Las Posas extension a debacle

Residents from Twin Oaks and Santa Fe Hills need to work together with all San Marcos to hold city and county officials accountable for the Los Posas extension debacle. It was typical how one official pitted us against each other by suggesting that the extension would ease traffic on Twin Oaks. Let's be realistic. Commuters will fill both roads to capacity, and when one is backed up they will jam all connecting roads to get to the other. That's human nature. No study needed.

City officials have done a good job improving San Marcos, but this proposal only improves commutes for residents of cities to the north. City and county officials have known for years that adding lanes to Highway 78 through San Marcos is crucial to interstate commute, but they failed to act. Their way out is to dump more interstate traffic into the Twin Oaks and Santa Fe Hills neighborhoods.

Of course, local taxpayers will cover the cost of problems such as trash, pollution, crime and occasional fires caused by cigarettes.

Residents need to make officials find a real solution. Traffic won't get better anywhere until interstate highways are improved. And our neighborhoods are not their quick fix.

Karl Steinhagen

San Marcos

Tribes want it both ways

If the Indian tribes want to be completely sovereign nations that are not subject to federal or state laws, we should let them.

We should treat them like any other nation, i.e., erect a border barrier, limit movement in and out, negotiate the use of utilities and resources, and make their visitors go through the same procedures as crossing into or out of Mexico. The tribes want it both ways and they should not get preferential treatment.

Jeff Coleman

Oceanside

Watching the U.S. crumble

As I sit watching television, after a hard day's work, I see all the violence, sex, foul language, homosexual behavior, etc. Or how about the fact that inmates in prison get to watch TV, get free dental, have access to computers that they are using to sue the state and victims with. They get to play basketball, get to have snacks, candy, etc. They get to lift weights so that when they get out they are bigger and stronger.

I think you should lose all your rights as a human if you don't act like one. But apparently this government of ours just don't see it that way.

Or how about the fact that government-funded organizations give out clean needles to junkies? Our tax dollars pay for that. Or how about all our tax dollars that go to welfare? Welfare should be a loan that you pay back. When did the government think it was a good idea to give money and aid to people who illegally cross the border? I understand why they come here, but get in line. And it all gets done with our tax dollars.

I think it's very sad that we, the American people, have to fund this corruption with our hard-earned dollars. The strange part is no matter how much you vote, there's nothing you can do about it but sit back and watch the U.S. crumble. Lord have mercy.

Frank Medici

Vista

Please stick to the issues

I am responding to John Chapman's Sept. 3 letter to the editor titled "Rocky days ahead." His letter is downright nasty. If he wishes to disagree with Rocky on specific city issues, that is more than appropriate. His personal attacks that have no merit are not appreciated.

His specific comments about Rocky and I being in the Social Scene of the North County Times is really upsetting, as Rocky and I attend many nonprofit fundraisers and did so long before he was elected.

How Chapman can take something positive, like supporting local charities, and try to make it negative just makes him look cantankerous. Please stick to the issues.

Mary Chavez

Oceanside

Something is wrong with law enforcement

How in the world can any law enforcement agency defend the recent shootings in Orange County? I refer to the death of a 19-year-old girl, with a knife in hand, who was shot by two officers in Huntington Beach. Yet a 200-pound professional football player gets the benefit of warning shots fired by another officer.

Something is terribly wrong here. Does law enforcement policy require that if an officer draws his or her gun to shoot, that they must shoot to kill? Would the local law enforcement agencies involved in these two shootings please respond?

Barbara Schiffler

Encinitas

A missed opportunity on Robertson Ranch

As a concerned 25-year resident of The Colony, I attended the recent meeting with city of Carlsbad representatives regarding the Robertson Ranch development. Along with my neighbors, I seek to mitigate the traffic impact of this larger adjoining community, ensure safe streets and preserve our feeling of a small neighborhood. I realize the reality of change and do not oppose the new development.

My expectation of the meeting was for straightforward dialogue to create a win-win. City representatives delivered philosophical soliloquies on the planning process, obstacles, etc. Questions and concerns were not addressed with any specificity. My impression is that representatives were gratuitous and missed an ideal opportunity to partner with concerned residents.

