You've gotta love government.
Live in a city, and pay taxes for eight decades, and watch as they decide not to enforce criminal laws, but then decide to crack down on you because reasons.
That's what Oakland's doing to a 102-year-old, wheelchair bound man.
— RedState (@RedState) March 22, 2024
Oakland, California is becoming a ghost town of shuttered businesses due to sky-high crime rates. In recent months, several establishments have announced closing their doors in the Bay Area city. In January, In-N-Out, the successful hamburger chain that originated in the Golden State, announced its first-ever store closure. The location near the Oakland airport will close next week, with the company citing frequent car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies.
Last year, Target closed its downtown Oakland location after police responded to more than 100 smash-and-grab thefts and similar incidents. In February, a Denny's location abruptly closed after 54 years of service. Earlier this month, four Taco Bell locations in Oakland announced they would close their dining rooms and only offer drive-thru service while no longer accepting cash transactions.
Now, authorities in Oakland have snapped into action by taking aim at a 102-year-old wheelchair-bound taxpayer.
Victor Silva Sr., an Oakland resident who has lived and paid taxes in his home for the last 80 years, received a citation from the city earlier this month, threatening him with a fine of $1,100 if he didn't remove graffiti from his property by Tuesday, March 19. The citation also includes a $1,277 penalty for each time the property is inspected and fails. Silva indicated that he frequently has the fence on his property vandalized with graffiti paint.
It's always easier for the government to go after the little guy, versus the actual criminals.
If it wasn’t for government, who would allow crime to run rampant in your city, and fine your 102 year old grandpa when they vandalize his fence?
— Michael Oxford - AKA The Santa Cruz Mountain Goat (@SCMountainGoat) March 21, 2024
People are robbed, beaten, and murdered every day in Oakland, and this is who Gavin Newsom goes after.
They hate you! pic.twitter.com/nbHth9CyQw
They really do.
He didn’t paint it 😑 WTF MAN 🚩
— Pissed Off Panda 🐼👽😡 (@PissedOffMandaP) March 21, 2024
WTF indeed.
How Progressive!
— Crosspatch-ish 🇺🇸 (@VictorishB123) March 21, 2024
So very, very progressive.
They tag your house and you get fined.
— CageyBee (@CageyBee33) March 21, 2024
This isn’t America ~ it’s a prison camp with federal or state employees holding us all at gunpoint. https://t.co/8iaeBhvVLH
Yes it is.
"Define anarcho-tyranny"
— skepticalifornia (@skepticaliblog) March 23, 2024
Oakland-born, he has lived here and paid taxes for 80 years.
The 102-year-old wheelchair user often finds graffiti painted onto the back fence of his home
He got a violation citation to remove it or face an $1100 finehttps://t.co/U1qZE6zYWj
Insane.
102-year-old Oakland man ordered to clean up graffiti on fence or pay thousands https://t.co/E0N2QXBebe
— KTVU (@KTVU) March 21, 2024
They really, really don't like you.
They don't care about actual criminals. All they care about is extracting money from poor and middle class Californians.
— Michael Oxford - AKA The Santa Cruz Mountain Goat (@SCMountainGoat) March 21, 2024
The law-abiding always get targeted while criminals get away with a lot.
They go after people who believe in a social contract. I refuse to be a willing victim and will not visit the Bay Area until this changes.
— Laurel (@NorCalRavine) March 21, 2024
The social contract is so broken, it's on life support.
california “justice” is claiming criminals are victims and then punishing the actual victims https://t.co/VyYRAM4hxR
— Kane 謝凱堯 (@kane) March 21, 2024
Yep.
Once again our broken & corrupt #Oakland government fines & punishes biz owners & now a 102 yr old homeowner for graffiti he's been painting over himself for years. @MayorShengThao should be helping these people. Not punishing them. #recallShengThao https://t.co/U19z1uzf7w
— Angel Ruiz (@Angel1Ruiz) March 21, 2024
The government doesn't care about citizens like Mr. Silva.
Is our city prioritizing the right issues? My tax dollars going after an elderly man for graffiti while trash overwhelms E12th Street & other city property is unacceptable. The Public Works Director & Council committee responsible for sanitation needs to address this serious now! https://t.co/nlbQSWQ6rL
— Sokhom Mao (@HonSokhomMao) March 21, 2024
They don't care about how they spend your tax dollars.
Absolutely insane story. Perfectly indicative of the deep rot infecting the Bay Area. https://t.co/d1CyeYKTzj
— Christo Savaides (@ChristoSavaides) March 21, 2024
Deep, deep rot.
Oakland is abusive to law-abiding, tax paying citizens. https://t.co/6C940hcmO7
— ImpersonalPizza (@ImpersonalPizza) March 21, 2024
It's what government does best.
This is elder abuse by the city of Oakland.
— SMHonk (@SMHonk1983) March 21, 2024
Criminals come and freely deface but his man's property and then he is left to clean it up. There is no law and order in Oakland California. https://t.co/C31S3A2dSa
No law and order. Just lawfare.
And that ends badly for everyone.
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