Cautionary tales from the north
To the Editor,
Here are four cautionary tales from a couple of our neighbors to the north. All of these were reported in the Seattle Times during the last week of April.
1. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson reported that the tax on “ghost” (empty) houses was a great success for the city coffers — 8,500 property owners paid up. For renters, not so much. After six months of the program, there is “no sign yet that Vancouver’s near-zero supply of available rentals has eased since the levy took effect.”
2. A mile of bike lane in downtown Seattle, projected to cost $860,000, clocked in at “an eye-watering $12 million.” “I thought the mayor was going to have a heart attack when I showed her,” said the interim director of the Seattle Department of Transportation. Why the discrepancy? Nothing new, actually. The author states that benefits were exaggerated and the costs were lowballed.
3. A Sunday editorial called upon the organizers of the KeyArena renovation for basketball and hockey to face reality. “The city has no choice but to accept that its success and vitality depend on welcoming, not repelling, people who live elsewhere and travel by car.” Studies say that travel to the new Arena by bicycle will never exceed 1 percent of visitors. Kindly, the editor says that this is “an opportunity for Seattle to show that it can learn from its mistakes and make wise decisions, informed by data.”
4. A 14-year resident of Seattle wrote an op-ed in which he announced his move to the eastside. He had met with his council member who had suggested that cleaning up the litter and graffiti was someone else’s job. She also stated that requiring treatment for mental illness and addiction in return for services would be a return to Nazi Germany.
Here in Santa Cruz County we are fortunate to have these cautionary tales to guide our no doubt much more intelligent path. Wise decisions informed by data should be everyone’s goal.
Barbara Lyons
Watsonville
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PVUSD wastes educational opportunity
To the Editor,
How very sad that Pajaro Valley Unified School District has chosen to power-wash away the many nests built so painstakingly by cliff swallows at Pajaro Valley High School — ignoring help offered by volunteers to clean up feces and mud to help curtail potential health hazards.
How very sad that the district has chosen to ignore the environmental mandate which allowed this high school to even be built. The school is missing out on an excellent educational opportunity: how humans and other creatures can coexist. In fact, destroying the swallows’ nests sends a typical message that wildlife isn’t to be tolerated. Indeed, how tragic a message for this high school in particular.
What a pity that the district ignored attempts at acquainting them with a compromise reached at Cabrillo College when the college encountered similar issues: some areas were affixed with bird sliders that deterred the swallows, while others were left open to nesting, with accompanying volunteer cleanup by the college community. The resulting Friends of the Swallows came “together to advocate for and support the migrating cliff swallows … Our mission is to raise awareness of the cliff swallows and their environs, to educate our community of their activities, to encourage sustainability and co-existence, to support the colony by cleaning up the living space we share, and to create a positive, friendly, and comfortable relationship with them” (from brochure: “Return of the Cliff Swallow Celebration,” 2009).
These industrious birds have migrated all the way from Patagonia at Argentina’s tip, only to be rebuffed in their efforts to build nests and procreate. That the district has turned an educational opportunity of sustainability and coexistence into subversion of wildlife’s attempts at procreation came, ironically, just in time for World Migratory Bird Day on May 12.
Elissa Wagner
Aptos
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Take a look at successful SMART train
To the Editor,
While I was pleased to read in the R-P that most of the candidates for 4th District Supervisor support passenger/commuter rail on the Santa Cruz Branch Line, more needs to be done to ensure the rail line is preserved and efforts by anti-rail groups to remove it be negated.
Not only is the rail line essential for future passenger transit in an effort to relieve traffic congestion in Santa Cruz County, it is also vital for the economy of the Pajaro Valley in the movement of commodities and freight, providing a link to the Union Pacific Railroad at Watsonville Junction in Pajaro.
I respectfully request that the candidates for supervisor take a look at how successful the SMART (Sonoma-Marin Regional Transit) train is, which has a lot of similarities to rail in Santa Cruz County as it parallels Highway 101 between San Rafael and Santa Rosa.
I trust that whoever prevails in the election, they will put forth an effort to preserve the Santa Cruz Branch rail line for the benefit of all.
Gary V. Plomp
Gilroy
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Wake up, Watsonville
To the Editor,
Watsonville residents just dodged a bullet. Or did they? With no quorum at their May 8 meeting, the City Council could not vote on a new ordinance that eliminates public hearings and Planning Commission review of “small cell” towers next to homes, schools and businesses in Watsonville.
The same law firm that tried to con Monterey into believing that “recent state and federal laws and regulations have preempted the city’s authority over permitting wireless communication facilities” is at it again in Watsonville. Sadly, with small cell applications waiting for the new ordinance to be approved, the mayor, city attorney and assistant city clerk have already signed onto the resolution to make the process a simple administrative permit.
By not showing up the council created a problem and the problem is that there is an FCC deadline — a shot clock — on these pending cell towers applications. By letting the shot clock run out on applications deemed complete, these towers become approved.
Watsonville, please wake up. Your rights are in the process of being destroyed by your own city government.
Lois Hansen
Monterey
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Watsonville’s east side takes another hit
To the Editor,
With the recent closing of the only “super” market on the east side of town, it begs the question, what can we (city and residents) do to attract: 1) a grocery store; 2) drug store; and 3) a bank? We are a fairly large constituency and seem to be given short shrift by all, thinking we can just drive to get our groceries, prescriptions and do our banking.
While the burden may fall squarely on the shopping center owner (Codiga family?), has the city exercised any of its influence to help turn this sad situation into a positive for the east side residents?
Ed Banks
Watsonville
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Dutra’s roots run deep in Pajaro Valley
To the Editor,
I read with amusement the letter from Mr. Birimisa in last week’s paper edition of the Pajaronian.
