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4A – Daily News – Wednesday, August 11, 2010 Opinion 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 AP Hill Editor: 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 Ah! A P Hill, the thought brings back some memories of that camp. I had the opportunity to spend most of a summer at the chigger center. I was a member of I Co. 385th INF, 76th Inf. Div. in 1943. Third Battalion was under Lt. Col. Choquette, a hardened WW1 officer. He was a stickler for night marches and bayonet drill, boy how I remember those days and nights. Night marching was always rampant by someone holding a tree limb until you just reached it. The heat and humidity never kept the good Col. from our ritual of the bayo- net. How I wished he had worked me 10 times harder when I was in combat. But the training saved my life on several occa- sions. Those little things you think insignificant, oh yeah. How that rain would come down trying to drown you in its intent. After a hard day’s run or march that ice cold shower was an awakener. If you were first in line you might get warm water from the tank heated by the sun. I can tell you it was very rare. Those tents were a welcome relief, and the letters from home were a godsend. So congratula- tions to the Scouts may your days be as memorable as mine. Thad E. Blanchard, Sr., Gerber Realistic about growth in RB Editor: In keeping a balance between growth in Red Bluff and reten- tion of its historic small town flavor, the city of Red Bluff has long taken a conservative route and avoided substantial growth in the community. While such a stance is tenable during periods of statewide or nationwide eco- nomic expansion, the stance can only harm our community dur- ing statewide or nationwide economic downturns such as the one in which we currently find ourselves. The reason for this is simple: things depreciate. Buildings decay. Weeds grow. Inevitable costs fall upon the community. If some level of growth in the community is not stimulated to match the level of depreciation of the community, it begins to fall apart. The statewide and nation- wide economic downturns have left vulnerable our city's conser- vative policies with respect to growth and have begun to decay our community. The diagnosis leaves our city with two options: 1) wait out the downturn and hope that our community has not depreciated to the point of no longer being a source of community pride; or 2) do whatever we can to stimulate growth within the community in spite of the statewide and nationwide growth rates. The second option appears more prudent. Even though an option actively encouraging growth goes against the city's traditional, conservative growth policies, it is best suited to maintaining and pro- moting the vibrancy of our community and avoiding its decay. There are many opment or unduly restricting private enterprise, initiative or innovation in design.” If the zoning laws and Red ways to stimulate growth in a community, but a method has surfaced through recent Daily News arti- cles that appears cost effective. From difficulties in selling the now empty Red Bluff Ford deal- ership to the failed coming of the Mystic Garden Party Festival to the area, news articles have appeared showing that the city and county zoning laws, which reflect the area's traditional con- servative approach to growth, have impeded economic invest- ment in our community and have discouraged growth. With elec- tions fast approaching, perhaps the time has come for candidates running for City Council to show interest in the economic efficien- cy of the city's ordinances and present ideas for what candidates are planning to do to streamline and court businesses. Red Bluff Code of Ordi- nances states that the purpose of Red Bluff’s zoning laws are to “[p]rovide standards for the orderly growth and develop- ment of the city that will assist in maintaining a high quality of life without causing unduly high public or private costs for devel- Your Turn Bluff’s city ordinances in gener- al are beginning to cause high public or private costs for development, restrict private enter- prise or restrict initia- tive and innovation in Red Bluffs private sector, perhaps the City Council needs to amend the law to better reflect the law's purpose and to assist rather then deter business and economic growth. These are difficult times. Our community must stay creative and efficient if it is to stay afloat. I encourage the commu- nity to examine this year's can- didates not only for their abili- ties to balance budgets or fur- ther special interests, but for their ability to think outside the box and streamline and encour- age growth in the private sector of our community. Rob Taylor, Red Bluff Racial hatred Editor: I think that there is enough racial hatred of immigrants in this community that you do not need to constantly publish let- ters and columns fostering it. Your doing so is a disgrace to your newspaper and to responsi- ble journalism. Bob Wilkinson, 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. Needed — plain English Commentary “My question to you is sim- ple,” I said, as I sat across from the government bureaucrat and his interpreter. “Why doesn’t the government communicate in plain English?" "Your query poses prospec- tive considerations,” said the bureaucrat, “that rise above and beyond the level of considera- tions that the voter-taxpayer may be prepared to rise above and beyond.” preter. “Huh?" I said to his inter- "He said it’s best the public doesn’t learn the real reason,” said the interpreter. "But we deserve to know," I said. "Our politicians voted on a 2,400-page health bill that was so confusing, few legislators knew what was in it. Now it is being converted into rules and regulations that are confusing the public even more.” "It is because,” continued the bureaucrat, “government repre- sentatives and their legislative aides are often persuaded, at the behest of revenue-generating entities, to apply lawyerly ter- minology to obfuscate clarity in a manner that benefits their out- come." "He said that bills are written in confusing language, in part, to conceal the special favors politicians slip in for their bud- dies,” said the interpreter. "That, sir, is why plain lan- guage is so important!" I said. "In a republic, the citizens must know what their government is up to. Rules, regulations, forms, applications, brochures, letters, requirements, etc. must be understandable!” “The public, however, notwithstanding the active voter-taxpayer base, may or may not acquiesce,” said the bureaucrat. “He said ‘blah, blah, blah,’ said the interpreter. “Look,” I continued, “some wonderful government employ- ees have been trying to make government intelligible for years. Annetta Cheek, who held various executive positions within the government, spent her career doing so. She co- founded a volunteer plain lan- guage initiative to improve gov- ernment (plainlanguage.gov). Now retired, she is chair of a private organization, the Center for Plain Language (centerfor- plainlanguage.org). “We concur there have been unfortunate interludes in which taxpayer-receiver entities suc- cumbed to internal unlikeli- hoods,” said the bureaucrat. “He said, ‘blah, blah, blah,’” said the interpreter. "Cheek and other govern- ment volunteers worked tire- lessly to improve gov- ernment communica- tion,” I continued. “The Clinton administration embraced their ideas and issued a memo encouraging the use of plain language. A handful of agencies have voluntarily stepped up to make their forms easier for the public to under- stand. But what is real- ly needed is a plain-lan- guage law!” The bureaucrat rolled his eyes. “Such a law almost happened in both 2006 and 2008. U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, introduced a commonsense bill that required federal agencies to translate their documents into 'plain language.' It passed the House with overwhelming majorities both times. “Then Sen. Daniel Akaka, D- Hawaii, introduced companion bills in the Senate. Both were well on their way to passing until Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, held them up. He offered some nonsense about the unintended consequences of making all agencies translate complex laws into clear language. Tom Purcell "That is ridiculous, sir! Imagine the time and money that would be saved if citizens could understand government forms. Imagine how careful- ly new bills would be crafted if legislators knew their intent would be clearly articulated once the bills became law! “The public demands clarity, sir! The public must con- tact its Senators and demand that the Plain Writing Act (S.574) be passed into law! Now what do you say to that, sir?" "Are you nuts, pal?" said the bureaucrat. "If not for govern- ment gobbledygook, my inter- preter and I would never be able to earn 185 grand a year!" ——— Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or e- mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com.