Kudos to Oceanside police
I am currently in Oceanside on an assignment for my company.
At around 7 p.m. Oct. 25, a colleague and I were on the way to dinner on Coast Highway, with a rental car, when we saw a police car with flashing lights behind us. I stopped the car and the police officer, in a most polite way, made me aware of the fact that the automatic lights on the car were on, however, not the rear lights.
The officer with his flashlight assisted me in finding the proper light switch and we were on our way.
The statement on the police vehicles in Oceanside reads: “Service with Pride.” This officer certainly demonstrated that this is not an empty slogan, but truly a statement he lives by.
This event has contributed to making my stay in Oceanside a most enjoyable experience. Unfortunately I don’t have the police officer’s name, however, would like to recognize him and his department for being truly service oriented.
What a pleasure to have such a positive experience.
Gunter L. Muller
Oceanside
Prop. G is for Governance Gone Bad
Voting for Prop. G is a signal that you expect nothing from your Carlsbad City Council or your city manager. It is illegal for firefighters and police to strike –— unlike other worker groups who use the tactic to move negotiations. By having us vote on benefits elected officials believe it’s one less reason for us to vote them out. This would allow them to point at us the voters for either voting for benefits that cost money or not voting for police/firefighters benefits, causing the loss of highly trained employees.
Prop. G is for Giving Up. First, there’s the cost to all of us taxpayers each time a city proposition is offered on the ballot, so every two or three years we’re spending money again. Second, the city has to negotiate a regular salary package, why spend our tax money putting it up for a vote when the council should do their job? Third, we lose firefighters and police officers and even new hires since they’ll move on to another city where that city council does the job voters expect. Save money and make your city council work – Vote no on Prop G.
Cindy Hendrix
Carlsbad
Prop. K keeping our children safe
I’d like to submit the following in support for Prop. K for the San Marcos Unified School District.
I don’t often get involved in just anything but Prop. K is something I believe in. As a mother of three, I’m excited to know Prop. K will help make our schools safer. With my children spending hours a day in the classroom, I’m glad to hear asbestos and lead paint will be removed from the older buildings and knowing that the money will help with earthquake preparedness, fire safety and campus security gives me piece of mind. I’m also excited to bring our classroom technology up to date allowing our children to be in par with neighboring school districts. Prop. K will help our children succeed in school and therefore life. Can you think of anything more important?
Linda Knowlton
San Marcos
Kids for Prop. K
One Sunday morning, me and my mom went to make Yes on K for Kids lawn signs. Our group made 1,500 signs and it took all morning. Then on another day me and my mom went to put flyers in the doors of people who will be voting. Some of the people even asked for lawn signs. I feel very proud when I pass by the signs that me and my group made.
I think Yes on K for Kids is important because it helps our school become better. It also helps us by making a new high school for us. It makes me happy to know that we will have a better high school.
So, if you want to make our schools better. Have your parents vote Yes on K for Kids.
Lauren Knowlton, age 9
San Marcos
Pro Prop. K
I am a life long conservative voter and usually oppose bonds and other tax measures. This year is different. I am supporting Proposition K. This proposition will help our schools make the necessary repairs to classrooms, labs and facilities.
Our schools are a big part of what makes San Marcos a desirable place to live. That’s why Proposition K is so important.
I am voting Yes on K and think you should do the same.
Maria Duckworth
San Marcos
Yes on A to support local jobs
Vote yes on Proposition A to support local jobs for local employees.
Workers all over North County can’t find enough jobs to pay the bills. The last thing we should be doing is locking folks out of work.
Voting yes on Prop. A supports a charter amendment at the county of San Diego to allow all construction contractors to bid on public projects and ban Project Labor Agreements.
With Project Labor Agreements, nonunion workers like me at Rowan Electric in Oceanside would be required to obey a pre-hire bargaining agreement with a union requiring me to pay dues and follow union rules on pensions, work conditions and dispute resolution.
No one should be forced to sign a union agreement or pay to work. Everyone deserves the right to bid on public projects at the best price to the taxpayers.
Vote yes on Prop. A for fair and open competition for all construction jobs.
