Letters to the editor: Oct. 25, 2012

Letters appearing in the News Chieftain:

Praise for Mangum, Cunningham

As the election approaches, I’ve been considering what selection criteria I will use to endorse for City Council. Each election is different and every candidate brings a different skill set to the table, but there are always certain requisite traits.

My ideal candidate has a track record of service, has decision-making experience, acts with unimpeachable integrity and has demonstrated that their only interest is doing what is best for Poway.

Based on this criteria, I am endorsing Jeff Mangum and Jim Cunningham.

Jeff Mangum has an admirable history of public service. Jeff’s election to the Poway Unified School District board 16 years ago helped restore stability to the board and create a culture of cooperation and respect within PUSD. Jeff has been unfairly criticized for the last issuance of bonds by PUSD, but Jeff was not on the board when those bonds were authorized and issued.

Jeff’s integrity is unassailable and he has the experience, proven leadership ability and temperament to be an effective Poway City Council member.

Jim Cunningham has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to our city. His efforts making the Veterans Park a reality exemplifies his work ethic and willingness to tackle a wide range of issues on our collective behalf.

I will enthusiastically cast my votes for Jeff Mangum and Jim Cunningham for Poway City Council and respectfully ask that you do the same.

John Mullin, City Council member, Poway

Vaus cares about families

As a substance abuse treatment specialist, I am keenly aware of the drug and alcohol problem that exists among Poway’s teens. And I believe everyone in the community, including elected officials, needs to work together toward finding solutions.

With that in mind, I have watched Poway’s City Council race with great interest. Steve Vaus takes the substance abuse issue seriously and he has shown true leadership by organizing a citywide meeting and creating a citizen task force. Steve obviously cares about families and community safety.

I urge your support for Steve Vaus for Poway City Council on Nov. 6.

Will Wooton , Escondido

Vineyard a good council choice

No man I know would better serve the city of Poway as a City Council member than Gary Vineyard.

I have known Gary since before the turn of the current century and it has been a total delight. I have seen his talents at work, but more than his talents I have witnessed and delighted in seeing his heart of gold extend to so many people.

The charitable contributions Gary has made with his time and effort are unparalleled. He has worked with the Scouts, the Boys & Girls clubs, Kiwanis, the Chamber of Commerce and many more civic organizations. He is a man with a quick wit that can open any door that needs to be opened and does it with laughter and charm, all the time being genuine with his rhetoric and intentions to get things done.

A military man, he has served his country and still supports all veterans and their groups in many ways. As a businessman he has had the most loyal customers in every business he has ventured into, the key being his honesty, integrity and willingness to serve and please people at all times.

For these reasons I think that Gary Vineyard would make a great City Council member.

Benny Ricardo, Former San Diego Charger, San Marcos

Vaus ready to help Poway

Why does Steve Vaus have my vote? When was the last time a City Council member asked your opinion on city issues? Did you feel like they listened?

Steve shows up, volunteers and listens, making himself available to the community. He is a dedicated hard worker, tenacious and he’s ready to step up to make this community better for all of us. We work better, faster, smarter as a team, and Steve Vaus gets that.

Karen Dunn, Poway

Political mailer misleading

Last Friday I received a post card from the Steve Vaus campaign linking Jeff Mangum to the $1 billion school bond fiasco. It stated, “Jeff Mangum… claims he had nothing to do with the PUSD’s billion dollar bond…. Truth is: in October 2010 Mangum voted to authorize the $105 million bond that put a billion dollar burden on Poway taxpayers.”

Sounds like Mangum voted for the $1 billion financing scheme, right? Wrong. I spoke with Marlene Cowell, executive assistant to the PUSD board. She confirmed that Mangum left the board in December 2010, while final authorization of the billion dollar financing occurred in May 2011.

It’s one thing to vote for a $105 million bond, which Mangum did, and quite another thing to vote to finance it with a non-callable loan costing $1 billion, which Mangum didn’t do. To me, the Vaus campaign’s post card blurs the distinction between the two, hoping to paint Mangum as a direct cause of the fiasco that will cost the PUSD $1 billion. I find that both inaccurate and deceptive.

