Wednesday Tazer Talk

Hello Tazer Faithful!

The Tazer honestly meant to update last night, but in reality, the City Council meeting put me to sleep :).

At some point, I will get to a Council Meeting update, but I will say that it was great to see all those young folks receive that overdue recognition. Good job my young folks!

Here's a goodie on a great event that Charlene Harris was a BIG part in coordinating as far as transporting and facilitating getting our community up to Sacto:

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'The Committee of Families for the Safety of Our Children' took the Richmond Violence Prevention Movement boycott to the steps of the State Capital building in Sacramento this past April 24, 2006. It was the 16th Annual Victims' March, where thousands upon thousands of individuals, families who were the victims' families killed by violence throughtout the State of California. Individuals, families and violence prevention organizations gathered to honor the fallen victims of violence on a State-wide basis.

Even before the outreach teams from 'The Committee' had touched the gathering, hundreds of people from around the San Francisco Bay Area were aware of the Violence Prevention Movement's boycott against the City of Richmond's Mayor's Office, City Council, and City Commissions and Boards for not having the Movement invited to the bargaining table to help formulate and implement policies with the City Government to help contain and reduce the killing in Richmond.

'The Richmond Truth Tazer' (http://richmondtruth.blogspot.com/) had been widely read and talked about at the Victims' March gathering. Many Violence Prevention activists and organizers were outraged that local the Richmond Violence Prevention Movement had been excluded and banned from the bargaining table! Most of their information source had come from the 'Richmond Truth Tazer' . 'The Committee of Families for the Safety of Our Children' thanks the 'Tazer' for it's support of both the Boycott and giving the REAL Violence Prevention Movement a true voice to be heard here in the City of Richmond and throughtout the State of California.
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TAZER NOTE: First things First: Props to Charlene and all those who helped to coordinate and attended this event. Secondly, The Tazer is happy to be a resource to inform people in our community.

Here's a piece that was forwarded to The Tazer:
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INSIDERS AT THE CITY HALL STATE THAT THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION MOVEMENT'S BOYCOTT AGAINST THE MAYORS OFFICE, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IS STARTING TO TAKE IT'S TOLL.

AT THE MONDAY NIGHT MEETING FOR THE CITY OF RICHMOND'S HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION THIS PAST APRIL 24, ONLY 3 OF THE 9 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSIONERS WERE PRESENT.

UNTIL THE CITY GOVERNMENT OF RICHMOND IS PREPARED TO HAVE THE REAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION MOVEMENT COME TO THE BARGAINING TABLE AS EQUAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN HELPING THE CITY OF RICHMOND IMPLEMENT POLICIES TO CONTAIN AND REDUCE VIOLENCE IN THE CITY, THE BOYCOTT WILL CONTINUE.

ONE INSIDER CLOSE TO THE MAYORS OFFICE CITED THAT THERE WAS GRAVE CONCERNS OF HOW THE BOYCOTT WAS SPREADING THROUGHTOUT THE CITY AND NOW COMMISSIONERS WERE SHOWING THEIR DISPLEASURE ON HOW THE CITY WAS LOSING THE WAR ON VIOLENCE.
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TAZER NOTE: The Tazer mentioned prior that the word was Mayor Anderson was gravely concerned about the possible toll that a boycott could take on City functions and committees...The Tazer wonders just how long the cart and pony show will go on before all parties are heard.

Here's a piece from Marilynne Melleander (The Tazer apologizes for the delay in getting this up):
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Dear Concerned Citizens,

A "Crime Summit" meeting will be held in El Sobrante on May 31 at the Boys and Girls'Club. As that date nears, I will find out the exact time and more details.

Dist. 1 Supervisor John Gioia, Sheriff Warren Rupf and Richmond police chief Magnus will be there to do a panel discussion on the crime problem in El Sobrante and the surrounding City of Richmond area.

This is, from what I can ascertain from my interview with Mike Rowland of Windermere Rowland Realty yesterday, an attempt by local business leaders to impose a parcel tax on El Sobrante residents to bring one or more resident deputies.

This, in spite of the fact that property and business owners are ALREADY paying for sheriff protection through the P6 parcel tax. In fact, those who bought property after 1983 are paying DOUBLE for sheriff protection because the P6 'special district' was formed then by a vote of the Board of Supervisors and any new developments in unincorporated Contra Costa Co. must vote to have this tax levied on their property tax bill to get permission to build!!

Supposedly, the format will include the public submitting written questions to thepanel. I hope you will attend and submit questions to these men who are charged with crime prevention.

Marilynne L. MellanderMember, El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council
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TAZER NOTE: Thank you for this piece Marilynne. The Tazer plans to be there for this one!

More updates as they happen...as always, your comments are welcome.