Letters to the Editor, Nov. 6

People’s agenda is simple

I’m sick and tired of listening to what the media and politicians are feeding us. “We the people,” the 99 percent, have our own agenda and it’s really basic:

1. Housing: fair and affordable (mortgages and rents);

2. Jobs: A policy that creates jobs that will bring our civilization into the future; our infrastructure is in dire need of help; stop sending our jobs overseas!

3. Taxes: Close the loopholes; the tax code is ridiculous;

4. Corporations are not people and should not have the same rights as you and me. 5. Politicians: If you make a campaign promise, you better keep it (i.e. transparency in government); if not, automatic impeachment; sign a contract, just like at any other job!

6. Banks: Stop gambling with our money; separate commercial banks from investment banks;

7. Media: How about telling the truth? I’m sick of having to read between the lines to get the real meaning of what you’re saying;

8. War: Haven’t we learned yet (e.g. Vietnam, Iraq) we need to let other countries take care of themselves? That’s what the U.N. is for! We lost our manufacturing to other countries;

9. Immigration: We have a policy — adhere to it; our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents did; stop making exceptions;

10. We have a constitution that made our country great; stop taking our rights away!

Larry Sullivan

Los Osos

Paso streets need paint

Most of you within The Tribune’s circulation area enjoy the luxury of painted yellow lines down the middle of your streets. You also enjoy white lane dividers and even arrows telling you that you are in a turning lane. Not up here, boys and girls. You have to be a fourth-generation Paso Roblan to know whether you are in a turning lane or not, or even in a lane of some kind, any lane, pick a lane.

I know, I know. The city’s broke and can’t afford to buy some paint, so I have a suggestion. Let’s have a bake sale in the downtown City Park. I’m sure all the tourists that everybody up here lusts after would be more than willing to buy some cookies if it would help paint some yellow lines on the streets so that they could get back to their hotels without running into harm’s way. I’ll pitch in two dozen cookies and a cheesecake. I don’t want to occupy Wall Street, but a yellow line down Spring Street would be nice.

Marvin Cowley

Paso Robles

Pitch in, pick up litter

I took my walk this morning and took along a plastic bag, and I found a great use for them. When I was walking, I was picking up trash, soda cups, coffee cups, fast-food bags, fast-food containers, etc.

Please carry a trash bag in your car or when you take a walk. Just put one in your pocket and pick some trash up while you walk. You will be surprised how much will be collected on your walk. I had to stop at a store and get more bags. I filled up five bags on a two-mile walk.

If we all do this, what a clean place we can live in. Instead of walking on by it, pick it up.

Keith Birchfiel

Atascadero

SLO retail outlook bright

If you have been following the retail world and what has recently opened in Santa Barbara, then you can guess SLO will follow after Santa Barbara. H&M just opened in Santa Barbara and could be a likely candidate for Border’s old spot. Talbot’s could be replaced by Anthropologie or some other high-end apparel store, which was expanding before the economy tanked.

Also, American Apparel is seeing some recovery and is a likely candidate for the Talbot’s location. I like American Apparel because their products are made in America in downtown Los Angeles. Another retailer I think is looking to come to SLO is Whole Foods. I like Whole Foods because they are nonunion, sell local products and pay their employees well. I think a great spot for them would be demolishing the old New Frontiers market and building a new 25,000-square-foot market. Whole Foods, American Apparel and Anthropologie have opened up in downtown Santa Barbara in the last couple years. SLO is only ahead of Santa Barbara by getting Fresh & Easy first. SLO’s business world has been looking good lately with Target and a second Chipotle. I’m confident vacancies will be filled fast.

David Pecci

Templeton

Unhealthy sewer debate

I am growing weary of letters to the editor, such as the one by Ben DiFatta (Oct. 31) regarding the Los Osos sewer debacle. Too many (and louder) others in Los Osos take the same tack he is pushing, and it’s simply not justified … and it’s surely not healthy community discourse.

