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Opinion
I have to hand it to American taxpayers. You are amazingly generous!
In the last couple of years, we have found out that the Pentagon is missing $21 trillion, that we give billions of dollars in aid to countries that have universal health care and tuition-free college education (even though we go without those things ourselves), that the federal government paid salaries to Juan Guaido and his posse for their coup attempt (even kicking in a little extra for "democracy enhancement" training), the Afghanistan Papers showed us that the US was paying for schools that didn't exist, teachers that didn't exist, soldiers that didn't exist, and now we find out that Juan Guaido and his staff embezzled the humanitarian aid funds that we sent.
All of this while American families struggle to make it each month, millions of us going without health care and many of us going without homes.
And are we out in the streets complaining that our government is literally throwing away money instead of providing food to hungry children?
No! We aren't a country of complainers like France, which has been having Yellow Vest protests for 15 months. We suck it up. We self-sacrifice. And then we go back to our iPads or playoff football or whatever Kylie Jenner is wearing this week. Because that's what we do.
Why should we have health care when there are nonexistent children in Afghanistan who desperately need nonexistent schools? I mean somebody's got to pay those nonexistent teacher's salaries, and it's not like the Afghan government can afford it. Not after what we've done to their country.
Jason Kishineff lives in American Canyon, California. He is a Democratic Congressional candidate for California District 5.
In the last couple of years, we have found out that the Pentagon is missing $21 trillion, that we give billions of dollars in aid to countries that have universal health care and tuition-free college education (even though we go without those things ourselves), that the federal government paid salaries to Juan Guaido and his posse for their coup attempt (even kicking in a little extra for "democracy enhancement" training), the Afghanistan Papers showed us that the US was paying for schools that didn't exist, teachers that didn't exist, soldiers that didn't exist, and now we find out that Juan Guaido and his staff embezzled the humanitarian aid funds that we sent.
All of this while American families struggle to make it each month, millions of us going without health care and many of us going without homes.
And are we out in the streets complaining that our government is literally throwing away money instead of providing food to hungry children?
No! We aren't a country of complainers like France, which has been having Yellow Vest protests for 15 months. We suck it up. We self-sacrifice. And then we go back to our iPads or playoff football or whatever Kylie Jenner is wearing this week. Because that's what we do.
Why should we have health care when there are nonexistent children in Afghanistan who desperately need nonexistent schools? I mean somebody's got to pay those nonexistent teacher's salaries, and it's not like the Afghan government can afford it. Not after what we've done to their country.
Jason Kishineff lives in American Canyon, California. He is a Democratic Congressional candidate for California District 5.
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- Written by: Jason Kishineff
I teach 140 auto shop students every day at Lower Lake High School. Each year I reluctantly schedule a classroom visit for a representative from Universal Technical Institute and he comes out to recruit my students to go to his beautiful high-tech automotive trade school in Sacramento.
I say reluctantly because, as good as this man is at selling the benefits of attending his beautiful, high-tech institution, there is very little chance that any of these students will be attending. The tuition for the 18-month course is $45,000.
If Bernie Sanders is elected president, he’s promised to make this type of trade school education free and fully available to any of my students with the drive and determination to take it. LLHS could easily send seven to ten students to UTI each year if this were the case, and what a difference that would make to our community.
A Sanders presidency would make traditional college tuition-free to all of our students here in Lake County who are overwhelmingly poor and would benefit the most from this type of program.
Bernie would also guarantee that our kids are not saddled with the crushing student debt currently burdening many of their parents and teachers. He will cancel the student debt and high-cost student loan programs burying millions of families across America and limit student loan interest to 1.88 percent. This is huge.
As an example: Together, my wife, who is also a teacher, and I pay $6,600 per year in an interest-only, student loan repayment program to the government so that we can have the credentials to teach children. And only a fraction of that is tax-deductible. We have to pay to teach.
Our students have to pay for college. Our individual citizens have to pay property tax and income tax and payroll tax to pay for schools.
Meanwhile, Amazon pays nothing. Goldman-Sachs pays nothing. Fed-Ex pays nothing … and they all want well-educated employees. This is just one example of the high cost of education.
It can all change with a Bernie Sanders presidency.
John Tyler lives in Kelseyville, California.
I say reluctantly because, as good as this man is at selling the benefits of attending his beautiful, high-tech institution, there is very little chance that any of these students will be attending. The tuition for the 18-month course is $45,000.
If Bernie Sanders is elected president, he’s promised to make this type of trade school education free and fully available to any of my students with the drive and determination to take it. LLHS could easily send seven to ten students to UTI each year if this were the case, and what a difference that would make to our community.
A Sanders presidency would make traditional college tuition-free to all of our students here in Lake County who are overwhelmingly poor and would benefit the most from this type of program.
Bernie would also guarantee that our kids are not saddled with the crushing student debt currently burdening many of their parents and teachers. He will cancel the student debt and high-cost student loan programs burying millions of families across America and limit student loan interest to 1.88 percent. This is huge.
As an example: Together, my wife, who is also a teacher, and I pay $6,600 per year in an interest-only, student loan repayment program to the government so that we can have the credentials to teach children. And only a fraction of that is tax-deductible. We have to pay to teach.
Our students have to pay for college. Our individual citizens have to pay property tax and income tax and payroll tax to pay for schools.
Meanwhile, Amazon pays nothing. Goldman-Sachs pays nothing. Fed-Ex pays nothing … and they all want well-educated employees. This is just one example of the high cost of education.
It can all change with a Bernie Sanders presidency.
