Letters to the Editor

CPCC Gains Access

Thank you, Santa Downing [See page 7]. The officer’s version of the story is forever changing. The sooner the better to caste the officer’s story in concrete, especially if the officer’s version of the story is different than what police management told the media.

A great example is the Zerby hose nozzle story. What Police Chief Jim O’Donnell told the media and the public in multiple press releases turned out to be entirely untrue and it didn’t match the officer’s court testimony.

The public needs to know the truth while the incident is fresh on their minds, not years later as desired by the Police Department when everyone has forgotten.

Michael Ruehle

 

While I was on the CPCC, (2015-2019) I raised the issue of SB1421 when it passed and why the commission wasn’t getting more information from the officers and their past histories.

Richard Lindemann

 

Actually, what the CPCC really needs is charter reform. So says CPCC whistleblower Tomas Gonzales.

Ginny Ransom

 

DA in Naples

He was one of the few people running for office in this last election that I excitedly voted for and I’m proud to have him living in our community.

Charles Beckman

 

My friend in San Francisco is a reporter for KRON has interviewed both he and his wife. Feedback is they are both very approachable and nice. Violent crime went down while he was in office but smaller petty crimes went up.

Ana Maria Sanchez

 

Long Beach County

As a regional economist who is now a Long Beach resident, I heartily endorse immediate and very serious study of the creation of a combined City-County of Long Beach, which would allow nearly a half-million local residents to finally achieve our own identity and destiny. Per Claudine Burnett’s definitive recent Beachcomber article [Dec. 4], the 100th anniversary of initial efforts to achieve such a goal has now arrived, truly making rapid city-county consolidation “an idea whose time may well have finally come.”

There is something peculiar about Los Angeles County have its sole port in our local jurisdiction; and history of that “land grab” has a bad odor, rather resembling Russia’s seizure of Crimea in Ukraine as a step towards acquiring that nation’s only warm-water port.

And that concern is only one of many issues Long Beach residents have, or should have, over Los Angeles County.

The advent of COVID-19 has made abundantly clear that, at present, Long Beach is “the tip of the tail” of the Los Angeles dog, as L.A. officials determine and dominate our health care decisions, just as they dominate TV and other news coverage. However, Long Beach’s loss of identity as part of Los Angeles County goes far deeper and will continue to be a hindrance to Long Beach long after the eventual end of the present pandemic. Truth to tell, interests of Long Beach diverge substantially from those of Los Angeles County as economic and social entities.

A vital first step towards possible independence for a City-County of Long Beach would be a full and fair study of the pros and cons of such a move, via a community task force whose members not only have a wide range of perspectives and viewpoints, but also have the necessary background and experience on which those views are based. Unlike recent Redistricting Commission selections, appointments to any such task force should be based strictly on background, qualifications and willingness to commit serious time and effort to the task force’s duties.

While the final outcome of proposals for a combined Long Beach City-County structure cannot and should not be predetermined, a thorough study and review of all options is not just due – it is long overdue, after having begun a full hundred years ago. Let us all get that ball rolling in 2021!

Eugene Elander

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