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Written by: Dave Gebhard

Published: 29 June 2008

Created: 29 June 2008

Last Updated: 21 August 2008

A society is a living organism, and when one part is infected and sick, the whole organism can be infected as it metastasizes. We need to bring all of our citizens up to a healthy level both educationally, emotionally and financially. Educationally, as many of our citizens as possible should be educated as well as we are capable. Equal opportunity requires full educational opportunities for all. Without equal opportunity, people are not emotionally invested in American ideals and culture.

America has always taken pride in nurturing the ideas of Horatio Algers. If citizens are not educated properly they cannot reasonably expect to share in the American Dream. Thus, we need to invest in education for all our citizens or we are asking for an unstable society.

One of the reasons for our tremendous effort in World War II was the pervasive feeling of inclusion by all our people. True, we had been going through a terrible depression, but most people felt like they were all sharing in the pain. Thus, Americans mobilized the entire country and produced weapons of war in record numbers.

As a country we have lost sight, at least in our nation's capital, of the terrible injustice we are doing ourselves. Robbing our citizens of a decent education also robs all of us of intellectual capital that will sorely be needed as the world changes and new challenges arise. We are emulating the oil sheiks of the Middle East, by shortchanging our children of the working class of a decent education. We will pay a steep price, as these youngsters see no future without the reading, writing, and arithmetic skills that they need to find gainful employment.

Our prisons are overcrowded and our unemployment lines are only short because of all those whose benefits have run out. We need to rethink our priorities.

Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport.

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Written by: Kelly Mathews

Published: 27 June 2008

Created: 27 June 2008

Last Updated: 27 June 2008

To the St. Mary's Pastoral Advisory Council:

 

First, please let me extend my deep sympathy for your suffering regarding the recent removal of Fr. Ted. 

 

I have read you recent letter of public support for Fr. Ted at the Lake County News Web site and you church web pages.

 

Please take into consideration that somewhere in your parish community, today, right now, there is a young boy being abused. He may be a victim of sexual assault by his sitter or family friend. He may not understand what us adults are talking about but he will remember that coming forward to share his secret is pointless. No one will believe him nor support him. He has learned this because he has seen how the community supports the alleged abuser and not the victim. 

 

Coming from a personal experience, watching my parish collect sympathy notes and well-wishing cards in public was one of the most painful and degrading acts in my life. It was cruel.

 

I hope that you can maintain your support of your pastor in the quietness and stillness of your hearts, and keep in mind the children in your parish who now must live in further silence and shame. 

 

Or, perhaps you may take this time to help others. You could post whom to call and whom to seek help from in your own community if you or someone that you know is a victim of sexual abuse.

 

Or, go to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Web page and read the list on what to do if your priest is accused of sexual misconduct.

 

My heart goes out to all of you.

 

Kelly Mathews lives in Marquette, Mich. She runs a Web site dedicated to monitoring clergy sex abuse at www.marquettedioceseclergywatch.org.

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Written by: Wanda Harris

Published: 26 June 2008

Created: 26 June 2008

Last Updated: 26 June 2008

California is in the midst of a structural revenue shortfall.

Since 1978, California has simply not generated enough money to pay for its basic services, from public education to transportation to water.

The governor and the Republicans would have us believe that our budget deficit is caused by overspending in the "good times" that leaves us with huge shortfalls when the economy turns sour.

But there isn't $16 billion in "overspending" and the governor and the Republicans know it, as proved by his $4 billion cut for California public schools.

Others claim that the problem is locked in and/or frivolous spending, but here again, that only accounts for a tiny fraction of the massive deficit total.

These arguments simply reinforce the idea that spending on parks, schools, and social services is frivolous, whereas blatantly unfair tax favoritism is not.

Why is it that some Californians get the “frivolous” privilege of paying property tax rates that have not changed in 30 years?

Why aren't tax breaks framed as frivolous and wasteful leftovers from the "good times?"

That was how Mark Leno framed the VLF cut that the governor made as his first act as governor which costs the state some $5 billion each year.

Or the yacht tax loophole, which has the cruel effect of protecting the rich at the expense of the poor?

The real problem is that since 1978 this state has cut nearly $12 billion in taxes on an annual basis.

There are many possible saving and revenues solutions, as outlined by the non-partisan California Budget Project.

Some examples that could close the gap (in millions):

• Raise the Vehicle License Fee to 2 percent = $4,838;

• Tax commercial property at market value = $3,350;

• Increase the corporate tax rate by 1 percent to 9.84 percent= $1,251;

• Restore the top income tax brackets = $2,200;

• And capping the deductible mortgage interest rate at $50,000 of interest = $80.

Finally, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Franchise Tax Board and Board of Equalization estimate that the state is owed up to an estimated $8.5 billion in sales, use and income tax that go unpaid each year. However, the governor proposes collecting only about $150 million of that next year and then $253 million in 2009-10. Of that $8.5 billion, hundreds of millions, if not billions more, could be collected.

Continuing to balance the budget with a cuts-only approach hurts vital services that all Californians need and deserve. Lawmakers must consider revenue increases to fund crucial programs that help children, the poor and working families. We look forward to working with the Legislature and the governor in passing a state budget that invests in the future of our children, our schools and our state

The law-abiding taxpayers of California deserve a budget that is fair.

Wanda Harris is chair of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee. She lives in Hidden Valley Lake.

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