No place for street politics
It is very evident to me that the Benicia voters were sold a false campaign issue. This last city election was all about crude by rail and anti-fossil fuel. That is over, and our good neighbor Valero did not sue the city. Now it is time to get down to city business. It does appear Mayor Patterson and Councilmember Steve Young have a different take.
Personal ideals are fine but not when they are brought into the Benicia Council Chambers. The Council Chamber is a place for doing city of Benicia business. That is not how the mayor and Councilmember Steve Young see it. It appears they think it is their place to spread their personal ideals and agenda to the streets. Sorry, that is not how it works. We have a wonderful city with a very capable city staff and the best you can get in our city attorney. I do hope we will also get the same with our new city manager. At least the mayor will only have one vote as well as Councilmember Young. Are these two capable of separating their personal ideals from city business? The mayor never has, and it appears she is dragging Councilmember Steve Young down that very dangerous road. These two were not elected on a national agenda. They were elected on a very local agenda, which means this fine city. They were not elected to bring national politics to the Council Chamber, but rather city issues only. Mayor Patterson, please explain “best practices and new mormal.” She cannot. I would suggest she quit worrying what other cities are doing and stick to Benicia.
The mayor seems to want to have a much bigger role in her mayor’s job. Sorry, this is a 28,000 population city in a very small county. Stick to what you were elected to do. Do you even know what that could be? This very fine city does not need street politics with an article about yours and Councilmember Steve Young’s very anti-government street politics comments. Those comments were covered by the Vallejo paper. Get down to local business, Mayor Patterson. The “OWL” will be watching and I will write about yours and Councilmember Young’s actions. Both good and bad. Stay tuned, I am out and about.
Bob “The Owl” Livesay,
Benicia
Thinking outside the box
After reading the recent letter from Bob Livesay (“When will the mayor start doing her job?,” Jan. 24″), I was confused as to what world he would like to create here in our little town by the strait.
Should we be considering building a wall at each end of town and allowing only residents to pass through? And if they happen to think outside the box, and I shudder to think if you might have considered supporting Bernie Sanders, you just might not be allowed in either.
We cannot live our lives, as his letter suggests, without considering what is happening beyond our borders. It’s true we are a small town, but that does not mean our thinking should be small.
All that is happening in the state and across the country directly affects us in one way or another, and personally I am glad we have a mayor that thinks beyond the city limits.
Roque Gutierrez,
Benicia
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Rogue we have noi incidents in this fime city. If we did the Poliec Chgief would immediately tell the City Manager, City Attorney, Mayor and all council members. WEe have none. The Police Chief knows how to handle any of these isdsue. It wasd all start by a letter to the Mator from so0meone out o0f town. Forwarded to the CDity Attorney. We do not need to start something that is not. Our very fine Police CXhief is well aware of how to act. w
hit wrong button. Rogue we have no incidents in this fine city. If we did the Police Chief would immediately notify the City Manager, City Attorney, Mayor and all council members. We have none.. The Police Chief knows how to handle any issues. It was started by a letter to the mayor from someone from out of town. The mayor forwarded it to the mayor with some questions. We do not need to start something that is not happening. Our very fine Police Chief knows all the steps that need to be taken to resolve any incidents.. We do not need the Mayors scare tactics to advance her personal agenda to make Benicia a sanctuary city.
should be City Attorney
your reply makes no sense at all…clarify….
Simple rogue, read it again. No need for Sanctuary City. Better yet rogue do you support Benicia being a Sanctuary City? Stand up and say yes or no.
Bob, his name is Roque. Please correct that in your responses. I am a member of this city and fully support being a sanctuary city. At this time in America we need to band together and fight for our neighbors. You may not know this but there are undocumented people living in Benicia and surviving as all humans tend to attempt to do. They deserve protection and they deserve the right to live in peace wherever that may be. Thank you. #weliveinamuslimcountry #Iammuslim #Iammexican #Iam
Carmen,
“Sanctuary Cities” have, in essence agreed that they can make a determination of which laws they are willing to enforce and those they would turn a blind eye to. If one agrees that this principle is fair and just, is one willing to turn a blind eye to other laws? Who should make the determination then as to which federal laws are enforceable in any given city? What if a city decides they want to be safe haven for adult men convicted of statutory Rape? (France and Switzerland has done this for Roman Polanski). Said safe haven city would then refuse to extradite men convicted of such a crime. Would this then be an acceptable sanctuary?
Correction: “Who should make the determination then as to which federal OR STATE laws are enforceable
His name is printed as rogue. That is how I addressed him. I say you could and may be correct about law breaking illegals living in Benicia. Do you support breaking the law? I do not. It appears that you think breaking the law is fine as long as it suits your ideals. I do not. The reply by rogue is printed with a small r. Have the paper or rogue change that and I will respect the spelling of his name with a capitol R. At present it is ro9ue. I agree with banding together but I would be for detaining and deporting law breaking illegals. I am not alone.
“His name is printed as rogue.”
Actually, in both the print and online editions, it’s printed as “Roque.” I can understand the confusion. What looks like a lowercase g is actually a lowercase q. It’s just how it comes across in certain fonts, but for future reference, it is Roque. Case in point:
http://beniciaheraldonline.com/roque-gutierrez-learning-the-lessons-we-try-to-teach-our-children/
Thank you