Valley News • www.myvalleynews.com • March 4, 2016
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Opinion Editor’s Note: Opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Valley News staff. We invite opinions on all sides of an issue. If you have an opinion, please send it as an e-mail to valleyeditor@reedermedia.com, or fax us at (760) 723-9606. Maximum word count 500. All letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number. The Valley News reserves the right to edit letters as necessary to fit the publication’s format.
Letter to the editor: RTA should help those working schmucks actually enjoy their commute. Among the possibilities: light rail, luxury and/ or articulated buses, and perhaps subsidized luxury shuttle buses (for exact location drop offs). Consider this question – how many cars does it take to equal the cost of one bus with a driver? With gas at about $2.25, it now takes more cars to equal the cost of operating an alternative transportation vehicle, than when gas was at $4. But, then, shouldn’t SANDAG and the Riverside Transit Agency, be obligated to at least try something, to alleviate this daily nonsensical commuter nightmare? G. Lance Johannsen Carlsbad, California
Dear Editor, Being retired, and able to pick my time of departures between Hemet and Carlsbad, I almost always pass through Temecula at times when traffic is minimal, in my direction. I usually witness the most congested opposing traffic, while traveling south through Rainbow, between 3 and 6 p.m., and, frankly, I feel sorry for those who are tied up in half or quarter-speed traffic, while making their twice daily commutes. Such delays take valuable time away from families, which Temecula seems to have a large supply of. That said, it is hard for me to understand why with all those thousands of cars, an alternative public transit model can’t be built, to let
The next few months are going to be busy Marie Waldron Special to Valley News Enacting new laws and passing a balanced budget are the primary responsibilities of the Legislature. While the budget won’t be finalized until mid-June, the final day to introduce new bills for consideration this year was Feb. 19. As a result, the annual bill deluge in Sacramento is well underway. As of the 19th, 1,326 Assembly bills were introduced, compared to 1,549 last year. In the Senate, 667 bills have been introduced this year, compared to 805 last year. The total
number of bills introduced in both houses this year is 1,993; the total last year was 2,354. For the twoyear session so far, the bill total is 4,347, not including special session bills, constitutional amendments or resolutions. Many of these die quickly, often pulled by their author when they fail to generate support. Many more will create no controversy whatsoever, and will eventually pass by an overwhelming margin. Even so, most bills never become law. Of the 2,354 bills introduced last year, Governor Brown eventually signed 808 into law and vetoed 133.
This year my bill package includes legislation aimed at increasing local water supplies, improving public safety, supporting charter schools, and assisting elder and dependent adult victims of financial crimes. I’ll provide more details about my bills in a future article. Obviously, some of this year’s bills will soon be generating intense debate and commanding lots of public attention. As bill numbers are assigned and the bills are referred to their respective committees, the Legislature’s work will begin in earnest.
two weeks ago issued an executive order changing the method of this November’s election to his advantage. The country would be outraged. TVUSD voters should be similarly outraged. Two options could remedy this situation. If Dr. Rutz-Robbins and Dr. Pulsipher are prepared to immediately definitively declare that they will not seek re-election,
the conflict of interest goes away. If not, Dr. Rutz-Robbins, as board president, should call for a new vote in which she and Dr. Pulsipher recuse themselves. TVUSD families deserve board members who vote based on the public’s interest, rather than their own personal gain. Rob Clause Temecula, California
Letter to the editor: TVUSD’s by-trustee area fiasco violates Board’s Code of Ethics each effectively removed potential challengers from 80 percent of the school district’s geographic boundaries and changed the rules to their advantage in an election year. This is improper. The TVUSD Board’s Code of Ethics states, “… [E]ach Board member shall consider his/her position as a Board member as a public trust and not use it for private advantage or personal gain.” By casting the deciding votes to change the method of their reelection this year, Dr. Rutz-Robbins and Dr. Pulsipher have used their position for private advantage and personal gain. During the public hearings, it was suggested that the new election method take effect Jan. 1, 2017, so as to avoid eliminating challengers in an election year and the perception of impropriety. This is reasonable. Drs. Rutz-Robbins and Pulsipher seem to feel that protecting their seats is the more important consideration. The great irony in this situation is that by voting to adopt the by-trustee area plan to avoid disenfranchising voters, the entire
Is it proper for elected government officials to change the manner of how they are elected, to their advantage, in the midst of an election year? In TVUSD, board members Kristi Rutz-Robbins and Allen Pulsipher believe the answer is “Yes.” On Feb. 16, the TVUSD governing board approved, in a rare 3–2 vote, a change in the method in which board members are elected. Since TVUSD’s inception, registered voters within the school district’s boundaries have had the opportunity to vote for any candidate for the board. This is called at-large voting. Recently, TVUSD has been advised to transition to a by-trustee area voting method to avoid possible litigation. The Feb. 16 vote mandates the District be divided into five geographic areas beginning with the November election and that one board member live in and represent each area. This concept is sound, yet the vote establishing this new election method is extremely troubling. Dr. Rutz-Robbins and Dr. Pulsipher are both up for re-election this year. They both voted to approve the new election method. They have