Lane Freestone, Poway

Ex-city manager backs Mangum

As Poway’s first city manager and a Poway resident for over 30 years, I obviously have a special love for our city. I worked with many City Council members during my 25 years as city manager and know the high caliber of the men and women who have served on this council.

For a decade I also had the opportunity to work with and watch former school board member and current City Council candidate Jeff Mangum as he skillfully represented Poway Unified School District on the Poway City/PUSD joint sub-committee. Jeff worked respectfully and collaboratively on projects that were mutually beneficial to the City of Poway and its schools.

I have no doubt that Jeff will bring the same commitment, insight, and work ethic to the City Council. Jeff has the experience and expertise not only to represent the citizens of Poway but also to effectively serve the city on various regional committees. He will provide the professionalism we need to attract new businesses to the community. In short, he will provide the kind of leadership and direction that is expected from a Poway City Councilmember.

Jeff Mangum has the skills needed to protect Poway’s financial stability and maintain its careful management. He will help ensure the high quality of life that Powegians have come to expect.

My wife, Donna, and I strongly support and endorse Jeff Mangum for Poway City Council. Jeff will be an excellent addition to the distinguished list of councilmembers who have served Poway.

Jim Bowersox, Poway

Vaus would be good council addition

In the last several months I had an opportunity to share breakfast with Steve Vaus. We talked about many things, like family, jobs, different places we lived and the life here in Poway after 39 years. I thought it was very interesting.

Steve’s outlook points to a better life to live and share in Poway. From what I heard I feel he would be a great addition to our City Council.

Jim-Tom Cavanaugh, Poway

Mangum most qualified to serve

I sincerely hope that my fellow voters in Poway will look beyond the current political rhetoric and recognize what a fine person Jeff Mangum truly is. During the past several decades he has earned the respect of everyone with whom he has worked or come into contact with, whether in his role as a community servant, professional or neighbor. We must make sure this is the case as we look at each candidate in the race for City Council.

In today’s political environment, collaboration is much more important than ego, and cooperation with people both inside and outside the city is the key to producing results. The fact remains that Jeff Mangum is the most qualified to serve our community on the Poway City Council. It’s imperative that we keep a person of his caliber involved in our city.

Sallie Hite, Poway

It’s a matter of trust

I have lived in Poway for over 35 years and the one constant in this community has always been the fiscally conservative nature of our elected officials on the City Council, and in this still economically troubling time, our vote in November is crucial to maintaining our solid fiscal standing.

Jeff Mangum was a member of the Poway Unified School Board and in October of 2010, he signed off on a $900 million interest payment that has now been passed on to our kids.

He claims that he had no part in this school bond debacle but he cannot dispute the facts that he was a part of this fiscally irresponsible bond and he either was unable to understand or was indifferent to the consequences that this silver bullet loan would have on future generations in Poway. He may not have been on the board when it was finally issued but he certainly helped light the fuse. He took the test and failed miserably and in doing so he violated the public trust for sensible fiscal leadership. He claims to be tested and trusted but that type of leadership is not what this city needs.

The choice for City Council is clear to maintain our conservative fiscal leadership, I urge the good people of Poway to join me on election day and vote for Steve Vaus, a true fiscally conservative servant of the people.

It really is a matter of trust.

Jim Hall, Poway

Vaus, Vineyard will move city forward

I am the activist that got a year’s worth of storm water fees returned to the Poway sewer and water ratepayers. There is still a lot left on the table that the city refuses to reimburse even though they got the money by violating Proposition 218 requirements. We are talking roughly about $500 per household. I get nothing for doing this, other than letting the bureaucrats they can’t get away with violating the laws. I have spent much time researching how they did this and attending meetings asking the council to refund this money that isn’t the city’s

I am asking you to support Steve Vaus and Gary Vineyard for council, because with their vote we have the greatest chance of getting our money back. Jeff Mangum wouldn’t even talk to me about the issue and ignored me like I was a leper. Jim Cunningham is a nice individual, but he only wants to go along to get along. Neither Jeff or Jim are committed to desalination for the future. We need council members to stand up for future needs and not be afraid of new ideas that are far more important than lights at the park. I for one would like to flush my toilet in the next drought. I hope you will vote for the new blood who will move us into the future with ideas and character about not being beholden to the real estate agents.

