A Compton couple fixed neighborhood potholes. The city has ordered them to stop

[ripcord]

With a newly installed tire, the couple drove to Home Depot, bought $400 worth of supplies and repaired not only the pothole in front of their home but four others on the street.

Several neighbors, appreciating the couple’s work, requested their services. But the city of Compton was not happy.

The city issued a cease-and-desist letter dated March 14, demanding that the couple stop “unauthorized repairs to public roadways.”

“Your actions have raised serious concerns as they [pose] a threat to public safety and the integrity of our city’s infrastructure. It is imperative that all maintenance and repair work on public roadways be conducted in accordance with established regulations and procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors,” the letter states.

According to the cease-and-desist letter, the couple could face fines, penalties and “potential liability for damages” for their work. But the threat hasn’t stopped them; Daisy said they’re filling holes between deliveries or after work, thanks to support from their community.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-29/a-compton-couple-started-fixing-neighborhood-potholes-the-city-has-ordered-them-to-stop

And that is what you get for trying to help.

[chouchou]

1. I'd give them 2 thumbs up for being helpful and brave to do it.

[TheBlackAdder]

6. What also works is Yellow Traffic Stripping Paint. Paint a yellow triangle before the pothole ◀️⚫and around the hole.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. And they should submit their receipt

To Public Works, Code Enforcement, and the Council. He'll - I'll call into their meeting to make public comment if they remote attendance - and I'm across the country.

I would LOVE it if one of my.constituents pulled this.

[jimfields33]

37. The city is pissed they did it for 400 dollars when

the city does it for 10,000 dollars. /sarc…..sorta.

[TexasDem69]

3. As much as it costs to live in California

And with the ridiculous taxes, don’t they have enough money for the city/state to fix potholes?

[stopdiggin]

4. Compton is hardly awash in money

your snark is noted (and appreciated)
But - every jurisdiction plays the same old game of musical chairs. Does the street department get the nickel - or does the fire department get the raise they've been promised for 3 years - or maybe we could patch the swimming pool this summer? Show me a municipality that is sitting on a big pile of 'reserves'.

[TexasDem69]

7. Do residents of Compton pay lower taxes than other places

In California?

[stopdiggin]

12. I'm not familiar with the municipality

Are you pushing the idea that this city has gobs of money sitting around to devote to all of their civic issues?

(or is this just garden variety - Republican echo chamber - bitch about 'higher taxes' .. )
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[TexasDem69]

13. I'm asking if this city pays the same taxes as other cities in Orange County

And are you accusing me of being a Republican for asking a question about taxes? If so, I’ll accept your apology since there’s no basis for that bullshit

[stopdiggin]

15. And I am saying I don't know

and I am relatively certain that there are potholes to be found in other jurisdictions - throughout that county and the rest of the state.
(and, yes - bitching about high taxes - and squandered money - is kind of a R thing)

[jimfields33]

39. If the city doesn't have the funding as you say,

then they should welcome this community effort with open arms.

[FHRRK]

31. Compton is in LA County n/t

[senseandsensibility]

10. I know that historically Compton was a black neighborhood

and the man fixing the pothole is Hispanic. It would hardly be unusual for high minority areas to get the short end of the stick so to speak. I will say that my small suburb in the SF area (with a very high minority population like most areas in CA) has excellent city services. I mean unbelievably good. I have e-mailed city workers and they have responded personally on more than one occasion. When our street light went out, I e-mailed an employee on their website and he responded the same day. The light was fixed the following day. Just one example.

[TexasDem69]

17. The idea that citizens have to fix potholes is nonsense

But here in Ft. Worth there are many, many potholes that could use some citizen TLC. And it’s almost impossible to get financial assistance from the city when one of those potholes damages your car. One of the local papers had a story about that issue recently.

I’ll move on from my criticism of California and admit that all states could do better in this regard.

[JI7]

19. I think there are more Hispanics in Compton now

most of the areas seen as poor black areas in LA are mostly Hispanic now.

[FHRRK]

11. Let's try this

As much as Texans pay for the ridiculous property taxes, you would think they would be very careful about disparaging other States.

Truth! A friend of mine moved to TX after College, I went to CA.

In 1998 we both bought the houses we are in now, approaching retirement, well my wife and I did retire this year.

Houses almost the exact same sq ft. Similar suburban neighborhoods. He is north of Dallas, I am in the OC. For first couple years his costs were a bit lower, mortgage 50k less, but utilities and property taxes higher. After a few years he was paying more, for the privilege to live North of Dallas.

In fact, if you put pencil to paper, include my much greater appreciation, it cost them 2k per month to live in the Dallas burbs, as compared to my life in The OC.

Now I am off to take my wife to lunch, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Beach? Little rainy today so will likely stay inland and head up to the Orange Circle. Have all summer to head to beach spots for lunch and not deal with ridiculous heat and humidity.

[TexasDem69]

14. I've lived in both places

And often visit California. It’s largely turned into a desolate, crime ridden state with excessive taxes and unhappy citizens. Have you been to San Diego or San Jose recently? Empty buildings, no businesses, and a massive homeless problem. That’s why people are fleeing the state. And the cost of a house in Orange County today has to be 25% higher than the cost of a similar house in Dallas. The only places that are remotely affordable in California are the places nobody wants to live.