Our City Council has stated it wants to: "Ensure that community members, council and staff are well informed, continuing to be a more responsive government while providing a high level of citizen confidence in its government." My neighbors and I want to be well informed and want to have confidence in city government. To that end, we desire true collaboration in moving forward to ensure safe streets and the integrity of a small, established community.

Ada Jackson Wilders

Carlsbad

Cognitive dissonance alert

The editorial board of the North County Times acknowledges (Sept. 3) that our schools are failing miserably but refuses to recognize that the root cause is demographics, economics and non-English speaking students ("Scores reveal age gap in schools")!

All of those factors are the result of illegal immigration, a cause that the editorial board of the NCT seems to support.

Note to the editorial board: There is an elephant in the room.

Allen Hemphill

Escondido

Mackin's crime is she is no leader

John Van Doorn had a funny commentary on Sept. 3 in which he said that "$5,000 is nothing" and "Shari Mackin is not Ma Barker."

Whether or not you accept Van Doorn's glib quips, the intense reaction by Oceanside voters and the district attorney to the news of Mackin's misuse of her city credit card shows that: 1. Mackin's misuse of any amount of public funds may constitute a crime - perhaps a felony; 2. She is, at best, careless, and arguably not qualified to manage public funds; 3. She refuses to take responsibility for her actions and has made multiple and incompatible excuses for her poor judgment; and 4. She has engendered intense anger from large segments of the community while blaming them for her political troubles.

Indeed, this is precisely what happens when politicians play hardball with those who are not political supporters but who nevertheless expect fair consideration for their interests.

Yes, Mr. Van Doorn is right, $5,000 is not a lot of money in the overall scheme of things, but he misses the point. Shari Mackin's real crime is that she's not a very good leader or consensus maker.

Ronald Cozad

Bonsall

Personal experience in Israel

In regard to the Sept. 4 Rose Eckenrode letter, anyone who has not been in Israel, or had to run to bomb shelters in the middle of the night and bury the dead in the daytime, does not have the moral right to label as liars those who have experienced it.

Lee Rappaport

Vista

Base your vote on facts, not on rhetoric

As reported in the North County Times, the Democrats' official reply to the president's recent war on terrorism report was: "Years of failed Republican policies have made America less safe and less able to effectively fight terrorism, and Democrats are ready to take this country in a new direction."

In light of the absence of any facts to support such divisive and blatantly false assertions, it is an unfortunate disservice that the media misleads its readers by simply regurgitating the Democrats' election-year propaganda.

Short of retreat and capitulation to terrorist demands, none of these "vote Democrat" hucksters can honestly and clearly define what their new direction is or how they will get us there. Could it be they have no real plan or feasible alternatives? They demand that President Bush provide specific details but offer nothing other than vague general concepts, fantasies, partisan cliches and mindless political slogans.

Contrary to the rants of his selfish sour-grapes political opponents, W is not the enemy, and we would all be well served to base our decisions, particularly our votes, on factual truth rather than divisive rhetoric, political pandering and biased reporting.

David Bentley

Carlsbad

Waldron is on the right track

I want to extend a very big thank you to Marie Waldron and Sam Abed for trying to crack down on renting to the illegals. We have been in our neighborhood a very long time. The neighborhood used to be very presentable. Now all you see is homes with old dilapidated furniture in the front yards with cars up on the yards or parked diagonally across the sidewalks. In one home there are nine cars parked out in front.

Multiple families living in single-dwelling homes pose health problems. The city loses out on revenue with that happening. They turn their music up so the walls in our home vibrate. I personally am tired of paying for their health issues and their babies.

At one time, I was unable to get insurance for 18 months. I had to pay all my medicines and doctor visits. They end up not having to pay. Our grandkids were taken out of public schools and put in the charter system, as too much attention was devoted to the non-English-speaking students, and our grandkids fell behind.

I am 100 percent behind Waldron and will vote to re-elect her again. I also want to thank her for her support in getting shopping carts off our streets.

