Thank you
EDITOR: Once again, the senior dinner at the Villa was over the top. Executed with love, finesse and elegance, it was a testimony to the over 100 volunteers and dedicated directions. Sister Fintan would be mighty proud.
Mary Madden
Monica Dunne
Healdsburg
Smart train?
EDITOR: I’ve ridden the SMART train; it’s nice. I voted for the SMART Train and the Bullet Train to LA.
I didn’t vote for poor planning, poor management and absolute fiscal irresponsibility. Directors of the SMART train think that the solution for all their problems is more taxes.
If the SMART train is hemorrhaging money, you shouldn’t be spending millions for a bike path.
There is no valid reason for the smart train to go to Cloverdale. The population isn’t large enough to support the service.
Don’t put the SMART train terminal in Healdsburg city limits. Put it ½ mile south of Healdsburg. This location would save millions by not having to cross the river. There is space for parking and freeway access.
“Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me.” Don’t be fooled by the SMART train twice. SMART equals Spend More And Raise Taxes.
If the train tax fails at this election, they’ll be back in two years (Thank goodness for midterm elections.) Next time it won’t be a tax, it’ll be a transportation fee or surcharge, these only require 51% to pass.
At least our Governor killed the high Speed Train Boondoggle.
Bill Munselle
Geyserville
On PG&E state ownership
EDITOR: A recent letter writer couldn’t “…thank PG&E enough for their amazing efforts…” to replace power lines, part of the damage the Kincade Fire they’d started had done on his property.
One would be at a loss for words in this situation. Certain four-letter words come to mind. He then wrote that things would be worse if the state took over the region’s electric utility. His central argument was: You can’t think of any government run programs that are well run.
While it’s true that if you don’t think, you can’t think of any examples, it turns out that once you do think about it, they abound. The public library is a good example. It’s about the most valuable resource imaginable, freely provided to everyone. The local fire department and police department are great. Experiments with privatized police and fire services have not ended well. In Healdsburg we own the electric utility. The rates are lower than PG&E’s. The service is better and we own it.
It’s nice for us to own things instead of a handful of rich folks owning most everything. California has an amazing, world-renowned university system. On a larger scale still, the Veterans Health Administration is very good, and in many ways better than most private health services — in spite of concerted efforts by ‘conservative’ politicians to undermine it so that it can be privatized. Readers will think of dozens more examples.
Robert Nuese
Healdsburg
