A state cemetery would be easy to achieve. It’s merely a question of money. Our state leaders say, “Sorry, there are no funds available at this time for a cemetery.” I say, “Bull-pucky!” It’s disgraceful and unforgivable to let down our vets, who put their lives on the line for the rest of us. Many died in combat, and if we had lost in World War II, we’d all be marching lockstep and saying “Heil!” today. “No money” you say? So, give up a part of your very bloated salaries, pensions and perks, plus your own hefty health benefits, all of which the rest of us, and the veterans of World War II, plus the veterans of subsequent wars, continue to provide for your comfort and your enjoyment.
Mr. Maldonado – you promised to faithfully represent our area, so we voted for you, and you have shown no interest whatsoever in this urgent project. So if you expect to remain in office, lean on your buddies in Sacramento and make the cemetery happen now, not later, because time is running out for The Greatest Generation. Many already are in their mid-80s. We’re not talking useless pork. We’re talking payback time. So, get on with it. Do the right thing.
And another thing – it would be nice to know exactly which of our lawmakers are keeping our warships out of the San Francisco Bay area on Veteran’s Day (or any other day). That is a national disgrace. Shame on all of you, and you know who you are.
For all veterans, and for KSCO and KOMY, this is Kay Zwerling.
19
(January 21, 2005 ) Listen to this. Isn’t there a disconnect somewhere? UCSC’s new chancellor, Denise Dee Denton, will receive a salary of $275,000 per year plus moving expenses of $68,750. She also managed to have her longtime partner, Professor Gretchen Kalonji, hired at UCSC also for $192,000 per year. This while UC student fees have just been raised by about 29%, and that is a real hardship for many. This also while lower-bracket UC employees receive minimal wages and are having difficulty getting even small raises. UCSC this past year received gifts of around $35 million, probably from alumni, from whom they solicit all the time.
Likewise, one of our own county administrative officers, Susan Mauriello, when I looked several years ago, gave herself $192,000 per year, same as the vice president of the United States, plus a hefty pension for herself and the Board of Supervisors, who at that time were giving themselves close to $100,000 per year for two or three meetings per month. No doubt they give themselves yearly cost of living raises in addition. All this while many of our county needy like stroke victims are told that there are no longer funds in the county coffers to continue to give them free bus or cab transportation for shopping or doctor visits. This pattern of heartless, shameful greed by those on top of the public sector from the federal, state, county and local levels is occurring all over our country. Those on top take the cream for themselves first in the form of high salaries, high pensions, high health insurance premiums which We the People pay for, and at the same time, they all cry poverty and ask for more and more funds to get the job done. It is all so immoral. What is happening to fairmindedness and sensitivity in our society?
20
Printed in the Aptos Times, September 1, 2002
(August 3, 2002) In 1771, Samuel Adams wrote in the Boston Gazette, “Power makes men wanton – it intoxicates the mind; and unless those with whom the power is entrusted are carefully watched, such men will not govern the people, according to the known laws of the state.”
It is clear that our county lawmakers are not being carefully watched, for while we have entrusted them with making laws and decisions which should benefit the people first and foremost, they benefit themselves!
The County Administrative Officer, called the CAO, sets yearly salaries for herself, the Board of Supervisors and other county employees. This is like the fox minding the chicken coop.
Soon, this CAO will be giving herself a 30% plus raise to approximately $191,000 per year, while the vice president of the United States receives approximately $170,000 per year. This, plus hefty pension plans, Social Security, bonuses, and other perks. Each supervisor will also receive a 30% plus raise and benefits to approximately $98,000 – all for attending about 35 meetings per year. Assistants do most of the gruntwork for them and bring them up to date on agenda issues. By contrast, San Francisco supervisors receive $36,000 a year, not $98,000.
These lawmakers tell us that we are facing serious budget deficits, so now they are cutting needed aid to the poor, the elderly, the mentally and physically ill, and the handicapped. What happened to the supposed budget surplus of $21 million we had only four months ago?
The Stroke Center budget has been cut. Also, the Center for Independent Living, which helps wheelchair-bound, handicapped, and convalescent people to become self-reliant. The latest outrage is that county managers want the supervisors to make 33% cuts to the medically indigent, who do not have any insurance. Bottom line: no more preventive care for the poor.
To Susan Mauriello, CAO, and to each of the supervisors I say, “In the face of these hardships, to so many constituents, who trust you for protection and guidance and wisdom, how dare you plan to give yourselves 30% plus raises? Or any raises? You have given yourselves too much already, with your lifetime benefits and perks! Your greed and callousness are irresponsible and unforgivable! You all deserve to be ousted from your cushy bureaucratic jobs!”
Recently, for one brief moment, Wormhoudt suggested to her colleagues that maybe they should forego the 30% plus raise, but that idea went over like a lead balloon. Jeff Almquist, poor baby, said that he needs that raise for his son’s college tuition. Wormhoudt could have refused her raised, but she didn’t. Heck, she made her gesture, and that was enough. Oh yes, she served on the Santa Cruz City Council for umpteen years, and now she is running for a third term as supervisor. So much for career politicians and term limits. But that’s another story.
How do We the People stop these unconscionable excesses?
We could do what California state voters did in 1990. They became fed up with lawmakers’ abuses, so they crafted an initiative which created a panel of citizens, not state employees, who meet yearly to set lawmakers’ salaries from the governor on down. It was put on the ballot, passed easily, and is now law.
Because of budget constraints, for the past six years, no state salary increases have been approved. That panel is the California Citizens Compensation Commission and the Chairman is Claude Brinegar.
While it is too late for this November election, we could prepare an initiative for an upcoming election. If you would like to be involved, call KSCO at 831-475-1080 and leave your name and phone number.
KSCO will be happy to provide free airtime to help solve this issue of lawmakers’ greed.
Once again, kudos to those who spend many hours to decipher obscure, convoluted county budgets, gathering financial facts for this editorial. They are Steve Hartman, Bob Suhr, Ed Mazenko, Harold Griffith, and Mike Schmidt – all heroic seekers for honesty and truth in government.
Let us not forget the powerful tool We the People have in the initiative process. It is the one way left for citizens in a free society to make right that which is wrong.
21
(September 18, 2002) Recently, I received a letter from someone needing to vent his frustrating experience with the County Planning Department. It’s a sad story which simply underscores the arrogant, cavalier reception which citizens often receive when applying for a building permit.
Next to getting married and having a family, what should be the most important and happiest event in one’s life is building one’s dream home. Here, more often than not, it is an aggravating, oppressive, and very expensive nightmare.
This restrictive attitude by planners, who take their orders from their bosses – the supervisors – who allow the rights of the long-toed salamander to overrule the rights of taxpaying county citizens, is nothing short of incongruous lunacy.
This treatment is by design (no pun intended). A process which elsewhere in the state and country is expedited in a timely manner, here usually takes many