Carol MacPhee

Escondido

Bush has not made us safer

As one who lost members of my family in WWII, I resent every word in Rumsfeld's American Legion speech and everything Cheney has been spewing. We need to always protect our freedoms, and that includes the right to dissent when our government is doing wrong. Absolute power is a dangerous thing and we are seeing the seeds of that danger.

Does anyone remember the constant tension and threat we felt with Russia for decades? Isn't it amazing we never attacked each other?

Britain just proved that terrorists are caught more from good intelligence and police action than with war. Clinton also went after the culprits in the 1993 WTC bombing, caught them and locked them away. Every time he went after bin Laden he was accused of "wagging the dog." We've invaded whole countries and still have not caught bin Laden.

Terrorists are not from one country or two. They are worldwide. What are we going to do - attack the world? Nations need to pull together and cooperate with each other to fight terrorism. Does Bush think his tough cowboy talk against nations is going to make us safer? Bullying never ever accomplishes anything good. It does make bad enemies, though.

Joanne Goodwin

Oceanside

Wiretapping, profiling best way to stay safe

Do Americans really want protection against the fanatical Islamic terrorists or not? If so, then the government needs the means - and wiretapping of terrorists, as well as profiling and body imaging, are the best ways to do it.

Our laws were written to protect loyal American citizens, not enemies of the U.S. or those who give financial aid to them. It's ludicrous that these laws that protect loyal citizens should also apply to our enemies.

When liberal people like George Soros, who contribute huge sums to organizations that are trying to defeat us, became citizens, they took an oath to be loyal to the U.S. By their actions they have broken their oath and should be held accountable.

At a time when we have enemies who want to kill as many of us as they can, we need to stick together. Changing the leadership of Congress at this time would cause a dangerous situation. Why would anyone think that if we give up they would too? Giving up would only give them a clear path to do more of their dirty work.

Americans are not stupid - they are also not quitters. Vote to stay the course and remember, a house divided against itself shall not stand.

Marcy Young

Oceanside

Rumsfeld the blowhard

If you look in the dictionary under arrogant bureaucrat you will probably see a photo of Donald Rumsfeld. For the record, I am not morally confused - I am morally outraged!

I am against terrorism. I am also against incompetence, lack of accountability, no-bid contracts, open borders, price gouging at the gas pumps, lack of port security, fraud, corruption and obstruction of justice.

I am also against self-serving politicians yelling terrorism to Americans then pulling their bloated bellies up to the public trough to steal millions in taxpayer dollars.

The abuse of the Pendleton Eight has Rumsfeld's signature all over it. Lock Marines up in solitary confinement without charges then disregard due process.

Marine Corps officials who are involved in the Pendleton Eight hearings are just a bunch of Rumsfeld juniors. Rumsfeld is a political roadside bomb. You know he's out there and you know he's going to go off eventually, causing trouble and mayhem.

We should throw Rumsfeld in the Camp Pendleton brig with all those who support his abusive style of leadership and throw the key away.

THOMAS CALABRESE

Oceanside

Katrina could happen to any of us

Dead bodies left in abandoned homes for a year, garbage uncollected for a year. Sounds like a Third World country. Or the devastation after a war. But no. It's the aftereffect of Hurricane Katrina, a predicted natural disaster that has left thousands homeless. And still, a year later, the most effort is put into whitewashing the pathetic government response.

This is what government looks like when it's run by people who believe in protecting and growing their own excess assets at the expense of citizens they were elected to serve and protect. This lack of leadership is disheartening.

We, the people, need to stand up and demand the administration do the job they were elected to do.

A shining example of action was the Coast Guard, an unsung hero in 9/11, and a most effective government agency during the Katrina crisis, due in part to their multimission focus and organizational flexibility.

The federal, state and local governments need to follow that example, regroup and effectively focus on the task at hand. This needs to be a national cooperative effort. Until the Katrina region and its residents is returned to a habitable condition, no one in this country is safe.

Because it could be us next.

Augie Augusto

Oceanside

Are benches for fishermen or tourists?