John Tyler lives in Kelseyville, California.
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- Written by: John Tyler
As a long-term resident of Clearlake Rivieras, I am painfully aware that my neighborhood is featured in a list of the California cities with the worst wildfire evacuations.
Using the latest research, grant funding, and increasing the number of community Firewise communities, we must scrupulously work to better prepare ourselves from further disasters.
At the same time, we must significantly increase county revenues to fund thoughtful expansion and increased services.
For these reasons, I am a strong supporter of Jessica Pyska for District 5 supervisor.
Since she lost her family home in the Valley fire in 2015, Jessica has become a leader for her community in disaster resilience and economic recovery.
She also works closely with the Board of Supervisors and county staff on many issues that are high priority items to improve the county’s economy. These include the Middle Creek Restoration Project to bring healthy conditions back to Clear Lake, the Tourist Improvement District, and significantly increasing the amount of grant funding from federal, state and private sources.
I have confidence that she will bring her experience, energy and knowledge of the latest techniques to improve District 5 residents’ safety and economic prosperity.
Just this year, she has brought a $200,000 economic development grant to Cobb and is currently working on a microloan program of $150,000 for local businesses countywide.
She is a proponent of Lake County updating its woefully out-of-date area plans to ensure that future expansion is done thoughtfully and residents have input in planning their community while preserving the things they like most about it.
I hope you will join me in voting for Jessica Pyska for District 5 supervisor on March 3, 2020.
Her energy, experience and vision will serve Lake County well.
Val Meyer Nixon lives in Kelseyville, California.
Using the latest research, grant funding, and increasing the number of community Firewise communities, we must scrupulously work to better prepare ourselves from further disasters.
At the same time, we must significantly increase county revenues to fund thoughtful expansion and increased services.
For these reasons, I am a strong supporter of Jessica Pyska for District 5 supervisor.
Since she lost her family home in the Valley fire in 2015, Jessica has become a leader for her community in disaster resilience and economic recovery.
She also works closely with the Board of Supervisors and county staff on many issues that are high priority items to improve the county’s economy. These include the Middle Creek Restoration Project to bring healthy conditions back to Clear Lake, the Tourist Improvement District, and significantly increasing the amount of grant funding from federal, state and private sources.
I have confidence that she will bring her experience, energy and knowledge of the latest techniques to improve District 5 residents’ safety and economic prosperity.
Just this year, she has brought a $200,000 economic development grant to Cobb and is currently working on a microloan program of $150,000 for local businesses countywide.
She is a proponent of Lake County updating its woefully out-of-date area plans to ensure that future expansion is done thoughtfully and residents have input in planning their community while preserving the things they like most about it.
I hope you will join me in voting for Jessica Pyska for District 5 supervisor on March 3, 2020.
Her energy, experience and vision will serve Lake County well.
Val Meyer Nixon lives in Kelseyville, California.
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- Written by: Val Meyer Nixon
Yuba Community College District wants more of our tax dollars – this time $228.4 million!
They have a lot of nerve since we are currently paying on four Yuba College School Bonds:
Series A - $29,504,047 - 11 years remaining;
Series B - $65,492,278 - 26 years remaining;
Series C - $34,935,795 - 30 years remaining;
Series D - $26,500,000 - 19 years remaining.
In reviewing the 31-item project list for Measure C, it is extremely general in nature, citing such things as “heating, ventilation and cooling systems, irrigation piping systems, maintenance issues,” and many others.
The project list is very similar to the list provided for Measure Q approved by the voters in 2016.
The majority of the items listed should have been taken care of under the previous bond and ongoing routine maintenance. Why weren’t they?
Perhaps it is because the district has a $52 million pension debt, a $48 million unfunded retiree health care debt, is paying $310,000 a year in rent for an administration office in downtown Yuba City and pays top administrators $200,000 to $300,000 a year in salaries and benefits.
The college district includes all of Yuba, Sutter and Colusa counties and portions of Butte, Glenn, Lake, Placer and Yolo counties.
Those of you who rent should be concerned – if property taxes go up, your rent will go up to cover the increase.
The total cost to the taxpayers is estimated to be $412 million.
Vote no on Measure C!
Pat Miller, president of the Sutter County Taxpayers Association, lives in Yuba City, California.
They have a lot of nerve since we are currently paying on four Yuba College School Bonds:
Series A - $29,504,047 - 11 years remaining;
Series B - $65,492,278 - 26 years remaining;
Series C - $34,935,795 - 30 years remaining;
Series D - $26,500,000 - 19 years remaining.
In reviewing the 31-item project list for Measure C, it is extremely general in nature, citing such things as “heating, ventilation and cooling systems, irrigation piping systems, maintenance issues,” and many others.
The project list is very similar to the list provided for Measure Q approved by the voters in 2016.
The majority of the items listed should have been taken care of under the previous bond and ongoing routine maintenance. Why weren’t they?
Perhaps it is because the district has a $52 million pension debt, a $48 million unfunded retiree health care debt, is paying $310,000 a year in rent for an administration office in downtown Yuba City and pays top administrators $200,000 to $300,000 a year in salaries and benefits.
The college district includes all of Yuba, Sutter and Colusa counties and portions of Butte, Glenn, Lake, Placer and Yolo counties.
Those of you who rent should be concerned – if property taxes go up, your rent will go up to cover the increase.
The total cost to the taxpayers is estimated to be $412 million.
Vote no on Measure C!
Pat Miller, president of the Sutter County Taxpayers Association, lives in Yuba City, California.
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- Written by: Pat Miller