The Santa Clara County Farm Bureau Board of Directors has voted
recently to support the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s
proposed zero increase in groundwater charges for the third year in
a row.
Dear Editor,
The Santa Clara County Farm Bureau Board of Directors has voted recently to support the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s proposed zero increase in groundwater charges for the third year in a row. We encourage your readers to join us in ensuring that the groundwater will continue to be replenished by the water district. We urge South County residents NOT to protest the district’s water charges, as a zero increase in water rates demonstrates smart economics in these fiscally tough times.
Our board of farmers and ranchers understands that an effective and adequately funded groundwater management program will assist in protecting the quality and supply of our local drinking water and will ensure the reliability of our local water supplies. By investing in groundwater recharge, South County residents will ensure adequate water supplies for our economy, promote open space, reduce the likelihood of groundwater overdraft, and provide opportunities for future generations.
Dr. David Sunding, Professor of Natural Resources Economics at UC Berkeley, performed an analysis of the economic impact on the loss of water on South County. This analysis produced staggering results: if South County experiences a 10 percent shortage in water supply, we could lose more than 300 jobs and over $112 million in sales revenues. Worse, a 30 percent shortage could result in the loss of over 3,700 jobs and more than $1 billion in sales revenues.
These figures are real, and indicate the gravity of the situation South County faces if the reliability of our water supply is thrown into jeopardy by a majority protest.
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding this issue. It is in everyone’s best interests to support the district’s groundwater management program. That is why we ask you to help secure the future of our water supply and NOT to protest the groundwater charges. In doing so, you will help secure the future success of south county’s homes, businesses, and farms.
Jan Garrod, president, Santa Clara County Farm Bureau
Big thank you to Gilroy Exchange Club for donation to the prom
Dear Editor,
Mt. Madonna High School would like to publicly thank the Gilroy Exchange Club for its generous donation to the Mt. Madonna prom.
It is difficult at best to raise funds at a continuation high school, so support from the community is not only vital, it is greatly appreciated.
We would also like to thank Mr. Kai Lai for initiating the opportunity for our ASB members to join the Exchange Club for lunch during the February vacation. The positive interaction with community organizations is a step in the right direction for our students.
Jennifer Del Bono, principal, Mt. Madonna High School
America drifting toward socialism, tossing aside enterprising spirit
Dear Editor,
The United States currently has a president whose associations are found to be with those who are socialists, beginning with a Marxist college professor; religious zealots such as Jeremiah Wright whose religious training came from a Black Liberation Theology college and countless associations with social progressives and radicals as evidenced by his many appointments and voting record as a senator.
Is not the nature of Obama’s “change” beyond evident? Isn’t it plain for everyone to see it is progressive socialism, European style, not traditional Americanism style? Socialism failed in the U.S.S.R. which collapsed 20 years ago. Social progressive policies in Western democratic countries have bankrupted England, France, Spain, Greece and others. Their social policies are unsustainable and were from the beginning. They regret having taken such a course, confessing they are unable to turn back.
Furthermore, officials in Russia, England, France and even China have warned the U.S. Congress and President Obama to avoid going down this path of wild spending and increased taxation. Interesting that China, a socialist country, has criticized Obama and the Congress for creating our enormous, unsustainable social debt.
It is also interesting that officials from Russia and the Ukraine have compared socialism with the democratic, free enterprise of America, thusly: the trouble with us, they say, was that we do not know how to work because we are used to socialism where we were told for 70 years “don’t worry about anything, the government will take care of your needs.”
When the government could no longer take care of the people, many just waited for someone to care of them. There is no incentive and no initiative in their mentality. Now there are many street people because they do not want to work. A common saying in the U.S.S.R. was, “You pretend to pay us and we pretend to work.”
They all know what’s happening in America and laugh at us because we are throwing away something they cannot attain. The U.S. has it so good, but does not realize what it has. Many Americans are embracing an anti-God, spending and taxing socialism which is the system that brought the U.S.S.R. and Western Europe to poverty and desperation. And yet, we hear some of those same people asking, “God Bless America”. Many Europeans think we are fools, and they are correct.
Jim Langdon, Gilroy