My wife and I love to walk the Oceanside pier. I am in my 70s and to walk the pier is quite a walk, but it is well worth it. The city has put a couple of pier benches to rest on. They are mostly occupied by fishermen or their supplies. Don't even think about the benches along the upper roadway sidewalk. They are occupied by homeless people who are sleeping on them.

At one time these benches had armrests. This eliminated people from sleeping on them. What happened to the steel armrests? In short, I would like to see more benches installed on the pier. These benches would be restricted to seated people, not fishing gear. It is the tourists who are bringing in our tourist tax dollars.

Do you have more tourists on the pier or more fisherman? It will be very interesting to see the action taken when the fancy hotel is finished being built. Are they going to allow current conditions to exist?

Jack Uhern

Palm Desert

Forefathers did not foresee this problem

Why have I never heard anyone suggest the obvious solution to our illegal immigrant family problem? No child born to illegal immigrant parents should automatically become a U.S. citizen. Our forefathers who wrote the Constitution certainly could not foresee that millions of illegals would pour over our borders to have their many children so they all could stay in the U.S.

Our government must change the wording to Amendment 14 to read "all children born to legal citizens of the U.S. shall also become a U.S. citizen." This should be done ASAP. It would solve at least half of our illegal problems from that day forward. God bless our United States.

Beverly

Couremanche

Fallbrook

Stories missing some Ws

Whatever happened to following the Ws (who, what, where, when and why) in reporting? Recently, there were three stories that were so blatantly un/misinformative that it needs to be called to your attention.

1. The Aug. 29 story about the bulletproof vest that did not save the police officer's life. What was the size of the bullet that penetrated the vest? To give the story validity, the reader needs to know.

2. The Camp Pendleton Marine, on trial for murder, who was written up for a medal. What medal, the medal of honor? The Navy Cross? The type makes a huge difference in how the reader views the story.

3. The Aug. 29 Comair crash. The most glaring omission is the fact that when an airplane is on a runway, the compass will tell the pilots if it's right or not. If the plane is on runway 22 (as the pilot should have been) the compass will read 220. If it's on runway 26, the compass will read 260. There is no muddling of the facts that will absolve the pilots of their responsibility to go through the checklist before takeoff.

Regardless of the media smokescreen, probably partially caused by ignorance, this was pilot error.

Terry Badger

Escondido

Federal government must enforce laws

In response to the Aug. 31 letter written by Donald Thomson regarding unchecked illegal immigration. I completely agree with him when he says: "While I will agree that we need to do a better job of enforcing existing housing laws and better urban planning, this in itself will not be the answer." He goes on to describe the condition of his neighborhood. Although I understand his frustration and that of other people, I do not see how local inhumane laws being enacted are the answer either. He points out that in New York, the areas he speaks of in his letter are not "solely Hispanic." That may very well be true in New York! But that is definitely not the case in Escondido and Vista.

Although the ordinance passed in Vista in July and the housing ordinance proposed in Escondido seem neutral, we really must face the fact that the Latino community will be the group that will feel the greatest adverse impact of these laws. We must demand that our federal government enforce immigration laws. Rather than them forcing us to enact and enforce inhumane laws that go against the housing discrimination laws, not to mention human and civil rights laws.

Tina Jillings

Vista

What will it take?

It takes a veteran to really understand a veteran. It takes a veteran who has been involved in serious fighting clashes to understand a Haditha. It takes a veteran with no political agenda to realistically understand the threat that confronts our nation. It takes an ex-POW who really knows what it is to lose one's freedom.

It takes a courageous commander in chief to stand up to criticism and still pursue a course to assure our freedom from the intentions of the Islamic terrorists. What will it take to wake up the people of the United States - Republican, Democrat, conservative and liberal - that this is a real danger that requires a united United States?

This country needs statesmen (and stateswomen) to run our great nation, not politicians who profess to serve the people but who really do only that which will serve their own political ambitions.

Breathes there a man (or woman) who can meet the requirements? If there is, we must find a way to elect that person to serve only one term and then retire on the huge and bountiful retirement package we ill afford those who govern us. What will it take to save the United States and return it to truly serve all of its citizens?