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northern section of the school district, including French Valley, is guaranteed to be disenfranchised this fall since the two incumbents reside in the central and southern areas of TVUSD. Northern voters will not be allowed to vote in the upcoming election and will not have representation until 2018. Imagine if President Obama were eligible to run for a third term and
Carson and Kasich, time to go home Jane Chastain Special to Anza Valley Outlook It’s time for Dr. Ben Carson and Gov. John Kasich to leave the race for president of the United States. The high-speed train for the 2016 GOP nomination has left the station, and these two aren’t on it. In the case of Carson, it pains me to say it. I was among the thousands of people who urged him to run. In fact, I still have a Carson bumper sticker on my car that has yellowed with age. My husband and I have donated more to his campaign than we have to any other candidate. Carson maintains that he is staying in the race because his supporters don’t want him to drop out. Well, take my name off the list. It’s not because I don’t believe that he would make the best president, perhaps the best we’ve ever had. His goals for this nation are deeply held and well thought out, not like the current front-runner, who seems to be making them up as he goes along and, yes, feels free to change his mind on any given issue on a moment’s notice. I want Dr. Carson to drop out because his message is important, and I don’t want it to be lost in a sea of inevitability. Dr. Carson is a brilliant person. He’s knows that in this stepped-up primary process (some say rigged) he is not going to win. Let’s face it: The public has a short attention span, and voters are angry. They are tired of being sold down the river by their elected representatives. They are tired of shouting at the TV, and they are ready to support someone who shouts back, even if it
is often done in a tasteless manner. If Carson leaves the race now, he doesn’t have to leave the stage. He has an important message and will have the opportunity to carry it forward. If he leaves the race now, he will have greater influence over the eventual nominee and can build for the future. If he keeps on at this point, it will cast doubt on his judgment. The next president would do well to tap Dr. Carson to head the Department of Health and Human Services and give him the responsibility of rebuilding our broken welfare system and replacing “Obamacare”. He would have the bully pulpit necessary to get that accomplished. It is also time for John Kasich to get out and work to unite the party around the eventual nominee. Kasich believes, as the last governor standing that voters eventually will come to their senses. On the surface, his record in Ohio is impressive. He is fond of telling us that during his time in office, the state went from an $8 billion (more like $6 billion) deficit to a $2 billion surplus – and he cut taxes $5 billion. In addition, his state has fewer employees and has slowed Medicaid growth. However, the Cato Institute, a free-market think tank that produces a biennial scorecard on the nation’s governors, gave Kasich a “B” in 2012 and a “D” in 2014. What gives? Cato reports that state spending under Kasich from 2012 to 2015 increased a whopping 18 percent. He simply used federal dollars for transportation, education and Medicaid to hide the overall growth. That’s why he earned the worst score
of any Republican governor. Also, a white paper on Kasich from Club for Growth points out that the governor’s record is a lot better than it would have been if he hadn’t been stopped on numerous occasions from going overboard on taxes by a Republican legislature. Kasich also brags about being the architect of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 while head of the House Budget Committee. True, but hidden in that budget deal was the No. 1 goal of the Clinton administration: the S-Chip program, which now provides government health insurance to children in a family of four making up to $95,400 per year. “Hillarycare” had been soundly rejected by the voters, but after that defeat, Kasich let what amounted to this camel’s nose under the tent, through his backdoor. Kasich is also fond of telling us the BBA led to surpluses for the next four years. Also true, but those surpluses were not a result of a decrease in spending, but of the growth that occurred after the capital gains tax cut. Kasich has not been challenged on his record, but should he begin making headway in the swing states, he most assuredly will be. Jane Chastain is a Southern California-based broadcaster, author and political commentator. Despite her present emphasis on politics, Jane always will be remembered as the nation’s first female TV sportscaster, spending 17 years on the sports beat. Jane blogs at JaneChastain.com. She is a pilot who lives on a private runway.
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Hi, my name is Popeye. I’m a 2-year-old orange and white cat. I am a super cat. I am good with kids and dogs. I am litter-box trained. The landlord wouldn’t let me stay, so I am in need of a forever home. I am neutered and ready to go! Intake Number: 289386
Hi, my name is Lady. I’m a 5-year-old Cocker Spaniel. I am a very sweet girl. I would do best in a home with older children. I am house-broken and awfully cute. I am all ready to go to a loving home. Intake Number: 287251
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For more information on Tanner, please visit the Retrievers and Friends website at www. retrieversandfriends.com or call (951) 696 2428. Courtesy photos