October 28, 2004

ValleyViewpoints

Lifetime Democrat will vote for Maldonado

Editor,
I saw an article on the election for state senate on the Internet by the Almaden Times Weekly. This election is interesting in that both candidates are from the South, but the majority of voters are from the North. I have lived in both Santa Maria and Avila Beach, which are hometowns of both candidates. I might also add that I am a lifetime-registered Democrat and I’m going to break ranks and vote for Abel Maldonado. Sometimes the people who don’t endorse a candidate speak more than party hacks that do. Both local papers endorsed Maldonado for being a very moderate Republican willing to take tough stands. Both questioned Ms. Pinard’s claims on Avila Beach and truthfulness; you won’t find many supporters for Ms. Pinard in the town she “saved.”

Michael Kidd
Avila Beach

Vote yes on Measures A and B, and no on Measure C

Editor,
Don’t be fooled by arguments that County Measure C is fair. It is not.

Never in my 24 years of service have I seen one measure that could handcuff my ability to make fair decisions. If some unions insist on taking more than their fair share, the County budget will suffer. By voting no on Measure C and yes on Measures A and B, voters will help preserve fairness.

Measure C’s binding arbitration proposal, put on the ballot by a select group of government attorneys, correctional officers, and a nurses’ union, is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $100 million over the next five years. The government attorneys alone received 69.4 percent salary increases in the past 10 years, and county nurses 57 percent. If some employees continue to take an unfair chunk of the budget, it will lead to more layoffs and a reduction in programming like the Children’s Health Initiative and senior services.

Measure A amends the County Charter to ensure fair wage comparisons by comparing employee wages and benefits to other public employees, not the private sector.

Measure B offers a safeguard to Measure C by giving voters veto power over any binding arbitration agreements that are too costly.

Don’t be fooled. I urge you to vote yes on Measures A and B, and no on Measure C.

Blanca Alvarado
Santa Clara County Supervisor

Vote for Jim Thylin for USD school board

Editor,
Union School District residents in the Almaden and Cambrian areas have a chance to bring a refreshing change to the USD school board by electing Jim Thylin on Nov. 2. Jim’s an active parent with three students enrolled in USD schools and he’s passionate about public education, volunteer teaching in the classroom for the past four years.

Jim’s professional background in sales, marketing, and commercial real estate is a good fit with the district’s needs to make best use of all of its resources to benefit all students. Jim’s a thoughtful, positive person who will work hard to improve communication between the district, residents, and parents.

Please join me and concerned parents and residents across the district in electing Jim Thylin to the USD board.

Byron Henderson
Puerto Vallarta Drive

Why close a Blue Ribbon school?

Editor,
After reading the article in the Almaden Times Weekly about Castillero’s possible closing, I am perplexed, and am trying my best not to be incensed. I simply can’t understand why a school’s academic performance isn’t included in the criteria used to decide which of the three local schools should be closed.

The only conclusion I can draw is that it would be perceived as politically incorrect to say it out loud, as it could be perceived as inequitable to the lower achieving schools. I hope, however, that during the administrators’ behind-closed-doors conversations, academic success is the most important factor. After all, if it were easy to achieve Blue Ribbon status, we would see a lot more schools proudly flying the flag of distinction.

Why on earth would we even consider disbanding one of our more successful schools, in favor of a lower achieving one? Doesn’t it make more sense to have more children benefiting from a Blue Ribbon School, with its exceptional staff and programs, than it is to try and recreate the magic at a different location?

If this type of logic turns out to be missing from our school board, and Castillero is foolishly closed, I propose we change the www.savecastillero.com domain name to www.firedoniglesias.com.

Shana Moore
Desert Flame Drive

Save Castillero Middle School

Editor,
It is really very surprising for us as parents of Castillero Middle School [students] when we listen to the school district deciding to close the school where students get a quality education. It is also surprising when the government is spending money for an unnecessary war and cutting the spending for quality education.

If you see Castillero Middle School, you can visualize the education with best quality. If this is not a criteria to save a school [from] closing, that means there is some problem with the administration of the school. I can only advocate for a good education [and] that students share the good quality into the society. This should be the goal of education. And I can see all of the above qualities in Castillero Middle School. I am opposing that kind of behavior from the school district. All the members of the school district have to think again on that issue and save Castillero Middle School from closing.

Shantnu Nandkeolyar
Almaden Valley

Rich De La Rosa will be more independent than Nancy Pyle

Editor,
I received two phone calls at my house last week. The caller asked to speak to my wife and was calling for the Nancy Pyle Campaign. I said “She has not come back from work yet, I am her husband, if I can take a message?”

They said “NO” and hung up. I was surprised at the way they ended the call and became anxious to see if Caller ID had captured the line info. It read from “DEMOCRATIC PART” and the phone number on Monday, Oct. 18th at 6:11 p.m.

The second call came on Tuesday Oct. 19th at 7:13 p.m. from “STH BAY LABOR C” and the phone number. Again they asked for my wife who was having dinner but out of respect for Nancy she took the call anyway. She talked to them and after hanging up told me they identified themselves as Nancy Pyle volunteers and were asking for my vote. They said “Nancy is the only one with City experience” (because of her Commission term I suppose) “and only one being elected to a public office before”. She said, “I told them I am supporting Rich De La Rosa”. They replied “Did you know he is a Republican?” She said “I do and I support him not because he is a moderate Republican but because he is an independent vote and not tied to any special interest.”

Now, I have served with Nancy on City Commission and she is a very dedicated lady. However I think her liability is that she is being supported too much by special interests along party lines. Lets face it, some times you have to vote against your own party when you do not agree with their positions. In my opinion it will be very difficult for her to be an independent voice for our district, when she gets so much support and fundraising from them. Rich De La Rosa however has a much wider base of supporters and is independent. He even took on the City Hall and won when he felt he was being illegally pushed out of his business. He has PROVEN his independence to us. We have lived in this district for almost 30 years now, so we care for it deeply. That is why we support Rich De La Rosa to be our representative and our voice in the City Council.

Matt Kamkar and family
Camino Robles Way

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