Howard Sharpell

San Marcos

Dick needs a time out

Why are we hated throughout the world? We have Dick Cheney running around the world lecturing other countries on how to behave. He blurts out that Russia is diluting their human and political rights and they are using their energy reserves as "tools of intimidation." Hey Dick, are you talking about the U.S. or what? We need to have help from Russia on a couple of fronts (remember the war on terror?) and we need help to thwart Iran's plan to make another bomb.

Why can't we just put Cheney in a box and file him away? What he has done is go out hunting again and has shot our so-called pals (Russia) down; they are fuming. Even mellow Gorbachev is peeved. Dick needs a time out.

Mark Adruss

Vista

Baloney level will rise

With two months left before elections, we can count on the baloney level for letters to rise dramatically.

Anticipating all this nonsense takes a lot of the fun out of letter writing because we comment on the same garbage the Dems have been writing since the 2000 election victory of George W. Bush. Some things we can eliminate. Karl Rove and Tom DeLay did not, and will not, go to jail. Scooter Libby will be acquitted because of the shoddy, if not illegal, proceedings of the special counsel. The big-business cronies of G.W.B. who screwed up have been, or will be, duly tried, sent to jail or die, putting the lie to the Dems' claim of collusion with this administration.

The latest Dem proposal on Iraq contains exactly the same plan the administration is pursuing with the exception of a time schedule for troop withdrawal. I predict that the GOP will lose five seats in the House, and two in the Senate, retaining control. Nancy Pelosi will have to wait for her speakership until 2008 when the Dems will face Condoleezza Rice and George Allen in the presidential elections.

So come on, usual suspects. Spit it out. Most Americans have got your tax-and-spend and cut-and-run number.

William Ficere

U.S. Marine Corps

(retired)

Escondido

Minimum wage hurts the poor

Perhaps nothing explains the popularity of minimum wage law better than a line from Upton Sinclair's classic, "The Jungle": "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."

The majority of citizens who work for salary or wages must find it difficult to understand the downside of minimum wage law. It is too easy for the average worker to rationalize that a rising labor price will lift his boat as well.

Even our governor's recent statement, "We should reward the efforts of California's hardworking families by raising our minimum wage," overlooks the unemployed, who - most economists agree - will now find it harder to get a job.

My criticism of minimum wage law comes not just from economic theorizing, nor greedy capitalism. It is based on a decade of working with homeless people, many of whom, I found, might hold a part-time or entry-level job if it were not for minimum wage law and other government-mandated fringes that small businesses can't afford to pay - and common sense. As a commodity, is labor any different than gasoline? When something is more expensive, people use less of it.

Grant Kuhns

Carlsbad

Theories add to the ferment

As things continue to boil ominously on the international stage, two recent analyses have added to the ferment. Some computer-savvy readers may have come across a video available for viewing only on-line, as far as we know. It bears the innocuous-sounding title of "Loose Change," despite its dynamite implications. This hour-long video relates compelling and most unsettling suggestions (proof?) that the planes that crashed into the twin towers and Pentagon on 9/11, horrendous enough, were only part of the reason for the massive destruction and tremendous loss of lives.

The second shocker was reported in Richard Ostling's Sept. 1 column in the Faith & Values section. In "Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11," respected author David Ray Griffin of the Claremont School of Theology cites further evidence strongly suggesting that "the Bush-Cheney administration orchestrated 9/11 in order to promote this (American) empire under the pretext of the so-called war on terror."

Before dismissing these as just left-wing theories, please take time to watch and/or read. Then perhaps you too will agree that the time has come for the U.S.A.'s first double-header impeachment.

Hank and Mary Ellen Gregg

Carlsbad

Frank should keep up the good fight

In reference to Frank Lancelotti's farewell letter of Sept. 3. I have enjoyed reading Frank's letters and agree with almost everything he has written. I hope that Frank will rethink his decision to quit trying to show people how misguided and absolutely wrong people like Rocky Velgos are.

There are many of us who agree with Frank but find it tiring to continually try to convince the homosexual community that although we don't hate them or wish them harm, we don't wish to condone their behavior, nor do we think they should be held up to our children as shining examples of how one should live their lives.

