Letters: ‘Parks’ doesn’t mean just ballfields; natural parks are cheaper to maintain

Dear Editor, Let me remind one and all that the definition of
city parks does not just mean baseball and soccer fields as a
recent article in the Times suggests.
‘Parks’ doesn’t mean just ballfields; natural parks are cheaper to maintain

Dear Editor,

Let me remind one and all that the definition of city parks does not just mean baseball and soccer fields as a recent article in the Times suggests. The city’s goal of acres per person means all kinds of parks. To date the city does not have a natural park, one that could follow a stream or creek propagated with native flora and fauna which allows for bicycles, joggers, skaters, strollers and celebrates our environment. These natural parks cost 1/5 of the maintenance of a city park with manicured turf, concrete and bleachers. When budget issues present, these natural parks are cost effective and provide for much needed open space. There also provide refuge for wildlife, birds and other indigenous species. 

Cities that recognize their value find them to be immensely popular. They serve a cross generation of residents, young, old and everything in between. They meet the city’s goal in providing for a life-time of healthy activities that one could access throughout the year not just during certain seasons. 

I believe the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission have lost sight of these opportunities. I urge them to invest park developer fees into natural parks to meet the greater needs of the entire community.

Mark Grzan, Morgan Hill

Obama needs to ‘float like a butterfly and sting like a bee’

Dear Editor,

It is time for President Obama to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Be sure that all Americans understand that the next $100 billion in cuts will be done this way: $75 billion for Congressional Districts controlled by Grover Norquist and $25 billion for the rest of the United States. This allows the True Believers to shoulder their share of the burden and gives them credence for the 2012 elections.

Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill

Tea Party doesn’t want to pay taxes at a level that sustain needs

Dear Editor,

Reader Keith C. De Philippis writes in your Aug. 19 edition, “the Tea Party is saying live within your means America. We must stop spending more than we make.” In this he, like the Tea Party, implicitly identifies America with a private citizen, sort of “the government is just like us, only bigger.”

The difference, however, is that in most cases a citizen can’t raise his own pay when his expenses increase; the government’s income, on the other hand, is taxes, and the rate of taxation is a choice. What we make and what is “within our means” is determined by us; we can increase what the government makes any time we want to, and that is the point: the Tea Partiers simply don’t want to pay taxes at a level which will sustain our needs and they are perfectly willing to be the cause of incalculable collateral damage to the economy and the country in order to enforce their single-issue agenda.

Far from the idealistic band of well-meaning libertarians that they first appeared to be they have rapidly become a toxic cult which is poisoning the ability of government to do the people’s business.

Robert B. Mitchell, Morgan Hill

California needs to upgrade the teaching of trades in high schools

Dear Editor,

With budget cuts continuing to hammer California schools, I’m writing to discuss the importance of teaching the trades in high school and junior high school. As the years go by, less and less trades are taught in California schools. With the current rate of elimination, construction, art, ceramics, cooking, woodshop, metal shop and auto shop will only be a memory in a few years; in some cases they already are. Our schools are trying to prepare us all for college, but not all of us want to – or are cut out to – go to college. With the focus only on academics a whole group of people who might find something that they are really good at and could make a living at, are left out, all because of budget cuts.

If the state of California would look to the future instead of dwelling on the present, it would see that the trades in schools offer more opportunities to people who drop out of college, high school, or can’t find a job. With the knowledge they’ve gained in these classes, they could have more choices versus someone with no knowledge or a trade. With more people gainfully employed, the revenue gained by taxes would rise and the debt of the people paid. With the money made by this it could help diminish the debt, thus the trades would no longer need to be cut.

In conclusion, the trades are being taught in schools are essential for our state to prosper. If more students are excited about school and their future, we can keep them in school and we shall have less of a jobless population.

Joshua Knapp, Live Oak High School sophomore