PITTSBURG — Two Pittsburg Metropolis Council members are setting the file straight over info included on a marketing campaign web site that they really feel not solely paints a unfavorable picture of the town but in addition consists of gross factual inaccuracies.
The necessity to converse out comes after the creation of an internet site by a bunch referred to as “Concerned Citizens for Everyone’s Safety Opposing Scales-Preston for District 5 Supervisor 2024,” which is sponsored by the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriff’s Affiliation. Antioch Councilmember Mike Barbanica is going through off towards Pittsburg Councilmember Shanelle Scales-Preston for the seat.
On the positioning, Scales-Preston’s observe file as a councilmember is criticized. The web site claims that her lack of management is the explanation the town has a excessive crime charge, with incidents of violent crime above the nationwide common and the best charge for stolen autos within the nation.
It additionally claims the town has no main grocery retailer, with a preferred retail outlet closing as a result of rampant crime, and elected officers have achieved nothing to vary that.
However Mayor Juan Antonio Banales and Vice Mayor Jelani Killings mentioned the crime statistics on the web site are removed from the reality and insulting to the group. In addition they mentioned they had been dissatisfied in Barbanica’s marketing campaign techniques.
“Pittsburg is thriving, and we have made significant investments to reach where we are today,” each Banales and Killings mentioned in an open letter to Pittsburg residents.
The councilmembers mentioned they need to guarantee the general public is introduced with factual info as a substitute of inaccurate numbers, which may create a unfavorable notion of the town. Banales mentioned what’s introduced on the web site might deter individuals who need to transfer to Pittsburg to boost their households or begin companies.
“So really, we aim to correct the record or challenge the statements that are being made to make sure that our community understands what the truth is,” Banales mentioned.
The mayor mentioned Pittsburg has three grocery shops within the metropolis — Safeway, WinCo Meals, and Cardenas Market – and a brand new Sprouts Farmers Market opening subsequent 12 months.
“These statements are incredulous. It’s just outlandish and irresponsible to say some of these things because they are very much untrue,” Banales mentioned.
Barbanica mentioned he has been working a optimistic marketing campaign centered on making the county’s cities extra livable and the streets safer whereas guaranteeing particular person liberties are protected.
In accordance with year-to-date knowledge launched by the Pittsburg Police Division, there have been 49,577 requires service made as of Sept. 30, a 3 % dip in comparison with 2023. The info, introduced throughout a Metropolis Council assembly early this month, additionally famous that since 2020, the violent crime charge in Pittsburg has dropped.
In 2020, Pittsburg’s violent crime charge was 5.26 per 1,000 residents, however the numbers noticed a fluctuation via the years. In 2021, it dipped to 4.67, but it surely shot as much as 4.99 the next 12 months. In 2023, the speed went all the way down to 4.70.
Property crime spiked in 2022 when the speed was 22.27 per 1,000 residents, and it went all the way down to 21.23 final 12 months, in accordance with knowledge. The Pittsburg Police Division famous 182 shoplifting instances in 2023, however that quantity dropped to 109 as of September. In accordance with knowledge from the California Division of Justice, most counties within the Bay Space skilled a lower in crime, together with violent and property crimes, in 2023.
In Contra Costa County, Pittsburg recorded a complete crime charge of two,670 per 100,000 inhabitants. Antioch had a charge of three,542. Nonetheless, each cities had related violent crime charges, with Pittsburg seeing 556 per 100,000 inhabitants and Antioch with 559.
For property crime charges, DOJ knowledge confirmed that Antioch had 2,978 property crimes recorded in comparison with Pittsburg’s 2,103.
Fortunate Chestnut, president of the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs’ Affiliation, mentioned the web site opposing Scales-Preston is sponsored by an impartial committee of an affiliation supporting Barbanica. In accordance with Barbanica’s web site, the Pittsburg, Martinez, and Hercules Police Officers Associations have additionally endorsed him.
Chestnut mentioned the Contra Costa affiliation believes Barbanica is the “best person to lead” District 5 on the Board of Supervisors. He additionally stood by the info revealed on the web site, including that they had been documented and factual.
“If I were on the Pittsburg City Council, I would be worried too about the direction crime in Pittsburg is taking,” mentioned Chestnut. “I know voters are concerned and rightfully so.”