Bill Barnick, Poway

This voter is backing Mangum

I don’t know the details of the evolution of the capital appreciation bond when the PUSD board voted to move forward with a bond issue in both 2010 and 2011. I don’t know if five upstanding citizens really conspired to move forward and not inform the electorate about the details of a CAB. I don’t know what their motive was other than more modern classrooms to enhance the students learning environment.

What I do know is Jeff Mangum spent 16 years on the PUSD board and did a very respectable job serving the students and the citizens of our community. I believe our children are better off today because of his contributions. I also know he is held in high esteem by those he has worked with and many others who know him. I know since leaving the board he has participated in volunteer services that benefit the community.

My dilemma is, should I give priority to what I know or do I give it to what I don’t know.

After giving it a lot of thought I will opt for the known values and vote for Jeff. I believe he would do very well on the council just as he did on the PUSD board.

Tom Yarnall, Poway

Letters appearing in the News Journal:

No fan of Scott Peters

I am responding to your Oct. 18 endorsement of Scott Peters for Congress.

Is this the same Scott Peters who has been on the government dole most of his life and is a millionaire? Is this the Scott Peters who cost the City of San Diego over $600,000 in attorney fees for his vote with regard to the San Diego pension? I believe the city owes over $2 billion for this mess. Is this the same Scott Peters who when serving on the City Council did not include his wife’s investments on a financial disclosure? And when questioned he said he forgot.

In my opinion Scott Peters is not worthy of representing the people of the 52nd Congressional District even though he has support from the Democratic Party in Washington.

Jim King, Rancho Bernardo

Pass on plastic grass

Rancho Bernardo’s high desert chaparral features scrubby plants like sage. Drought tolerant with a dry, dusty look, these locals, when placed in well developed landscapes using gravel or decomposed granite, attract native wildlife and look natural.

Discordant lawns require tremendous amounts of water and chemicals yet do nothing to attract native wildlife nor harmonize with RB’s unique location.

If real grass does not belong, why would we glue plastic grass into a test median? It consumes natural resources to manufacture, is costly to purchase and install and has a limited life, requiring it to eventually be landfilled and replaced.

Mr. Blitzblau, the RB Maintenance Assessment District committee chairman, is pragmatic in his task, which is great. May we assist him by applying design sense for another solution; something that’s more practical and blends in?

The recently asphalted medians on Pomerado Road, north of RB Road, looked starkly black at first, but are aging well, stay clean by themselves, mitigate weeds, require virtually no maintenance and will last a long time. If Mr. Blitzblau, other members of MAD, the Community Council or residents feel traditional stamped concrete is not an appropriate solution, would using wooden plank-stamped concrete be an alternative? Could the wood grain convey the feeling of the old ranch?

Leave the Astroturf in the Astrodome, which interestingly, is slated for the wrecking ball.

Thanks to Mr. Blitzblau and the maintenance committee for their hard work keeping our community beautiful and recommending intelligent improvements. We support your goal.

Jeffrey John August, Rancho Bernardo

Stamped concrete, please

Once again the Rancho Bernardo Maintenance Assessment District is looking at ways to enhance our community. This time it is artificial grass!!

Those of us who by the way also live in Rancho Bernardo have to view the horrid black medians that occupy north Pomerado Road daily. We would have been delighted to have stamped concrete in its place. There were never any open hearings about putting the horrid black top medians in our area, they just did it.

On Bernardo Center Drive the medians are viewed only by transient shoppers.

After living in RB for over 22 years and seeing the way that this organization funded by our tax dollars finds ridiculous ways to spend our money, I am still truly amazed.

Shirley Cooper, Rancho Bernardo

Related posts:

1. Letters to the Editor: Oct. 18, 2012
2. Committee formed to study controversial PUSD bonds
3. Four are early entrants to Poway City Council election
4. Letters to the editor – Issue of Sept. 27, 2012
5. Mangum: Letter mailed to supporters filled with ‘lies’

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