Cambrian letters to the editor, May 10, 2018
Fire tax not needed
Recently, the Cambria Firefighters Union sent a mailer to all the voters in Cambria. It used scare tactics encouraging a vote to raise your taxes.
I like firefighters and worked side by side with them for three decades with the CHP. I am against adding another assessment tax to my property tax when I already am paying over $550 and at least $95 is for the Cambria Fire Department.
My wife is disabled with MS and has had two serious seizure episodes. One was in April 2010, and within a minute or two of calling 911 my house was full of Cambria Fire, Cal Fire and ambulance people. This was before CFD got a grant for three more people.
In 2017, she again had a seizure attack, and within a minute or two my house was full of Cambria Fire, Cal Fire and ambulance people. I was grateful both times, and the response time was the same both times.
A couple of months ago, we had a rare Cambria structure fire. Cambria Fire and Cal Fire responded and got mutual air backup from Cayucos and I believe Morro Bay fire departments. Whether it is structure fires, medical emergencies of kayak rescues, both of our Cambria fire departments are always ready and always respond quickly. They will continue to do so because that is in the character of emergency responders.
We are a small town, and we have two fire agencies that always respond. We don’t need three more people, and we certainly don’t need to be paying more taxes.
Brian Griffin, Cambria
CPUC should fight Diablo bill
PG&E is closing its Diablo power plant in 2025. Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (San Luis Obispo) with Senator Bill Monning co-authored Senate Bill 1090, which was final review by the Senate appropriations committee.
It requires the California Public Utilities Commission to approve the collection of rate-payer fees to pay a $85 million county “lost tax settlement” and $350 million for PG&E employee retention and retraining. Our District 1 county supervisor, the SLO Unified School District, electrical unions and unknowns lobbied Sacramento to force the Public Utilities Commission in “robbing” rate payers.
The commission should resist this bill using litigation or a referendum since PG&E should pay with its funds. The county received $5.9 million in 2015-16 from PG&E. Its estimated present value for 2025 at 3 percent annual depreciation is W$4.39 million and not $164,000, which is similar to a SLOUSD scare tactic.
Vote not for property taxes, sales taxes, fee increases from county, cities, service districts and schools. Search for hidden tax agendas for noncritical projects and underfunded excessive pensions.
Werner Koch, Cambria
Former Cambrian editor will be missed
As a writer, I have thoroughly appreciated the well-reasoned, well-written, always fair columns and content by former Cambrian editor Steven H. Provost. His civility, openness and well-crafted arguments have served our community well.
He will be missed.
Naomi F. Collins, Cambria
Appreciation for safety forums
The Cambria FireSafe Focus Group would like to extend its appreciation to the Cambria Community Services District for allowing the Focus Group the use of the Vets Hall to present four forums regarding disasters in Cambria, such as wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis and flooding.
We would also like to extend our thanks to the Cambria Fire Department for all of their help, and also for providing such great refreshments. The forums covered a variety of topics ranging from why it is necessary to prepare for a wildfire, how to prepare yourself, your family and your house for such an event, what governmental agencies and/or nonprofit organizations would be available to help out, and, finally, how to assist Cambria post-disaster.
Because of the final forum on assisting Cambria post-disaster, the Focus Group is exploring the possibility of forming a Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters group, known as VOAD. Again, thanks to the CCSD and all who attended our forums.
Shirley Bianchi, Cambria FireSafe Focus Group
This story was originally published May 8, 2018 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, May 10, 2018."