Delusions of Grandeur
The August 2012 issue of U.S. News and World Report ranks surveyed hospitals, like the August 2012 issue of Consumer Reports titled, “How safe is your hospital?” rated them.
In San Diego County, UCSD Medical Center, three Scripps hospitals including Encinitas and two Sharp hospitals are ranked; Palomar Hospital and Tri-City Medical Center are unranked.
Unranked hospitals bear no shame. Of the nearly 500 hospitals surveyed nationwide, less than one-quarter are ranked.
Palomar Hospital and Tri-City Medical Center are both district hospitals. They provide a comprehensive range of basic services.
However, contrasting district hospitals with teaching and research hospitals or multi-hospital systems is similar to comparing apples and oranges.
Rather than reinforcing delusions of grandeur with self-congratulatory promotions, Tri-City Hospital should focus on the delivery of comprehensive basic medical care.
Sincerely,
Randy Horton,
Board Member,
Tri-City Healthcare District
Appraise Pacific View; don’t rezone
Re: The July 27 Coast News article, “Pacific View talks continue,” developer John DeWald’s involvement in financing negotiations is questionable. His again trying to rezone residential, for his profit, isn’t okay.
The article states: “DeWald was paying $300,000 towards the deposit. . . . DeWald has also agreed to pay $3 million of the total purchase price of $7.5 million. In return . . . he would own part of the land in order to develop single-family homes.”
The article also states: “The city’s Director of Planning Patrick Murphy said the organization has submitted a request to submit an application to amend the specific plan to create a new zone for the property. “
Encinitas Union School District should realize Council has twice turned down applications to rezone Pacific View. The use for a community art center IS COMPATIBLE for public/semi-public use.
We’d been assured Art Pulse is well established, has excellent resources for financing. Yet the article states: “According to the organization’s tax returns, it took in just over $98,000 in 2010 and has run at a deficit since 2008.”
DeWald shouldn’t be involved in residential redevelopment at Pacific View. EUSD needs to come before Council again, at another public hearing, before entering into more rezoning negotiations or making promises to DeWald, through Art Pulse.
A minimum of .82 acre of Pacific View should have been offered to the public at 25 cents on the dollar of its appraised value, according to the Naylor Act. EUSD didn’t abide by Education Code, in not so offering the property, used, in part, for playing fields, to public entities, within eight years from when it was INITIALLY LEASED TO THE CITY for a temporary public works yard. EUSD has “dropped the ball” by not yet performing an independent appraisal of the property.
Lynn Marr
Leucadia
Carlsbad supports Rocky
I have followed our local city council member, Rocky Chavez’s career for many years. I have always voted for him and been proud of my vote. I receive his campaign emails and am extremely pleased to see our neighbor city of Carlsbad support joining the Rocky team since their council member Farrah Douglas is now out of the race. Rocky recently received the endorsement of former Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis and the longtime council member Ann Kulchin. He already had the endorsement of well-respected former Carlsbad council member Ramona Finnilla. This reminds me of when the high school used to be Oceanside/Carlsbad…what a team.
LeAnn Starr,
Oceanside
Tax cuts
Last week the U.S. Senate voted to keep tax cuts for those making under $250,000 a year, but the House will vote on an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for the very wealthy probably next week. Republicans like Rep. Bilbray, who always vote party line, will oppose a middle-class tax break unless the wealthy get a payoff. In essence, Republicans are holding middle-class tax breaks hostage in order to get an extra payoff for millionaires. But the wealthy don’t need a handout, and the economy will not benefit if they get it. As the disparity between the rich and the poor in America continues to increase, our goal must be to do everything to recreate a more egalitarian society. Handouts for the rich is not the solution, it’s part of the problem.
Jeanne and Milton Saier,
Encinitas
Coastal cities’ pot shop ballot initiative is illegal
In regard to recent articles about Del Mar and Solana Beach putting an illegal ballot initiative before voters this November, it highlighted many negative impacts to a city should it pass. According to Del Mar city attorney Bob Mahlowitz these pot shop ballot initiatives “as written, contains mispresentations and illegal and improper uses, meaning it may be beyond the power of a city to enact.” City attorney Mahlowitz also makes this important point, “It doesn’t matter that it’s the people who vote it in. It can’t be done. It’s illegal.” Just because a ballot initiative qualifies, doesn’t mean it’s legal, it’s a loophole of sorts that pot shop owners a looking to exploit along the coast in Del Mar,Solana Beach, and Encinitas.
Both businesses andresidents should understand the full and honest impacts of what the pot shop owners are trying to force upon these coastal cities. The City of Del Mar prepared an impact report for the ballot initiative and can be read in full on the City’s website delamr.ca.us. Some important points I found were:
1) Violates California sales tax laws.
2) Violates state and federal drug laws.
3) Specifically allow felons to operate the pot shops.
4) No requirement for record keeping, landlord protections, or parking requirements
5) Requires city employees to violate federal law
6) Doesn’t allow pot shop permits to be revoked or expire
Jon Sullivan,
Oceanside
Prison costs
I wish I had a whole bunch of money so I could take the prison system out of the hands of the bureaucrats and away from everyone’s hard earned tax dollars.
All the big-shot politicians talk about out-sourcing jobs. That is all simple economics. Business will build their plants where the talent is at the most reasonable cost in order to provide the greatest return on their capital. That means the cost and location of labor becomes the driving factor.
I would take the prison system, hire the best and brightest entrepreneurs and have them evaluate the use of “free” labor. Of course I would go further than that. Not only do I already have the infrastructure in place but in many cases very skilled and motivated inmates. I would set up a trust for each inmate and pay a wage compared to that in the cheapest and most productive places in the world. I would set those plants up to build many of the finest widgets.
The Government would be left to provide some oversight, but not control. 95% of the bureaucracy and rules go out the window. I declare myself my city and incorporate. I would hire my own security forces instead and I could set my own terms both for labor and security. Of course I would generate tax dollars to my City but also for my State and the Federal Treasury.
This reconfiguration and reduction in government would create certain wealth for the inmates. When they return to society they will be highly skilled and also have enough money to set themself up. More than likely and due to my newfound success, that inmate would go to work in one of my subsidiary plants outside the prison walls or continue his job by commuting each day from the outside while keeping his friends on the inside. My punishment would be severe for anyone breaking rules. They are either fired or reduced to slave labor, which is what the government has now.
It’s a win-win. Government shrinks as do the tax dollars and I get rich. Capitalism at its best.
Joe Moris,
Encinitas
