Dear Editor, To improve education in California, we must start
by adopting our budget and all financial legislation by a simple
majority, not a 2/3 vote. California should strive to be number one
in the nation in spending per pupil. Our children deserve a public
school system second to none. California community colleges must be
strengthened by increased funding and the state college system and
universities have to remain the best in America. The 2/3
requirement makes this an impossible dream, while a simple majority
brings a
”
Yes We Can Reality.
”
It is past time for California to show our children
”
They are our most precious resource.
”
The future of California depends on what we do for children
now.
The state budget should be passed by a simple majority
Dear Editor,
To improve education in California, we must start by adopting our budget and all financial legislation by a simple majority, not a 2/3 vote. California should strive to be number one in the nation in spending per pupil. Our children deserve a public school system second to none. California community colleges must be strengthened by increased funding and the state college system and universities have to remain the best in America. The 2/3 requirement makes this an impossible dream, while a simple majority brings a “Yes We Can Reality.” It is past time for California to show our children “They are our most precious resource.” The future of California depends on what we do for children now.
Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill
Hello, hello … doesn’t anyone realize that we’re in a drought
Dear Editor,
It’s raining, for crying out loud … plus, we are officially in a drought in the state of California. I drive by a house on Crawford Place that even in the mornings when it’s pouring rain, the sprinklers are sprinkling away. Hello, how much water does that lawn need?
And, on Wednesday, I was at the Las Animas Dog Park and the sprinklers were popping up, trying to go full blast, water squirting out, and then they went back down again. Why, oh why, City of Gilroy, aren’t they turned off for the season? Let’s all get a little “water smarts” and remember that we are in a drought, and lawns in the month of February don’t need any more water than what comes out of the clouds.
Susan M. Baker, Gilroy
Avoid misguided efforts that lack strategic focus and waste resources
Dear Editor,
In reference to the quote “Hopefully, Homeland Security will come under some degree of control and supervision:”
Members of Congress have many pressures to provide homeland security funds for a wide variety of threats. Every fire department, police department, sheriff’s department, emergency management agency and hospital wants priority for homeland security funding. The demand is unlimited. Our priorities for homeland security spending must focus on preventing terrorists from obtaining weapons-grade nuclear material, building a national system to improve mitigation and response to bio-attacks, educating senior government and local level leaders, and exploiting our asymmetric advantage in information systems.
We must avoid misguided efforts that lack a strategic focus, waste scarce resources, and burden American businesses with unsound requirements, lest we become our own worst enemy.
Stephen Dorcich, Gilroy
The ‘drug’ problem in our society is the wrong kind
Dear Editor,
It’s been a long time since I’ve written a letter to the editor. I was waiting on a friend the other day when I ran across the following. It sure brought back a lot memories from a time passed, when times where simpler and everyone knew where they stood in society.
“A drug lab was busted in a nearby town, the local newspaper reported, and many people were arrested for making methamphetamine in an old farm house. After reading the news a friend asked me, ‘Did we have a drug problem when we were kids?’
“I answered, yeah, I know I did. I was drug to church every Sunday morning … drug to weddings and funerals when they happened … I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather. I was drug by the ear when I was disrespectful to adults. I was drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I did not put out the best effort in everything that I did or was asked of me. I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word. I was drug out to cut the lawn, pull weeds, clean the yard and empty the garbage. I was drug to homes of family or some poor soul to help cut their lawn or chop some firewood, repair the clothesline, etc. … and if my mother found out that I took a tip or was paid a dime I was drug back to the woodshed.
“Those drugs are still in my veins. They effect my behavior in everything I do, say and think. They are stronger and better than heroin, cocaine, crank, meth or any other drug you can try. I wonder what America would be like today if they had my drug problem? A better place, I reckon.”
The author is unknown.
Rick Mello, Gilroy
