Letter: Ceasefire Fund | Preventing Violence

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Auckland needs to get better
Ceasefire financing

Re: “City Audit Targets Gun Violence” (page A1, January 16).

Ceasefire, Oakland’s successful gun violence reduction program, requires long-term funding. The revenue stream currently provided by Tax Measure Z, which expires at the end of the year, will need to be extended.

Shomik Mukherjee’s article on the Ceasefire Audit describes operational decisions made by the Oakland Police Department to divert personnel and resources from “key elements of the strategy.” As a result, Oakland residents have seen a significant increase in gun violence, and my friend no longer feels safe leaving her home after dark.

It is not enough to strengthen shooting reviews or redeploy existing resources to focus on individual perpetrators of gun crimes. These steps should help. But efforts to revitalize the Ceasefire program will stall unless Measure Z, Oakland’s parcel and parking tax, is extended or replaced by the end of this year.

Gene Moses
auckland

The city must implement this thoroughly.
violence prevention

Re: “City Audit Targets Gun Violence” (page A1, January 16).

As a long-time supporter and participant in the Oakland Ceasefire violence prevention strategy, I was disappointed by the results of a recent audit by the California Safe Communities Partnership.

However, this audit helped us understand why our community members, who have worked so hard to save lives through a ceasefire, have not been able to achieve satisfactory results. I believe the Mayor, the Oakland Police Department, and the Oakland City Council will take the audit seriously, recognize that a ceasefire works when it’s in place, and mandate its full implementation.

pastor jim hopkins
auckland

supervisor ignores
voter concerns

The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors has prioritized business interests over quality of life and has neglected its duty to represent county residents.

On January 16, they rubber-stamped a revised EIR for Phillips 66’s massive project after effectively alienating the public who were there to speak out on the issue. Supervisor Federal Glover did not provide a reason for the one-minute limit on public comment. Supervisors Candice Andersen and John Gioia spent about three minutes and 20 minutes, respectively, expressing their concerns. Supervisors Ken Carlson and Diane Burgis didn’t care.

The biggest offender was Grover, who asked no questions or made any comments, despite being the supervisor of Rodeo, the unincorporated underprivileged community in which P66 operates. He simply ushered his P66 down the aisle and offered our community as a dowry.

Regardless of his preferences or final outcome, his failure to show active concern and consideration for the residents of “his” district in this forum amounts to a dereliction of duty.

Erin Eiris
croquet

Antioch should adopt
ranked voting

One of the most basic principles of democracy is majority rule, but guess what? There is no majority rule in Antioch. Mayors and city council members are often elected without a majority. This happened in multiple contests in 2020 and 2022. That’s unacceptable.

Ranked choice voting (RCV) determines a majority winner in one election with high turnout. It’s very easy for voters. First place votes go to your favorite candidate, second place votes go to your backup candidate, and so on. Elections tend to be positive and issue-oriented. There is no need to worry about splitting the vote, and there are usually more candidates running. RCV is used in California and throughout the United States. Voters love it. It’s a proven system. RCV gives voters more choice and more voice.

Antioch needs recovery. Please consult with your city council member or mayor.

robert bruce
Antioch

The 14th Amendment is a possibility.
helps avoid violence

Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is clear. The U.S. Supreme Court appears intent on bending over backwards to find a way to keep Donald Trump on the ballot, and in the process violating their oath of office to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.