SanLuisObispo.com: Letters to the Editor

Viewpoint: Kudos to governor for small-business effort

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:51 PST

By Michael Manchak -- Governor Schwarzenegger and his team should be commended for taking a big step recently toward helping California’s business community at a conference on small business and entrepreneurship in Los Angeles.

The two-day conference produced a large number of enthusiastic business and government leaders from throughout the state to develop solutions to foster entrepreneurship. The event coincided with the launch of the Kauffman Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. The much-needed event was actually a strategy session to develop state policies to help foster economic development, remove hurdles to entrepreneurship and create jobs.

Many policy recommendations were made at the conference and they are listed on the governor’s Web site at www.sba.ca. gov. The recommendations cover many subjects and, if they are enacted, some could vastly improve the landscape for business for years to come. Some of these policies will especially impact small businesses, which create the highest percentage of jobs in the nation. At a time like now, the business community needs all of the help it can get, and the economy needs all of the jobs it can create.

Viewpoint: Errors in Modesto piece

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:51 PST

By Joan Kennedy -- The statement from the Modesto Bee in Monday’s “Perspective” had big errors. “CSU employees, faculty and staff will receive millions of dollars in raises over the next years” is completely false.

The pay raises that were approved by the Chancellor’s Office were for administrators only, not faculty or staff. The employees represented by the California State University Employees Union have not received a 17 percent raise, nor have employees represented by the California Faculty Association. Union staff employees have not received any raises for 2008-2009, which makes the raises given to high-paid administrators even more egregious in these tight budget times.

These egregious salary increases ranged from $1,548 to $22,500 a year and affected vice presidents at the California Maritime Academy, Cal State Sacramento, Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State Monterey Bay.

Letters to the Editor 12-4

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:51 PST

Harsh criticism

I am appalled to see the mean-spirited protesting, harassment and intimidation directed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and its members for standing up for their beliefs and teachings in supporting Proposition 8.

Some 21 percent of the world follows Islam, and if those who are angry at the majority of Californians who voted for Proposition 8 had the courage of their convictions, they would protest in front of the mosques. The Quran (5:60) clearly states that homosexuality is sinful and undisputedly illegal, and just recently there were six homosexuals hanged in Iran. I say that it is better to be a domestic partner than dead.

Viewpoint: A new energy day is dawning for the county

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:57 PST

By Karen Merriam -- Back in November 2005, the SLO County Air Pollution Control District drafted an action plan to curb climate change in San Luis Obispo County. Three months later, Jan Marx and I presented San Luis Obispo Mayor Dave Romero with a certificate of appreciation for endorsing the U. S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, the first step in the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities campaign. At the heart of both the county’s and Sierra Club’s programs: The need for communities to calculate their total greenhouse gas emissions (their carbon footprint) in order to set reduction targets.

Ahead of the curve

Shortly after that, our chapter of the Sierra Club urged the San Luis Obispo City Council to insert a clause in the city’s updated Energy Element stating that they would “accept the support of the Air Pollution Control District in calculating emission inventories” and “addressing climate protection through development of model ordinances and guidelines designed to meet the city’s goals.”

Letters to the Editor 12-3

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:57 PST

Impeach? Not worth it

Concerning the letter writer wanting to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney (Nov. 25), I absolutely agree!

But my reservations are that because of all the time and money it would take to pursue these convictions, it would be better for our country to go forward with our new administration to follow the Constitution and the ideals set forth; to show we can work within the laws to get this country back on its feet.

Letters to the Editor 12/2

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:53 PST

The issue is acceptance

Over the past few months I’ve heard countless people say that they “tolerate” gays, so we should be happy. Who wants to be tolerated? We want to be accepted, to be seen and treated as equals!

I was born and raised in the same town as many of you, I’ve walked the same streets, gone to the same schools and I’ve spent countless crowded Thursday nights at Farmers Market and freezing Friday nights in the stands rooting for Morro Bay High’s Pirates. The only difference between you and me is whom I fell in love with.

Letters to the Editor 12/1

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:56 PST

Help a child love books

Caught you reading, didn’t I? Chances are you started early in life and never stopped, so you know how important reading is.

But how do we get children to read today? Here’s an idea: We have to get books into our children’s hands early and often and throughout the year. Youngsters who don’t read during vacation lose ground in school, while those who do read while school is out maintain their reading skills.

