Pimples on the Body Politic

Example #1 - December 2005 Manteca Bulletin story:

The Great 2005 Garage Door Protest

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT SUCKS? A $250 FINE FOR PARKING MY BOAT IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY"

The article was a puff piece to show that code enforcement actually wrote someone a ticket! After being transferred from the Community Development department to the Police department, they were "making a dent" in the backlog of complaints.

I do believe this was the first - and only - action taken by the reconstituted group.

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Example #2 - Stockton Record, May 15, 2006:

Manteca garage bands draw ire
Number of noise complaints on the rise

Can you believe it? Does noise really bother people? Then again, this was before the City of Manteca had a REAL residential noise ordinance. In November 2007, the city adopted the current, [sarcasm] more muscular ordinance, so now the police can crack down on boom boxes and garage bands.

However, a resident is SOL if someone yells, "Grandfathered!" because then - without verifying a damn thing - code enforcement responds with "Allee, allee outs in free!" and - shazzam! - perps do whatever they want, even run noisy illegal businesses in neighborhoods. [/sarcasm]

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Example #3 - June 19, 2009 Lathrop Manteca Sun Post story:

Neighbor Makes Noise

Dave Garcia of Manteca tracks his noise problem to a big manufacturing plant three miles away. He is told by both Lathrop and Manteca code enforcement officials, "There is nothing we can do."

Fortunately for Dave Garcia, he is dealing with a legal business (with permits!) that is run by rational, reasonable people (lucky guy!), who are willing to work through the nuisance to a resolution (blessed silence!)
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How many times does this story have to be repeated before citizens and our so-called "leaders" wake up to the fact that code enforcement departments in Manteca and Lathrop are merely euphemisms for pus-filled pimples that need to be squeezed before public confidence can heal?

All that is ever heard out of these offices is the pathetic, woe-filled excuse, "There is nothing we can do," accompanied with prodigous hand-wringing.

Fine! Since they never can do anything, let's get rid of these personnel and save the payroll and benefits dollars.