Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
I am in opposition to licensing Club Leon’s as a dance hall in the downtown as it has in the past and present affected the attraction of family oriented businesses.  We have endured vandalism such as graffiti, destroyed awnings and the stench of urine in the entry areas of local businesses.   It all started with the approval of the Bucktooth Billiards. This location has been a problem and blight on the downtown ever since.

We as landlords cannot attract family oriented businesses with zoning of seedy dance halls guarded by poorly dressed bouncers in rear alley ways, cigarette stores dispensing questionable smoking paraphernalia, magazines and tattoo parlors in the downtown areas.  The 200 block of W. Yosemite is becoming a skid-row by city zoning and licensing. This should be corrected soon or the whole downtown will be infected by landlords trying to fill their vacant buildings during this economic downturn.  

I want to praise the Chief of Police and his staff for trying to clean up the sleazy businesses in the downtown area.  I also would like to see the department heads and city council members walk downtown in the 200 block and visit businesses to see and hear first hand their comments.  The downtown city atmosphere mirrors the wishes and attitudes of the city staff and councilmember’s.   Only they can prevent these undesirable businesses from making the downtown a skid-row.

I am a very concerned downtown landlord.