Opinion

Having two very disturbing school incidents close together in

Dear Editor:

First, let me say thank you to Margaret Baker for caring enough

• No. I’m certain GPD is aware of the probable times and location park crimes are likely to occur.  Occasional, unpredictable patrols should suffice.  I am just as certain prioritizing GPD efforts in one problem area will cause neglect in other problem areas.  The GPD knows what they're doing.  Let's not make this a reactionary public issue or political issue.

In the wake of the shooting threats and nearly three-hour

DEAR EDITOR:

Columnist on the money with points on why Saint Louise should not be tax supported

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

• No no no no no. • Yes. 1/4% state sales tax is much easier to swallow than a full 1% locally. The best thing, though, everyone will have to pay it. Not just the homeowners. • No on Proposition 30, Gov. Brown’s tax  increase, which increase state income tax and sales tax. No on Proposition 38, State Income Tax Increase and No on Proposition 39, income tax increase for multi-state business. No tax increases at all until the spending cuts for all areas of government, not just the touchy-feely issues like schools, medical assistance, senior programs, etc. These cuts are applied to make citizens feel guilty. Meanwhile, the over spending of government continues with over-priced boards, duplication of work, mandated work contracts, payments into pensions … etc. etc. etc. When you stop these and get some serious cuts in place maybe we can balance a budget. Personally, I would like to see a legislative body that works only three months out of the year. It would automatically introduce cuts and stop these full-time lawmakers from thinking up insane laws that continues to depress California. How about the last one that surfaced? This is the approval of an $8,000,000,000 bond that will fund a bullet train from Fresno to Bakersfield. This is a government long-term investment with money that does not exist and will result in $500,000,000 in interest payments per year, not principle, just interest. I should accept a tax increase when the folks that are responsible for spending have no sense of fiscal responsibility? I think not.n I completely support an increase of taxes of some kind and somehow. We must stop thinking that our increasing population and needs for all kinds of services, from road maintenance to food safety to education, can be addressed by reducing spending. The bone has been cut to. We are shooting both feet by reducing education spending and infrastructure spending. Wake up, California. Our state needs funding. I support closing the commercial property tax loopholes and increasing income tax progressively on individuals and corporations. I don’t think this is what Gov. Brown has proposed, so I am undecided on these specific measures. • Absolutely no. • Undecided at this point, that's a fall reading assignment! • Undecided. I would really like to see pension reform, which he has included in his plan, play a larger role in cutting costs. • Yes, I’ve thought about them, and believe that unless people step up and understand that they need to be part of the solution, and actually think about the major problems we are experiencing due to a lot of wrong-minded decisions, our state will continue to be in decline. People need to accept that they have to pay for freedoms and rights that we experience as citizens of a working democracy. • Got to go with “undecided” … need more time to study all the ramifications. • Yes. But the initiative should have included funding for CSU’s! • I am undecided. I know we need to raise revenues, but is there a better way besides increasing taxes? • I am still undecided. I do not feel that excess spending has been properly addressed. Still too much fat in Sacramento, too much politicking and too little common sense budgeting.