Arguments for or against a local or state policy issue

¶ … Local or State Issue of Concern to You

Alex Mitchum

49, Sunset Boulevard

Mayor Adam Smith

City of Pearson

12, 3rd Avenue

Dear Mayor Doe,

I write to you as representative of a numerous group of concerned citizens living between Sunset Boulevard and Carrington Street in the issue of what looks as a mistake regarding the closing of the civic center in our neighborhood.

As I am sure you remember, the civic center "Anthony Walken" was opened 4 years ago, inaugurated in your presence and of other members of the City Hall. It has laid the foundations for better community relations and the improvement of the lives of many children and young men and women in our neighborhood. The name of the Center was given after the young boy that was killed in the gang fights we had 4 years ago and which led to massive segregation between the various ethnic minorities living here. The center, alongside with many of the policies you as Mayor have successfully implemented have created in just 4 years an environment of peacefulness and social progress for which we are very proud and thankful.

Over 70% of families in the Sunset Boulevard and Carrington Street have signed the petition that you are now reading and all of them have had a say in the demands that we are addressing to you as we believe closing the center would, on the medium and long-term, have strong negative effects on the development of young children in our neighborhood.

Although we understand some of the reasons put forward by your office that deal with cutting costs in times of crisis and using space to produce local profit, we fail to understand why we were not consulted in this matter. The Community Association has been constantly involved in all local activities and we have always committed ourselves to working in a positive manner with the local authorities. The system of community-private-public partnerships that we have developed together over the years has had some remarkable results, and I just remind you two of these: the renovation of the theater hall and the total remaking of the Harbor Park. Both situations required commitment and dedication from all parties involved and by working together to find a solution we have found ways of communication, planning and successful delivering.

We have extensively researched for methods to keep the "Anthony Walken" civic center in place, as well as its young people's development programs and scholarships, since we found out about the decision to close it. The amount of money that would be saved by closing this center is quite significant for the smaller and smaller City Hall budget, yet, as stated earlier, there are more valuable things besides money that would be lost in this case. We are talking about the only neutral space in which African-Americans, Latin Americans, Asians, East Europeans or native Americans can engage in common community projects, receive funding for them, as well as scholarships for working visits to Washington or for school support. The center has an immense value also because it create the necessary synergies for people to come together and act on community issues that you as Mayor also is interested in and work in collaboration with many of the individuals involved in this projects.