exchange for one from the “old boys’ network.”

And what did Chico’s fascist GOP-look-alike experiment achieve? A federal civil rights lawsuit that could cost the city millions.

I again call for the city attorney to draft a statement for the members of the Enslave Chico caucus to sign, indemnifying the citizens of Chico by accepting sole legal and financial responsibility for any monetary award. Enslave Chico pushed this agenda; THEY should pay! For, if Chico is penalized $5 or $10 million dollars in the current trial, you will be able to count the decades until the next Chico road is repaved.

Meanwhile, with nary a pip or a squeak Chico has “established” a campground for semitrucks and trailers at the intersection of Humboldt Road and Bruce Road. I guess that’s your “pro-business” city council at work.

Even if their last-minute actions extricate us from this mess, remember the stupid and arrogant attitude Morgan and his cohorts exhibited and vote each of them out at the next election.

— David Fundakowski, Chico