What kind of place are we living in?

By J. Montes

2/4/10

I am writing this letter to a number of audiences. To City Counsel, to the Mayor and to the Herald in hopes that someone, somewhere might be able to answer some questions and put the people that need to be on the hot seat on the HOT SEAT!

I don't understand what it is going to take to get our community to come together and make this a nice place to live? I don't understand how all of us concerned citizens can be so outnumbered?

Who is in charge here? It seems those with any sort of authority just seem to sit idly by while all of this goes on. What is it going to take for someone to take a stand?

Even our concerned citizens stand divided! Those in support of our officers and firefighters and those opposed and pointing fingers of blame at our city contracts for Vallejo’s downfall.

We are all in the same situation- we all live here, we all want a better community, we all have money and time invested in property that is no longer worth anything and we all live in a place that has mounds of potential. Yet we stand here divided and frustrated and none of us do anything. Myself included.

I just wish we could put all our politics and differences aside, in order to come together and accomplish some sort of order and come up with a proactive, realistic plan to motivate our community and its leaders so we can become the progressive city that we have never been.

In the wake of the most recent violent act on a city worker it becomes blatantly obvious-We live in a community with an overabundance of thugs. We are all on the verge of having nearly no protection. I wish everyone would stop complaining about the police/city contracts! I think the last thing we should be doing is making the few officers we have left feel unwanted. Because guess what people- Police in other cities make just as much if not more! The only reason Vallejo officers make $$$$ is because they work around the clock. WAKE UP!

City Counsel and our Mayor have done nothing! NOTHING. Why aren’t we outside their offices bashing them?

If more of our officers continue to seek greener pastures where will we all be? We will be in a community run by drug dealers and thugs, even more so than we are now.

As it is the officers that are currently on patrol are at a high risk. There are not enough of them in the field and they don’t have adequate backup. Might I ask what their motivation might be to put themselves in harms way to protect a city full of people that appear to not want them here?

I am curious to see how many of our citizens that are so highly concerned with what they think is outrageous officer pay would be willing to go through the police academy, sign up to be an officer here in Vallejo, and get paid wages they think are acceptable ?

What we need is a new hard-hitting Mayor that can get police in here in large numbers and start weeding out all of our trash. I don’t care what color you are or how misdirected you are if you are acting like a criminal you should be treated like one. Every idiot that is hanging out and up to no good should be feel pressured to move on, you can call it harassment- I call it a step in the right direction!

All the idiots in Vallejo are taking over. Sitting back and pointing the finger at Police and boo-hooing over misguided teens is a waste of time. TOUGH LOVE is right. Get them the hell out of our city!

Do we really want to be known as the Compton of the Bay Area? You think are houses aren’t worth anything now, wait until you can’t walk down the street without getting beat up!

What is the city of Vallejo doing to encourage new business to come here? We should be offering incentives to good to refuse to larger companies that can offer jobs and create revenue for our city. What are we holding out for?

Vallejo has plenty of undeveloped land, empty car dealerships, empty stores, an undeveloped Old Town and undeveloped Waterfront- COME ON! Why aren’t the powers that be letting businesses come in and utilize our resources so we can make this a better place? What is the city’s reasoning behind this?

Is it just that in the past our planning commission was filled with a bunch of old-timers that thought they were preserving something and now we have managed to upset everyone willing to develop here? What are we saving ourselves for- A prison?

What is wrong with Vallejo? Why can’t this be a better place?

Why can’t The Vallejo Herald give our little town a leg up and write a story on our affordable housing, our undeveloped waterfront, our ability to house some large companies for half the price they would pay elsewhere?

In addition, I think that our Mayor should be voted out of office! I think he needs to address the citizens of Vallejo and show our community that he is being proactive as mayor, instead of just adding something new to his resume.

Why is it that Vallejo can get up in arms to protest gays but not to protest disgusting, worthless beings that beat and shoot people for entertainment?

What kind of place are we all living in?

I can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Anonymous   |February.09.2010 ...and they do not live in the crime infested areas! There are no high end restaurants and fancy shopping areas in the slums of East Oakland.

momster   |February.06.2010 uuum fyi: Oakland is thriving with high-end resturants, theaters and supermarkets. Oakland and its diverse community is what San Francisco use to be 20 or 30 years ago. Unlike in Vallejo, there is stuff happening in Oakland. In fact, in Oakland one of their schools was in the top 10 for testing. Oakland still has the upper and middle class.

