Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/11369
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, June 1, 2010 Opinion Fortunate to D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 have sheriff Editor: We in Tehama County are for- tunate to have man of the caliber of Clay Parker as our Sheriff. We have probably never had a Sheriff as interested in the betterment of our community as he and his wife Lily. At almost every community event they are there giving their support and assistance. Sheriff Parker is a visible public servant. He does not hide behind his desk. He is out among us asking ques- tions, listening to your problems and taking action where warrant- ed. Sheriff Parker has developed important contacts with state and national representatives. These give him an open door, enabling him to successfully compete for benefits for Tehama County, and keep the legislators aware of the County's needs. This is a signifi- cant asset that we must not lose in this election. Any good executive who runs a tight ship will always have a few malcontents. This is true in Sheriff Parker's Department. You should not be confused by this fact. It is a testament to Sheriff Parker's com- petent management of his respon- sibilities. We need to continue his effective management style. I urge you vote for the re-elec- tion of Clay Parker as Sheriff. Gary Wheeler, Corning Sheriff's race Editor: I have read with great interest the letters and on line comments regarding the upcoming sheriff election. It seems that people's eyes are opening and they are beginning to see the light. Four years ago, I ran for sheriff of Tehama County. I told the vot- ers then that the sheriff's depart- ment needed to go in a different direction and change in the leader- ship was needed. The issues I raised four years ago were: The department’s administration has incorrect prior- ities, the department was top heavy with administrative staff and the sheriff spent too much time elevating himself for personal gain. Now, questions have been raised regarding command officers working on county time at their personal businesses, there are too many administrators and the sher- iff spends too much time in Sacra- mento and locally elevating him- self for personal gain. Not much has changed in four years. Every time the voters give Clay Parker another four years, they just affirm his conduct. The only way this is ever going to change is if we, the voters, change it. Has Clay Parker addressed the questions regarding some of the administrators working at their personal place of business while on duty? Let him explain the department's policy regarding this and why he does not believe they are working in outside employ- ment while on duty? Has Clay Parker really explained how his contacts in Sacramento has brought millions of dollars to the department? What money has he brought in? Is he speaking about grant money? Grant money comes from apply- ing for grants, just like every other sheriff’s department in the state does. No, his contacts in Sacra- mento benefit Clay Parker first and foremost. Now we hear that Clay Parker is going to get Lake California Drive widened or realigned or something. How is he going to do that? And how timely, just before the election. I questioned this four years ago when I noticed all the new programs and projects that suddenly materialized right at election time. I know of several other roads in the county that need just as much work as Lake Cali- fornia Drive. Clay, may I send you the list so you can get them fixed too? How does his involvement in all the civic organizations bring money to the department? How does it put any more criminals in jail? It doesn’t. It brings votes, it looks good and I am sure it is helpful to the organizations. But who really benefits the most? Clay Parker does. I think most of us know that we could go on and on about Parker’s ability to spin tales that sound good, look good and if we don’t question them, we just tend to believe them. Look at how he explained away his demotion from captain to deputy. The voters bought that one, hook, line and sinker. They never questioned why he was demoted if he didn’t do anything wrong. Now is the time to question. Now is the time to be informed. Now is the time to listen to those who have shared their experiences of what was going on while they were employees of the depart- ment. And I ask everyone to remem- ber this. All Clay Parker can say is: “I am going to keep doing what I have been doing.” Randy Knox, Red Bluff Candidate concerns Editor: I have some concerns about William Murphy, a candidate for superior court judge, office two. First of all I believe the photo of him sitting at his desk in his tri- fold mailer is a direct violation of Government Code 8314, which prohibits that type of photo from his office in campaign literature. It is not “incidental and minimal use” as stated in this section, but is obvious and is in a mailer that was Your Turn sent to thousands of homes. Secondly, he has made state- ments at multiple candidates night meetings about how he has cho- sen not to seek any endorsements for his campaign. I know he attended the Deputy Sheriffs Association and a Police Officer Association candidates night meetings. Everybody I have talked to stated that he never told them he was not seeking their endorsement. As a for- mer member of the Red Bluff Peace Officers Association it was always my understanding that any candidates who attended our meetings were there specifically to seek our endorsement. His repeated comments along the lines that a judicial endorse- ment is improper is absurd, as Canon 5 of the Judicial Canons of Ethics in California specifically states that judges can endorse judicial candidates. Who would be a better "judge" of who could replace them than those who sit on the bench and see, day in and day out, what skill set someone brings to the court room? Of course, based on Mr. Murphy’s mailer, he has not spent much time in a courtroom for the past 23 years. Mr. Murphy's comments at candidates nights have insinuated that he has taken the “higher road” and not sought endorsements because he does not want to be beholden to anyone. Based on his comments, I find it contradictory and hypocritical that he would then hold fundraisers and seek monetary donations. He will take money but not endorsements? Not beholden to anyone, except those that gave him money. Is there any higher form of endorsement than a mon- etary donation? It seems pretty convenient for him to say he was not seeking any endorsements when they all went to his fellow candidate, Todd Bottke. Scott Curtis, Cottonwood Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Consequences of school funding cuts Commentary Just days after the California School Boards Association filed a historic school finance lawsuit against the state, I met with state lawmakers to describe the effects California’s broken edu- cation finance system has on students and asked legislators to protect schools from further cuts. As part of the California School Boards Association’s 2010 Legislative Action Confer- ence in Sacramento, I met with staff from Senator Aanestad and Assemblyman Logue’s office May 24 and expressed deep con- cern about the devastating con- sequences of education cuts on schools and students. Seventeen billion dollars in cuts to California’s education system over the past two years have forced local schools to eliminate libraries, transporta- tion, summer school, athletics, technology, adult education, agriculture, Regional Occupa- tional Programs (ROP) and Gen- eral Education Development (GED). As a result, these unprecedented cuts are changing the face of education for an entire generation of schoolchild- ren. The Red Bluff Union ESD has been forced to reduce its budget by about $2.9 million over the past two years. This has been manifested in the loss of teachers, assistants, classified support staff, loss of programs, classes, class size reduction and enrichment programs. The governor’s revised bud- get proposal announced on May 14 only exacerbates an already dire situation by including the billions of dollars in education cuts proposed in January, along with billions more to health and human services. CSBA President Frank Pugh said, “Education has never faced anything like this in my history as a board member. Schools have closed. Athletics and arts have been cut and we have been forced to eliminate the very pro- grams that ensure our students succeed in high school and excel into college and careers. As if that isn’t enough, the governor continues to propose a budget with an additional $2.4 billion in education cuts. When will this stop?” It is no secret that schools across the state have shouldered dra- conian financial bur- dens as lawmakers bal- ance the budget on the backs of schoolchildren. California is ranked nearly last in the nation in per-pupil funding and 50th in the nation in student-to-staff ratio. With ongoing cuts to edu- cation, class sizes will grow, schools will close, programs will cease to exist and Califor- nia’s schoolchildren will suffer. We need a commitment from the Legislature that our students will come first. It’s time that those representing us in the Capitol listen to what the voters want, and that is a sound, stable and sufficient educa- tion finance system that guarantees our children academic success. Steve Meagher Steve Meagher is board president of the Red Bluff Union Elementary School District and director of Region 4 of the California School Boards Association, representing all school districts in the counties of Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, Butte, Yuba, Sutter, Sierra, Nevada and Placer. He can be reached at spmeagher@sbcglobal.net.