I believe they should keep their behavior private, not call their union a marriage and not adopt children. I simply do not have the time to argue with them but do hope that Frank will keep up the good fight, because one person can make a difference.

Judy Holston

San Marcos

Time for the insanity to stop

It seems clear to me that President Bush is a terrible threat against democracy in our country. It is so ironic that he speaks about promoting democracy around the globe, while in the fight against terrorism he is promoting torture, holding people without any right to attorneys, wiretapping without restraint and every other hallmark of fascism.

At the same time we are still in Iraq, doing immeasurable harm (with the best of intentions) while we don't even count the thousands and thousands of innocent Iraqis who have died in the crossfire. None of this makes any sense. More and more people are becoming aware that it is time for the insanity to stop.

Sheela Alex

Encinitas

Thanks for investing in community

I want to thank all the residents who invested in their community of Wildomar by voting for the maintenance fee to reopen the parks and for our future park.

I accompanied Bridgette Moore in watching the ballots being opened and placed in a stack of yes or no. I felt each time they opened up an envelope to remove a ballot they were taking a little piece of Bridgette's heart. One would tear and the other would repair. This was going to be the end of a long, six-year journey, working to get the parks opened for the kids in our community. I am so pleased that more of you supported the fee and understand the value of investing in a community that provides something as important as parks.

Gerry Stevenson

Wildomar

Help Temecula become a bike-friendly city

If you ride a bicycle on Temecula streets and think improvements are needed to make Temecula a bike-friendly city, come and voice your opinion at the Sept. 11 Community Services Commission meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. at Temecula City Hall. If you don't ride a bike, come anyway.

The agenda includes a discussion about current and future bike paths and trails. We will be there to show pictures taken around town and offer suggestions based on firsthand experiences (some close calls) on Temecula streets.

This meeting came into being after our Aug. 13 letter was published in The Californian. In it, we encouraged the city to put some real thought in developing and implementing safe and desirable programs to encourage people to use bicycles as an alternative form of transportation.

We heard from a number of other bikers who read the letter, and also received positive support from council members Chuck Washington and Maryann Edwards, as well as Assistant City Manager Jim O'Grady.

This is your chance to be heard and offer your unique perspective to the commission members. Working together, we can make a positive impact on our community. Please come and be part of the solution -- helping Temecula evolve into a bike-friendly city.

Bill & Liz Bibb

Temecula

Farm didn't want to be in district

To answer Judy Kemp's question, "Why was Farm left out of parks vote?" (Letters, Sept. 2), there are two parts to the answer. First, Farm residents responded overwhelmingly in a county study that they didn't want to be part of the Wildomar parks boundaries. Farm residents attended the Wildomar Park Formation Committee (WPFC) meetings and told us they do not want to be part of it. The boundaries were redrawn to exclude The Farm.

Then two residents attended the WPFC meetings and they felt The Farm was changing and we should try again. So, in November 2005 the WPFC was on the agenda at The Farm monthly meeting and again the WPFC was told The Farm did not want to be in the boundaries.

The WPFC included a letter and survey question in the December Farm newsletter that is delivered to every home in The Farm. Again, The Farm answered that they did not want to be part of the boundaries.

Second, the county hired Webb Associates to do the engineering report for the Wildomar Parks vote. Webb determined that The Farm was outside the direct benefit area. The Farm did not vote but The Farm will not pay either.

The Farm has two community pools, a baseball field, open space area and a duck pond. I don't know why The Farm doesn't want to be included, but that is what they have decided. In the future, if The Farm wants to be included in the park boundaries, it can be annexed in.

Bridgette Moore

Wildomar

Gadahn has it backward

The American turned traitor, Adam Gadahn, is totally mistaken as to which religion has the "truth" and "light." It certainly isn't Islam, not even in the moderate sense. We hear mostly about the radical Islamofacists who seem to be causing all the trouble and terror in the world today. But silence is deafening from the moderate Muslims, which tells all of us that deep down in their hearts they believe in their "convert or die" teaching of Islam.

Any movement or religion is known by its founder or leader. Our leader, Jesus Christ, happens to be the only one who knows what He is talking about.

