Letters to the editor

Editor,

I wish to thank Sandy and Mike Dillion for their letter to editor Sept 22. Their views were logical and well thought out. However tonight, at the San Mateo Public Library’s Oak Room, I am sure that there will be universal support for those who share the off the leash viewpoint.

What is important to know, is that the dog owners who live close to Central Park’s Fitzgerald Field have had the outfield grass "all to themselves” — for most of the last two decades. Change is going to be difficult especially when everyone has looked the other way for this period of time and certain city officials gave their blessing to off the leash usage during this time.

For those of us who use Fitzgerald Field for its intended use, this restriction can’t come soon enough. Granted, every off the leash owner must feel that their dog is not the problem — it is just too overwhelming to have to have even the slightest remnant of a "dog’s deposit” to ruin the experience for players or summer camp attendees. Personally, I have never seen an owner retrieve all of Fido’s grass-level "business.” Furthermore, I have seen groups out in centerfield at dawn and again at dusk where all the "Fidos” are running free while the owners are in another group area chatting among themselves.

Lastly, most of "Fido’s business” that is picked up by the majority of the responsible dog owners ends up in the trash receptacles adjacent to the field or near the respective dugouts. With maintenance budget cuts, those "baggies of picked up goodies” sit dormant in those areas for almost a week’s time while youth baseball and adult softball takes place nearby. The subsequent odor lingers near the playing field until those receptacles are emptied. Again, thanks to the Dillons for their letter illustrating the occasional cluelessness of a certain small percentage of people who own dogs showing little regard for the nuances or the etiquette of interaction among dogs.

Mike Chanteloup

San Mateo

Caltrain inconvenience necessitates driving

Editor,

I am a Caltrain monthly pass holder who, along with other cyclists, is regularly bumped at the San Antonio stop. I occasionally have an early meeting and need to take this train, and now always drive to work instead because I know I cannot rely on this train. Ridiculous!

Matt Foist

Mountain View

The true leeches

Editor,

This letter is in response to Alicia Weiss’ "The health care debate” guest perspective in the Sept. 8 edition of the Daily Journal. You don’t know what leeching is until you’ve read "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves At Government Expense And Stick You With The Bill.” All things being equal I agree with your underlying premise that Americans should want to pay their own way through life, however things are not equal. The bottom 90 percent of income earners make up less of a percentage of the total income pie now than they did in 1980.

You talk of greedy rich people and evil corporations; did you know that when a corporate executive flies in a jet taxpayers are dinged twice? Rudolph Giuliani gave away as gifts sports apparel after a game worth a lot more than the $50 maximum, something he fired others for doing. Donald Trump and his casino colleagues were able to manipulate legislation through the state Legislature and divert money allocated for the poor into his Taj Mahal casino, some $89 million.

These are but a few examples of the rich "leeching” from the poor and American taxpayers in general. You don’t know what welfare is until you’ve read this book and have assigned the majority of Americans with the label "leechers.”

Michael Cassidy

Foster City

Shotgun blasts plague park

Editor,

Firearms are being discharged in Seal Point Park, the southern most park of the San Mateo Shoreline Parks System. Signs are riddled with shotgun blasts and large caliber weapons. Information signs are being destroyed with firearms. On the north side of Seal Point Park an information sign is missing. The metal frame that held that sign, is pock marked with deep dents from blasts from firearms. Shotgun blast are evident on signs on the north and south sided of Seal Point Park. Gang graffiti is increasing incrementally on and around the San Mateo Creek Bridge, on information signs, trash bins and benches in that area. The Shoreline Parks are a beautiful addition to the San Mateo Recreation program. Having weapons discharged and gang graffiti displayed in the park is an unnerving experience.

Michael Pringle

San Mateo

County disagrees with grand jury over appointment

Editor,

Concerning a Sept. 18 article titled "County disagrees with grand jury over appointment,” by Michelle Durand, I would like to make this distinction. Supervisors Rose Jacobs Gibson, Mark Church, Adrienne Tissier, Carole Groom and former supervisor Jerry Hill disagree with the grand jury. Rich Gordon voted against appointing Carole Groom. Rich also made a motion to have the special election along with many organizations, newspapers and one applicant myself included. These four individuals ignored all of these groups. The one common thread here is that they are all members of Service League of San Mateo County. Rich Gordon is not. For more information visit http://www.serviceleague.org/sl_bod.htm.

It could be said the Service League of San Mateo County appointed Carole Groom. Some other members are Sheriff Greg Munks and District Attorney James P. Fox. According to Thomas Casey III, this is a private organization and all elected and public employees of San Mateo County who are members are there as private citizens. I disagree.

Dave Pine said it right. "The supervisors failed to respond to the primary recommendation.” Also, "pushing it off to a charter review committee.” He is also correct in saying the matter being placed on the consent agenda is "inappropriate.” This matter should be discussed in public.

Welcome to San Mateo County.

Michael G. Stogner

San Carlos