The time for patience to address Sacramento’s homelessness crisis is over | Opinion

City attorney’s undeserved raise

“Exclusive: Sacramento vote to give city manager raise violated state law, will be redone,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 20)

The proposal to give the city attorney a substantial raise is even more astounding than the city manager’s upcoming raise. It was only after The Bee questioned the legality of giving executive staff raises at a “special meeting” that the city decided to reconsider the proposal at a regularly noticed, public meeting at which the public can comment.

The Brown Act (which governs the city council’s meetings) is a basic, essential municipal legal principle. The city attorney knew or should have known that the special meeting was illegal. Either the city attorney advised that the special meeting was illegal and that advice was ignored, or she gave fundamentally flawed advice. And, remember, it was the city attorney’s fluctuating interpretation of the city’s redistricting laws that left East Sacramento without a council member until the next election.

The city attorney’s raise is clearly unwarranted. A pay cut is much more appropriate.

Leslie R Lopez

Sacramento

Clean it up

“Worse than Seattle: Sacramento has more chronically homeless than nearly any place in America,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 21)

It’s official! Sacramento has the highest per capita homeless population in the U.S. This news follows the results of a December poll telling the Sacramento City Council that residents think homelessness is the worst problem facing our city.

But one does not need a poll or study to recognize that “Skidrowmento” is no longer a functional city. It’s reflected in the third-world conditions of our mentally ill and chemically-dependent, the weariness of our police and ER staff, desperation of business owners and frustrations among residents.

The time for patience is over. Those unable to make healthy decisions for themselves must be treated and gotten off the street. There is no freedom or mercy in being cold, hungry and endlessly haunted by mental illness and drugs.

If the council does not act to clean the city up, we should clean up the city council.

Jon Schwedler

Sacramento

Kounalakis’ directive

“‘This is a dire matter.’ California elected official calls for kicking Trump off the ballot,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 21)

After Colorado judges recently moved to remove Donald Trump from their ballot, our Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis then directed secretary of state to look into doing the same. Please remember this when she runs for governor.

Whether you like or hate Trump, we all know that he won’t win in California. If he got 40% of the vote, he would be doing amazing here and all California electoral votes would still go to Biden. Removing him from the ballot is pointless and only emphasizes the fact that a Kounalakis governorship will result in possibly even more authoritarianism than we’ve seen under Newsom.

In recent news, Newsom is attempting to block a proposition from the 2024 ballot that will allow us to choose how we are taxed. Expect much more of that sort of thing — the removal of choice from the people — under Kounalakis.

Liam Bailey

Pioneer

Wise up, America

“240 fentanyl-related deaths so far in 2023 mark a high for Sacramento County, new data show,” (sacbee.com, Nov. 26)

Although I appreciate the move to stop the influx of dangerous drugs, particularly fentanyl, I think we need a different target. Want to put drug traffickers and cartels out of business? First, we need to address the reason that Americans, especially young people, are so unhappy that they have to get high and take a chance on dying.

What is going on in America that a large part of the population would risk death by taking pills potentially laced with fentanyl? I was prescribed fentanyl once. I read the information enclosed and gave it back to my doctor, telling him that the drug was too dangerous — even if taken as directed.

Other countries want to kill us. They don’t have to worry. We are killing ourselves. Wise up, America.

Rick Tibben

Nipomo

What could go wrong?

“CPUC must delay decision about Diablo Canyon’s future,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 13)

Lets see: Place two machines on known earthquake faults, each machine containing 27 tonnes of radioactive material and each built with materials and technology that is 38 years-old. Then, extend the operation of these machines way past their planned closure date. What could possibly go wrong?

Jeff Rininger

Cayucos

Blood on Biden’s hands

“Sacramento Jewish, Muslim leaders denounce Hamas, Netanyahu,” (sacbee.com, Dec. 22)

After three months of indiscriminate, illegal, immoral bombing, President Joe Biden is finally showing a little concern for civilian casualties in Gaza. President Biden, you are 10,000 children’s dead bodies too late. You have made Americans feel like stakeholders in a visible, egregious ethno-religious pogrom.

You entered into a devil’s bargain with a far-right usurper in Israel and green-lighted him to act as he pleases with American arms. You collaborated, co-conspired, colluded and became deeply complicit with a man who doesn’t care that he is smashing the lungs, liberties and aspirational lives of innocent Palestinian children.

You have done as much to debauch America’s ethical, legal and humanitarian urges in three months as it took Donald Trump eight years to do. Do you really think the blood of 10,000 children stacks up that well against his 10,000 lies?

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross, Utah