web powered by 
Home 
Opinion Letters to the Editor for June 2, 2010
Letters to the Editor for June 2, 2010
|
Setting it straight To the editor: In order for the voters of Tuolumne County to make an informed decision as to which candidate to select in the race for assessor-recorder, I believe that it is important that they have the facts presented to them. My opponent made a claim in his May 28 political ad in The Union Democrat that I believe does a disservice to those voters. He states that he is “The only candidate who is a State Certified Appraiser”. I take exception to that statement because I not only received an Appraisal Certificate (No. 3906) from the State Board of Equalization in 1974, but I also hold an Advanced Appraisal Certificate from the BOE that I earned in 1988. Section 670(a) of the California Revenue and Taxation Code requires that, as assessor, I hold “a valid appraiser’s certificate or advanced appraiser’s certificate issued by the State Board of Equalization.” That I hold those certificates from the BOE is a fact, and to present it otherwise is misleading at best. Ken Caetano Tuolumne County Assessor Columbia The right vote To the editor: I have attended the forums where the candidates have presented their ideas, and I have truly been impressed with Sheriff Jim Mele. The outline he gave regarding this great community was clearly stated and full of truth and facts. Plus, the record of what he has accomplished over the past four years, even with a cut in budgets, speaks highly what he has done and will continue to do for each and every one of us. A vote for Sheriff Jim Mele is the right vote – really. Marcia Dansie Sonora Outstanding job To the editor: This is in response to some comments that were made that our current sheriff cares more about the inmates. It also addresses relocating the Sheriff’s Office into the old Tuolumne General Hospital building. Below is something that I copied from the California State Association of Counties Website. “The Sheriff has three primary duties: keep the peace (e.g., make arrests, respond to calls); attend the courts (e.g., superior court bailiffs); and operate the county jail.” There are also many more duties the sheriff is responsible for. Since Sheriff Mele has been in office he has put on his uniform and handled calls for service. He makes sure that the courts are staffed, and he has continued to operate the jail. A new commissary has been put into place and operates at a less cost to the county than ever before. Power issues in the jail have been corrected. The door panel was upgraded to mitigate the stress of staff that operates those jail door controls. All computers in the jail have been replaced. VINE (Victim Information & Notification Everyday) was implemented, so victims can receive updated notifications. He continues to seek new technology to use within the entire department — not because he cares more about the inmates, but because it is his duty. He has done an outstanding job and is an asset to that department and our county. Mr. Pedro explained to the board and to the public why TGH is not a feasible location to move the Sheriff’s Department into, so why would someone want to continue to waste time fighting for something that could bring more harm then good? Colleen Meyers Sonora Mean spirited To the editor: Last week a mean-spirited voter mailer was sent to the residents of Arnold. Clearly, McManus supporters consider the voters in Calaveras county to be moronic rubes with IQs below room temperature. This I find offensive. Merita Callaway has taken the high road and continues to address issues of importance to county residents. Meanwhile, Bill McManus and his minions in the Calaveras Business Council are frantically slinging mud with their chicken-little sound bites, paranoid delusions, and weak conspiracy theories. If profanity is the mark of a weak mind attempting to express itself in a forceful manner, then attack ads must be the mark of a weak politician trying to win an election he has already lost. Give it up, Jethro, Merita is gonna whoop you like a rented mule on payday. So now the McManus campaign has set a new low standard for Calaveras County politics by being dishonest, vindictive, and cynical. Is this the kind of arrogance we want representing our interests? I think not. A man of integrity would apologize to Ms. Callaway and reaffirm his commitment to run a clean campaign. The responses from McManus and his goobers were predictable. Each of these individuals denied responsibility and blamed someone else. These incompetent people didn’t even know that the mail isn’t delivered to street addresses in District 3. Maybe Mr. McManus was not responsible for the cowardly attempt to smear Merita Callaway, but he is ultimately responsible for the dirty tricks of his supporters. With the challenges we are currently facing in this county, the last thing we want is a feckless amateur as supervisor. Bill Senger Arnold Attitude problems To the editor: On May 24, I was watching the Little League game at Sonora Elementary School next to other parents and grandparents. One of the players at the time had an attitude problem, which was handled later by both coaches. But what happened next was a bit of an attitude problem also, but this time it was from adults. My hat is off to the sponsors, coaches, helpers for stepping up to the plate to help our youth. Granted, neither our coaches nor our kids are perfect. But to sit in the stands and talk bad about the children and the coaches is wrong. If this was the first time, I would just think that the parents were having a bad day but it is not the first time. Please think of others before you speak. You have no idea who might be next to you or who can hear you. I know that you would not want someone talking about your child or grandchild. You can make a difference by stepping up to the plate, volunteering and letting your voice be heard the right way. For many years I have coached my children’s teams, and on a whole the parents were awesome. So please be the majority and not the minority. It would be a shame if the players overheard these remarks. We are all in it for our youth to have a good experience. Thank you, coaches and volunteers. Kristy Pitts Sonora Campaign signs To the editor: With all the colorful candidate posters staked out along our roads, one can little doubt that we’re in the throes of primary season. Amidst all the conservatives vying to out-conservative one another, one conservative has quite literally risen above the rest. To uncover the reason behind the obvious disparity in campaign sign placement, I conducted a quick Internet search for the rules. Just two mouse clicks from the Tuolumne County portal brings one to the Candidate’s Handbook. From there, a short scroll down to page 19 will allow one to find a very clear explanation of the rules regarding the posting of signs on utility poles. Can there be any reason for not following the rules that are provided to each candidate and are so easily obtainable? Glen White Sonora Reelect Mele To the editor: I have known Sheriff James Mele for 20 years. I also know his wife, Sharon, and their five children. I know Sheriff Mele to be a man of great integrity. He is diligent, dependable, hard working and always willing to go the extra mile on behalf of others. Our state has been hit hard financially, and yet in the past four years Sheriff Mele has managed to maintain community safety within the confines of limited funding. Sheriff Mele has been trained for this job. Look to his record. It speaks for itself. As Sheriff Mele has no short-term plans for retirement from office, I say vote for the person who has worked this job and knows the strengths and weaknesses of his department. There is no reason why county funds should be “re-spent” to “re-train” another person interested in the job. When you vote for sheriff, please vote to reelect Sheriff James Mele. Pamela Boyack Sonora Apology owed To the editor: As parents of students that have chosen the alternative education path, we take offense to the statements made by the principal of Sonora High School. We have raised fine, upstanding young adults and they in no way took the “easy way out” for their education. They have achieved it, and with a higher GPA than they had at the traditional public school. Their focus has been on their life ahead and not the social and mundane curriculum of the current public school system, which is based on how much can be memorized in order to pass tests. To ostracize these students from prom unless they are a guest of an official student of Sonora High is outrageous. Are the students from the alternative education not part of the Sonora Union High School District? Have they not been educated in the same subjects? Have they not passed the same tests? What is the difference, other than perhaps the students of alternative education have chosen not to participate in the social pigeonholing? Our hat is off to these students. Alternatives are what this country was founded on. What do we have to look forward to from these students? We do not know. But to say that they have taken the easy way out is a defamation of their character. We believe that these students, the principal and instructors of these alternative education programs are owed an apology from the Sonora High School principal and the School District Board. Sandra and Dave Perkins Sonora |
Tuolumne front page
Get home delivery of the Union Democrat for only $7.00 a month. After filling out one simple and secure online form you could be on your way to learning more about your city, state and world than you ever have before.
