Letters to the Editor - 1/25/2006

By: Readers of the North County Times and The Californian | Tuesday, January 24, 2006 8:38 PM PST ∞

Property owners beware


I attended the Encinitas City Council meeting on Jan.18 to learn about the proposed Clean Water Regulatory Fee.

I learned that the city is mailing 22,111 ballots to all parcels, i.e., property owners in Encinitas, to vote, but that only parcels with active water meters, about 19,00, will have to pay the $5 per month fee. This means 3,000 property owners can vote but won't pay, and 3,000 will not have their property tax bill increased by $60 per year.

Why do only some property owners have to pay and not others? If all parcels vote, all parcels should pay for service; water meters have nothing to do with cleanup.

Why was the EDCO, trash, bill used per water meter to collect fees when it has nothing to do with water? What bill will this fee be on next? Again, not all parcels, but only those parcels with active water meters will vote on whether to increase the fee. My vote is mine to cast, hopefully based on information, not PR spin.

KAREN Von DESSONNECK

Leucadia

Our beaches can be healthy again


I'd like to applaud the wisdom of the recent Community Forum pieces by David Skelly ("Facts about vanishing beaches," Jan. 20) and Steve Aceti ("Sea walls aren't causing beach erosion," Jan. 17). Both come from unbiased viewpoints and many years in the trenches, working in research and technical application.

I find it interesting how Skelly's writing ends with the statement that, "if we want beaches, we have to make them." I'd like to suggest how this could be done. This county has a great example of simple technology put to use with great results.

About seven years ago, sand was dredged from offshore deposits and pumped directly onto beaches countywide. The sand remained until the recent storm and wave activity. This one-time project cost between $10 million and $15 million. Research shows that ongoing replenishment projects, spaced every two or three years, would cost about half of this figure. This would ensure the San Diego beaches remain healthy.

Our beaches are our region's greatest resource. Instead of the narrow-minded bickering of individuals and groups such as the San Diego Surfrider Foundation (which I founded) regarding sea walls and property rights, we should look toward an answer that addresses the solution ññ sand on our beaches.

JOHN CONOVER

Encinitas

No more development in Carlsbad


Albert Einstein was the classic absent-minded professor. Often, he would wear two different-colored socks and sleep in his clothes. His genius was often perceived as anti-social behavior.

What if Professor Einstein ran against fastidious Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis? Who would win? True, Bud, nowadays, is just as absent-minded as Professor Einstein but, except for wearing the same-color socks five out of seven days, could Mayor Bud confront the challenges, like Einstein (abstract thought) that confront the city of Carlsbad? Today, I looked out over what use to be the Carlsbad Raceway.

It is clear, enough is a enough! This being an election year, we need to replace the old guard with folks who are perceptive enough to stop the insanity. No more development in Carlsbad, period.

TOM POWERS

Carlsbad

Cartoon conveyed much truth


It is amazing how much truth can be conveyed in three simple frames of a cartoon strip. On Jan. 17, the "Prickly City" cartoon used only 21 words to make a powerful statement.

"The culture has grown so coarse, Winslow," said Carmen. "Where did we lose our manners?"

"Somewhere between 'Beavis and Butt-head' and Howard Stern," retorted Winslow.

I guess most of us citizens who love decency have just been too busy to protest loudly enough. What a sad plight.

RUTH FROST

San Marcos

PAC is a big win for Carlsbad


Congrats to Carlsbad and the CCC PAC ("Council votes for review of city development policies," Jan. 18).

Where and when can Carlsbad residents sign the petitions to keep 300 acres of strawberry and flower fields? The fields are located along Cannon Road east of Interstate 5.

These strawberry fields need to be kept as agricultural preserves.

The only residents who want to see Carlsbad fully built out on every available space seems to be the Carlsbad city manager, mayor and three council members.

I feel Lennar Corp. is over building the area east of El Camino and south of Palomar Airport Road. We don't want the same to happen to the strawberry fields. This political action committee should also consider getting term limits on the November ballot like other prominent Southern California cities.

Keep the 300 acres of strawberry fields. They, along with the flower fields, help make Carlsbad a special place to live and visit.

JOHNETTE STICKEL

Carlsbad

Encinitas and taxes, or is it fees?


The city of Encinitas has built up a massive deferred maintenance on storm-drain and pollution cleanup, and are now faced with Clean Water Act compliance. Couple that with their failed library project, which is 50 percent over proposed budget, and you end up with a budget crisis, despite record property tax and sales tax revenues.

The city sells us the new tax in a "Do you want clean water and clean beaches, or don't you?" manner. In other words, take it or leave it. Since the city made the conscious decision to let the storm-drain deferred maintenance grow to a critical stage, it's their problem to solve by juggling other priorities, not by taxing citizens for their negligence.