All others are "thieves and robbers," as the Bible clearly tells us. He, Jesus Christ, claimed to be, "the way, the truth and the life." His claims are believable because of His resurrection. His claims are believable because He was God in the flesh.

Muslims claim to hold him in respect but they don't believe his teachings, otherwise they wouldn't be Muslims. These terrorists believe falsely that when they blow themselves and others up in the name of their God, they will go directly to heaven. But they will be burning in the lowest part of hell, not for what they have done but for rejecting the only "truth" there is.

Mr. Gadahn, there is still time, repent and believe in the only one who can save you, Jesus Christ.

Thomas Banas

Murrieta

Macarro has no room to talk

I find it ironic that Mark Macarro calls anyone "corrupt" ("Pechanga vows to pursue casino pacts," Sept. 2). Hearings on any Pechanga compact with the state should include testimony by those who have been subjected to arbitrary and capricious actions by Macarro and his "goons" who have stripped or denied tribal members and other California citizens of their basic human and civil rights.

Is this the type of group the state should be signing multibillion-dollar compacts with? Is this what the residents of California wanted when they voted for Propositions 5 and 1A?

John A. Gomez Jr.

Temecula

New board's numbers don't add up

I just read the two articles, "Trouble in paradise," and "Residents seek court order for special vote," on Sept. 3, and wanted to correct a statement about three people collecting signatures for the petition for recall. There were many people who knocked on doors to get the signatures for the recall.

After the board rejected our petitions, which were on the official forms with Leslie Innis' signature on each one, they claimed we had less than 16 percent (771), but all we needed was 5 percent (239) to have a recall. They say they didn't know we would take them to court but they talked to two law firms before they hired Peters and Freedman to represent them.

They mailed a letter to all members implying that people want their names off the petition. No one has called any of us about this matter! They told what they did for the SCCA in the past five months. This mailing probably cost the association around $2,500. They paid the general manager about $40,000 severance, bought a mower for $12,000 said one man could take care of the grounds, but hired more men to help.

Three men at $20,000 per year would be $60,000 plus insurance, workers comp, etc. They left our association without security for nearly four months, hired attorneys at $275 an hour compared to $250 for the last firm. Their figures don't add up to saving money! Sept. 13, at 8:30 a.m., Riverside Superior Court is where this will be decided. Come see what the judge decides for us.

Pat Thurman

Sun City

Web Comments

Contract decision called 'extremely difficult'

Readers respond to our Sept. 7 story about San Marcos Unified school board President Sharon Jenkins saying that the decision to buy out former superintendent Ed Brand's contract was "extremely difficult."

Money pit

Something is fishy: "Too much money to spend on nothing. Having a child in private school (where I personally pay MORE) and one in public, it is sickening to know that our money is paying for a whole lot of nothin'!"

What a mess

Plain Wrong!: "With parents paying more and more to support fund raisers that provide basic programs like music and art for our elementary children, it really stinks that an educated person like Mr. Brand would accept over a quarter of a million dollars from our children's education funds to do nothing. I am disappointed in our school board. If his performance was sub par, then you should have documented it along the way and let the tax payers know what you were doing and why. Right now, it looks like some backroom deal here and I'm sure that's not the case, but this wasn't handled well, folks. Get your act together."

Overcrowded bandwagon

Simple Observer: "There's bound to be a ton of comments regarding the spending of tax dollars, a calling for board members' heads to roll, and blah, blah, blah. I think the reason this topic garners so much outrage is because it's a simple bandwagon to jump on. Anyone can complain about the spending of tax dollars and call it unfair. Heck, you don't even need to be a graduate of SMUSD to understand that. Trite. Boring. Lazy. Nearly all of you. But it does take considerably more effort and intellect to go to school board meetings on a regular basis, trudge through the posted minutes of the monthly public meetings, file Freedom of Information Act requests for public documents, and come up with a more complete picture of events that have taken place in the public eye. Cry all you want about actions that have taken place in the closed door sessions, but only if you would have attended the past year's worth of meetings and read the minutes would your tears have any salt."

