RE: Link

Who wrote this? Obviously someone who dosen't care about the health of the community. Big Box stores are not what this city needs. What it needs is sound management. This op-ed sounds like it came directly from the mouthpiece of Big Development. If you want Rohnert Park or Vacaville, move there. Let Petaluma stay "Eco-centric" buy supporting the small independent businesses that make this town a great place to raise a family. Some of the FAT in goverment is going to have to go. They always talk about public safety being threatened just to scare us into needing Target stores to come to the rescue. The police in this town are mostly "revenuers" so let them support themselves by writing traffic tickets. Give them a quota that they have to fill and hold them to it. Does the City Council hold anyone accountable? There should be plenty of Homeland Security money available for fancy cars and radar equipment. And how about making the police officers get off the cell phone and drive with their windows down when it is not raining? I'm sure those cars have heaters and they could hear all the screeching aroung the neighborhoods I hear at all hours. Don't be fooled folks. The jobs created by Target are not ones that we need and they will only take jobs away from familys that are supported by the businesses that can't compete with their loss leaders and cheap foreign made crap.

Wow, one of the most ignorant posts I have read in quite some time.

What you fail to grasp is the fact that we won't have any cops if the city stays "eco-centric" as you say. I am sure that in your world everyone loves everyone else and they all just get along so maybe having fewer cops would be good.

I would love however to see you get one of those "quota" tickets you are recommend. I bet you would be on the phone immediately complaining that you got a ticket and didn't deserve it. Absolutely ignorant post.

The city won't have any cops? Now that is ignorant. You either beleive the rhetoric or you work for the developer. Which are you? Ignorant? Or Selfish? Either way, you don't care what happens to our community.

I think everyone who posts on these forums cares about our community. The reality is that our community is in deep financial trouble and we rely on development dollars to fund basic services. The alternative, which people don't seem to want, is to tax ourselves. If we aren't going to allow development, which seems to be the stance of the City Council majority, then we have to find another way to fund basic services. The current head in the sand approach the Council Majority is taking isn't working.

That is correct, police is a money-making business, they support themselves from traffic tickets.

On the other hand more budget cuts means fewer other services like schools and roads.

I'm not all for selling out the town for a quick buck in the short term at the expense of long-term development but then again the city does need money and it's proven that people DO leave Potholuma to shop at places like Costco, Walmart, etc..

jayzeekayzee
OK- I'll agree the won't have any cops statement is a bit of hyperbole, but your post remains ignorant and poorly thought out.
The following statements are ignorant:
1. "Big box stores are not what this community needs" Yes it is. There are studies available to demonstrate that. Not worth arguing this as you obviously drank the big box is evil Koolaid.
2.Some of the fat in government has got to go. At the state and federal level I would agree. On the local level 250 employees for a city of 60,000 is very thin (Press Democrat article).
3."The police in this town are mostly "revenuers" so let them support themselves by writing traffic tickets" You are obviously a cop hater so I won't bother with defending them, I'll just get to the heart of your ignorance. Yes they write tickets, but very little of the money gets to the city. The fines are collected by the County and they keep a share. The State takes its share. The city ends up with a small percentage. They write them to keep traffic in line, not to make money.
4."Give them a quota that they have to fill and hold them to it" As a cop hater I am surprised that you would advocate writing tickets to make money. Most cop haters complain that they write too many tickets, but you want more?
5. Homeland security money? Seriously? You obviously have no idea how grants work. They almost never cover operating costs but are aimed at specialized programs. Grants can supplement, but not replace actual operating costs.
6."And how about making the police officers get off the cell phone and drive with their windows down when it is not raining?" I actually agree with you on this one.
7"The jobs created by Target are not ones that we need..." Try to back that statement up. The retail leakage study and the recent FEIA's both indicate otherwise. Better yet, tell that to someone who needs a job.

Again-Your post is ignorant and offers nothing as far as solutions. Have an "Eco-centric" day.