Eric Kliebenstein
Oceanside
Support school board incumbents
The San Marcos schools have been steadily improving for the last 25 years. Why is that? I believe it is because the school board, the superintendent and teachers in the district set common goals centered on student learning and teacher excellence, and they actively work to reach and refine those goals. Board members Sharon Jenkins and Beckie Garrett have individually invested countless hours within the district prior to serving as board members. Both women are committed to providing an excellent education to all students in San Marcos, and at the same time are working to keep the district fiscally solvent. Making decisions for a school district when times are tough requires a detailed knowledge of the educational process, creativity to look for new ways to accomplish established goals, and the courage to make cuts when there are no alternatives. I know Beckie Garrett and Sharon Jenkins have experience and integrity. They listen carefully to all issues before making decisions. Both women have the capacity to see the big picture, and know when to pay attention to the details. Let’s vote to keep them on the School Board.
Tanis Brown
Community Volunteer
San Marcos Historical Society
Prop. K needed for safe schools
I am so proud of my fellow teachers at Richland Elementary School. We work hard every day to provide an excellent education to local students. But many of us are teaching in classrooms that are old and deteriorating. My school is over 50 years old and needs repairs to roofs, windows and plumbing. We are also in need of updated instructional technology to meet the needs of the 21st century student. Our school lacks the technology that many other schools are currently using in San Diego County. We do all that we can to teach our kids, but our facilities need help. Please vote YES on K to repair and update our classrooms so that children will learn in a safe and healthy environment.
Sherri Faulkner
Third Grade Teacher
Richland Elementary School
Barth and Krantz for Encinitas City Council
Teresa Barth and Tony Krantz share refreshing views on open government, promoting a focus on transparency and trust; community sensitive development, including support for the Hall property sports park; environmental stewardship; and fiscal responsibility.
Our current mayor, Dan Dalager, is seeking re-election, amidst calls for resignation and is now being investigated by the county DA’s office.
Kristin Gaspar reports nearly 65 percent of her contributions come from sources outside Encinitas. Who are these contributors, what is their interest in Encinitas, and what has she “promised” them? I received a robo-call in which she identified herself as an independent, impartial candidate who will restore balance to the council. Why is it then that whenever I see a Dalager sign, it is nearly always accompanied by a Gaspar sign?
Dalager and Gaspar were asked about the gross misinformation a recent mailer made about Barth. It was produced, in part with a $5,000 contribution from a former Gaspar client, by a Burbank company that has been repeatedly fined by the Fair Political Practices Commission. Both candidates claimed they had no control over whether the content was truthful. Evidently it didn’t matter.
Enough of the Dalager wait-and-see, lethargic politics, where, for example, we are told you can’t influence Caltrans’ expansion plans for the I-5 freeway. Finally bowing to public pressure at the last council meeting, he agreed to authorize funds to investigate the impact of increased noise and particulates due to freeway expansion, but not to address the concept itself (including expansion of up to 10 general purpose lanes and 4 HOV lanes). That’s like saying we’ll pay for tests to evaluate a tumor, but we’re resigned to having that tumor and its consequences, and won’t pay for treatment.
The choice is clear. Vote for Teresa Barth and Tony Krantz. Our city deserves nothing less.
Maria Lindley
Encinitas
Barth and Kranz represent the people
Stop the madness! When our city officials care more about special interests, be they developers, soccer clubs, or anyone with enough dollars in their pockets to help fund a campaign, then it’s time to vote them out! Look closely who is funding the candidates for Encinitas City Council and it will be very clear that both Teresa Barth and Tony Kranz are the best candidates to represent you, not special interests.
Suzi Mayer
Encinitas
Tea Party: The C-RIR Party
The name “Tea Party” is perfect (because it means nothing) for the intentionally dishonest, immoral and deceptive Corporate-run Reactionary & Irrational Republican (C-RIR) Party which has now netted $500,000,000 from anonymous corporations that are motivated solely by profits. They want to rule America via a previously illegal route recently rendered possible by five politically motivated Republican-appointed Supreme Court Justices. As Democrat Baron P. Hill correctly enunciated during a debate with his C-RIR opponent: “Climate change is real, and man is causing it.” Virtually all evidence produced over the past 50 years by climate change scientists supports this conclusion. Yet Norman Dennison, a C-RIR co-founder, responded: “It’s an outright lie” adding revealingly, that he based this conclusion on “Rush Limbaugh and (his interpretation of) the teachings of Scripture.” Do Californians and the U.S. want rational government led by common sense, logic and scientific inquiry, or do they prefer one that practices a policy of lies and deception motivated by ignorance and corporate greed? We can choose on Nov. 2. Let’s reject the C-RIR party altogether! (Based on an article “Climate Change Doubt is Tea Party Article of Faith” by John M Broder, New Yourk Times, Oct. 20, 2010)
Milton H Saier
Professor, UCSD
Term limits for Encinitas
It’s time to rid the “good old boys” syndrome with the City of Encinitas. Bring on term limits.
