Letters to the Editor

Just Vote No

All politics begin at home and Long Beach politics are obnoxious. I have lived in many cities in my lifetime, in the north and south of both U.S. coasts and in Europe and have served on a city council. Never, never have I seen anything like what goes on in Long Beach. At a time when people are losing their homes, can’t afford food and are barely surviving, our city – with its low average income and exceptionally high cost of living – asks for more money!

Normally during times like these cities lower their rates, giving discounts to their citizens; these are cities that actually hear their people and respond accordingly. But no, not Long Beach, which does not listen to – nor care about – its people. Its officials in their new, taxpayer-funded ivory tower (with its giant TV screen) just keep asking for more, more, more – oblivious to what is happening around them and hanging the fear-mongering threat of going without police and fire services over the heads of voters, even when the connection between emergency services and the ballot measures at hand is tenuous at best.

Apparently, if you don’t vote to give even more money to an already-bloated city and another billion to LBCC (never one to pass up a cash grab) so it can demolish and rebuild its library (renovated with taxpayer money in 2019) and its bookstore (newly built with taxpayer money in 2012), your house will burn down with the robber still inside!

Let’s not be manipulated by those who are supposedly there to serve their city. Vote no on all of it – and even though my own neighborhood has been gerrymandered out of the 4th District, vote for Daryl Supernaw, the only city councilor who gets it. Let’s fire these money-sucking vampires; they’re supposed to be working for us, not bleeding us dry while filling their own pockets. Make your voice heard and just say no to everything!

Merry Colvin

Super Supernaw

I have lived in Long Beach for what some would consider a lifetime. During that time, I have been very active in civic affairs and therefore speak from a vast knowledge base and experience.

While I do not live in the 4th District, I wish I did. My vote would be for incumbent Councilman Daryl Supernaw. He embodies true dedication to his district and the citizens who live there. This year’s election is hugely important to the whole city. I truly hope that 4th District voters turn out in mass to give him another four years of exemplary service.

Diana Lejins

Parking Availability

This is a fine article [What Can Locals Do About Less Parking Availability – Oct. 04] as far as how it describes all the public transit options that are available to the residents of Long Beach. However, your article fails to mention the disadvantages of public transit, one of which is the “public” part.

As a lifelong user of public transit, I have experienced all too often the “unpleasantness” that accompanies many members of the “public.” I am not in the least surprised at the general reluctance of people to use our transit systems. It is certainly no fun and can be downright scary, not to forget to mention the manifold inconvenience of it all. In the meantime, I will respond to the diminished parking availability in Long Beach and elsewhere by just staying away. I’m sure I am not the only one doing so.

I wonder how often Governor Newsom and the members of the California legislature use public transportation they are so ready to force on the rest of us. On a more positive note, I can hardly wait to ride the high-speed train from Bakersfield to Merced or maybe even all the way to Stockton.

Sean Dolan