Opinion
www.SanTanSun.com
November 2 – 15, 2013
Letters to the editor
Publisher Emeritus’ Note
Six reasons to vote ‘No’ on the Chandler schools override
Ready, set: Holidaze ‘Tis the season, once again. It’s the time for that crazy couple of months we call “the holidays”—but, for many, it’s a hectic, frenetic period filled with special school, church, work and Laurie Fagen organization activities. Photo by That’s on top of planning LightRainImages.com family gatherings for Thanksgiving and December holidays and shopping for the perfect gifts for everyone on your ever-lengthening “nice” list. I’ve often written about this time of year on these pages, almost to the “broken record” length. A couple of years ago I vowed not to rail against this holiday time, yet it seems like the season approaches faster and faster each time. But this year will be very different for my family. It will be a year of “firsts”—first anniversary, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas— without Geoffrey. But I still have my parents in Prescott, and of course, my son, Devon, and my youngest brother, Lee, and his family in Berkeley, CA, who will join us for Christmas. So we will continue to do family gatherings and hold on to all that we have and love.
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How will you handle this holiday season? Will it be a daze of endless activities? Will you wake up on Jan. 2 and ask yourself “What happened?” I hope you will make the time to look back over the past year and write down all your accomplishments and the positives in your life. Relax a bit with your loved ones and be truly grateful for all that you have. Have a potluck instead of all the cooking going to that same one person. Tell your family and friends how much you love them—every day—and how much they mean to you. Give back to your community, to those who might not be as fortunate. When you lose someone close, you realize how truly precious life is. Don’t squander it fretting over some tiny detail that others may not even notice. Be thankful for each day you are able to see the sun, feel the breeze and walk this earth, knowing others are not as lucky. I hope all our readers have special holidays— not holidaze—this month and next. Thanks for reading the SanTan Sun News, and Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Just last November, a solid majority of voters defeated a Chandler Unified School District tax increase. Now, the school district is paying (at taxpayer cost) for a special election to once again see if they can get a tax increase approved. Unlike other school districts, they are asking for the maximum increase allowed by our state legislature. Here’s why you should vote no: 1. Sneaky Election Tactics. Even though it was soundly defeated just last year, the special interests behind this figured out a great way to get it passed. This tax increase is being done by mail-in-only voting, which will ensure that it passes. It is also being done in an “off cycle” election year when voter turnout is traditionally low. This gives these special-interest groups a way to get what they couldn’t achieve during normal election years. Your vote is needed—once again—to tell them, “What part of ‘No’ did you not understand?” 2. Are Chandler Schools Failing? According to the Vote Yes crowd’s own website, “Chandler Unified School District is a Grade A district with 27 schools, including five high schools, earning an A grade. In addition, 10 CUSD schools are in the top 100 in Arizona—more than any other district.” If this is all true, why do we need to raise more taxes? 3. Small Tax Increase. If the override is approved, the tax rate would be $1.37 per $100 of secondary assessed valuation, which means about $233.71 annually on a home SEE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PAGE 52
Community Commentary
Do-It-Yourself Connect takes mystery out of home improvement BY JAY TIBSHRAENY
Have you been thinking about doing a few projects around the house, but stopped short, wondering what permits might be needed from the city? Maybe you’re thinking about re-landscaping the yard but are worried what the costs might be, or how to get rid of the old materials when the work is done. Mayor Jay Tibshraeny On Tuesday, Nov. 12, I will Submitted photo present Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Connect, a workshop led by a team of city employees to answer all your questions about anything DIY. The event is free and begins at 7 p.m. at the Desert Breeze Police Substation, 251 N. Desert Breeze Blvd., in west Chandler.
Representatives from our Transportation and Development Department will discuss what jobs need permits—and as importantly—those that do not. Neighborhood Programs will discuss code enforcement and the most common violations that homeowners make. Our water conservation staff will tell you about rebates that are available from the city as well as tips on desert adaptive plants and drip systems. Solid waste employees will relay information on how to best dispose of the stuff you no longer need or want, including construction debris. And members of the police department will discuss alarms and provide tips for homeowners on crime prevention, including ways to landscape your yard to better deter thieves. Seating is limited so you will need to RSVP by emailing cristabel.dykstra@chandleraz.gov, or calling Cristabel at 480-782-4354. Everyone in attendance will receive a copy of the city’s Homeowner Building Permit
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Manual, courtesy of the city and Home Depot. It should be a great event and I hope to see you there as we continue to keep a strong focus on our neighborhoods. There is still some time to apply for the inaugural Neighborhood Excellence Awards in one (or more) of the following categories: Best Neighborhood Event (one-time or ongoing), Most Active or Engaged Neighborhood, Best Revitalization Story and Neighborhood Leader of the Year. The deadline is Nov. 15. And remember also to follow me on Twitter (@ jaytibshraeny) and visit the city’s award-winning website (www.chandleraz.gov) for more news on the community. Have a story idea or news tip? Know of an interesting photo opportunity? How about positive feedback or constructive comments? We’d like to hear from you. Email us at News@SanTanSun.com.
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