[stopdiggin]

16. and so basically we've boiled it down

as an opportunity to bash another locality ...
College football and school fight songs anybody?

[TexasDem69]

18. I do not like football

And not a Texas native. Do you think criticize all the folks who say Alabama or West Virginia or even Texas sucks?

Anyway, I get your point and there’s lots of great things about California. If I could afford to live in Santa Barbara I’d be there tomorrow.

[FHRRK]

22. Will answer both responses in one

Respectfully, you sound just like my RW Texas buddy who watches Fox News all night.

High taxes, crime infested, people fleeing the State, all played nightly on Fox News.

CA had a net loss of about 150k last census, lost one House Seat that was manipulation by Repukes.

How many immigrants hit CA in a normal year? About 300k, that number plummeted in 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic.

Even with that, College Educated and those earning over 100k increased moving in saw increases.

San Diego huge appreciation over the last five years, The OC too. San Francisco, even with the Fox News bashing won’t drop.

On a positive for you, I am looking for a coastal home. San Diego and OC, unbelievable prices, the costs in Santa Barbara are the most reasonable.

[senseandsensibility]

24. Yes the CA bashing is a staple on FAUX and even my FAUX watching

father knows it's BS. He buys almost all of what they're selling otherwise, but he actually lives in CA. He even asked my hubby and me what they were talking about. We said don't ask us to explain FAUX to you! Lol.

[FHRRK]

28. Wow

“CA is a shithole”

The most liberal State in the Union is being slammed on this site.

SMDH!

[GP6971]

42. Hello.

Do you also like Polka?

[FHRRK]

23. Absolutely fucking not

I am refuting RW talking points being used against one of the more liberal States of the Union.

[ripcord]

35. I've lived in California my whole life and the conditions of the roads is just getting worse

It should bother every Californian that we pay the highest gas taxes in the country but are ranked 47th in highway and road conditions.

[DBoon]

30. municipalities rely primarily on sales tax revenue

property taxes are fixed by 1978's Proposition 13, which capped ALL property taxes and requires a super majority to raise them

Compton is a lower income city with no regional retail centers or high-end retail. Probably few car dealerships as well. Sales tax revenue is limited.

Income taxes are collected by the state and generally go for state-wide programs.

According to this site ( https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/states-with-the-highest-and-lowest-overall-tax-burdens#gid=ci02bb6137d000243e) California is 12th overall in tax rates, just above Nebraska. It is a myth that California taxes are "ridiculous" at least when ranked with other states.

[nini]

34. We have a lot of potholes right now because of the heavy rains we've had

That and major roads get patched first.

It’s raining again this weekend too.

[tinrobot]

5. Sadly, the city kind of has to tell them to stop because of liability.

What if the couple, even with good intentions, don't fix the potholes properly? If some car has an accident because of the poor repair, then the city could be liable.

Perhaps the city needs to accept volunteers who can help with fixing the streets. Might help get them fixed faster.

[Wonder Why]

8. Is the city not liable if it doesn't get fixed?

[tinrobot]

9. What's more dangerous - a visible pothole that can be avoided...

...or an invisible one that can't be avoided?

[former9thward]

29. Can't see most potholes at night.

So a pothole the city did not fix is the most dangerous.

[LeftInTX]

21. What if they get run over while fixing potholes? Or something happens to them.

I see stuff like this just about everywhere. Good Samaritans volunteer. City makes them stop. I really see this on Nextdoor. (I'm saving tax money and now they don't want it..."Bad city".) "I went to feed this homeless camp, the city made me stop" "I'm cleaning up all the needles from this vacant lot" etc etc etc...

I think it's a liability thing.

[JI7]

20. I think something similar happened with Arnold Schwarzenegger

[GenThePerservering]

26. Yes!

[link:https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-arnold-schwarzenegger-los-angeles-potholes-c778451f7d913378e4b3c8440a417cd5#:~:text=LOS%20ANGELES%20%28AP%29%20%E2%80%94%20Fed%20up%20by%20an,to%20repair%20the%20road%20in%20the%20Brentwood%20area.|

[GenThePerservering]

27. Sorry - I don't know what happened to that link nt

[area51]

32. This reminded me of British artist

Wanksy (NSFW), who drew attention to potholes.

[IcyPeas]

33. Embarrassing Pothole Caricatures of Politicians Spur Action to Fix the Streets in Russia

(Slightly off-topic, but anyway...)

There are some pothole artists who make mosaics in potholes, or knitted repairs to potholes... (you can Google that if you haven't seen it)

We need some guerrilla artists here. Put trumps face around every pothole like this:




https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/09/embarrassing-pothole-caricatures-of-politicians-spur-action-to-fix-the-streets/

[FightFight]

36. it could help prevent them from getting sued

in case someone gets injured somehow, People can be very litigious

all in all they did a good thing, kinda reminds me how come cities lock up homeless folk

[Brother Buzz]

40. How is locking up homeless people a good thing?

[Mariana]

38. My dad used to fill potholes on our street with sand.

[onethatcares]

44. I think sand would work

as a temporary fill while waiting for the phone call to city hall to work.

I would not hold my breath while waiting though.

[Mariana]

45. it did work, that's why he did it.

t also cost nothing because he had access to free sand. But sand is very cheap to buy, too.

[ZonkerHarris]

43. looking forward to the movie about these heroes