Protect our pets
As a professional canine trainer, I’ve worked with many dogs imported into California from Taiwan who had not only behavioral issues but various health concerns as well. Please strengthen the laws.
More than 1 million dogs are imported into the U.S. each year according to the CDC, yet only about 1 percent of these dogs are screened for the serious diseases they carry. We would not tolerate this lack of oversight for cattle, poultry, or swine arriving in the U.S., and we should not tolerate it for the animals who are our closest companions.
The U.S. dog import system is broken! Rabies, canine flu and brucellosis, screwworm, and a host of other serious diseases, parasites, and vector-borne diseases already have been carried into the US by imported dogs. Please support the Healthy Dog Importation Act – HR 6921. Protect our pets, America’s livestock, and the people who live and work with animals.
Nannette Morgan
Morgan Hill
Need more detail on budget cuts
I am concerned with the lack of detail regarding individual program cuts in the city budget development process. Having residents understand what they are getting and losing and having real opportunities to affect those proposals should be a primary focus.
As I have said to the city manager and budget manager, our residents need to understand how city changes will affect their lives and the disparities in impact of cuts. When should a community-wide benefit be underwritten by the city while smaller groups must pay fees? Do we really want to reduce outreach to gain participation in programs for underserved communities? Because we are reducing those programs?
The city says they talk often to the business community and the city did reach out to partner organizations in the Fee Waiver and Community Use memo (budget workshop), but ordinary residents only get the fuzzy invitation to engage with the city in the budget process.
With the lack of detail, we do not know what specifically to advocate for and/or offer a different mitigation choice.
For example, the city manager’s most recent letter listed:
• Reduction in community programs: How would we know that this means reducing service offerings at Park Place (affordable family housing)?
• Elimination of programs hosted by the police department: Eliminate Police Parent Project Training Program?
• Departmental program changes and reorganization: Reduce Senior Center Hours and less managerial oversight. Supervisor will take on other roles, support staff will have less hours to focus solely on seniors?
Please tell your Council Member to start talking to us about what this budget will mean to us at a personal level.
Doug Muirhead
Morgan Hill