Oceanside airport group demands Mackin apology

Readers respond to our Sept. 7 story about the Oceanside Airport Association e-mailing City Councilwoman Shari Mackin, demanding that she publicly apologize and retract her earlier allegations that the group leaked information about Mackin's city spending account to local news organizations.

Pure politics

Intimidator: "OK, so negative campaigning has been the norm since 1972. Since when is it 'actionable'? This lawsuit is pure intimidation. The OAA, CPA, AOPA have had Oceanside in their sights for a long time. Many press releases have been written by them. Should they be scrutinized for possible lawsuits? Come on, it's politics. And hey, this will go nowhere, but of course NCT will print it and give you a day of your own press, right after Mackin's community forum appeared. Sheesh."

Get packin'

Negative Campaigning?: "Shari Mackin allegedly spent twice her city credit card budget. No one twisted her arm to charge. How are these assertions labeled, "negative campaigning"? Shari, spin is one reason that more and more Oceanside residents are 'backin' Mackin packin'.'"

What is it?

Oceanside Airport should sit down and clam up!: "Who are they to demand anything? The airport is a joke. No one flies into this ghetto field. Can you even call it an airport? Please!"

Next best seller

David: "Mackin should write a book, 'How to Screw Up a Political Campaign.' Use the sales to pay off her overcharged city credit card!"

MiraCosta faculty, take a time out

Readers respond to our Sept. 7 editorial which warns MiraCosta teachers to thoroughly consider opposition to college president before following in Palomar's footsteps.

Hit the brakes

Slow down: "Calling for Richart's resignation this week was uncalled for. She isn't the one being investigated! She has accomplished so many positive things for MiraCosta in just two years. Why doesn't the faculty ask what the students think about her? I am sure they will reconsider their position. Faculty, remember the students are the reason you all have jobs."

Name of the game

Give me a break: "MiraCosta's faculty needs to get a life (maybe some day in the real world). They're playing the 'blame game' way too early. Maybe they need to focus on the students, unless that's optional at MiraCosta."

Democracy lives

Huh?: "The faculty statements were reasonable. This was no knee-jerk reaction. NCT's article on the meeting was very liberal in editing those comments for their own effect. Unlike Palomar, MiraCosta teachers are not unionized. The board has a period for comment as does every elected body. The teachers chose to address their concerns at that forum. So, the NCT is against American democracy in action? The teachers faced their opponent in the open. Perhaps they should emulate others and run a smear campaign in the press?"

Readers had this to say in response to an article Thursday about how Chaparral High School administrators began enforcing the campus' dress code this week:

Watch what happens

LOL: This is a crackup. Reminds me of the dress code at the Catholic school I attended back in the late 60s & 70s. School officials had better be prepared for what happens when the students realize that the best way to conceal undergarments is to not wear any. …

Special treatment

What About the Cheerleaders?: How ironic! The school's cheerleaders have the shortest skirts on campus and the district LOVES it? Go figure! Special treatment for the privileged? Seems like it to me!

Double standard

What About the Boys?: Every day while dropping off/picking up my kids, I see the boys at Chaparral doing the penguin walk (feet splayed outwards, hiking up their pants every third step). No enforcement on the guys at all. Can anyone say double standard?

Leave it to parents

FOCUS: On the job you were hired to do. That is -- give every student (even gifted and talented) every opportunity to excel academically. When you perfect that job, then you can worry about the clothes. In the meantime, leave that issue to the parents. That's their domain.

Cut distractions

Separate the Boys and Girls: Divide and conquer. Studies show students do much better without the distractions. They have plenty of time later to get together.

Reasonable expectation

TK: It doesn't sound at all extreme to me. It's not as if girls are expected to wear knee-length skirts and long-sleeve shirts with high collars, or boys must wear slacks and shirts with the top button buttoned. This is a very reasonable and acceptable expectation.

Be like Chaparral

Lisa: Great job Chaparral High! I hope more schools take notice and do the same.

Where's parents?

PK: What I find absolutely astounding about this whole thing is that the schools have to tell these children that the clothing is inappropriate. Shouldn't the parents be telling the girls to lengthen their skirts and cover up their chests?