Dear Ventura City Council Members and the Ventura County Public Health Officer,
Let’s face it, the coronavirus is now sprinting along, infections are rising rapidly all over California. The Ventura County infection rate has risen to higher levels today, than ever. The hospitalizations are rising, give it a week or two and the death rates are to follow. The virus is actually spreading now even faster than it was when we started the lockdown in March.
I keep seeing police officers around town speaking to each other and to citizens at close range and with no masks. Of course, the general public is always watching what the police are doing. The first thing the public sees is NO MASK. This is dangerous. It is dangerous for members of the police force and the citizens they are conversing with. This is a dangerous message to send to the general public. A citizen is likely to say to himself, “If the police don’t wear masks, why should I?” On the other hand, if the public saw the police wearing masks all the time, they would likely think, “Look, the police are wearing masks, this virus must be serious, I better put on my mask!” This will help save lives.
I had a very cordial conversation yesterday with Commander Arroyo of the Ventura Police. He and I discussed the 3,000 NYPD officers who came down with the virus and the 39 NYPD officers who died from the virus. More importantly we discussed that since the NYPD has been required to wear masks, they have had no more officer deaths and the NYPD officer’s virus rate is now less than 3% while at the same time, the general public infection rate is at 20%, Brooklyn NY is at 40%.
In these days of so many citizens pleading for “community policing” for the police to actually “protect and serve”, I believe that if the Ventura police officers wear masks, they will convey to our citizens that the police care, and that they are here not to “infect”, but to “protect”. Let’s do it! Like Chicago, like Austin, like New York City, let’s see our police wear the mask!
Regards, Gene Rubin
Dear Council Members:
I feel that reducing the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau (VVCB) budget at this time (or anytime) would be a very large and serious mistake.
Especially at this time, when some businesses are starting to open, the work that they do in promoting tourism is more important then it has ever been. Now more than ever, we need to have the VVCB marketing our destination and businesses to help us recover from the dramatic losses because of this pandemic.
Their efforts help bring in much tax revenue that supports our city budget.
Especially as summer arrives and so many come here to enjoy our wonderful weather and beaches.
We need them now more than ever. Please reconsider this budget cut.
Thank you
Sheldon Brown publisher-editor
By honors, medals, titles no true man is elevated. To realize that which we are,
this is the honor for which we are created.
~ Angeleus Siilesius
