Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/7134
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, February 23, 2010 A MediaNews Group newspaper 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 Opinion There is a constant to the US economy and that is, it's always changing. Some years are a boon and everyone who wants a job has one and some years are a bust, like now, and we have to live off of our savings for awhile. Despite what our kids may think, it's not their inheri- tance, it's really a prudent reserve that comes in handy dur- ing times like these. However, that's not the sce- nario that played out for most of us this time. Wall Street was not the only place playing fast and loose with their resources. The average American was doing the same thing with the family purse strings. That's the part that econo- mists and trend watchers con- stantly point out to us that never really gets trumpeted. Ameri- cans are not always the greatest savers. In January of 2007, just as we were slipping into the beginning of the downturn, Americans were spending more than they were saving, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analy- sis, www.bea.gov. It was the first time that had happened since the Great Depression. Feels a little eerie looking back, doesn't it. The new benchmark made the news but we weren't paying attention yet. Fortunately, the Great Recession was like a cold slap of water and we're paying attention now. This year, accord- ing to the BEA, the trend has changed and in 2009 the savings rate increased to 4.6 percent of net income, the highest that decade. Economists are quick to point out that the rate always increas- es during a recession and this one is deeper than perhaps any other so, of course, the rate is higher. However, it's also possi- ble, that much like the genera- tion that survived the Great Depression, we have learned a more permanent lesson or two. A good example would be, no matter how big or old the corpo- ration or how well you have been performing your job, both can suddenly disappear, some- times right along with your retirement fund. In order to ensure that you have as many options as possi- ble should this come around again, start paying yourself now. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 10 percent of your paycheck in a savings account that you can get to if you need it, and then forget about it. The money needs to be in a low risk investment like a CD insured by the FDIC and not in any kind of market. The rule is, you don't invest what you can't afford to lose and your pru- dent reserve is the underpinnings to your peace of mind. You can't afford to lose that. The goal is to sock away at least eight months worth of expenses so if that amount hasn't been met yet and there's a little extra one month, add it to the reserve instead of buying that extra pair of shoes. Teach this same rule of 10 percent to your children as well and start the account for them. This is a way of passing on a lifetime without quite so many financial hills and valleys and is a lesson in how to build toward any goal by focusing on the next step. Even if all that gets set aside is $100 a month, it's a gain of $1,200 a year and it's a start toward a stronger financial footing. Plus, it will keep our aware- ness on the need to save even more so that when opportunities arise to make a little extra or we get an unexpected check we have an idea of where at least some of it ought to go. We are also aware of our financial health instead of just a vague sense of what's in our checking account. If Americans adopt this sim- ple strategy in ever increasing numbers we will be less likely to buy our way into another finan- cial crisis because we'll know the real price of living beyond our means. Martha Randolph Carr can be reached at Martha@caglecartoons.com or visit MarthaRandolphCarr.com. Learn to pay yourself Commentary N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 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 Martha Randolph Carr 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. Your officials Enough is enough Editor: It is time for Walmart or the city to bring legal action against those that are bringing frivolous law suits against them. Enough is enough. Charlie Richardson, Gerber Millions of jobs needed now Editor: Who couldn't agree with the fact that we need tens of millions of new and good paying jobs right here in America. These were the types of industrial jobs we had here in America back in the 1940s to the early 1970s. Nearly all of those solid fac- tory jobs have now been shipped to foreign countries. Why so? To seek out the cheap foreign labor. The experts tell the nearly 9 million unemployed people to "get retrained" for the mod- ern technical jobs. How in the world are those workers ages 40 years thru 65 years sup- posed to learn these new high technical skills? Many of them barely made it through high school. Here in America, we used to have thousands of massive industrial plants that required the labor of the common ordi- nary persons. After all, not everyone is capable of learn- ing the high skills needed for most of the modern technical jobs. What are these people supposed to do then? The "service sector jobs" have a pay of less than 50 per- cent of those good industrial jobs. A person can't buy a home, buy a new car, nor pro- vide for a family on such low paying jobs. When I graduated from high school in June 1953, there were hundreds of indus- trial plants all around my hometown. They each had a huge bill- board listing all of their facto- ry ]0b openings - and no experience required. I began working in a steel mill for 3 1/2 times the going minimum wage. Can you just imagine if today a huge industrial plant opened in Tehama County offering 4,000 new jobs - at a pay rate of $28 per hour - plus full benefits? There is no way our state and federal governments can somehow provide this kind of job future. The government can't provide any type of well-paid industrial jobs on a long term basis. What we need to do is impose a heavy import tax on all manufactured goods com- ing across America's borders. This import tax would then provide a "level playing field" for our own industrial plants. If this isn't done soon, there's absolutely no hope of ever reviving America's industrial base. Other countries impose these taxes - America can too. Donald L. Ward, Corning Money solutions for youth groups Editor: I read the Feb. 16 article on Red Bluff High School and its use fees. It's a real challenge for everyone concerned and what is needed now is real people looking for real solutions, in a real community. The article stated that all these people involved talked about the problems facing all concerned. Or was everyone involved in the conversations? Was anyone left out? Those real people who it seems haven't been consulted is the youth themselves. If they have then please forgive my input. I'm on the sidelines and in the bleachers cheering for a solution. But if the youth have not been consulted I would bet that if they were they just might come up with some ideas and solutions of their own because it affects them the most. What's any- one got to lose? There's everything to gain by includ- ing them! These kids are smarter than anyone seems to give them credit for. They each have a passion for their sport. But this so-called prob- lem makes them a team (together everyone achieves more, right?). Are you in sup- port of this awesome team of kids? "Kick off" with a round table discus- sion. Make some rules for the meeting. Have someone - a teenager (17/18) - facilitate the meeting. Mutual respect is always a must then look at all the strengths each person, each organization has and make a resolution that even if a perfect solution isn't reached, on the first of what may be several meetings, that everyone will enjoy the process of solving this prob- lem. It should be enjoyable because everyone involved is a team player and you're all looking for the same solution - call it a touchdown, pin, etc. But it won't happen in the first quarter of a long game - a home game or meet. Even the cheer leading squads are involved - I always like watch- ing the cheerleaders, didn't you? They're athletes, too. Everyone seems to be on the same side but looking at it from a different angle. Maybe focus not so much on the problem - rather, enjoy the process. It can be so simple that even all who are to be involved can do it. John Minton, Red Bluff Your Turn