Cutting these SLO County health programs would be a mistake | Opinion

Golf over mental health?

I appreciate The Trib for providing us with details of the recommended changes to our county’s budget. I know budgeting to be a grueling exercise, made harder when we anticipate a deficit, and especially when massive cuts are anticipated from federal funding. I get all that. What I don’t get is who thought it is a good idea to cut Behavioral Health by $7 million while increasing funding for golf courses?

And it’s not like you’re increasing funding for parks across the board: Cuts are also recommended for community parks and regional parks. But golf courses get a boost?

You’ll tell me it “pencils out.” Well, I say it speaks volumes about who our county wants to take care of and I say shame on you.

Betsey Nash

Grover Beach

Fund Paso clinic

The preliminary 2025 SLO County budget recommends closing the North County campus of the SLO County Public Health Department Family Planning Program Clinic. One of the alarming justifications given for the potential closure of this family planning clinic in Paso Robles is the claim that “reproductive health is not a public health core service.”

This clinic is an important North County access point for birth control, STI testing, reproductive health screenings and more. If we allow our county to treat reproductive care as optional, we risk increasing unintended pregnancies, health disparities and long-term healthcare costs.

These are services for the constituents of Supervisors Heather Moreno and John Peschong. Will they step up, along with other SLO County supervisors, to continue these services until alternate service connections can be made “in writing” to serve the North County?

Email the SLO County Board of Supervisors to share your thoughts of protecting these clinic services.

Lee Perkins

Atascadero

What a softball

Am I the only one who thinks it’s unacceptable that Major League Baseball is investing in a women’s softball league? The implicit message this sends is clear: Men and boys play baseball. Women and girls play softball. And yet, the movie, “A League Of Their Own,” is still considered a classic. This is based on the AAGPBL, a women’s baseball league that lasted from 1943 to 1954.

Several years ago, a TV series based on this movie aired on Amazon. Now imagine this: Caitlin Clark can only play on one side of the basketball court, because full-court is not ladylike. All WNBA games are 6-on-6, because less running is ladylike.

This archaic, outdated version of women’s hoops was played in high schools as recently as 1995 in Oklahoma.

Do we really want to continue the baseball equivalent in 2025?

Everyone who claims to be in favor of gender equality should be infuriated as well.

I plan to boycott supporting MLB and will support the new Women’s Professional Baseball League, which will hopefully start play next year.

”Mustang Max” Milander

Astoria, Oregon

Editor’s note: The author is a former Cal Poly sports broadcaster.

Support for transgender individuals

In this time where the very existence of transgender people is at stake, Unitarian Universalists San Luis Obispo aims to protect and honor transgender, intersex and non-binary people and their families at all life stages. We condemn all legislation that seeks to erase transgender personhood and diminish the rights of all people to express their gender in a manner consistent with their true selves.

As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of each person as a core principle. The ability to live authentically as one’s true self is central to a lifelong journey towards spiritual fulfillment.

A social witness statement, “Embracing Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex, and Gender Diverse People is a Fundamental Expression of UU Values,” was adopted at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2024 and supported wholeheartedly by our local delegates.

Transgender and gender-diverse people are a beautiful and divine manifestation of humanity.

Gina Whitaker

Arroyo Grande

Impeachment now!

I have contacted Rep. Salud Carbajal multiple times to urge support for impeaching President Donald Trump. His responses detail how terrible things have become under Trump (as if I didn’t know) but fail to address the remedy available to Congress under the U.S. Constitution: impeachment.

Trump’s lawless, corrupt and cruel actions threaten our democracy. If we do not act now, we could lose everything that made this country great. Congress must do its duty and impeach him immediately. Rep. Carbajal’s failure to engage shows a lack of leadership. I certainly will not be voting, donating or volunteering for him in the future unless he clarifies his stance by taking action toward impeachment without delay.

I am urging fellow residents of the Central Coast and the 24th Congressional District to back leaders who are standing up for the Constitution.

Ken Smithson

Arroyo Grande