Letters to the editor

Editor,

Times are tough, money is tight, but the West Bay Sanitary District can’t seem to spend it fast enough. Instead of negotiating a contract with their union employees, they have been paying an attorney and two consultants thousands of dollars to drag out the process. This is likely far more than what it would cost to reach a settlement. That’s time and money wasted and these days we just can’t afford to do either.

The employees of the district maintain the sewer system — they keep the system clear and prevent the spread of disease. Their hard work keeps our community healthy.

If you were to ask yourself how much would you need to be paid to maintain the sewer system, what would your honest answer be? What if you were constantly under the threat of being fired at the mere whim of your boss, how many sewers would you service then?

Honest hard work deserves decent salaries and working conditions. A stable workforce ensures continuous and necessary service to the community. The West Bay Sanitary District needs to settle the contract in good faith with their employees. Then they could get back to the job of keeping the sewer system functioning with a workforce who knows what they’re doing!

Tell West Bay to come clean and settle before they circle the drain and take our community with them!

Shelley Kessler

Foster City

The letter writer is the executive secretary-treasurer of the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.

Obama is mistaken

Editor,

I wish to add to Sheree Roth’s comments regarding the President’s Cairo speech ("Recognize Israel,” June 8). Obama made a huge error by mistakenly stating that Israel came about as a result of the Holocaust. The push for an independent Jewish homeland in the area then known as Palestine began before World War II. Even as Jews were being rounded up and sent to the concentration camps, the British and Arabs tried to limit Jewish immigration to the region. The United Nations did support the establishment of a Jewish State (and a Palestinian one as well), but stood by as Arab armies invaded the new country with the intent to finish Hitler’s job.

Obama is playing right in the hands of the Arabs who claim that they are paying the price for Europe’s sins. It is historically incorrect and morally corrupt. Israel came about in spite of the Holocaust and not because of it. Had there been an Israel, Jews would have had a place of refuge.

The Arabs cannot claim innocence either. They fought to keep Jews out and the Palestinian leader, the Mufti of Jerusalem, was a confidant of Hitler. Basing policy on misinformation is dangerous and it looks like this president will be repeating some of the mistakes of his predecessors.

Gil Stein

Santa Cruz

Protect California’s safety net

Editor,

We all know the recession has hit California hard and our state budget is reeling. It will only stunt California’s recovery to drain $24 billion from the state’s economy, as the governor’s latest budget proposes. What’s more, it will be harder for struggling Californians to get back on their feet because the cuts target the sick, the poor and the elderly – those who need the most help during these tough economic times.

Sadly, the governor’s latest budget proposal would shred California’s safety net. And obstructionist Republican lawmakers would rather defend tax breaks for oil companies and big business than keep kids insured and allow the frail, elderly to remain in their homes. Lawmakers need to protect all Californians, stop the severe cuts and pass a sensible budget that includes new revenue.

Jennie Maruyama

Belmont

Distortions don’t help

Editor,

Ms. Marcopulos has managed to insert a record number of distortions in one short three-sentence letter that appeared in the June 11 edition of the Daily Journal. First, Scott Abramson didn’t claim that America is fighting in Afghanistan to liberate women and girls. Their liberation is a result of the Taliban’s defeat by our troops. Second, it is just insulting to anyone with common sense to repeat the fringe groups’ insinuations about "America’s barbaric bombing of civilians.” It has never been an intended goal of American military operations to harm civilians, even in the most daring situations. Third, America’s help to Israel serves the cause of supporting the only democracy in the Middle East. The Palestinians’ casualties should be attributed not to Israel’s actions, but the anti-Israeli warmongering and attacks coming from their midst.

Vladimir Kaplan

San Mateo

District has many options

Editor,

Your editorial "Divisiveness hurting effort to solve crowded schools issue” that appeared in the June 12 edition of The Daily Journal was right on the mark. The City Council wants to help the school district in some way but in our efforts, we must also consider what is in the best interest of the entire community. The district has many options to explore and probably more will materialize as we put our heads together. Parents need to understand the responsibilities of both agencies. The city and the school district work very differently. I have already expressed my opinion on this matter and look forward to rational thinking and a responsible solution. The city’s website has an information page about the efforts being made. I hope the public will reference it.

Linda Koelling

Foster City

The letter writer is a member of the Foster City Council.

Rewarding lies

Editor,

The Obama administration’s sweeping new proposal to restrict executive pay is likely to be a humbling exercise for seven of the nation’s largest companies, which have received billions of dollars in federal assistance to survive the economic crisis.

As for me, Social Security was cut two times in the last few months.The people that know how to trick and rob others, steal, cheat and to get more than their share. Their lies, propaganda and advertising have caused the poor that they were right and persuaded them to voluntarily give up some of the few things they had to make them even poorer and the rich even richer, so the rich could have more and more and the poor less and less.

Ted Rudow III

Menlo Park