Mailbag: An op-ed draws divisive opinions

Government’s new rules are a crime

Sober living homes have surely been thrust upon us. Now, under guidelines released this past week by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, turning down tenants based on whether or not they have criminal records could be considered discriminatory and landlords could, as a result, face lawsuits or penalties. According to the New York Times, “Landlords must distinguish between arrests and convictions … and consider nature and severity of the crime.”

The day before Easter, as I was entering the Burbank Farmer’s Market, a fellow asked if I wanted to sign a petition to legalize marijuana in California. Really?

So let me get this straight. 1) Gov. Brown mandated the release of all “nonviolent” criminals in order to reduce the California prison population. This didn’t work out too well for 89-year-old Gerri Dickins of Burbank who, in July 2015 was brutally beaten up by Lonnie Garcia, a parolee from prison as part of the “California Realignment Program,” AB 109. 2) The Obama administration and HUD have ordered property owners to rent to those with a criminal record and 3) a guy at the Farmer’s Market wants to legalize drugs.

This goes far beyond government overreach. There is a real disconnect here.

Debra Russ
Burbank

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Letter, op-ed combo was too much

I don’t know Mr. Blumenfeld. However, allowing him to write an op-ed piece where he is allegedly explaining the political process but actually tours his own campaign seems to violate journalistic ethics. Coupled with a letter to the editor from one of his admirers he sure gives the appearance that the Burbank Leader has gone through the back door to endorse a candidate.

Joe Gunn
Burbank

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Op-ed pulled back election curtain

Thank you for publishing Andrew Blumenfeld’s op-ed last week. It is a shame that so many people are kept in the dark when it comes to the behind-the-scenes happenings of political campaigns. Such a lack of transparency erodes our democratic process.

I am grateful that Blumenfeld was willing to pull back the curtain a bit, and I am grateful to you for allowing him to do so on the pages of your paper. Our community deserves to know these things — in this election and in every other — and this paper is doing its job best when it empowers voters to make informed decisions about their leadership. Thank you.

Mary Lou Kolbenschlag
Burbank