Font ResizeIn the weekly feature called "e-views," we invite readers to answer a question via email.
Last week's question:
If you could have one wish granted for your city in 2013 what would it be?
ECONOMIC growth, so all our other wishes could come true.
Barbara Herendeen
Antioch
IF A GENIE could grant a wish for the city, I'd ask for the elimination of crime. So many people no longer what to live or work here due to the high crime.
Juli Redford
Antioch
A PARK DEDICATED to veterans in the dirt lot across from the Antioch Senior Center and the Green Lumber Yard building along the river. Every city that I know has a park dedicated to veterans, but not Antioch. Veterans and everyone else could sit on the grass to watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Chris Valenta
Antioch
BETTER leadership with more knowledge and compassion. We need more leaders who have actually been out in the world and worked with their hands -- not simply talking about -- but actual doing. We have too many well-intentioned folks making rules and regulation about which they know little about and have no actual experience.
Don Anthony
THAT WE CAN fully staffed code enforcement. I think this is the one most important functions that will serve our city well, especially with the increase in rental properties that is sure to come. Appearance is everything, and it's about time Antioch take this seriously.
Terry Ingrof
Antioch
MY WISH WOULD be to have more police officers. When teenagers are mugged at gunpoint on a Sunday afternoon (which happened recently to a family friend), it's time to say "no more!" We need to take back our city from the criminals who have infested it, and invest in our police department.
Lori Herington
Antioch
A FEW ACRES of nicely grown tall redwood trees that the public can visit to closely get away occasionally from the stresses of life and city living. We have too much unhealthy cement and artificial jungle within our city. It's what we needed to offset this city's ill effects upon the public at large.
Ralph A. Hernandez
Antioch
MY SPECIAL WISH for Antioch would be to have the library open six days a week and fully staffed. We live in a country where 37 percent of fourth graders are functionally illiterate and one in seven adults cannot read a simple paragraph. According to research, one of the best ways to overcome this is for people to simply have access to books. Not everyone has a computer or a Kindle. Before the cutbacks, the Antioch library had programs to meet the needs of people at any age, including banks of computers that could be used for research and job search. There were reading groups for teens, the Wednesday Club for disabled adults, classes on budgeting, English as a second language, poetry readings, books sales (at prices I could afford), craft times for after school kids, Reading Education Assistance Therapy Dogs who worked with new readers, story time for toddlers and it was gathering place for the knitting club, Sierra club, and other hometown groups. Most of all, it was -- and still is in its limited time frame -- the one place with thousands of books and tapes and information for everyone regardless of their age, income, gender or ability or disability. It is truly an equal opportunity service provider. If only it could be open to provide its many gifts to all those who need it. Increasing its access to the community could be a big step in battling illiteracy.
Terri Courtney
Antioch
This week's question:
The council last month reappointed Kevin Romick to serve a second consecutive year as mayor after Vice Mayor Carol Rios declined. In response, Councilman Randy Pope called for a revote last week, arguing that his colleagues' decision to break with the tradition of rotating the mayor's seat deprives him of the chance to move into the top spot before the end of his term. Do you think the council should reverse its vote on Jan. 22 and stick to its longtime rotation plan?
Email your response to bnews@bayareanewsgroup.com. Please limit responses to a few sentences, and be sure to include your full name and city of residence. Not all responses will be published. NOTE: Please respond before Monday.
