Letters to the Editor

Parking lot helps park

T he idea of adding 15 parking spaces behind the San Luis Obispo Senior Center has elicited a public outcry along with letters pro and con. Those opposed erred by insisting Mitchell Park will be paved over. That’s patently wrong. In fact, the park will gain about 1,000 square feet in area once the project is completed; the park master plan calls for a community garden in that space, which could be vegetables, flowers or xeriscape—hardly “paving it over.”

When Dave Romero first suggested adding those spaces in 2000, it was in response to a request from the Senior Center. It required removing the horseshoe pit and shuffleboard court, which had not been used for years and thus had not been maintained.

Adding the parking spaces makes the center more accessible for seniors—handicapped or not. The new driveway will be convenient for patrons, deliveries and city vehicles, rather than having them back into traffic onto Santa Rosa Street, which they now must do. It creates a much safer situation. Sounds like a win-win for all to me.

Residents concerned about this project should get accurate information, and the vocal opposition should tell the truth.

Dodie Williams

San Luis Obispo

Opportunity was ruined

Wine and tourist industries, listen up. Supervisors Jerry Lenthall and Harry Ovitt threw millions of free advertising dollars, which would have benefited your industries, away last year. Both of these supervisors opposed the addition of the Carrizo Plain as a U. N. World Heritage Site.

They let the oil interests from Taft and the paranoia of a United Nations takeover blind their decision-making.

Had the Carrizo Plain been selected as a World Heritage Site, information about it, and about San Luis Obispo County, would have been distributed to every travel agency around the world for free. International tourists would want to come to this site recognized as a special place in the world. This kind of distinction is what tourist areas crave. So why did Lenthall and Ovitt throw it away? Their special-interest friends were more important than the economy of this county.

Again, if you are in the wine and tourist industries, do you really want to support someone as shortsighted as Lenthall and Ovitt? In these times of dwindling tax dollars and high gas prices, why throw away such great international advertising?

The clear choice is to vote Adam Hill and Jim Patterson for supervisor.

Ric Deschler

Morro Bay

Compassion appreciated

To the doctors and nursing staff at UC San Francisco, French Hospital Medical Center and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center who recently took such wonderful care of my husband, Dale Kraskey: Your compassion, concern and loving care helped us through this most difficult time. Your kindness and gentleness will be a gift that will forever remain in our hearts. The medical expertise was inspiring and a tribute to all who have chosen the medical field as their profession.

Valerie Kraskey and family

Atascadero

Students deserve better

About 30 years ago, California funded its public schools well. Per-pupil funding was $600 above the national average. Five years later, we dropped below the average. By 2001, we were $1,075 under, and today we spend nearly $1,900 less per student than the national average.

Some studies peg California at about 30th out of 50 states. Others show it around the mid-40s.

In any event, we seem to be racing to the bottom, especially with the proposed 10 percent cuts looming.

In terms of staffing, we’ve already reached rock-bottom. For the 2005-06 school year, California ranked 49th out of 51 for the ratio of principals to students and teachers to students (the District of Columbia is included). For librarians and guidance counselors, we were last. Collectively, we are the worst-staffed state in the country for schools.

Over the years, we have slowly but surely reduced what we provide for education. We have taken away from the children, sacrificing their future and ours. This cannot continue; we need to reverse this trend.

If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or friend of a child, contact your representative today and demand they do better for California’s youths.

The kids didn’t create this disaster and certainly should not have to pay for it by getting less than they deserve.

Terry Bauer

San Luis Obispo

Name change troubling

agree completely with Mary Talbot (and the other letters on April 24) that the name change and change of direction of the Mozart Festival is a tragic mistake.

If they want to attract a “new audience,” why don’t they set up a separate music series that features punk rock, country or 20th century modern music? Why insult the loyal Mozart Festival patrons by telling them that they must listen to frivolous music of varied backgrounds?

There is precious little access to true classical music in California today, and the many cultured people who have lived here for a long time, or retired people who recently moved here, have enjoyed the older style of the Mozart Festival. Even last summer the Mozart Festival had way too much modern music.

Now with this change in name and direction, I will stop going to the festival altogether, so they better hope to attract a new audience because they are going to lose most of their old audience.

Wendell Shultz

Arroyo Grande

Defining agriculture

A griculture is the production of food and fiber. Without agriculture, civilization as we know it cannot be sustained. Agriculture can only persist over time with healthy soil. Healthy soils are home to trillions of microbes, most of which we may never identify. Healthy soils accept water rapidly and hold it for those microbes and plant roots in order to sustain life. Healthy soils detoxify tainted water before delivery to underground springs. Healthy soils have adequate oxygen for the respiration needs of life.

In this political season, it is common for known personalities and organizations to support a candidate because of their alliances with agriculture. However, some research will reveal that many of these so-called “supporters of agriculture” are, in fact, doing just the opposite. Subdividing rural lands into 1-, 5-, 10-or 20- acre “weedettes” and then placing “starter castles” on former wildlife habitat and using land management strategies that destroy soil life are not the acts of people committed to agriculture.

Private property rights are certainly a cornerstone of our history. However, please don’t confuse rural property ownership and private property development rights with being agriculturalists.

Rob Rutherford

San Luis Obispo

Smart growth and future

The answers to Roberta Fonzi’s questions (“It’s not stupid to question smart growth,” April 13) are readily available.

The county adopted smartgrowth principles three years ago. The Planning Commission has met about half a dozen times to consider smart growth and its implementation. Public workshops on the subject have not been scarce or hard to find. This does not strike us as something being rushed into or the county “trying to ‘sneak something through’ without adequate public review.”

Smart-growth principles don’t require growth in communities that lack sufficient resources to support it. Smart growth directs growth to urban areas with sufficient transportation and services, creating traditional, compact, walkable communities. Smart growth means people are more likely to live near where they work. Any growth that does not result in safe, healthy, livable, prosperous and well-governed communities would not be in conformity with smart-growth principles.

In other words, all the effects of dumb development that so trouble POPR, Ms. Fonzi and her fellow Realtors are addressed and resolved by implementing smartgrowth principles. As to her concern about the implementation of smart-growth policy affecting the value of a homeowner’s property: It’s true, but in an upward direction.

Susan Harvey

North County Watch

Solar farm not so bright

I have to agree with Mary Strobridge (Letters, April 23) when she questions Supervisor Jim Patterson’s handling of the proposed Carrizo Plain solar farm after reading that there are going to be more solar farms out here.

Residents have been asking Supervisor Patterson to be more forthcoming with information about these farms. What is coming out is that nearly 10,000 acres of agricultural land is being converted to industrial complexes over the next 20 years. This is not about “green” technology. It’s about folks in the valley being able to run their air conditioners. It’s a knee-jerk reaction by a few well-heeled individuals to take a greedy swipe at California’s solar subsidies.

Why should this monstrosity be built within 10 miles of a national monument so people in the valley can run their air conditioners at night? And not one tax dollar for this county. Why? This county could use it for the road wear and tear that is coming. I would like to know where the Stewards of the Range are now that their prized ag land is being converted into these solar farms?

Pati Nolen

California Valley