Brentwood Press - Index

Brentwood Press - AntiochPress_07.25.08 - Index

16A | THEPRESS.NET JULY 25, 2008
“ It appears that the mayor and the council of
the city of Antioch are only interested in building
projects that will earn money for the community.
Eleanor Coburn ”
Winning Newspapers
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EDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY
OPINION
National
It’s time for residents to put up or …?
Some wedding ceremonies used to include a
request to anyone who might object to the union “to
speak now or forever hold your peace.” A variation
of that is now taking place in East County: the election
process.
For those who object to the way things have
been run in their city, school
district or other community
EDITORIAL boards, or think they could
do better, now is the time to
step forward – or live with the
consequences in the coming years. Two weeks remain
on the fi ling period to become a candidate for local
offi ces, and the process for becoming a candidate is
very simple and inexpensive.
The current leaders in East County are, for the
Library should be primary
Editor:
Where was it written that Mello-
Roos funds were to be used to build
buildings that would earn money for
the community in which the building
was built? It appears that the mayor
and the council of the city of Antioch
are only interested in building projects
that will earn money for the community;
not projects that will serve the
educational needs of the community!
I absolutely cannot believe that my
substantial contribution to the Mello-
Roos funds of this city is going to be
used in this manner. What we need,
gentlemen, is a library! All the other
attributes that you mention in your design
should be absolutely secondary to
giving this community a decent library.
What is the matter with you people?
City Council and the mayor have
already told us that they plan to lease
land to the Y to build a building.
Won’t the Y have a gym? Why do we
need a gym in our community center/
library? If our gym’s rent is priced too
high and therefore remains empty, will
you then consider putting a library in
that space?
Honestly, you people really amaze
me. It’s all about the money, right?
But you certainly don’t mind using my
money to build it.
Eleanor Coburn
Antioch
No magic capsule for gas relief
Editor:
Gas pains? Is it doom and gloom
for years to come? We may have to get
used to it. There is very little most of
us can do to lower the price of a gallon
of gas. However, there are some things
we can do to lower our overall fuel
most part, good, intelligent, hard-working people
with the best interests of their communities at heart.
But there are also many problems and challenges
facing East County – escalating crime, congested
roads, lack of local jobs, rampant foreclosures, a
threatened Delta – that might be better managed
with new people providing new energy, ideas and
experience.
The big question is: How would you like your
community to develop in the next 10 years? The
answer will largely be provided by the hundred or so
people serving on the various councils, boards, committees
and commissions in East County.
They say: You can’t fi ght City Hall – which isn’t
really true. But if it were true, another saying is: If
you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. One great way to get
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
bill. We can car pool, consolidate trips,
drive without a lead foot on the gas
pedal, reduce the speed limit (please
don’t let this happen); perhaps even
purchase a more fuel-effi cient vehicle.
But the result of most gas savings tips
means that you just use your car less
and it will not lower the cost of a gallon
of gas. But why is gas so high and
who is to blame?
The fi nger generally points to the
oil companies and their huge earnings,
but let’s examine their “windfall”
profi ts. For fi nding the oil, drilling for
it, transporting it, refi ning it into gas
and transporting the gas to the stations,
they clear (before taxes) about 58
cents per gallon (Exxon/ Mobile 2007
earnings statement). Considering that
billions of gallons of gas are sold, that
could be some pretty good revenues.
But Uncle Sam takes about 25
cents of that 58 cents per gallon for
federal incomes taxes. That leaves
about 33 cents per gallon for the stockholders,
and what remains is generally
reinvested in the company to build new
facilities and repair or expand existing
ones. Doesn’t sound like a windfall to
me!
So who or what is really making
the money? Your government! That’s
right, the same boys and girls in the
House, Senate and state, who talk out
of both sides of their mouths. One
side complains about high gas costs
and proposes windfall taxes on the oil
companies and a return to the 55 mph
highway limit (there’s that terrible idea
again) and the other side that whispers,
“We collect federal, excise, state and
sales taxes that amount to over twice
what the oil companies profi t.” (Californians
pay 75 cents in taxes for each
gallon of gas, and the state currently
collects twice as much in gasoline sales
taxes than it did fi ve years ago.)
I would be remiss if I did not
congratulate our elected offi cials for
the great job they have also done with
overseas trading. The current price of
gas is affected more by the value of
the girly-man dollar in the European
market.
During the past eight years, the
dollar has become so weak in comparison
to the Euro that while crude might
have doubled in price in Euros, it has
quadrupled against the dollar, thanks
to our federal leaders for an ever-increasing
trade defi cit and other future
non-funded programs. If the dollar
had remained at least equal to the
Euro today, we would be paying less
than $3 per gallon.
So the next time you pull into a
gas station, while sitting in your car
drinking that Starbucks venti latte that
costs the equivalent of $23 per gallon,
looking at that six-pack of Budweiser
beer you just bought that runs $11 per
gallon, consider this: perhaps gas isn’t
such a bad bargain after all.
The simple truth is that Americans
are going to have to get used to more
expensive gasoline. And while we continue
grumbling at pump prices and
get a bloated feeling after fi lling our
tanks, there are no magical capsules to
provide gas relief. And that is a hard
pill to swallow.
Al Del Grande
Brentwood
New fines flawed
Editor:
Recently it came to my attention
that all Summerset Home Owner Associations
(HOAs) received a notice
that a Rental Inspection Program has
been enacted by the city of Brentwood.
your way at City Hall is to be casting votes on what
gets done at City Hall.
One more saying is: Put up or shut up. We don’t
subscribe to that less genteel version of “forever hold
your peace,” as our active opinion pages attest each
week. Even if you don’t have the time to run for offi
ce and serve on a board, it’s still, of course, important
to speak up on civic issues at meetings and via
e-mails and letters to the editor.
But if you really want to get your voice heard,
and to turn your opinions and interests into actions,
the best way is to get elected to your local council,
board, etc. Contact your city hall for city offi ce elections,
and the county Elections Department for most
other races.
To comment on this editorial, visit www.thepress.net.
This action obviously came to fruition
due to the high number of properties
under foreclosure that have been left
as eyesores. It is questionable that the
action taken by the City Council to address
this problem will be effective, as
well as fair to those responsible owners
and managers of rental property.
The program includes a hefty fee
imposed on each property. These fees
will evidently be used to pay inspectors
and maintenance on uncared-for
properties. It would appear that after
due notice, maintenance costs would
be billed to property owners. Evidently,
gated communities such as Summerset
are included in this program. This
makes no good sense.
Responsible landlords and managers
of rental property presently
maintain their property to generally
meet the standards established by
the program. This especially is true
for gated communities wherein the
HOAs CC&Rs and attendant rules are
monitored and enforced in this regard.
Lending institutions (banks) are quasi
owners of the properties and will just
let the bills become liens payable upon
property transfer many months down
the road.
To be effective, responsible
property taxpaying landlords will end
up paying for interim maintenance
on properties they do not own. It is
obvious that the cost of this interim
maintenance will not be forthcoming
from where it should. This is not fair
and should be illegal.
The City Council should abolish
this ordinance. It is not even fi t to be
placed on the ballot.
Ben Cerruti
Brentwood