Concerned About High Water Rates?
Dear Editor,
Are you concerned about your high water rates?
If you receive your water from a private well or from one of the two water companies in San Martin, or from the City of Morgan Hill or Gilroy, the costs for this water is controlled by the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Each year the district has been raising your water rates far in excess of what it cost them to purchase it. The City of Morgan Hill, the City of Gilroy and the two water companies in San Martin will just pass through any water rate increases to you.
If you are concerned enough about these out of sight water rates that the Santa Clara Valley Water District has been charging all of us for so many years, then I encourage you to attend the April 16, 7 to 9pm Water District meeting at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
Robert J. Cerruti, San Martin
God-Given Marijuana Seeds Are Good
Dear Editor,
Medical use of the God-given plan cannabis (marijuana), is inherently good.
I’m responding to your March 16 editorial on medical marijuana use in Morgan Hill.
Since Christ God Our Father indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page of the Bible (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30), that makes those who support and enable the Luciferous practice of caging sick humans for using cannabis evil.
Stan White, Dillon, Co.
Medical Marijuana Column is Reasonable
Dear Editor,
Rarely have I read a more reasonable argument on medical marijuana use.
Ms. Lisa Pampuch is to be commended.
John Malmo, Fresno
Veto of Troop Funds Needs Explanation
Dear Editor,
President George W. Bush is now using 9/11 to bolster his veto of necessary funds to support our troops if a congressional bill has timetable for American troop withdrawal from Iraq.
That seems to require verification of the unquestioned answers from Bush, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, et al., about 9/11. Bush can scramble fighter jets in a matter of minutes to anywhere in the United States. Bush, Rice, et al., knew of the first hijacked airliner 32 minutes before its crash into the World Trade Center. Not one fighter was scrambled before 9:38am, after the Pentagon was hit. Is this just bungling like Katrina? Bush, Rice, et al., had specific hijack warnings in July and August. What happened? Ex-White House anti-terror adviser Richard Clarke constantly urged Bush, Rice, et al., to take effective action against Al Qaeda from January through September, but was told Iraq was the real threat!
Verification of the unquestioned answers would reassure our troops that their commander is acting in their best interests as he vetoes the funding necessary for their safety.
Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill
Grieving Father Remembers Son’s Tragic Death
Dear Editor,
Today (April 4) a young man was killed!
It’s a rainy Tuesday afternoon, April 4, 2006.
Today a young man was killed!
His death was tragic in so many ways; he had just gotten his Class A commercial license, and started his career with Cal-Trans (a job he dearly loved).
Today a young man was killed!
He had a fiancee who loved him, his mom and dad loved him, and dozens, perhaps a 100 or more, of his friends and fellow workers from the City of Gilroy and Cal-Trans who loved him or just wanted his company.
Today a young man was killed!
Five to six months before his tragic death, he had accomplished the goals he needed to marry his fiancee, get a home of their own, and start their family.
Today a young man was killed!
Every accomplishment, everything he ever had, and everything he was going to have been was taken away.
Today a young man was killed!
No, he didn’t die in defense of his country, or from a terminal illness, or senseless drive-by shooting.
He died because of another person’s gross negligence and inept, irresponsible driving.
Today a young man was killed!
His name was Sean.
Craig L. Merriman, Gilroy
Mind-Numbing Group a VTA Lapdog, Not a ‘Watchdog Committee’
Dear Editor,
The “watchdog” committee for the Valley Transportation Authority has assured the voters in our county that things were A-OK at VTA, that we should vote to tax ourselves more so that VTA could continue its “successful” operations, and that so long as you were acting to protect taxpayers’ interests, then we had nothing to worry about. Your full-page ad in our town newspaper, together with your chairman’s letters to the editor, said with VTA there’s no worries – be happy.
Now we learn that during your watch, VTA has been found to be the worst transit agency in the USA according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology study of all the nation’s transit agencies. We have seen our Santa Clara County Grand Jury indict VTA for gross mismanagement and governance flaws and fiscal abuse of taxpayers. Last year their pro-tax and spend supporters heavily advertised in favor of the Measure A sales tax (“just a little one” on top of lots and lots of other little ones).
This year VTA’s auditors have revealed mind-boggling abuse, wastefulness and arrogance. Having thumbed their noses at our grand jury, how can we expect them to do anything else to their own auditors?
Well, I for one am not happy. And I’m particularly unhappy with your phony vigilance. I think that you’ve deceived the public. I think that you’ve been negligent, or grossly so.
So, why should the voters believe your claims that we’re in good hands, and that our hard-earned tax dollars are being spent wisely? If you were really a watchdog, and not a lapdog for VTA, then perhaps your existence would be justified. As things have been revealed, I urge you to disband your useless watchdog committee activities. It’s time for us to get busy and recall some of our “successful” VTA leadership.
Joe Thompson, Gilroy