Gran Torino   |February.05.2010 I agree 100% with Not Buying It, We have more than our share of problems in Vallejo, Crime is certainly an issue. but the hysterical posts of some on this blog, with their obvious political agenda is getting oh so tiresome. Hayward, Oakland, Richmond, even Antioch-I'd much rather live in Vallejo than any of these cities. Our problems are similar, but certainly not worse as some would like you to believe, and yes, I do feel safer here than I do in any of those cities and I have lived in a couple of them. I have also lived in larger cities with much better reputations that had slums more dangerous than the worst parts of this town. Gloom and doom certainly scares people. And we all know the political situation in this city. The unions feel their grip on the city finances and city leadership slipping away, and they feel the need to denigrate this city as much as they possibly can in order to promote their far reaching and lasting agendas. My feeling is within a few short years all these fear tactics will proven fruitless as many more citie's experience the financial problems Vallejo has. No amount of fear mongering will help preserve a system that is broken and benefits only a few. Most of the trolls, the PSU hacks, and the fear mongers will give up and move on. But until then folks, we will have to put up with it. It wont end overnight. FEAR FEAR FEAR.

Rites of Passage   |February.05.2010 Young coming-of-age boys need some way to transition to being a man. Most kids make this transition through sports or heading off to college so they can get a piece of paper to establish their excellence. Some join the military. For too many young black males, the rites of passage include being badder than anyone else, getting girls pregnant or doing jail time. For most, it means attracting female attention. If the rock throwing or soda can throwing thugs did not have an audience it would not have happened. If a peer group's critical mass rejects thug behavior, this kind of violence won't happen. These kids' role models are drugged up rock or sports stars. The fathers are not there providing a stabilizing influence. One old black guy told me that welfare was the worst thing ever to happen to black families because women had to be single mothers to qualify thus removing fathers from the home. What's the solution? I have no idea. I, personally, am no match for the thugs in Vallejo. Call it cowardice if you wish. But I call it self preservation.

Not Buying It   |February.05.2010 It's not like I have my head in the sand and don't know what is happening here in town, I just do not think Vallejo is all those horribly negative things some of you say it is. Usually those who say these things live elsewhere, you notice? I lived in San Francisco for decades. Though no harm ever came to me (my car being broken into several times was the worst of it), I feel - still feel - far safer in Vallejo. When the head of the police department uses fear and intimidation tactics on the populace along with the VPOA boss, I think people start to buy into it. I won't/don't and suggest you do the same.

Just a Nobody   |February.05.2010 Don

Just a Nobody the rest   |February.05.2010 Don

Just a Nobody (the rest) if it   |February.05.2010 Don

Just a Nobody ( the rest)   |February.05.2010 Don

Just a Nobody ( the rest)   |February.05.2010 Don

Heritage District   |February.05.2010 I agree with alot of Stuck in Vallejo points and think that more and more honest hardworking homeowners will bail on this city leaving the rest of us living amongst the uneducated thugs. On Saturday night my neighbor was outside his house on Napa and Virginia street was was attacked with a wrench by two black youths so the violence is spreading all over. So what can I do? How can I get involved in make a difference? We clearly have a Mayor who has made no visable change in his over 2 years in office what can citizens do to improve our city?

Just a Nobody   |February.05.2010 I live in Solano County, and own a small business. I do business in Vallejo daily, in just about every neighborhood. As an outsider might I make a suggestion? JUST STOP! Vallejo is in toilet, nobody is a winner not the city, the unions, and certainly not the citizens. Bankruptcy has helped no one and it has ruined the unions and the city. It has cost the city millions of dollars, that have just been wasted on lawyers. That money could have been spent for the good of the city, not driving it further into the depths of hell. Don

Mr :(   |February.05.2010 "In the wake of the most recent violent act on a city worker it becomes blatantly obvious-We live in a community with an overabundance of thugs. " If you watch the video the altercation was not an assault by a mob on a random individual. Most of the people in the video were passive bystanders. The back hoe operator appears to be more and more aggressive possibly cornering an individual at the end of the video. While on a personal level I like the idea of rock throwing immature high schoolers catching some whoop ass, that is not how the laws work, I do not get to beat people up. I would advise any involved in the incident to seek legal council and come forward as the video is not incriminating in my view. IMO the shooting of the ice cream truck driver is more frightening.

Gran Torino   |February.05.2010 So move to Benicia! All of your problems will be solved. Zero crime there, oh, except for the drug house my friend lives next to on Channing Street. Oh, also there was a wave of burglaries recently on Townsend and Arguello Street where the brand new 4000 foot homes are located. Petty stuff you know, just people breaking in and stealing jewlery and elctronics in broad daylight while people were at work. Hmmm. I guess it may be better, and I'd rather live there than in some of the bad sections of Vallejo, but if you think the thugs won't drive 5 miles to burglarize your house you are mistaken. That is where all the good stuff is anyway.

