We Get Letters: Rick’s Helpers?

Very interesting reading your latest Gumbo and I wholeheartedly agree with you that everyone should “Knock it off”.

To start with, I think this was a more appropriate response to the events taking place by talking about it in the Gumbo. I will tell you, when the article came out, I was not sure why it was news or why the newspaper seemed to have to come to Rick’s aid and justify the events that took place with the Tournament of Roses, because at least the way I saw it, that is what the article did.

Rick I am sure is always welcomed to write an opinion piece and talk about that issue to set the record straight, why should Pasadena Now have to do that for him? I would like to hear from him.

Those flyers were not only about the parade gaff, but the opinions of people, about Rick’s time in office, which seemed to be some of the most divisive in council history. So let me point out that part of things from the flyer. 

(Side note – When Rick was Mayor in 1993, I was defending the country as an Infantryman in the United States Marine Corps, so I was not here to witness or be a part of this community to understand what this was all about, so I am only going off what that flyer stated).

What I do know is that when I was in an election season with Felicia, running against her, we did not have any mudslinging, especially not what I am seeing with 2024’s campaigns. Not only that, even after elections were over, many of us also stayed friends, with Felicia appointing me as a Commissioner. 

So, fast forward, here we are with obvious divisiveness and what is different from 2020’s elections to today…………..Rick? It does not show well.

You also printed in today’s issue a bunch of letters from people going against Felicia and Measure H, sure seems like that timing is coming back around again. Is this helping the mudslinging?

H is a disaster, my opinion, that’s a whole other issue. I think there are better ways we can control rent. Creating a new governing board outside of our Council should be unconstitutional and/or at the very least a major Charter Reform discussion. I somehow missed that discussion if it was had. So the way it was implemented I think is questionable (let me also add a friend of mine worked the polls that election and said people were in the parking lots telling voters to vote for H or else old people will be evicted from their homes).

Back to this Felicia/Rick rift, just in my drive coming home today, going up Hill Street under the freeway, there is a new Homeless encampment forming, that’s new, another timing coincidence?….because of rain?…..8 years driving that route, this is a first and its been pretty rainy last couple years. Lastly, as you keep going North up Hill, there’s a house with Rick signs in it and 2 houses away, someone took Felicia’s sign and threw it on the side of what looks like an electrical box.

This is not Pasadena, this is ugly.

This is not right.

Sincerely,

Kevin M. Litwin