STOCKTON -- Stockton residents are still waiting nearly six months after Mayor Ann Johnston talked of a Marshall Plan to fight crime. That plan is still on the drawing board.
But what we wanted to know is what do you think about the plan. Will it work? Is it necessary?
Here's what a few News10 viewers said:
Deana Samuel-Scott: As in Marshall law??? I'd say they need to do something... Stockton has ALWAYS been hotbed for crime and now it's even worse... They should have a 6pm curfew.
Ericstotle Brown: If it's not going to boost the economy there, hence create jobs, and revive the significant downturn of their local housing market, then no.
Mike Upton: It allows the military to come in and be the temporary police, when the civilian authorities cant handle it themselves.
Kae Sunshine: Marshall law is an infringement of our rights I thought, and it may start with Stockton but, if it is successful I wonder how many other places in California will follow suit. Marshal law? I say no way.
Alicia Guzman: I don't think she has the backing and support to launch a Marshall Plan, when all she has done is tried to tear down the Police Department and Fire Departments in her City. I believe she would need the support from these departments and that she does not have.
Olivia Price: I total agree. The mayor of Oakland needs to do the same!
Mark Del Barba: ?@alicia. Good point. And I'm sure she does not have the backing from the community leaders who offered their help and she turned them down. These community leaders are vital in helping the city fight this war or violence. And to the police and fire departments. You have my support. You are a vital tool in this war. To the mayor and her merry men. Wake up. Or get out. Fight for the city not just the people who have money. I am 4th generation stocktonian an I'm proud. But I'm also disgusted with our city council who only cares about painting over the problem. You need to fix the bottom on up. Go to the communities you represent and talk to them. Find out why who when an where. You can't sit on your fat wallets all day and expect things to happen. You need to get out there and be part of this community. Not just the gated areas.
Vaneesa Salas Martinez: Marshall Law won't stop crime. All it's going to do is give the goverment what little rights we have left, and I belive we have fought for our freedom why give back now?????
What this world and stockton needs is to stop taking GOD out of our schools and stop trying to take HIM out compleatly and we wouldnt have this many problems in the world we THINK we can do it all, but this is GOD backing off and letting us see for ourselves and obviously we are NOTHING without him!
Joe Wheeler: This mayor has done nothing but cut police and fire and waste tax payers money on marinas and hockey rinks!!! When she was with LUSD she did not care about what the parents thought. She needs to go!
Amanda Kenyon: What we also need to look at is Marshall law does get implemented so does the newly signed NDAA.... I don't know about you but have no desire to to allow the military to have the right to indefinitely detain me or anyone else with no due process...
Jim Guiles: You all need to know the difference between a Marshall Plan and Martial Law.
Jeff Neves: ?^^ why does someone ALWAYS have to say that we're in the position were in because of the lack of God, & religion..... WHY OH WHY?!?!?
Alicia Guzman: Mark Del Barba, you said it and said it well. I just love how she slammed and blamed the media for the crime and problems.... Her words "Sensationalizing" I say to her the numbers speak for them self.
Vanessa Salas Martinez: ?@ jeff neves WE say it because its true, I dont know if you read a bible but its all the info you'll ever need and it tells us ALL how we must live our lives and we are obviously not doing that so dont you think there will be consequences???? I DO.
Mary Serna-Omogun: She is being proactive which is a good thing - she is bringing hope and looking forward.
Kelly Ramirez: Martial law is a big thing. Kinda scary, but I personally don't have anything to hide or worry about in a legal sense. As long as everything is outlined to residents, I don't see why not. Those who can't follow the laws can move on out of Stockton if they'd like. I do live in Stockton, and don't feel like it is as bad as the media is making it out to be. Yes, there is a lot of crime. Yes, there have been a lot of murders. But if you look at all of the cases, almost all of them were associated with gang and/or drug activity. Associate with the wrong people/groups, and that is what you will get, regardless of which town you live in.
Deana Samuel-Scott: ?@Jeff Neves... because most people need something or someone to lay the blame on and who better than something or someone that cannot dispute or for that fact that we evan have proof that exsist...
Alicia Guzman: And she say bring them all to the table, well Mayor not many of those believe in you or trust you any longer. @ to Tim Daly thanks for staying with the story even if she was 10 weeks behind her date that she gave you. Stay on top of it because she now fills the pressure and the citizens are watching her. he has done nothing good for the City of Stockton.
Gabriel Vargas: Unless it includes her and the anti-business city council resigning it has no chance.
Joe Stockton: We really need to call for some changes. Maybe we can be trend setters and start making sure elected official are qualified to be in the offices they hold. Public employees have to take an examination in order to qualify as a candidate for a job. I honestly don't know how we could go about it, but it would be nice to have the same type of criteria for elected official. For example: If an individual would like to run for office they would first have to pass an examination to even qualify. Then they should need to pass a credit check. If a person cannot manage their own finances, then how can we possibly trust them to responsibly manage the finances of a City? I have to tell you that the housing allowance provide to Bob Deis because he is "upside down" on his house really burns my backside. I am not saying a candidate that is elected or running a City has to be perfect in their personal life, as we all are human, but they should be able to reasonably manage their own finances. I would liken Bob Deis' theory that they "think" it is legal to take from their employees under fiscal emergency, to the gamble he took on his own house in Santa Rosa. Obviously that didn't work out, well for Stocktonians anyway. A huge red flag for me would have been that he "needs" or "wants" a housing allowance to work and live in the City of Stockton as part of his compensation when the job was offered to him. If I am not mistaken he currently makes at or above bay area wages in the City of Stockton. A City that has been described as being in a "Depression" not a "Recession" (I believe that was said by the Mayor her self).
Furthermore, I believe that local government (or any agency for that matter) should have to provide full disclosure, which contains a neutral party's economic evaluation of the opportunity cost regarding "risky" decisions being made by elected officials prior to their implementation. They are playing with the tax payer's money! The primary reason I would ask for this, is because I feel that the current elected officials and their appointed City Manager have put the City of Stockton at significant risk. I would really like to see the opportunity cost analysis for the actions they have already taken. The Mayor noted that there are 13 people working on new police officer applications. What is the true cost to the City of Stockton to lose experienced officers and hire new ones? What will it cost the City of Stockton in the future when new police officers get their foot in the door, then leave the City of Stockton for better pay in benefits at other agencies on a regular basis? What does it cost the City of Stockton by breaking contracts, and imposing changes, to even attract quality employees?
I realize there is no money in Stockton right now, but being honest and forthcoming with information goes a long way. Future employees opinion on how things operate in the City of Stockton will ultimately have a bearing on a City's overall success. It is time that we have responsible leaders in place that are working for the overall good of the City. We need elected officials to be well versed in Economics as primary foundation for their positions.
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