Stuckinvallejo(JM)   |February.05.2010 Actually, I am not done. The one thing that I would like to point out to both Anonymous and Need a Shower: I am simply a concerned and upset citizen- JUST LIKE YOU. As I stated in my original letter to VIB-even the concerned citizens stand divided. We should put aside our differences and work together to make this a better place in any way that we can. Instead, stubborn folks like you, folks with chips on their shoulders and armed with years and years of know how just want to STOMP your feet and point out where others are wrong. Rather than actually pointing out in a kind way where I might be incorrect, you rather bash and point fingers. A smart person that cares about this community would have taken the "let me educate this person and lead them in the right direction because clearly they care about making this a better place" approach. NOPE. Instead you chose to be petty, even going as low as pointing out typos. Really? Instead you pointed out what I was too upset to notice; that not only are the people causing the problems ignorant and stubborn, but so are those who think they are helping. Only they are so entrenched in their own beliefs that they too have joined in keeping this city from progressing and being a better place. Good luck.

Stuckinvallejo(JM)   |February.05.2010 Need a Shower and Anonymous- Thank you both for schooling me. I really appreciate it. What I appreciate even more than that, is the fact that you have just motivated me to take real action! If you two of you have been sitting here in this sh*t-hole town for 30+ really fighting to make this a better place and it is only getting worse, I think I can safely say- GIVE IT UP ALREADY! I may not have been here long but unlike some of us- I smart enough to know when to cut my losses. I'm moving to Benicia! Have fun with your crusade, I refuse to waste my time and any more money here. Don't get eaten alive by the savages.

Someone Else   |February.05.2010 "It's called a fight-or-flight response and it's human nature. " That's true. His "fight" response was against city policy and against logic. You don't get out of your vehicle into a large group of thugs, chase them around and not expect consequences. That's naive. If he'd realized the extent to which he was in danger he'd have acted differently, but anger blinded him. Getting angry at the school and cops for the evil this group did isn't going to do squat. Even if they are all put away, come 2 years from we'll have another group of violent criminals in their place. Look at that violent rape in Richmond - having a fully staffed police department didn't stop that. We have systemic rot going on in this town, in this state, in this nation. A high level of poverty that breeds violence and crime, and a school system that perpetuates the conditions. The criminals that did this are past saving. We need to lock them up and focus on the kids we can help. Only by getting through to the young ones can we break this cycle and prevent this from happening again.

Anonymous   |February.04.2010 All these posts, blame this one, blame that one. Really everyone shares the blame. BUT there are some who have actively been trying to change this community for the better, but without enough help, its not possible (JM where have you been and what have you been doing to change this city, besides writing your vent here?) For the most part, we hear from angry folks who want to blame the council, but anyone, ANYONE who thinks 7 people can solve our problems is deluded. I absolutely agree that the VPOA and CAMP contracts should have NEVER been signed. NEVER. And we seem to have council members who can't seem to learn from the long history of past mistakes this town has made. Why do we keep voting for incompetent council members that make up the majority? Why do unions keep dumping thousands upon thousands into campaigns that get these incompetent council members voted in? JM, who did YOU vote for, in the past 30 years (the 30 years it took us to get where we are today?).

Googler   |February.04.2010 "What kind of place are we all living in?".....Vallejo, where all the women are ugly, the men are weak and the children are not much more than savages.

curious   |February.04.2010 Why does a post several months back keep running through my head? It was from someone saying he was a Vallejo police officer and would be happy to respond to the bankruptcy by sitting in his black and white listening to the screams around him or something like that. I fear that our sworn public servants are indeed just sitting back purposely letting things devolve into chaos for the express purpose of extorting more money.

audience rewinder   |February.04.2010 A child testified that Principle Barr kicks students out for pledging to the flag at an elementary school. So, I am sorry, why in the hell are you people complaining when the trouble starts with principles who outlaw respect!

FerCryinOutloud   |February.04.2010 Re blaming the victim of the attack. How pitiful that you hold him responsible for not following protocol. Anyone hit with a rock will react viscerally, not run. It's called a fight-or-flight response and it's human nature. If you've a pair, you can understand.

Need a Shower   |February.04.2010 Sorry my reply is in 3 parts. I forgot how persnickety this website is with quotes and other punctuations.

Needing a shower   |February.04.2010 am sick and tired of the whining and threats coming from these union goons. I feel sorry for those employees that are being let go. We need them. You do not seem to know the history so your indignation is misplaced. Please stop your yelling, use some brain cells to really learn about just one or two issues in your rant then come up with some constructive ideas. In the meantime, every person should have a dog. A wise cop told my buddy that he can't think of ONE home that was burglarized that had a dog. Burglars do not like canines. I love this city and I feel safe here. The reality is that overall it is a safe place to be. And it is spelled COUNCIL.