Plus, if they succeed with this tax now, the new fee proposal next year will be, "Do you want police protection, or not?" Had the city been a bit more honest about their new tax, it may have been received better.

A professional presentation would be, "We need a new fee of $5 per month per meter for a period of 10 years. There are X number of meters in Encinitas, so we will raise X amount of dollars and every cent will be spent on storm-drain and beach cleanup." But, they chose the stealth route, and now have a fight on their hands.

CHARLES BONDY

Encinitas

Downtown Carlsbad


A nice grassy park in downtown Carlsbad with a gazebo and picnic benches seems like a nice place to have an impromptu picnic with your wife and kid, right? Unfortunately, no. In between the menacing stares and the psycho babbling from the people who appeared to be a gang of transients, I began to question the safety of my family.

Clean it up, Carlsbad, or families like mine will spend their money somewhere else.

GUY JONES

Carlsbad

Al Gore's address


Even though Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2000 election, I could not find a report on his outstanding address of Jan. 16 in the North County Times.

As I believe it is well worth reading, I am disappointed that I could not rely on the NCT to publish information about it.

PATRICIA McFARLANE

Encinitas

Moral badness applies to conservatives


In Marcy Young's Jan. 17 letter to the editor she gave us her definition of "evil" as being "moral badness." To her, of course, that means "liberal," and she uses this "L"-word interchangeably with the terms "political leftists," "extreme liberal left," "Socialists" and "Communistic."

If we accept the reasonableness in her choices of terms then, as a self-confessed conservative, she should have no objection to the flip side of her definition ññ that it would be perfectly reasonable for others to use the terms of "political rightist," "extreme conservative right" and "Fascist" interchangeably with the term "conservative." However, somehow I doubt she will accept a quid pro quo on this issue.

And, finally, if the Roman Empire fell due to moral badness, as Ms. Young claims it did, I remind her that it fell after Christianity was made the state religion.

BOB FRAAS

Vista

Hillary Clinton is at it again


I have been writing a series of letters discussing the big-lie propaganda tactic that the angry left uses to attack President Bush. An expert in the use of the big lie is that angry left spokesperson, Hillary Clinton.

She is now spouting the big lie that the Bush administration will go down as one of the most corrupt in history. We all know that's not true, but you have to admit that Hillary knows a thing or two about corrupt administrations. After all, she was corrupter-in-chief of the Clinton administration.

And, I finally figured out why the angry left hates President Bush. Psychiatrists call it transference. President Clinton almost destroyed the Democratic Party while he was in the White House. We all remember the wasted years, the scandals and the Republicans sweeping to power in 1994. And, if not for Bill, Al Gore would have won in 2000.

So the angry left really hates Bill Clinton. But, through a process called cognitive dissonance, they can't hate one of their own, so they have transferred the hate to President Bush. But they really don't believe it, do they?

MIKE FREEMAN

U.S. Navy (retired)

Poway

Abortion is anti-women


Jan. 22 marked the 33rd anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion on demand throughout all nine months of pregnancy.

And, much to the consternation of abortion advocates, the tide is turning away from those who promote violence as a solution to social ills.

Perhaps most upsetting to these extremists is that women themselves, the very group they purport to represent, are the ones calling for a second look at a violent procedure that has brought them great harm. In greater numbers each year, women are publicly testifying around the country with dark, somber signs stating, "I regret my abortion."

These brave women put a face on the emotional, physical and spiritual devastation abortion causes women, and their massive numbers belie the old, tired canard that abortion somehow empowers women. Women in crisis deserve our support and compassion, not a violent quick fix that is anti-woman and anti-child to the core.

DAVID A. HANLON JR.

Vista

Not prison but community service


I just read of the sentencing of the couple who tried to scam Wendy's ("Nevada couple sentenced in chili finger case," Jan. 19). I guess I should feel much safer knowing that she will be in prison for nine years and he for 12 years. In our overcrowded prison system I can only hope that they will not have to provide early release for a rapist or a child molester to make room for these dangerous felons.

I've always wondered why nonviolent criminals couldn't have the option of serving their time painting out graffiti or restoring public buildings or some other service to the community.

Let's face it, their greatest crime is their criminal stupidity and greed. It's time we found more creative consequences for people who don't threaten the safety and security of the community but merely cause nuisance to corporate giants.

KAREN WOOTON

Escondido

Minimum wage litmus test


Grant Kuhns (Letters, Jan. 20) repeats the tired old canard about minimum wage laws causing unemployment and claims support from economics. Actually, it is voodoo economics.

