SLO County Roundup

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• Letters to the Editor 4/11

  Letters to the Editor 4/11

  Hacks on the bench

  I have a question for Kirby K. Gordon regarding his letter (“Judiciary’s purview,” April 7), expressing how he read with “profound sadness” President Barack Obama’s comments about our unelected Supreme Court and the present overreaching of their power.

  Was he equally filled with “profound sadness” when former President George W. Bush said, The Supreme Court “is the only branch of the government that is unelected and whose officers serve for life. Unfortunately, some justices give into temptation and make law instead of interpreting it. Such judicial lawlessness is a threat to our democracy — and it has to stop.”

• Paso Robles ponders raising sales tax by half-cent

  Paso Robles ponders raising sales tax by half-cent

  Paso Robles voters in November will decide whether they want a half-cent sales tax increase to raise additional money for road repairs and public safety.

  The City Council on Saturday held its second public study session this year detailing how to rebuild services after years of cuts.

  If the economy recovers as expected, that would add only about $1.3 million total revenue over the next five years, without the tax increase. But the city has cut more than $7 million in annual spending since 2009.

• State wavers on future of closed Paso Robles correctional facility

  State wavers on future of closed Paso Robles correctional facility

  The governor’s decision to withhold more than $100 million to revamp the closed El Paso de Robles Youth Correctional Facility into a re-entry facility for state prisoners is not necessarily permanent, a state spokesman said Monday, but local officials want more clarity about what the state intends to do with the place long-term.

  “I’m a little confused” about the state’s intentions, said Frank Mecham, county supervisor and former Paso Robles mayor. He said he hopes the governor doesn’t plan to “leave it as a big white elephant, gathering weeds and dust.”

  Meanwhile Paso Robles City Councilman Fred Strong has disinterred an old idea: asking the state to sell the land to Paso Robles for $1, so that “we could repurpose it in any number of possible ways.”

• SLO woman leaves nearly $300,000 to local public libraries

  SLO woman leaves nearly $300,000 to local public libraries

  The late Barbara Baltimore of San Luis Obispo has left a bequest of nearly $300,000 to San Luis Obispo County’s public libraries — the largest bequest in the library system’s history, according to a recent announcement.

  Baltimore, who was a scientist, philanthropist and library supporter, died April 18. She left $195,000 to the Foundation for San Luis Obispo County Public Libraries and $99,014.72 to the San Luis Obispo Friends of the Library.

  “We were flabbergasted by the generosity of her donation,” said Robert Alberti, president of the foundation. “The foundation will be working very hard to live up to the honor she has bestowed on us.”

• Citizens group challenges Paso Robles leaders

  Citizens group challenges Paso Robles leaders

  Paso Robles has been hit in recent years with a host of problems that haven’t resonated well with some taxpayers. Those problems prompted two city residents to form the group Change Paso Robles Now, which plans to push the City Council for an audit of all departments.