Dear Editor,
At the California High Speed Rail Authority’s public hearing in
Gilroy, which was not a hearing at all, only a movie with
billboards and a few docents walking around selling the biggest
boondoggle in California history, not one word was mentioned about
paying for it.
If it is put on the backs of taxpayers, it will make Amtrak,
Caltrain, Lite Rail, and VTA subsidies, combined, look small in
comparison.
High speed rail “hearing” in Gilroy doesn’t address who’s going to pay
Dear Editor,
At the California High Speed Rail Authority’s public hearing in Gilroy, which was not a hearing at all, only a movie with billboards and a few docents walking around selling the biggest boondoggle in California history, not one word was mentioned about paying for it.
If it is put on the backs of taxpayers, it will make Amtrak, Caltrain, Lite Rail, and VTA subsidies, combined, look small in comparison.
Joe Thompson, Gilroy
The Golden Quill is awarded occasionally for a well-penned letter.
California’s crushing tax burden and the worst school results
Dear Editor,
Frank Crosby has a history of nonsensical op-ed-page ramblings. His latest rant, advocating a simple majority for tax hikes, was on the ballot only a few years ago, and it was defeated by an overwhelming 60-to-40 percent vote of the people – people with much more sense than Crosby.
Considering all taxes (sales tax, property tax, income tax, payroll tax, local gouges on your phone and utilities), California has the fourth highest tax rate in the country, and thanks to the Democratic Party alone (Crosby’s kind) is the number one debtor state.
The 2/3 supermajority requirement is the only check and balance against a return to the Moonbeam (Jerry Brown) Era politics of taxing people out of their homes to fund the various socialist failures of the dependency establishment. Crosby is a retired public school teacher; it is no wonder why our schools spend among the most per pupil in the country while providing the lowest in results.
Alan Viarengo, Gilroy
More smoke and mirrors from the leaders of the Gilroy school district
Dear Editor,
It’s discouraging to read the Gilroy Unified School District continues to run its smoke-and-mirrors machinations, it’s latest spillage via GUSD’s Enrique Palacios.
Mr. Palacios shows his talent by proclaiming in his March 17 letter as “fact” the generalization that “the district placed an announcement in the local newspaper several times in January and February. I read The Dispatch, so I ask which issues and what date, which section and what page?
One typical characteristic of GUSD’s smoke-and-mirrors: no specifics nor facts, just vagueness.
Palacios claims four months after the Nov. 4, 2008 election that “the district has now received 12 applications meeting the different categories for the seven seats on the Measure P citizen’s oversight committee.”
Who are the 12 Mr. Palacios? Are they actually concerned citizens or pre-determined school board loyalists, willing as the Measure I COC members were, to abandon responsibility to taxpayers and provide no accountability of the untrustables arrogant action.
It’s happening already with Measure P. The untrustables have already allotted money toward district projects with no COC in place.
Is your deliberate lack of mentioning the primary responsibility of a COC – accountability – yet another smoke-and-mirrors attempt, Mr. Palacios, to misdirect Gilroy taxpayers?
Disputing my March 10 letter which pointed out the lack of oversight of the spending actions of the untrustables, Palacios can only state: “The district sold $50 million of Measure P series A bonds on Feb, 26, 2009.” Where and how was that money spent, Mr. Palacios?
There’s more. You end your 521-word defense of the unstrustables by claiming, “The district does not have a cash flow problem.” Are you saying Dispatch reporter Sara Suddes is wrong? I don’t think so.
What is sorely needed is honesty, ethics, principle, integrity, transparency and accountability from the administration and especially the untrustables.
James Brescoll, Gilroy
AIG bailout instead of bankruptcy left contractual obligations in force
Dear Editor,
Why all the consternation over AIG? We were told that AIG is too big to fail. While other companies have gone bankrupt we bailed out AIG. If AIG went bankrupt the courts would set up a receivership and all contracts voided. Bonuses would then be up for renegotiation.
We chose to infuse cash with no strings attached. All contracts and other obligations remain unchanged.
The same problem exists at the big three automakers. They have unsustainable pension obligations to union employees. Some pressure has been brought against the UAW, without success thus far. Failing to make AIG declare bankruptcy set us up for this ridiculous situation. They still have contractual obligations.
Keith C. De Filippis, San Jose
‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ robs American soldiers of their dignity
Dear Editor,
I’m weighing in on the issue of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” When our country is asking for sacrifice from it’s citizens, why are we asking them to hide behind an archaic moral standard?
Equality, by definition, does not exclude. Honor our armed forces with not only medals, but dignity in allowing them to serve without duplicity.
Lisa Feltis-German, Campbell
