Last Updated on February 1, 2013 by Paulette Brown-Hinds
In some of my most recent editorials, I have been encouraging our local governments to reach out and work together toward the benefit of our citizens and taxpayers because of our shortage of financial resources. Well recently a press release came across my email that caught my eye from San Bernardino County Board of Supervisor Josie Gonzales of the 5th District.
It was about the Rialto City Council approving a recommendation brought to them by the Rialto Public Utility Commission to lower the sewer rates by 130% for 100 Bloomington residents that are on the city’s sewer lines. This will amount to an average savings of $55.00 a month for the residents of Bloomington. This is commendable for the city of Rialto to do since they are trying to find extra dollars to keep the city afloat like other local governments in the Inland Empire.
In the release Mayor Deborah Robertson said: “The City Council recognizes that this was an important issue in the Bloomington area who had previously paid three times the standard rate for their services. The city did it because it was ‘an important issue to Bloomington residents.’” There in is a lesson or guiding light for all public elected officials to follow when making policy, what is important to the people. It was not to the benefit of Rialto but it was to their next door neighbors in Bloomington.
Could you just imagine what Congress could do for America if they did what was important for the people instead of some special interest groups? They could make a common sense law that would get military assault guns out of citizen’s hands while leaving in place for citizens to own as many other guns that they could afford. They could make all citizens register their guns while making sure background checks are done on gun owners. This will not be a 100% guarantee that we would not have mass shootings but it would reduce the odds of many being killed at one time from some one deranged and hell bent on having their 15-minutes of fame.
This one law would help citizen to feel secure as they step out in the public arena in the pursuit of happiness in America while exercising their right to assemble peacefully in schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, sporting events or places of worship. This is an important issue to American citizens not for gun manufacturers who are only thinking about making money.
This is one time Democrats and Republicans should set aside the money from gun lobbyists and say enough is enough and do like the city council of Rialto and say this is important to and for the people. I know it takes money to run political campaigns but like I was told recently, not all money is good money. It might be legal money but not good for this issue at this time.
Maybe those policy makers for the making, selling, and owning military style assault weapons by every day citizens need to be shown the visual affects of what these guns can do to young children who have been shot and injured or killed.
To quote Marian Wright Eldeman of the Children’s Network since 1968 over 178,000 children have been killed by the use of guns and as reported on CBS News Monday night, 50 people were killed in Chicago this past weekend by guns.
Like Supervisor Josie Gonzales said of the Rialto City Council thanks for the “Leadership and cooperation with the county of San Bernardino—for the citizens of Bloomington resident.” I too say thank you for putting self interest aside and putting the citizens first.
I want to commend the City of Rialto for their leadership and showing the rest of us how to be Good Neighbors.