Letters to the Editor

$750,000 Fence

The building of a fence around a public library at the cost of $750,000 certainly does sound excessive, but “obviously” it was a quick deterrent that was badly needed to prevent the encampment by homeless individuals. The attempt to address the underlying causes of homelessness has been an ongoing process for decades, with no solution in the near future. The library (and all places open to the public) needed something done “now.”

Mr. Lepe’s statement [Letters, 5/1/226] “Allocating such a large sum to physical barriers risks undermining the library’s role as an inclusive public space, and that libraries are traditionally places of refuge.” Excuse me ... place of refuge? The role of a library is the lending of books, providing access to educational and technology information, free computer use, providing study space, job search tools, elementary school visits, and children’s story time events, just to name a few.

Mr. Lepe’s suggestion that implementing outreach services and coordinated social programs would be more cost-effective for the homeless, but those are already available at each county social services office and is not related to a library’s purpose.

What it comes down to is that people visiting a library (especially those with minor children), do not want to navigate from the parking lot to the library doors with the homeless camped out and/or loitering close or nearby. If it takes a fence to solve the problem (even a temporary fix) then that’s what was needed. The problem with the homeless is going to continue.

Let’s be very honest. A good number are able-bodied but refuse to take responsibility for their own support, and the rest are mentally ill. The state-wide closing of mental hospitals has been attributed to former Governor Ronald Reagan, but actually it began in the 1960s due to the civil rights movement and budget restraints.

Please know, there will always be a homeless population (not only here, but world-wide), but if the mental hospitals and institutions had been left open, we wouldn’t have near as many homeless individuals as we do today.

Because of the requirement to qualify for housing (and remain living there) requires necessary rules (mainly no drug use) and that has already proven ineffective because the vast majority will not abide by the no-drugs rule. The building of housing for the homeless is not only just throwing money away, but it actually enables them to continue the lifestyle.

So, there is no current solution in sight, but the quick solution was the fence. So be it.

Patricia Kelly

Poor Response

The following is a letter I sent to Megan Kerr, our council representative, via email and post. I also sent a copy to the mayor’s office and the Press-Telegram. I received a perfunctory, “We have received your correspondence” from the mayor’s office and absolutely nothing from Kerr’s office – an unbelievable and unacceptable response from an elected official. It goads me that she is using my tax dollars to further political ambitions. I will work tirelessly to defeat her reelection. I hope you join me. The letter said:

“Ms. Kerr: The oath of office you took to serve Long Beach District 5 was a testament to your commitment to your constituents and an affirmation of your integrity as a public servant. Each member swears to uphold the national and state constitution. Likewise, there is an affirmation in the oath that “I will well discharge the duties upon which I am to embark.” The citizens of District 5 are not a demanding community, but we do believe that an oath is an honorable promise to serve the interests of the community and its individuals above the interests of other entities.

“You are our knowledgeable representative, our advocate. Of course, I do not need to provide you with a lesson in basic ethics and civics. But perhaps a reminder is warranted now.

“I am writing this letter to express my disappointment in your office and particularly your chief of staff, Robert Allarte. The one and only time I have reached out for assistance from my local city officials has proven to be frustrating at best. My genuine and sincere attempt to deal with the City of Long Beach through official and legal means has been met with unresponsive bureaucrats and a city culture that is, frankly, unresponsive and bordering on unethical.

“I won a judgment against the city in small claims court when a refuse truck destroyed a tree on my property on Dec. 22, 2022. I went through all proper channels and continually attempted to negotiate with the city in good faith. I never heard from the investigator in the Refuse and Recycling Department as they promised. I never heard from the city attorney’s office.

“When I appealed to the city manager’s office (they) rejected my claim. At small claims court, the paralegal presented hearsay evidence, made false statements and never shared evidence with me before the hearing. After I won judgment, the city appealed.

“That is when I reached out to your office for help and a request to mediate between the city attorney’s office in a fair and equitable fashion. Chief of Staff Allarte assured me in July he would get back to me on the matter. He never did. Every person I have dealt with at City Hall has proven to be unreliable and insensitive. And if my councilperson will not advocate for me, why do I have one at all? Had I not seen the incident with my own eyes, I would not have filed a claim with the city.

“Were I not a man of ethics and principle, I would have dropped the matter long ago. And because I am a retired teacher on a pension, I do not have the resources to replace my beautiful 31-foot cherry tree. I do not have the resources of legal staff and numerous assistants to look for ways to manipulate the legal system.

“The entire experience has left me bitter with city government and the people who are sworn to serve the members of the city in a fair and equitable manner. All politics are local, and now, I understand why so many people believe that government is broken.”

Anthony Saavedra

Elections 2026

Long Beach does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. The mayor and City Council see your wallets as their personal bank accounts.

The current LB Chicago-by-the-Sea mayor and council have failed us in so many ways and unabashedly continue to do so at your expense. This drunken-sailor mentality is fueled by corruption and mismanagement.

Joshua Rodriguez appears to be the best choice for mayor, but if that doesn’t work for you then vote for Chris Sweeney. And, for the sake of our still beautiful but downgrading city, vote for change! And do not vote for any new taxes. !

Wanna know where your tax dollars go?

In early 2023, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson requested to expand his office staff to a total of 12 full-time employees. Key details regarding this increase, based on reports from February 2023, include:

Expansion: This proposal added six new positions to the mayor’s office and administration bureau.

New Roles: The increase included the addition of two deputy mayor roles focused on housing and economic development.

Budget Impact: The staffing increase raised the mayor’s office budget to over $2 million, growing from the previous budget of $1.3 million.

As for the newest “firefighter” tax measure, do not be fooled.

The mayor/council will just subtract an equal amount from the general fund that should have been going to these “causes” and continue to use those monies for their own frivolous spending.

Diana Lejins
Greater LB Taxpayers Union

What a motley crew of candidates for Governor of California, the fourth largest economy in the world – and, well into election season, the skeletons are coming out of the closet. Steve Hilton is a Donald Trump fanboy, Matt Mahan is in the pocket of Big Tech, billionaire Tom Steyer hides his billions in offshore tax shelters and has invested in various nefarious enterprises, Xavier Becerra allegedly lost 85,000 children during immigrant detainment, Chad Bianco belonged to a far-right anti-government militia associated with January 6 and Katie Porter – drumroll, please – was, in 2021, briefly impolite to a staff member.

We now live in a world where rudeness, insults, and vulgar name-calling have become normalized for public figures – as long as they’re male. Trump routinely hurls epithets and insults, even using the F-word publicly.

Former Republican activist turned Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia publicly referred to Elon Musk by a familiar term for male genitalia. If Katie Porter were a man, her one-time impoliteness would be a non-issue. But women are supposed to be friendly, smiling, supportive, demure, and nonthreatening, all while wearing high heels!

Yes, Katie Porter can get mad – and that’s the good news. She has a proven record in Congress. She has stood up against big corporations, big banks, big pharma. She is an advocate for the people. She is not afraid to speak up and say no. And she is the only candidate not accepting corporate PAC money.

We need to stand up with Katie Porter and vote her in as Governor of California. It’s time to say no to the corrupt good-old-boy network that has dominated politics for far too long. We need to be “mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore”!

Merry Colvin