Windy Jones
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Taking a closer look at Tri-City financials
Tri-City Healthcare District announced that it lost more than $18 million for the year ended June 30. The size of this loss is the largest in recent memory. The hospital never lost so much money during the last decade.
At the Oct. 15, 2010, Tri-City Healthcare District forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters, candidate Ira Landis made this statement, “The $10 million June 2010 loss was just journal entries,” strongly implying that there is nothing to be concerned about.
Journal entries are just one way to record accounting transactions. The $10 million loss is either real or fictitious. If it is fictitious, it should not be recorded in the accounting books and records. If it is real, it is a matter worthy of consideration.
If the $10 million loss is really fictitious, how do we know that the modest profits posted in the last few months aren‘t? This good news should be swallowed only with a strong dose of healthy skepticism.
If elected, I pledge to take a long, hard look at the hospital’s financial statements to find out if they are in fact reliable or if they really are fictitious.
Horton Hears You!
Randy Horton
Oceanside
Encinitas mayor not a defacto figurehead
If one believes Encinitas City Councilman Jerome Stocks statement that the mayor’s task is that of just a “defacto figurehead” — meaning a person without real authority — I then question why Mr. Stocks in collusion with fellow Councilmen Dan Dalager and James Bond were so emphatic in voting to deny Councilwoman Teresa Barth the job.
As it became Mrs. Barth’s turn to ascend to the seat, all tradition was circumvented through a backdoor majority maneuver involving Stocks, Bond and Dalager to instead appoint Mr. Dalager to the afore named “unimportant” assignment.
To the contrary, this is an extremely influential post especially as it commands upcoming city council meeting agenda items.
Without the mayor allowing a particular community view item to be scheduled for agenda discussion to include a majority of the council vote, the subject is shelved. No other city in the county has such an arrangement.
Despite how Mr. Stocks spins it the mayor’s position is most powerful.
This animosity directed toward Mrs. Barth by the “so called” good old boys’ majority was evident in denying her the position of mayor realizing its potent city influence.
George Hejduk
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Sports fields not our primary problem
Let’s not make the Hall park the predominant election issue. We have more important city
problems: uncontrolled borrowing, spending waste, overdevelopment, diminishing tax base,
street deterioration and government secrecy. Moreover, City Hall appears to be for sale.
Encinitas Mayor Dalager is being investigated by the Fair Political Practices Commission for
allegedly selling his vote to developers and commercial interests. Additionally, according to the
SD District Attorney’s office, he is under scrutiny for serious violations in an unrelated matter.
In their desperation as council candidates, Dan Dalager and his teammate Kristin Gaspar made
the Hall fields their cardinal issue to distract from the real problems.
Two weeks ago a Dalager/Gaspar flier was mailed out, signed by some 50 representatives of
private sports leagues and their Rotary Club sponsors, promoting a lighted sports stadium for their exclusive use. In their words, “a loss of one vote can cost us the full use of our new park.” Private regional sports leagues are talking about their sports park and not the community’s park.
Don’t let private team sport clubs, a mere 10 percent of the population and not all from Encinitas, take over all of the “park” for their pleasure. The park is bought, built and maintained exclusively with your tax money.
The leagues’ Athletics Complex is not a community park, which should be open in its entirety at
all times to all residents: singles, mothers and dads, toddlers, preschool kids, teenagers, seniors,
the ill and disabled, and anyone who wants to exercise, recreate, read, meditate, picnic, or just
walk in the sunshine.
End business as usual. Your vote for Teresa Barth and Tony Kranz will bring back sanity,
honesty and open government.
Dr. Dietmar Rothe
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
