LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Running for reelection
Editor: As Ray Holley mentioned in his column, I am seeking reelection to the Healdsburg City Council. I was pleased to read that both Eric Ziedrich and Shaun McCafferey are committed to running low budget campaigns for City Council and I will enthusiastically do the same by limiting my expenditures to less than $1000. As with Shaun, I will put up a few signs and walk the neighborhoods. It is fortunate that in a small town such as Healdsburg candidates can spread their message without outlandish spending.
There will be lots of opportunities for folks to get to know the candidates prior to the election and I hope people take advantage of them. Healdsburg is indeed a special place. I look forward to another civil and informative campaign.
Tom Chambers
Healdsburg


Education needed
Editor: This note is in response to “Who voted for what”, June 14, 2012, by Lucie Jensen. Our young do need to get educated with economics and politics. The once mandated Civics courses are no longer offered in high school, a course that an American voter should have to pass in order to vote. We want and need legal, educated voters today, more than any time in my 47 year voting history. What happened in Wisconsin was a strong referendum, by the people, that will go down in history as a victory for liberty and the tax payer. American’s are tired of top heavy, self perpetuating, ever growing government controls. A public sector union should never have the ability to force-feed benefits upon benefits down a poor tax payer’s throat without the taxpayer’s vote. I grew up admiring the teachers and public servants who served for the benefit of all and were paid common sense wages and retirements. Today’s world is different through public sector bargaining power which, in many cases, give retirement benefits at over 100% of their wages when they worked and regular increases, despite a State’s ability to pay. That is not what retirement is supposed to do. California, like Greece, Wisconsin, Spain, Italy, England, Ireland and France have hugely top heavy governments. Look at the precarious bankruptcy they are all facing now. Greece actually dwarfs California’s upside down debt. When most people are in the buggy, few are left to push. We all need to take responsibility for ourselves and create our own dreams, not the government dream. Equal opportunity is when government leaves me alone, allows me to pay the wages I can afford and hire whoever I want. Less government means a prosperous America.
Tom Bond
Healdsburg


High Salaries and High Pensions
Editor: The City of Healdsburg is advertising for an “Entry Level” planner position. The minimum qualifications are numerous but not particularly challenging. There is a requirement for the equivalence of a four-year college degree but liberal alternatives are defined. And the projected salary for this position is $53,000 to $65,000 per year. WOW!! How many of your sons or daughters, graduating from college, would jump at this job opportunity? I consider such a salary to be well in excess of any comparable non-government position with similar requirements and extremely hard to justify in view of the current economic conditions. For comparison, the average starting salary for a teacher in California (with a 4-year degree) is $35,760. How can the city council support such a high entry level salary, along with sky high retirement benefits, when they are also considering charging for downtown parking and trying to raise the sales tax again? Perhaps a change in thinking and council personnel is called for.
Vernon P. Simmons
Healdsburg