Letters to the Editor 11/30

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00 PST

Why no review?

How disappointing it was not to see a review of our local opera company’s, the Pacific Repertory Opera, superb production of “Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.” While The Tribune had excellent coverage prior to the performance, sadly there was no follow-up.

Local opera lovers, like me, have been anxiously awaiting Pacific Repertory Opera’s first production with their new artistic director, Robert Ashens, from San Francisco. We were indeed treated to a fine, fine performance in the high-caliber spirit that the Repertory has heretofore given us in its orchestra, vocals, stage production and choreography.

Letters to the Editor 11/29

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:19 PST

Bailout after bailout

Since Congress is bailing out banks, why don’t the the automakers borrow from the banks? I would think this would be a better solution than forking out billions more for them from the Treasury. All the banks will do is sit on the money, hoping to gain interest or make more bad investments. It will be a win-win or a lose-lose situation either way.

If the automakers go belly up, the economy will take a lot longer to recover, more people will be out of work and there will be more home foreclosures. Just in San Luis Obispo County, a vast number of small and chain stores are closing their doors because of a collapsing economy. Where is their bailout money? Where is the money going to come from besides taxpayers?

Letter to the Editor: On Proposition 8

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:18 PST

Here’s true intolerance

The vandalism of churches in San Luis Obispo and beyond is representative of the hatred and bigotry of the “No-on-8” people. I had a “Yes on 8” yard sign, and my family was subjected to people yelling out curse words and rudely gesturing.

The definition of bigotry is “intolerance and discrimination.” Well, neither is true about “Yes-on-8” voters. We tolerate gay people on a daily basis. Gay people hold jobs throughout our state (including on our police force and in our schools). We landlords are not allowed to discriminate against gay people. They are allowed the same civil rights and legal rights as the rest of society.

Letters to the Editor 11-27

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:57 PST

A Little Theatre gem

Recently, as part of a small but enthusiastic audience, I saw SLO Little Theatre’s new play, “Daughters of the Lone Star State.” The acting was terrific and the play was exceptionally funny. It is a play that deals with prejudice, snobbery, resistance to change and at times it was so sad I had tears in my eyes. I don’t remember when I last saw a play that had such an interesting mix of sadness and laughter.

Seeing a play this good makes me proud to live in a town where there is such a wealth of talent, where productions of importance are crafted and presented with real professionalism. “Daughters of the Lone Star State” is a real gem, and I hope a great many people will see it.

Letters to the Editor 11-26

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:06 PST

A lack of tolerance

N aomi Wright has an interesting take on discrimination and religion. She says “her God” is tolerant, kind, good, loving and compassionate. Those attributes just happen to fit the God of the Bible, who also hates sin, describes sin, will not tolerate sin and gives consequences for sin.

Naomi blames the success of Proposition 8 on churches and says they discriminate, yet she says nothing about the crimes that took place before the election, where people’s property lines were trespassed so as to destroy “Yes-on-8” signs, and after the election where people have been ostracized and attacked for their beliefs and churches have been vandalized. Once again, people like Naomi only believe in tolerance when others agree with their point of view.

Viewpoint: Hasty approval process insulting

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:06 PST

By Sarah Christie -- The words “hasty” and “cursory” don’t even begin to describe the insulting public process that unfolded last Tuesday. Supervisor Harry Ovitt perfectly summed up his 20-year tenure on the board when he said, “We can take action now and work out the details later.” He was speaking, of course, about the board’s ill-considered vote to approve the Santa Margarita Ranch development, over the objections of essentially every independent agency, organization and individual that has considered it. It was the land use equivalent of “Shoot first, ask questions later.”

Why were Ovitt and his colleagues Jerry Lenthall and Katcho Achadjian in such an all-fired hurry to approve their good friends’ multimillion dollar project before addressing critical “details” like where the water would come from, whether adequate fire protection was available or whether a detention basin designed to handle a 50-year flood would protect the town of Santa Margarita from the increasing number of 100-year storm events? They were similarly unconcerned about traffic backing up onto the railroad tracks at rush hour, dewatered steelhead creeks and fundamental inconsistencies with the county’s General Plan.

The answer is obvious. The board is in a race against time to approve this project before the new board has a chance to look at it with fresh eyes and a potentially different perspective in January. But their stated reasons were revealing.

