Letters for October 9, 2014

Dear poor Midtowners

Re “Affordable housing in Sacramento’s urban core” by Jeff vonKaenel (SN&R Greenlight, September 25):

I would like to say something: Midtown is gentrified, get over it.

We, the people with money, like it here and we are staying. The way the world works is that those with the money make the rules. I hear so much complaining about how we ruined Midtown, blah blah blah. We didn't ruin it, we took it over. If you don't like it or can't afford it, you can move. This is free-market capitalism. Because we don't want you here if you can't keep up. Don't like the new boutique that opened up? We don't care. Rent gotten too high for you? Then move. You obviously can't afford to live around us. We set the rules. You can choose to adapt or you can leave. To put it any other way would be to candy-coat it. That is a waste of time.

Sorry if you poorer Midtown residents feel cheated or like something was taken away from you, but that's how it is. It happens in life.

Lindsay Miller

Midtown

Measure L only benefits K.J.

Re “Strong Man?” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Feature Story, October 2):

Let’s see, now. First, it appears that our mayor continues to sharpen and extend his influence-peddling capabilities. Then, he and his network of cronies float a major city charter amendment, which gives the mayor the power to unilaterally control the city bureaucracy and installs line-item veto powers over spending matters. And all it leaves the city council in return is an ability to override a limited menu of types of decisions—although even that requires a three-fourths majority vote.

Here’s hoping that the city electorate proves to be smarter than that. Because there’s only one winner here if Measure L passes—Kevin Johnson.

Bill Reany

via email

L speaks for itself

Re “Strong man?” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Feature Story, October 2):

Unfortunately—but not surprisingly—anti-K.J. columnist Cosmo Garvin was unable to hide his long-running animosity toward Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson in his article on Measure L, giving readers the impression that he (and his quoted sources) are unbiased in their evaluation of this ballot measure that is crucial for our city’s future. They are not. …

The bottom line about whether the “strong mayor” system works is to ask the voters. And not a single California city of Sacramento’s size that has adopted this system has reverted back to a weak mayor. That speaks for itself.

Josh Wood

member of Yes on Measure L campaign team