Letters to the editor

Editor,

Our state government is broke and is about to start issuing IOUs. One would think that our lawmakers in Sacramento would be busy trying to stave off catastrophe. One would be wrong.

My state Assemblyman Ira Ruskin recently voted for the pet-killing SB 250, mandatory spay-neuter for dogs and cats. He passed this bill even though he was told that the state Department of Finance found it will increase costs to state and local governments, and even though he was told that San Mateo County rejected mandatory spay-neuter as a failed policy years ago. Assemblyman Ruskin acknowledged that this is a bad bill, but voted for it as a "courtesy” for its sponsor, state Sen. Dean Florez.

Three times over the past two months, Sacramento legislators have voted for SB 250 even though they publicly acknowledged it is bad policy. They did so because Dean Florez is a powerful state senator who has twisted arms and tossed out empty promises to "fix the problems” in it later — promises which he has reneged on.

How can our lawmakers even think of giving out "courtesy” votes like candy for a bill they know is horrible? No wonder our state is in such a mess.

Eugenia Woodard

Palo Alto

What is your Assemblyman doing?

Editor,

I am outraged that my state Assemblymember, Ira Ruskin, recently voted yes on the ill-conceived Senate Bill 250, mandatory spay/neuter for dogs and cats authored by state Sen. Dean Florez, D-Bakersfield.

Experience proves that every where these kinds of laws have been implemented they have led to more dogs and cats being killed in animal shelters as well as increased animal control costs to the taxpayers.

Ruskin, D-Redwood City, had the detailed facts presented to his office during visits and in a mountain of letters, but he voted to kill more dogs and cats and increase taxpayer costs anyway.

Particularly during a time when the state is going broke and issuing IOUs, California cannot afford such harmful legislation.

Michael Stoll

Redwood City

Attack on working families

Editor,

As a dedicated public service employee, it was alarming to learn about the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury report about employee costs ("Grand jury: City employee costs too high” in the June 5 edition of the Daily Journal).

The grand jury released a scathing report that’s clearly an attack on working families. It makes an outdated case for hacking workers’ earned compensation for providing vital public services.

The truth is public employees are already making concessions. At Redwood City, we waived wage increases to help the city get through this tough economic time. Public workers are doing the same in neighboring cities and counties.

We understand we all have to do our part these days and we’re taking an active role to maintain quality services and a fair living standard for working families. We would expect our elected leaders to support no less.

Rich Del Ben

Redwood City

Time for high-speed rail ‘do-over’ vote

Editor,

With the sidelining of Assembly Bill 153, a bill that would have given the California High-Speed Rail Authority the power of eminent domain, as well as the right to issue debt, it’s time to admit how poorly informed the California voters were when presented the HSR ballot item in the fall of 2008 and resubmit the question of the HSR to voters.

Given that the true costs of this railway could easily be in the $100 billion range, and that there is no clear source of funding for this massive spending project, this idea needs a confirming vote before spending the untold billions for something that will never be used by most Californians. With the advent of Broadband and wireless Internet communications, business-related travel will likely be far less necessary in the future. This begs the question: Who will actually use this incredibly expensive train?

Voters are encouraged to contact Sacramento to put this project back on the Ballot for a "do-over;” if Sacramento fails to do the right thing, those people opposing this behemoth should organize and allow voters to stop this railroad dead in its tracks!

Wayne Martin

Palo Alto