Letter to the Editor: On the Santa Margarita Ranch

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:06 PST

Not surprised

Don’t confuse me with the facts—my mind is made up. Could there be a more pertinent representation of the majority of our supervisors?

The Nov. 18 hearing was full of reasoned, logical information that concluded the Santa Margarita Ranch project is fatally flawed. Paid professional staffs of a multitude of public agencies presented compelling, coherent arguments. There were pleas from community members who saw flaws and threats this development represents not only to us, but to California’s landscape. The last nearly intact rancho of the original Spanish land grants is about to go down the tubes, to an as-yet-unnamed set of 111 wealthy mansion owners. The health and safety impacts on our community are clear, present dangers.

Viewpoint: Ranch decision was the right call

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:06 PST

By Andrea Whiteford -- As a longtime resident of the Santa Margarita area, a member of the Santa Margarita Area Advisory Committee and a member of the ranch subcommittee, I would like to provide my perspective regarding the time and effort that has been put forth by the owners of the Santa Margarita Ranch to reach a compromise for development on the ranch.

The owners of Santa Margarita Ranch have participated in countless meetings with the community both through open community forums and through attendance, presentations and updates at the monthly committee meetings.

As a member of the ranch subcommittee, I personally reviewed the EIR for the project and our committee made a recommendation to support the project to the advisory council after reviewing it and considering its potential environmental impacts. After countless meetings and more than four years of project review, the Santa Margarita Area Advisory Committee, the local elected advisory group, voted 9-3 to support the project.

Commentary: A new mission for SLO Octagon Barn

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:51 PST

By Brian Stark -- Thank you to The Tribune for your coverage of The Land Conservancy nailing the last shingle on the 108-year-old Octagon Barn roof in San Luis Obispo (Nov. 13, Page B-1, “Restoration nearly done”).

Indeed, restoration of this building is nearly done, a testament to community spirit, thousands of hours of volunteer time and hundreds of small donations. However, this marks only the halfway point in making the barn an important community amenity.

This is the reason we wish to draw attention to the “second half” — and ask for support for our ambitious plans for the San Luis Obispo Octagon Barn Center.

Letters to the Editor 11/25

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:45 PST

Disappearing community

The recent four-to-one vote of the SLO City Council to raze the Blackstone Hotel and Sauer Bakery buildings have caused me to coin a new name for this once bucolic burg by the sea: Bland Luis Obispo.

This small city is in danger of becoming an outdoor Mall of America. We are being malled to death. We are losing our tangible history and concomitant character, too. No amount of surf shops and yogurt emporiums will rescue us from the impending built environment boredom marching block by block across our distinctive, rapidly disappearing community.

Letters to the Editor 11/24

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:49 PST

Respect drivers, too

I nearly lost my life the other night. I was driving home from San Luis Obispo on northbound Highway 1. It was already getting quite dark just after 5:30 p.m.

Without warning, there were two bicyclists — no lights — directly in front of me, not on the shoulder, but riding in the middle of the right lane. I slammed on my brakes and swerved to avoid hitting them.

Ask the Editor: Tell us about your holiday traditions

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:00 PST

By Sandra Duerr -- It wouldn’t be the holidays without baking dozens of my dad’s delicious linzer tarts, making several batches of Kentucky bourbon balls or even using the frayed dreidel that my late husband made out of a cardboard box and Hanukkah wrapping paper for our children years ago.

They’re part of our family’s traditions.

We know we’re not the only ones who find meaning and comfort in such customs, however. We’re sure that you do, too. And we’re hoping you’d like to share them.

Viewpoint on local biosolids ordinance: Balance of risk, value and cost in proposal

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:03 PST

By Curtis Batson -- The Environmental Health Services Division of the county Health Department is proposing to replace its interim ordinance on land application of biosolids/treated sewage sludge, due to expire in February 2010, with a permanent ordinance.

A permanent ordinance will be taken to the county Board of Supervisors in early 2010 for consideration.

The ordinance attempts to balance the beneficial aspects associated with the reuse of treated sewage sludge with assurances that public health and the environment will not be compromised. The intent of Environmental Health Services is to promote dialogue within the community and to inform and educate people about the value and risks of using biosolids as a soil additive.