The concept is that labor is a commodity and that raising the cost of labor (wages), therefore, reduces supply, causing unemployment. The problem with this simplistic analysis is that labor is provided by human beings, laborers whose role in the economy is multidimensional. Working people are also consumers.

When the kid flipping burgers at McD's gets higher wages, he has more money to spend buying burgers and the increased demand for the product offsets the reduced supply from increasing the cost of labor. Moreover, higher wages at lower economic strata broaden the economic base. This was analyzed in a study by David Card and Alan Krueger (American Economic Review, Vol. 84, Pages 772-793), comparing wages and unemployment in two adjacent cities across state lines when one state increased the minimum wage, with no resulting variation in employment.

Explaining this level of nuance to simplistic conservatives, however, is like trying to explain to a 2-year-old where babies come from.

DOUGLAS DUNN

Escondido

Bush's indictment on TV


Rob L. Thompson made a farcical comparison between Vicente Fox and Saddam Hussein, who, he says look and act alike, i.e. human rights violators ("Court TV for Vicente Fox," Jan 19). He pictures Fox on Court TV crawling out of a spider hole as Saddam did.

It's obvious Thompson doesn't know that it was Fox who resurrected the "crimes against humanity" law to prosecute the ex-president and his cronies accused of the 1968 and 1970 massacres of political dissidents, and that Fox has had a hard time getting other laws past the PRI-dominated Congress.

But let's talk about what really matters here in the U.S. Having been under the yoke of a corrupt, lying and inept Republican administration, millions of people in this country would enjoy watching on all the TV channels the indictment of George Bush and his cabal who are in the process of garnering power to establish a state no longer based on the rule of law.

This, my friend, is what you should be worried about.

There's not enough space here to list all the illegal acts that Bush and his cohorts can be indicted for.

They are listed in the "Republicans need to clean house" letter written by Garth Gregory Hansen on Jan. 19.

RUBEN FIERRO

Solana Beach

Exchange students need to follow code


I must comment on The Californian's photograph Jan. 18, "A visit to Murrieta from down under." Shame on Vista Murrieta High School! Don't exchange students have to obey by the same dress code as all the other students? What type of example are they presenting when they allow an exchange student to be photographed wearing a T-shirt bearing two pistols and the phrase "Check out these guns." Last I heard, students are not allowed to show up to school wearing anything that depicts weapons or is sexually suggestive.

JAN JOHNSON

Temecula

Let schools decide where to spend money


Our governor is proposing to spend money in certain categorical areas in K-12 education. Whoopee: $100 million for arts and music in K-8? And this is a one-time expenditure. As an elementary teacher, I haven't seen a music teacher for K-2 in more than a decade.

Does he believe that districts will spend money on more elementary music teachers with this proposed money? Hardly. Maybe a few more recorders. With the test mania that exists in schools today, music and arts are pushed aside anyway.

This governor seems to believe that it should be up to politicians to continue detailing where money for education ought to be spent. A great deal of our problems would be lessened if districts were allowed to decide how to spend the money allocated to them. Money for one category cannot be spent where it might be desperately needed. Give schools the money and let them decide how to spend it. This would go a long way toward alleviating some of our funding problems.

RANDALL FREEMAN

Menifee

Parents should be mad at school board


It is incomprehensive to me how the parents in Temecula could be so blind when it comes to teachers' salaries. I thought Temecula parents were educated. They want the best for their children, yet they turn a blind eye to what is happening to our teachers. Don't they understand that their children are receiving the best education because of our selfless teachers?

Parents should be furious with our board. If parents want the education that our teachers are getting paid to provide, they would be receiving far less.

At Chaparral High School the teachers go beyond what is in their teaching contracts on a daily basis. It pains me to think that these so-called educated parents actually believe that our teachers want to take this kind of action. This sickout was taken as a last resort.

Of course our board would like you to think otherwise. We have a board that does not care about our teachers, and obviously not our students. Parents better get a clue soon and support our teachers and realize the board is pulling the wool over their eyes.

Parents will lose good teachers to other districts. As long as parents bury their heads in the sand it is our students who lose. Shame on you who do not support our teachers!

LARRY MARINO

Temecula

Kennedy just doing his duty


Treva Bennett (Letters, Jan. 18) overreached in expressing her animus for Ted Kennedy. She claims that Kennedy is a racist because of his questioning of Supreme Court nominee Sam Alito.

I didn't watch all of the hearings, but I did witness Kennedy fulfilling his duty on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kennedy was concerned that Alito accepted the practice of prosecutors of getting all-white juries for black defendants by pre-emptively challenging without cause prospective minority jurors.

Incidentally, Alito's wife began crying during questioning by a Republican senator.