He defines his position on what local candidates “should have” printed on their signs but he targets only a few of the local candidates. Which leaves me to wonder about his “intentions” overall! Not much creativity there!
If there is one thing I know for sure, we have a unique opportunity to vote for a candidate for County Supervisor and that is Jimmy Dutra. Jimmy has redefined the role of a city councilman as “hands on” and has accomplished so much during his tenure. He has represented his constituents and the community with integrity and thoughtfulness. His love for the Pajaro Valley comes naturally because he was born and raised here and his roots run deep.
Jimmy has been a leader for many years with so many organizations and groups in our area and he understands the art of politics, persuasion and persistence like no one I have known before. He has put his energy into his education and preparing himself for serving at higher levels of government all the while remembering his home town roots! His energy for the job of Supervisor has no bounds!
Please join me in voting for Jimmy Dutra for District 4 Supervisor in June. He will more than stand up to (the other Supervisors) and fight hard for the services our South County needs and deserves.
P.S. How, Mr. Birimisa, could all of that possibly fit on one large campaign sign?
Connie M. Sauer
Watsonville
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Thank you for acknowledging Sebastian Rodriguez
To the Editor,
Thank you, Steve Bankhead, for acknowledging the contribution of my 3X great-grandfather, Sebastian Rodriguez, to the Pajaro Valley and the community of Watsonville.
Naming city features for living (or recently-living) people is never a good idea; there will always be extenuating circumstances and conflicting opinions. It would be an honor to have a feature named for Sebastian but when it was suggested that the Watsonville Plaza be named for him instead of Dolores Huerta, then-mayor Luis Alejo declared that, as two streets were already named for him, it wasn’t necessary.
I agree that it isn’t necessary, although his Bolsa de Pajaro land grant, stolen from him during his lifetime and loosely restored after his death, was the very foundation of the Pajaro Valley and this community. The Watsonville Plaza was a gift from his heirs, as acknowledged by the plaque affixed to the bandstand, but it seems a shame that his name is practically unknown here and very few Watsonville residents are aware of that history.
Shirley Lopez-Knight
Watsonville
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Dutra is a true go-getter
To the Editor,
I would like to thank Jimmy Dutra for helping my husband and I. Even though he wasn’t our city council representative (we live in District 1) he came to our aid when the city needed to take some land from us. Jimmy worked with the city to make sure we were treated fairly and now we have a beautiful corner that matches the bridge across the street.
We also contacted him to complain about the number of homeless in the sloughs directly across from our house. To our delight, he was already on it and was coordinating with Watsonville Wetlands Watch to address the issue! Needless to say the entire time Jimmy has been in an elected position in our city, the sloughs have been cleaned regularly in our neighborhood and the homeless problem is so much better. Jimmy has proven he can get things done. He is kind and has empathy for people. He has worked first hand with our homeless population, as the president of the Pajaro Valley Shelter Services. He advocates everyday for our community and the people in it.
I am endorsing Jimmy Dutra to be our next Santa Cruz County supervisor. There are so many reasons to vote for him; he is a true go-getter! When the city told him there was no money to fund a community garden in his district he did not take “no” for an answer. He went out to local businesses and raised the money needed to have it built. Now the Carey-Davis community garden and park is the pride of the neighborhood. This would have never happened without the persistence and dedication of Jimmy Dutra.
Jimmy truly loves this county and I guarantee a vote for Jimmy Dutra is a vote for positive change!
Geralyn Speziale
Watsonville
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Vote Trina Coffman-Gomez for Assembly
To the Editor,
When it comes to good government, voters in the Pajaro Valley don’t have to look far, or guess about who can best represent their interest at the State Assembly level. It’s local gal, Trina Coffman-Gomez who we can trust to do the right thing in Sacramento.
She has served us well as a local representative to AMBAG, LAFCO, RTC, METRO, PV Health Trust, PV Arts Council, and Monterey Bay Community Power. She has also participated and assisted the Boy Scouts, Watsonville High Grad Night, Salvation Army, Rotary, Focus AG, and Leadership Santa Cruz County.
In addition to being the only women in this race, she has the down to earth maturity, experience, knowledge, and judgement to make sure our voice in heard in the legislature.
Trina is the real deal in this election.
Think local and vote for Trina.
Lowell and Wendy Hurst
Watsonville
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Book signing a success
To the Editor,
We, James and Alexandra Baker, wish to publicly thank Kelly’s Books of Watsonville for willingness to host our book signing. Working with the owner was a pleasure and has been since the event. We were told that we established a record for the number of books signed and sold in one day.
As co-authors, we really appreciate the support for our writing about the first 30 years of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Our book, “From The Desk Of: An Administrator’s Pursuit of Excellence and Equity in Pajaro Valley Unified School District” has been well received in the community and, hopefully, documents some of the events and perseverance in the schools during 1960-1990.
The fact that the school district still exists, largely as it was created in the 1960s, is testimony to the excellent work of thousands of supportive parents, dedicated teachers, classified staff, hard working administrators and community members serving as trustees. Thank you all.
When James traveled the United States visiting schools for a large book company after retiring as superintendent from PVUSD in 1990, he began to realize just how special the public and private educational programs are in Aptos and the South County community. Of course, not any school system or school is perfect but few have made the effort to adapt and serve such an evolving student population.
For those exclusive users of e-books, “From The Desk Of” can be downloaded on Kindle, iBooks, and Smashwords. Books are also available from Kelly’s Books and Bookshop Santa Cruz.
You can contact us at fromthedeskofbaker.com.
James S Baker
Teacher, Administrator and Superintendent of PVUSD (1960-1990)
Alexandra Baker
Granddaughter, Development Associate for Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County
