Comments on: Letter: Porterville deserves leaders who listen https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2025/12/04/letter-porterville-deserves-leaders-who-listen/ In-depth, locally-produced coverage of the Central Valley. Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:37:17 -0700 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Honest Observer https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2025/12/04/letter-porterville-deserves-leaders-who-listen/#comment-163875 Honest Observer Sat, 21 Feb 2026 05:41:55 +0000 https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/?p=53607#comment-163875 It is just a testament to their lack integrity that they tout holding homeless accountable and the rule of law, with potential jail for the punishment, then these cowards brag about visiting an illegal business on valentine's day. Go ahead, call the city ask if there is a license. I'll wait. It's interesting that they don't have the integrity to admit they are more aligned with the left than they think, their rules for thee but not for me. Rivas, a liar, not living in his district, meister and his desire for power. And let's not forget the narcissist McKervey, having the weed places audited so his family member can be the only one, he pushed to allow that business to move to Olive avenue. How he is clearly beholden to his donors and he even manipulated Rivas to push for the sea train ordinance to change for his own use, and Rivas, doesn't know enough and has to read the Google search answer, these three are worse than the three stooges, there only saving grace is green is dumber than them, knows nothing about what's going on. It is just a testament to their lack integrity that they tout holding homeless accountable and the rule of law, with potential jail for the punishment, then these cowards brag about visiting an illegal business on valentine’s day. Go ahead, call the city ask if there is a license. I’ll wait. It’s interesting that they don’t have the integrity to admit they are more aligned with the left than they think, their rules for thee but not for me. Rivas, a liar, not living in his district, meister and his desire for power. And let’s not forget the narcissist McKervey, having the weed places audited so his family member can be the only one, he pushed to allow that business to move to Olive avenue. How he is clearly beholden to his donors and he even manipulated Rivas to push for the sea train ordinance to change for his own use, and Rivas, doesn’t know enough and has to read the Google search answer, these three are worse than the three stooges, there only saving grace is green is dumber than them, knows nothing about what’s going on.

]]> By: Justin Slip https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2025/12/04/letter-porterville-deserves-leaders-who-listen/#comment-162409 Justin Slip Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:41:28 +0000 https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/?p=53607#comment-162409 What stands out to me about this letter is how accurately it describes a leadership style that talks at the community instead of listening to it. That disconnect is especially clear when our local leaders repeatedly fixate on LGBTQ+ and particularly transgender issues, despite residents raising concerns about far more pressing needs like public safety, libraries, and youth services. Time and again, politicians frame transgender people as threats to women or children, even though there is no evidence to support those claims. If city leaders truly cared about safety, they would be willing to look honestly at police reports, school records, employment-related calls for service, and data from the district attorney’s office. Those records consistently show that violence against women and children is overwhelmingly committed by cisgender, straight individuals not by transgender or LGBTQ+ people. Meanwhile, real and documented abuses of power, corruption, and violence against women continue to come from people in positions of authority often from the very political circles that claim to be acting in the name of “protection.” It’s hard not to see the pattern: marginalized communities are used as convenient distractions while leaders avoid accountability, transparency, and the harder work of governing responsibly. That is not listening. That is agenda-driven politics. If our mayor and vice mayor truly believe in ethical leadership, they should stop using fear-based narratives about LGBTQ+ people and start engaging honestly with the community they serve. Respecting public input means addressing real problems not manufacturing moral panics. And it’s especially troubling to see symbolic gestures like “In God We Trust” placed on city property while the basic teachings those words represent honesty, humility, compassion, and truth are ignored. Faith should never be used as a prop to justify exclusion or misinformation. Porterville deserves leaders who focus on facts, fairness, and accountability not scapegoats. i live 12 minutes from Porterville, just go hangout by the bus station, that town has a lot of mental health that needs addressing What stands out to me about this letter is how accurately it describes a leadership style that talks at the community instead of listening to it. That disconnect is especially clear when our local leaders repeatedly fixate on LGBTQ+ and particularly transgender issues, despite residents raising concerns about far more pressing needs like public safety, libraries, and youth services.

Time and again, politicians frame transgender people as threats to women or children, even though there is no evidence to support those claims. If city leaders truly cared about safety, they would be willing to look honestly at police reports, school records, employment-related calls for service, and data from the district attorney’s office. Those records consistently show that violence against women and children is overwhelmingly committed by cisgender, straight individuals not by transgender or LGBTQ+ people.

Meanwhile, real and documented abuses of power, corruption, and violence against women continue to come from people in positions of authority often from the very political circles that claim to be acting in the name of “protection.” It’s hard not to see the pattern: marginalized communities are used as convenient distractions while leaders avoid accountability, transparency, and the harder work of governing responsibly. That is not listening. That is agenda-driven politics.

If our mayor and vice mayor truly believe in ethical leadership, they should stop using fear-based narratives about LGBTQ+ people and start engaging honestly with the community they serve. Respecting public input means addressing real problems not manufacturing moral panics.

And it’s especially troubling to see symbolic gestures like “In God We Trust” placed on city property while the basic teachings those words represent honesty, humility, compassion, and truth are ignored. Faith should never be used as a prop to justify exclusion or misinformation.

Porterville deserves leaders who focus on facts, fairness, and accountability not scapegoats.

i live 12 minutes from Porterville, just go hangout by the bus station, that town has a lot of mental health that needs addressing

]]> By: In God We Trust https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2025/12/04/letter-porterville-deserves-leaders-who-listen/#comment-162115 In God We Trust Sat, 10 Jan 2026 02:42:23 +0000 https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/?p=53607#comment-162115 Thank you for sharing an honest opinion about Porterville City Council. There is no transparency with this council as much as they spit it out. Sound so much like there leader of the country. Thank you for sharing an honest opinion about Porterville City Council. There is no transparency with this council as much as they spit it out. Sound so much like there leader of the country.

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