Letters for June 26, 2014

Two on the budget meeting

Re “An immodest proposal” (Newslines, by Howard Hardee, June 19):

The city is low on funds and wants to be fair with the entire community. Political and financial pressures forced them to cut library spending by $25,000. Thank you, council members [Sean] Morgan and [Mark] Sorensen, for attempting to preserve funding at the same level as last year.

Speakers at the June 17 city budget hearing stated the library hasn’t been cut. It has been cut. Previously, the city contributed more than $150,000. Now it’s half of that. The library has laid off good, dedicated employees.

This is not a “county vs. city” problem, but it is a problem for library staff members, who work hard to make the library a place where Chico residents can learn, find jobs, etc. It’s a problem for the residents who count on the library having consistent open hours.

It’s not just library staff who care so much. Last month, more than 1,000 volunteer hours were spent caring for the library. Without those volunteers, the library wouldn’t function. We believe the city should share responsibility for keeping the Chico library open. Chico is the largest branch in Butte County. A big percentage of its 49,700 patrons are people who vote in city elections.

Diane Friedman
president, Chico Friends of the Library

The quote “I am reticent of spending money before we have it,” attributed to Ann Schwab, left me dumbfounded. The city is $15 million in debt! Schwab was not only a councilmember when that debt was incurred but was also the mayor during much of that time.

When did she finally realize that you cannot spend what you do not have? The liberal council was told repeatedly the city had a “structural deficit.” Surely if she did not understand those words a quick look into a dictionary would have made it crystal clear.

It will take this city 15 years to clear the debt Schwab and both current and former ultra-liberal members of the council have left to the residents of our city. It will take years to rebuild our police department, current technology to replace 20-year-old outdated systems, roads and building maintenance neglected for years, all for the sake of feel-good projects and re-election.

Schwab, along with Scott Gruendl, Mary Flynn/Goloff, Andy Holcombe, Tom Nickell, Jim Walker, etc., should hang their collective heads in shame for what they have wrought on this community—a legacy of incredible irresponsible fiscal incompetence.

Stephanie L. Taber
Chico

Editor’s note: For more on this subject, see Editorial, page 4.

Where are the farmers?

Re “Market support” (Newslines, by Tom Gascoyne, June 19):

I want to see the Saturday Chico farmers’ market be a farmers’ market. Not a coffee shop. Not a bakery. Not a fried-food stall.

I want to see more (and smaller-scale) farmers being able to sell at the Chico Certified Farmers’ Market. We can grandfather in the existing nonfood vendors, but no more. More farmers. More food.

Clay Olson
Chico

Say no to secession

Re “Jeffersonians en masse” (Newslines, by Meredith J. Graham, June 12):

I have lived in both Southern and Northern California. It is a beautiful state because of its variety of mountains, deserts, warm and cold climates, fields and meadows for grazing animals, farmlands and orchards, and the many different occupations and nationalities of the people who live here.

Why would anyone want to divide it into six different states?

As I see it, it is an attempt to gerrymander it into political areas so as to better control and change the politics of the state. In other words, divide and conquer.

As for including Butte County in a state of Jefferson, I hope it never happens. I, for one, don’t want to live in a confederate state.

Barbara Ortiz
Magalia

Way to be critical

Re “Cut and run” (Second & Flume, by Melissa Daugherty, June 5):

It is refreshing to find a newspaper willing to be critical of the establishment in a small town. Too often, the old-boy network is counterproductive to accurate reporting. Your paper was willing to take on the city manager for bailing out of one city after another. Why could a reporter learn of Nakamura’s history with a few phone calls while the City Council and hiring firm could not?

If this were Congress, there would be hearings that would bring the last few city managers back to face tough questioning of what happened. Let’s hope they don’t lose all their documents like the IRS just told Congress. We cannot continue to witness dishonesty in government, local or national.

The individuals may be friendly people who served punch at little league games, but it is troubling that they hid tens of millions of debt for years and no one noticed as quickly as Nakamura did within days. Answers are needed. Maybe some jail time for gross incompetence for all responsible. The city of Bell may have some competition for bad management.

Landon Jensen
Chico

Slums and soccer

My feelings about the 2014 World Cup went from disgust to revulsion when I saw a video of young boys and girls, terrified and weeping, as their plywood shacks were bulldozed by the Brazilian government—the homes stood in the way of another party for the rich. Somehow the tears of children brought all the protests, including the million who marched on opening day, into perspective.

The world community—with $14 billion to $50 billion spent by Brazil alone—has once again bought an entertaining spectacle, while billions suffer with dirty water, lack of food and shelter, easily curable diseases and horrendous working conditions.

Beyond the treasure spent by the Brazilian government, it is also disheartening to ponder the billions spent by the affluent of the world as they board jets (often private jets) and head to Rio—flying in over slums where babies are born into grinding and inescapable poverty. Flying in over slums where the cost to own and operate one private jet would adequately house a thousand people.

From all appearances in the media, it’s supposed to matter to me, right here in Chico, that the U.S. failed in its “bid” to triumph over Portugal, etc., etc. Nothing could matter less.

Patrick Newman
Chico

Bridge-building needed

Bridges are supposed to connect between opposite sides of a chasm. This is a fitting metaphor for those who reside beneath the bridges. Passages should be connected to remove a barrier.

Opposing views of how to “deal” with these nonresidents fail to improve relationships. In other words, we have failed to bridge the gap.

The homeless voice is underrepresented and barely heard at the many task force meetings seeking to solve Chico’s homeless problem. These vagrants need medical health care for mental and physical issues and addiction to drugs or a combination. Valid attempts haven’t adequately addressed what lies under the “bridge.”

Other than the Jesus Center, Torres Community Shelter and Butte County Health Department, where can they get help? Being written off by society, is it any wonder they have conflicts with social mores? A downtown clinic or center would help.

Do we really care or is it just so much “water” under the bridge?

Dick Cory
Chico

What about Palestinian kids?

I am disturbed to hear of the disappearance of three Israeli settler teens from the West Bank, yet so saddened by extreme media silence over hundreds of abductions, torture and killing of Palestinian children over many years.

From January 2000 through June 2014, 1,405 Palestinian children under 18 years old were killed as a result of Israeli military and settler presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Of these, 263 were 8 years old or younger. These numbers do not include children killed while involved in hostilities (www.dci-palestine.org/content/child-fatalities).

In the first 10 days of June, 17 Palestinian boys were abducted in the occupied West Bank; the youngest, 13, the oldest, 17. Some were dragged at gunpoint from their homes in the middle of the night; others seized in broad daylight. All abductions were documented by the Palestinian Monitoring Group.

There has been great media outcry over the alleged kidnapping of the Israeli settler boys and fierce condemnation by U.S. legislators. None of the abductions of Palestinian teens were reported by the international media; no Western politicians called for their release (tinyurl.com/palestinianteens).

Western media must stop the blackout of Israeli oppression of Palestinians—fairness and accuracy in reporting!

Emily Alma
coordinator, Chico Palestine Action Group, Chico