October 7, 2004

ValleyViewpoints

Coyote issue isn’t just at the Villa’s, it’s throughout Almaden

Editor,
I have read articles regarding the Coyote infiltration in Almaden Valley and the possible use of traps. However, the permission to use the padded-steel-jaw-traps should also include the entire Almaden Valley area and not just the Villas! The individual organizations have known about this threat to humans for many months. I had many conversations with not only Vector Control, but also the Director of Environmental Health, as well as the Deputy Director of Animal Care and Control Services. Ms. Dando has remained uninvolved with this issue until now so I can’t speak to her motives for choosing this time to step up and support the trapping of the coyotes.

All these conversations and the coyotes being deemed a threat to humans happened as far back as April of this year. Why has this taken so long, and why will none of these organizations step up and take charge of the problem instead of passing it back and forth, each passing the buck to any other organization except their own?

The City Council is a non-reactive entity who should not have the power to create and pass City ordinances that directly conflict with State Fish and Game Code or State law, and the typical SOP of the council is that ordinary citizens do not even get the courtesy of a response until we form as a group to large to ignore.

My point is this: The Villas are not the only area in Almaden Valley being over-run by coyotes. What about getting these coyotes out of my neighborhood as well? It seems very unfair to target only one of the areas of Almaden Valley. If the threat is to be removed then remove it in its entirety, not just in one specific location. The result of not targeting all of Almaden Valley will be to send the remaining coyotes into other neighborhoods, a poor solution to a growing problem at best!

Cyn Rymer
Paso Los Cerritos

Editor’s note: See page 8 for an update on the coyote situation in Almaden Valley.

Reader believes Ira Ruskin has the right skills for the Assembly

Editor,
Many people believe that government ought to be run more like a business and that a successful CEO would therefore be a logical choice for the California Assembly. The truth, however, is that where a corporate executive serves only a narrow constituency of shareholders and customers, a legislator must serve a much broader constituency which includes business owners, workers, parents, children, senior citizens, and many others.

The successful legislator must have the skill to balance the needs of the various constituents while
building consensus among other legislators, a skill not generally associated with corporate executives. In the race for the 21st Assembly district, Ira Ruskin is the candidate who has most clearly shown the skills necessary to represent the district. As a member of the Redwood City Council and chair of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, Ruskin has played a key role in establishing programs for childcare, education, women’s rights, senior care and the environment while promoting sound fiscal management.

While Ruskin’s opponent has had success running a high-tech business, he does not have a track record of government leadership. On Nov. 2, I plan to vote for Ira Ruskin for State Assembly.

Lorin F. Peritz
San Carlos

Poizner disingenuous on special interest money

Editor,
Steve Poizner is appallingly disingenuous when he speaks about “special interest” donations to Ira Ruskin’s campaign for the 21st Assembly District.

A quick look at the California Secretary of State’s campaign finance Web site (cal-access.ss.ca.gov) shows that between February and June 2004 Poizner raised almost twice as much money as Ruskin. Many of Poizner’s donations came from corporate CEOs, CFOs, and venture capitalists. Poizner might disagree, but I would certainly consider wealthy corporate executives to be a “special interest.”

Ira Ruskin says he is proud of the people represented by unions (teachers, firefighters, and police) and others who have donated to his campaign. And he is proud of his record as a progressive Democrat. On Nov. 2, please give your vote to Ira Ruskin.

Kenneth R. Sharp
San Carlos

Quit condemning volunteers;
find solutions to sports fields project

Editor,
My family recently moved from Almaden Valley and returned to the Midwest. We chose to move for several reasons, most importantly to live closer to our families. We bought a home in a small community of about 9,000 people outside of Springfield, Ill. where we lived in the early 90s.

Imagine our delight when we found that in the time we were gone the community built a beautiful new park with sports facilities for the local youth. The Chatham Community Park is built on about 50 acres of donated farmland.

It has six to eight soccer fields, tennis courts, two lighted football fields, and four lighted baseball and softball fields. There is ample space for community events, a walking path, restrooms and plenty of parking. My first reaction was excitement that my son would have an opportunity to play baseball and soccer on such safe, well-maintained fields. My next emotion was sadness because I realized that the children of Almaden Valley would probably not have this same opportunity in their own community.

I have been following the controversy over the proposed sports complex on McKean Road through the Internet and am sickened at the level the fighting has reached. Maybe it’s time to stop using the press to condemn hard working, dedicated volunteers like Brad Bosomworth and Dan Kennedy, regain some perspective and try to find some solutions to the concerns that are stalling this project.

Joan Parks
Chatham, Ill.

Let the Almaden Times hear from you. In order to be considered, letters must be signed by the author or come with the full name, address, and a phone number (which will not be printed).
Send letters to newsroom@timesmediainc.com, or via mail to:

The Almaden Times Weekly,
1310 Tully Road, Ste. 107,
San Jose, CA 95122