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Letters to the editor: March 14, 2013

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President is hurting the people

This current administration came up with the idea of sequestration, allowed it to happen, picked the most vital functions to be cut and advised implementers “to make it hurt.” The worst, most despicable and mean-spirited action of the president was to close the White House, the People’s House to tours, especially for our children.

There were numerous other choices; another mega vacation, close Camp David, furlough some of the 20 aides to Mrs. Obama, cancel a few “campaign” flights on Air Force One, or many other options.

It was a calculated, political “make- it-hurt” decision. The president should be ashamed. Voters have long memories.

Herb Tuttle, Rancho Bernardo

Community stays strong

I just wanted to take some time to acknowledge how much our community has gone through and how strong we have stayed as a whole.

Three years ago the beautiful Chelsea King was taken from our community in the most awful way, but what she didn’t know is that her death changed our community and brought us together under a common cause to help protect other girls against the same fate. The Chelsea’s Light Foundation just did their annual “Finish Chelsea’s Run” to raise money to help legislation go through Congress and also to help other kids succeed in life by giving scholarships.

I am so pleased we have not forgotten the bright soul and the beautiful life she led, I am so glad we have not stopped fighting for justice and to protect future generations. I am so glad to be part of a community that cares.

Courtney Riha, Rancho Bernardo

California is No. 2

We taxpayers owe a debt of gratitude to the Board of Equalization for adding a 3.54 cent tax increase to a gallon of gas. There is plenty of room to add a Solyndra, wind, or solar tax to the other nickel-and-dime taxes already on the books for a total of at least 39 cents per gallon.

As the Obama administration says, the higher the gas tax, the more money our Democrats will have to spend on other losing environmental projects even though they lose millions of taxpayer money. Solyndra lost about $582 million. After all, who cares that poor people and hard-working commuters are now able to help support Sacramento politicians, Hollywood and their rich environmental contributors with these taxes.

Sadly, we are not No. 1 in gas taxes. We in California are only No. 2 to New York state, but with help from Sacramento and their super Democratic majority, we could easily be No. 1 soon. Hurrah!

William Stamos, Rancho Bernardo

Turn red-light cameras back on

Regarding the Poway City Council’s March 5 decision to turn off the city’s red-light cameras for three months:

I understood that the benefits to having red-light cameras were:

• A reduction in the number of T-bone accidents by 53 percent over the seven-year period they have been operating.

• Revenues returned have been used for several traffic improvements.

• Sheriff’s deputies have been more effective, having been released from monitoring such junctions and spending time writing tickets.

The disadvantages? A few complaints from citizens regarding right-hand turns? Really?

The junction at Pomerado Road and Ted Williams Parkway was notorious for red-light running. When the cameras were first installed it was quite a flash bulb display when waiting at the lights. With the installation of the red-light system the behavior of traffic at this junction has improved considerably.

When you consider the speed at which traffic comes down Ted Williams Parkway toward the lights, without cameras in the future one can only anticipate red-light running to increase once people realize that, unless there are police monitoring the junction, they stand a good chance of getting away with it — unless of course they crash into some innocent driver coming the other way.

The mayor, who originally wanted the cameras to be done away with completely, agreed that covering up the cameras would be a “good way to determine whether the camera system is effective.”

What is he waiting for? The accident rate to increase to pre-camera levels to prove that red-light cameras do an excellent job in reducing accidents and deaths?

Poway had a red-light running problem — we installed cameras which reduced the accident rate — we are now turning them off. Why?

Gillian Pinsky, Poway

Lower business taxes

Many business owners and top-earners in California are considering moving to a different state? Why? Because the taxes are so high that it isn’t worth it to stay in the state.

No one likes to have their hard-earned money taken away from them. My stepfather, for example, is a small-business owner. He has been contemplating moving out of California in order to make a reasonable profit from his business. People like him are very upset over the rise in taxes especially on businesses in California. This isn’t fair to them, and taxes need to be lowered.

Paige Byrd, Rancho Bernardo

Red-light dangers

I strongly feel that turning off of red-light cameras is creating a much larger chance of cars to speed through that intersection to beat the red light. If more cars start to do that because they know that they can’t get caught for running a red light then, the odds are much higher for an accident to occur.

The roads are already unsafe. Why take the cameras away and make them more dangerous?

Dominic Contreras, Rancho Bernardo

New gun law needed

Recent mass shootings have become a huge problem in the United States. After a large number of deaths caused by inhumane crimes, why do some people still claim to own guns for their self defense?

As president Obama announced, Congress should pass a new gun control law as soon as possible so that no more tragedies terrify us. The government needs to make tighter gun regulations, check for all gun purchases, and ban assault weapons and high-quality ammunition clips.

Momoka Endo, Rancho Bernardo

Red-light stress

As the victim of two citations for allegedly running red lights, I read with interest and hope that Mayor Higginson asked the Poway City Council to terminate its contract for red-light cameras.

In the first instance, the light changed as I turned following a full-size bus. In the second instance, I stopped at a red light before making right-hand turn. To avoid a parked Metropolitan Transit System bus, I did not make a sharp turn and the camera clicked at me, even though I was not running the light.

I wanted to appear before the judge, but was told that Poway violators were to first see a man who, with his laptop, showed me brief video of what the camera caught. He said no judge would exonerate me. I wondered who employed him.

Since I live within a few minutes of the light at Poway and Pomerado roads, I’m often there, reminding myself not to fixate on it or worry that car behind will ram me if I stop at yellow light, but to pay attention to pedestrians and follow the traffic code.

As I don’t think my experience is unique, I hope the City Council understands the ramifications of photo-enhanced cameras.

Valerie Raymond, Poway

Save the surplus

Double thumbs down to the city manager’s idea to use a budget surplus to build a multi-purpose building at the city center.

It’s a one-time surplus which should be used to save money in the future. I vote for going solar on the all the city buildings, or using the money to underground the utilities in Poway that are still above ground.

Building a building to Mickey Cafagna, while “noble,” I don’t even think Mickey would be impressed. It’s another monument to a public official. The building will create maintenance and utility costs for what?

Christine Valle, Poway

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