Needing a shower   |February.04.2010 continued... for those fat cats that get to stay because they are getting a 7-1/2 percent RAISE. THEY chose to get a raise KNOWING that would mean officers would be let go. THERE IS NO MORE MONEY. As a taxpayer I

Needing a shower   |February.04.2010 I feel like I just got 'should' on. Let me clue you in JM, many of us have been working FOR YEARS trying to better this community. Histrionics do nothing to further us as a community. I don't know where you've been or what you've been doing but suddenly stomping your feet and demanding action is empty. Zero, nada, nothing. There's no plan, idea or anything constructive in what you had to say. It has taken us a l-o-n-g time to get here. We do appreciate our police and fire employees, not their union reps and thug tactics. They are paid the highest in CA when you factor the bennies in and that makes many of us taxpayers feel ripped off. The VPOA did strike an awesome deal

Common Sense   |February.04.2010 Someone Else, Ken Shoemaker went on TV last night to say that the employee did not follow protocol by confronting the people who were throwing rocks at his backhoe. He said that he should have called the police instead. That corner and the businesses around there are notorious for allowing some shady looking people hang out and this has gone on for several years. That liquor store seems to attrack the bad element and so why isn't the business community getting involved? The liquor store and gas station make money selling junk food to the students. If they would stop allowing students to come into their businesses during school hours, maybe there would be less people hanging out on those corners.

Misguidance   |February.04.2010 As a result of the mob attack, Vallejo is offering anger management classes and counseling to high school students. They should instead offer both to the hapless citizens and give the youth who are thugs a course in severe discipline. I'm afraid if they don't take action, the people will become corporally vigilant.

WeDemandGovtToDoWhat'sRight   |February.04.2010 As I just posted the preceding note, my next door neighbor called to notify that their front window has been broken and their home ransacked. Each house on our block of Kentucky St has been robbed at least once each, two have been invaded, and one cleancut, hardworking young man shot as he entered his car. Perhaps Marc to open a page for citizens to report crime on a daily basis. There is no where else to get that information.

Someone Else   |February.04.2010 A question not many have asked - Was the employee violating policy when he turned around and got out of the backhoe? Does the city have a policy to prohibit engagement with the public when an employee is threatened? I want to know what their policy is. I want to know, if they have one, if the violation of this policy lead to a horrific beating. I want to hold the city accountable for what happened under their watch, in any way I can. Our city leaders let this happen, sure as day. By playing games on our kids (both in lack of police protection and lack of education) and then to their employees by not insuring they knew what to do in a bad situation. Our schools are setting up another generation of criminal idiots. In due time we'll go and blame those kids for being bad parents and raising such horrible children.

WeDemandGovtToDoWhat'sRight   |February.04.2010 I love our police and firefighters and I loved a lot more of them before the diaspora. Mat Mustard and Council members Davis, Sunga, Bartee, Wilson, and Hannigan made a public pact to exchange minimum staffing standards for higher pay. I think that will ultimately be seen as dereliction of sworn responsibility when we finally have our say. But will Schively, Gomes, and Brown accept the responsibility to act on our behalf? Davis promoted categorical hate of others in the NYTimes, and we see the results of his hate begetting hate. He and the inactive council members will ultimately be held responsible when the active council members pursue their responsibility for preventing workplace discrimination/hostile work environment as promoted by Davis et al. It is against the law in California for employers and bosses to engage in discrimination in the workplace. We will see if Schively, Gomes, and Brown will take the lead, or not. Citizens should not have to take on their work. If we cannot get city government to act, then there is no option to begin a recall. Let's not waste time perseverating.

Anonymous   |February.04.2010 Firebug, thank you. You always seem to reflect what I'm struggling to say myself!

Fly Swatter   |February.04.2010 How do you get good people to move here and businesses to locate here if we have a crime rate higher than any other city in the bay area.

momster   |February.04.2010 I feel that discipline mixed with love is a good recipe...

Firebug   |February.04.2010 IWish I could come together with individuals like you. I have lived here 11 years now and all those years we have lived in a city that is or was almost a good place to live. For as long as I can remember we had 70-80 percent of our general fund go to paying for public safety contracts. That was with a general fund that was more than $20,000,000 richer, yet we underfunded non-profits, neglected our roads and infrastructure. A city as poor as Vallejo should not compensate its public safety employees in the top 3 range in the State. We have lived through past union leadership suing elected officials, and citizens that voiced concern. The blogs and billboards have been used by city employees and unions as a bully pulpit. After all we have been through in the last 5 years with upside down priorities to select businesses and city employees, I think a letter with thinly veiled undertone of pay employees what they want but come together with us is as disingenuous as the so called concessions public safety made in the rose report

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