Bakersfield.com Letters to the Editor

Balance that budget!

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:07:54 PDT

The state Legislature must adopt a structurally balanced budget today. Each day the state does not have an adopted, structurally balanced budget, the deficit increases $25 million.

The entire $26 billion deficit must be addressed in a fiscally responsible manner, without any more tax increases. This budget already includes $12.5 billion in higher taxes, after the largest tax increase in California history, which was enacted a few months ago.

Joe D., 60 years later

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:07:45 PDT

You probably don't remember what you were doing on July 9 60 years ago. I remember it as vividly as Dec. 7, 1941, June 6, 1944, Sept. 11, 2001, Feb. 2, 1948, or Sept. 23, 1963. The first three are obvious. The last two marked the start of my news career in Delano and my first day at The Californian.

July 9, 1949? It was a warm day at Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River. I was there covering for The News of Delano as Gov. Earl Warren spun the wheel which opened the gait releasing the first water into the Friant-Kern Canal.

You too, Florez

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:07:29 PDT

The July 2 editorial "Ashburn doesn't get it" explained in detail the state senator's obvious lack of awareness. Your choosing to stop with Ashburn, though, is puzzling.

Take state Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) -- he not only doesn't "get it," he is in a state of political denial regarding the taxpayers' rage, and his own culpability, over California's financial destruction.

Cut bums, not teachers, cops or firefighters

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:06:58 PDT

How disgusted does the California taxpayer have to get before those we elected to local, county and state governments begin working together to get us out of this mess in which they placed us? I emphatically do not want cuts to our police forces and fire departments. I do not want our teachers to receive pink slips or take a pay cuts. Nor do I want government employees to take unwarranted furloughs. What I want is for those we elected to work together to develop plans that will get us through these exceptionally difficult economic times.

A recent letter writer was right on when he referred to comments in an article buried on page A4 of the June 7 issue of The Californian. Schwarzenegger, speaking to The Sacramento Bee's editorial board, stated he's "happy" illegal immigrants receive state services. I am disgusted with Schwarzenegger's lack of leadership. I don't want Schwarzenegger to spread my wealth; I want him to spread my work ethic.

Pension not to blame

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:01:54 PDT

When I came to work for the Bakersfield Fire Department in 1974 the pension that I was paying for was considerably less than my current one and the age at which I could draw it was later. At that time I was aware of the fact that firefighters, on an average, lived eight to 10 years less than the general population and usually died from heart disease or some type of cancer, and I might not live to see that pension.

In the years from 1974 to now, I have seen my pension get better and the age at which I could draw it got sooner. But make no mistake, this did not come from the generosity of the Bakersfield City Council or city manager. We negotiated in good faith with them and we gave up pay raises and other benefits to get it.

Speeding not worth it

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:01:45 PDT

Another holiday weekend has passed and tragedy has happened on our highways again. Speeding and taking unnecessary chances too often end in death and heartbreak. How important is it to get to your destination as fast as you can? Will getting there 10 minutes sooner make a difference today? How about next week, next year or five years from now? It will surely make a difference to your family and friends if you are not there next week or next year.

Don't make a holiday be remembered by a timely death or accident. Next time you take a trip, adjust the AC, put on some soothing music and drive safely.

Speak up, Americans

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:01:36 PDT

The recent letter, "Treason at meeting," accusing folks of treason at a recent air district meeting, was disturbing. The letter writer was obviously upset because people spoke out against air district board member Mike Nelson. I don't think that the writer understands that the right to assemble and petition one's government and the right to freedom of speech are enumerated rights in our Constitution.

People were outraged because Mike Nelson had stated at an earlier air board meeting that he (Nelson) often "tuned out" some community members who testify in front of the air board, and he justified tuning them out because he didn't think they told the truth. The community people need to be listened to and believed by governmental agencies that make decisions on regulations that will impact our communities. It is also important to understand that it is our right and responsibility to practice our constitutional rights to protect our democracy.

Non-sequiturs amok

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:01:05 PDT

Alejandro Gonzaga's June 30 Community Voices article, "A godly society wouldn't need Obamacare," has so many non-sequiturs and distortions that I scarcely know where to begin.

Conservatives bemoan "big government," but in trying to reduce the size of the government or balance the budget as in California, they usually take it out on the poor and downtrodden. Whether we like it or not, the size of government is directly proportional to the size of the population it serves.

Meyers' selective ethics regarding free speech

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:00:49 PDT

I read the June 28 Forum piece by Christopher Meyers with great difficulty. His title was "Sometimes words have consequences that demand action." He was right. In this case, however, the action involved running to the bathroom with nausea.

Whenever one of his ilk begins his monologue with the statement "I am an avid free speech proponent ...," you can be sure the crapola is about to flow. He didn't disappoint. What he really meant was that he is an avid supporter of liberal free speech. He meant that a "conservative's" words have consequences but a liberal's words never do.

Beg pardon? Canada's care great

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:17:57 PDT

A recent letter writer ("Single payer nightmare," June 28) knows not about which he speaks re: the Armageddon that would come our way if we adopted the Canadian system of health insurance.

I was born in New York but grew up in Canada along with my eight brothers and sisters. We had the same access to health care I enjoy here with a PPO system. The only difference is that it is not costing me a kidney to keep it. When I was 6, I was hit by a car in a crosswalk. I spent over 10 days in the hospital. The tab for my father was $90. I had extensive injuries and was seen by many specialists. If that happened here, and my father did not have health insurance, the costs would have been in the hundreds of thousands and he would have been put into bankruptcy.

Give up your pay?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:17:41 PDT

I wonder, if we asked every Californian to donate two days' pay a month and 5 percent of their wages in order to balance the state budget, would they do it?

RICHARD CARRIER

Not mutually exclusive

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:17:32 PDT

Alejandro Gonzaga's Community Voices article ("A godly society wouldn't need Obamacare," June 30) seems so patently weird that I wonder why The Californian devoted so much space to it.

Many liberals do believe in God. The more liberal Christian congregations minister to a broad range of humanity.

Leave Michael in peace

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:17:05 PDT

I was at a local restaurant on that happened to have Fox News playing on TV. The reporters were reporting on Michael Jackson's death. You would have sworn that he was a Democrat running for reelection the way they were treating him. They lambasted him in every way possible. They reported only on the negative aspects of his life and nothing to his contributions to the music world and the joy that he gave many people.

It was interesting too that when they reported on the celebrities that have had problems with prescription drugs, they did not mention Rush Limbaugh. I am too old to have been a Michael Jackson fan, but my kind, Christian parents always told me not to speak ill of the dead. Whatever happened to those values?

It's a good thing

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:16:55 PDT

I am a member of one of the civic organizations that met with the Bakersfield Commons team. These guys have great plans for their 238-acre site that currently sits idle in northwest Bakersfield.

They've owned the land for decades, and have a long-term build-out plan. Imagine, they are ready to move forward to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Bakersfield, and some city official is "irked" that they're meeting with the public. I think transparency is a good thing.

We're not old Russia

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:16:45 PDT

Doesn't it concern anyone but me that our new president is appointing people to "czar" positions? We have a "car czar" and a "pay czar." This latest "czar" really got me concerned. We will now have someone determining what we will be paid.

The first time I heard the word "czar" coming from our present administration, I was concerned because it harkens back to the old Russia. Now, the latest czar appointment has me really concerned. Do we really want our government deciding what we will be paid? I don't.