In spite of all the finger-pointing, drama, politics and nearsightedness, I continue to believe now, more than ever, that a modern and proven solution is essential. But here’s the real tragedy: not so many years ago, all of this could have been done when federal, state and county resources were sufficient and available to cover all the planning and construction costs … with little (if any) burden to Los Osos taxpayers. This is not our finest hour.

Lee Ferrero

Los Osos

Let De Vaul keep ranch

It would be a shame if Dan De Vaul lost his family farm. I remember seeing him riding to school on a donkey; I rode the school bus from Prefumo Canyon Road with Donna De Vaul and her older sister.

I know little of Dan De Vaul’s efforts to conform to rules and regulations. Certainly the county ought to consider a lawsuit from a family of someone injured on any land. If I were homeless, I would sue if I got Lyme disease from being put out of De Vaul’s place and onto the streets … especially if it were shown that the county has done too little to help the sick, homeless and mentally ill.

If water/land has been polluted, that would be my only objection to Mr. De Vaul’s facility. If the county confiscates it, I suggest a sober-living ranch be built, and/or restoring it to wetlands — which is what most of the land has been.

The county seems to have let too much be built on Los Osos Valley Road near Highway 101 — historically a wetland, I believe. California’s wetlands have significant economic and environmental value, providing benefits such as water-quality maintenance, flood and erosion attenuation and wildlife habitat. California has lost as much as 91 percent of its original wetlands.

Nancy Chase Watts

San Luis Obispo

Pay cut for SLO leaders

So the city of San Luis Obispo wants city workers to take a pay cut (“Pay cut on the table for city workers,” Oct. 21). My question is, how much of a pay cut is City Manager Katie Lichtig and her top administrators willing to take?

Jim Grooms

San Luis Obispo

Keep Price Canyon closed

Welcome to the Price Canyon Road parking lot! That’s what the Pismo Beach City Council will get if they open the canyon up to huge growth. Crazy!

Helen Anderson

San Luis Obispo

Adopt new dust rule

Recent Oceano Community Services District and Pismo Beach actions opposing the APCD’s proposed Dunes Dust Control Rule puts perceived economic concerns above the health/welfare of county citizens. That’s easy for them because their residents are not in the dust plume.

Their argument that the APCD’s study science is flawed ignores the fact that the APCD study protocols and results were peer reviewed by various outside experts and totally validated. Still, those in opposition keep beating the same drum.

Cries of economic disaster if the rule is adopted are equally questionable. The State Parks OHV division chief recently stated that hay bales and vegetation could be added and reduce blowing dust by 95 percent without affecting park riding areas. Pismo Beach businesses screamed “disaster” when cars were banned from its beaches years ago. We all can see how that turned out. 

Residents who breathe PM10 particles — which the American Lung Association associates with premature death — need an answer. The new dust rule is the best of both worlds. It protects health and enables the OHV park to continue to operate. The APCD board needs to do what is right and adopt the rule.

Arlene Versaw

Arroyo Grande

Stork is great choice

I would like to congratulate the Cuesta College Board of Trustees on their excellent choice of Dr. Gil Stork for president of the college. I have known Gil for more than 40 years and know that he has spent his professional life trying to make Cuesta a better place. With his leadership, the taxpayers can be assured that they have a person in charge who puts students first. He is well known in the community, and I wish him nothing but the best. Cuesta College is very fortunate to have someone with his skills and deep roots in the county in such a leadership role.

Stan House

Morro Bay

Festival a fun time

Wow, New Life Church in Arroyo Grande! What a huge night of fun. Their Family Fall Festival is designed to give families a fun and safe alternative to door-to-door trick or treating.

This had to be the biggest variety of fun activities ever. There were more than 30 fun-filled booths, giant piñatas, pony rides, a cake walk, rock climbing wall, several bounce houses, air slides, an obstacle course, $1.25 hamburgers and tons of candy. All of this takes a tremendous amount time and work. This is a big thank-you to New Life and all their dedicated volunteers (who looked to be having as much fun as the kids) for doing this every year. You’re the best!

Helen Saulsbury

Arroyo Grande