WILLIAM HIDALGO

Temecula

Unconscionable to steal from PTA


I was reading the article on Jan. 12 about the French Valley woman who stole money from the PTA. I felt disgusted when I read it. It is such a shame that people will go so low just to get money. Eight thousand dollars was stolen ---- and it was stolen from the PTA of all places. The PTA is great. It unites the parents of children and their teachers. I know this sounds weird, but I think that I would've been less disturbed if this lady stole from a bank.

But the PTA? Come on! This is practically teaching our kids it's OK to steal, since the PTA is for kids. It was good that she paid it all back, but stealing it in the first place is what counts the most!

HAZEL RAPISURA

Temecula

All cities need to follow lead of Costa Mesa


I am a resident of Laguna Beach. I am also the proud mother of two Latina daughters and a grandson.

Although I live in Laguna Beach I have visited the beautiful Murrieta/Temecula area many times because I have family there. My drive time from Laguna Beach to my family's home is less than an hour. I don't break speed laws and obey all traffic signals. If I can make it across five cities in that amount of time then how long would it take for a desperate criminal to get from Murrieta to my hometown?

What I'm trying to say is that each of our towns and cities cannot act as an island when it comes to getting dangerous criminals off the streets.

What happens in Murrieta effects everyone in California, and this nation.

There are many known cases where violent and deadly crimes have been committed by those who were illegally in our country.

As a mother I would do everything possible to see that my children and family are safe, and it comforts me in knowing that the city of Murrieta is considering steps to remove these bad guys from our midst. I ask all cities in California to follow Costa Mesa's lead by empowering their police departments to do what needs to be done to protect and ensure the safety of all people by removing dangerous criminals from our country.

EILEEN GARCIA

Laguna Beach

Everyone would be safer


We residents of California need to support Murrieta Councilman Doug McAllister's proposal to follow the new policy regarding the enforcement of federal immigration laws instituted in Costa Mesa. As various California cities pick up on this plan and enforce it, all residents will be safer and better off. Surely everyone would agree this is a sure thing. We hope the City Council and residents of Murrieta put this plan into use.

KAY MYLOD

Huntington Beach

McAllister a role model


I read the Jan. 16 article on the Internet "Councilman wants to crack down on immigration law."

I would like to officially state that this councilman is ahead of his time. Ahead of the curve.

We the people are no longer going to tolerate the "It is a federal issue" stance from our elected officials. Who decreed this anyhow?

Illegal immigration affects us at the local level and we the people are calling for local enforcement of immigration laws.

We the people want our laws respected. Period.

Doug McAllister represents the new frontier ---- where the elected officials follow the will of the voter, not foreign nationals on our soil illegally or special interests.

Doug McAllister is the role model for all city councils across this nation!

ROBIN HVIDSTON

Upland

Residents are screaming for solution


Congratulations to Councilman Doug McAllister for proposing that Murrieta police take advantage of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) training program. Even though all 15 million illegal aliens are criminals, this program would only target those who commit the most serious crimes.

Of California's 162,000 prison inmates, 17,650 are convicted foreign nationals. Without this program, most of those foreigners will be released back into our society to revictimize us. With the program, they will be repatriated. Then their country can figure out what to do with them.

Who could possibly argue with such a sensible plan?

Mayor Kelly Seyarto said, "I'd hate to burden (the police) since we'll have the Border Patrol office right here." Come on mayor, the Border Patrol has not been funded or allowed to stem the flow of illegals. Why will having their office closer make any difference?

Councilman Warnie Enochs wants more police officers before he will support the ICE training. He should consider that the ICE training will remove alien criminals from Murrieta streets immediately, thus removing the necessity of more officers.

The residents are screaming for politicians to do something about illegal immigration, this is a small but beneficial step. A council majority needs to be convinced of this.

LARRY COLBERTSON

San Juan Capistrano

It's not racism to enforce immigration laws


I say three cheers for Councilman Doug McAllister! It is high time that elected officials stopped playing "political football" with the state and local politicians, saying that immigration is a federal issue, and the federal politicians each blaming the other party or agencies for lack of enforcement of our immigration laws.

The bottom line is that this problem always falls back onto local enforcement, as the 600-pound elephant of illegal immigration and its attendant crime does not simply disappear because no one takes any action.

If Murrieta police are given the authority to be able to question suspects about their residency once they are detained or arrested, this should not take so much time once Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers train local police.

Whenever "open borders" advocates, such as Armando Navarro, do not like the enforcement of our laws, they cry out "racism." It is not racism to want our country's laws to be enforced; it is a matter of national security to know who is present in our homeland. As Mr. McAllister stated, "Illegal is illegal."

PHYLLIS NEMETH

Arcadia