Mailbag - Jan. 24, 2002

Better schools are not only about improving the citizenship of young

people. Better schools are also about bottom line property values. As a

lifelong resident of Southern California and a 15-year resident of

Huntington Beach, I recognize the significance of good schools in the

equation that determines home values. Good schools mean higher property

values. I hope that all voters realize that voting yes on Bond Measure DD

not only builds a better community and improves the lives of our

children, but also enriches all homeowners by enhancing the value of our

homes far beyond the costs of the bond.

NORA PEDERSEN

Huntington Beach

I am a 22-year resident of Huntington Beach. I am also a mother of a

first-grade student who attends Agnes Elementary School. I am employed by

the Saddleback School District as a school counselor.

It is now time to look honestly and objectively at our school

districts. The average age of our schools is 36 years. One middle school

in our district is closer to being 68. As with any structure (business or

home) repairs are an inevitable part of ownership. Roofs, obsolete

heating and ventilation systems, outdated fire alarms, water and sewer

systems need to be replaced. Classroom repairs and modernization are

essential to keep our kids healthy and safe, as well as competitive in

this new and challenging time.

Households without children should keep in mind that keeping our

schools in good repair helps to keep property values from declining. Ask

any real estate agent this question: “Do outdated and neglected schools

affect my property value?�

We need to make the investment and we need to do it now. Our kids need

to know we value them in the same way we value other essential assets we

have in our lives. Supporting the bond measure is a statement that simply

says “we care.�

MICHELLE DUNN-McDERMAID

Huntington Beach

Livengood deserves support

To know Tom Livengood is to love him. I was very fortunate to meet

and know Livengood when I became a fellow board member with him on The

Amigos de Bolsa Chica environmental group a couple of years ago. I can

honestly say without a doubt that Livengood is of outstanding character

and has all the qualities of honesty, compassion and consciousness.

Being that Livengood was on the Huntington Beach Planning Commission

and several other local organizations, he has a record of making sincere

decisions and keeping the public in mind. He is a very knowledgeable

person of past, present and future happenings.

I have observed Livengood is always there and volunteering to help

people out. That’s the kind of person he is.

Livengood’s past leadership speaks for himself.

ALFRED L. VARI

Huntington Beach

Justice was served

I definitely think justice was served in former Councilman Dave

Garofalo’s case. He got what he deserved. I’m not quite sure how you end

up breaking the law to such a degree and not end up with any jail time,

but I guess that’s just politics. I’m glad I won’t have to see his face

and demeaning manner on any more City Council meetings. This should be a

lesson for us all. Let’s make darn sure we don’t elect any more Dave

Garofalo clones or cronies for that empty seat, because, don’t kid

yourself, they are still out there.

ANDREW FAIN

Huntington Beach

Can’t justify shooting without a witness

I read with interest the two Jan. 17 Mailbag responses from readers

confirming the Huntington Beach Police Department version of the events

leading to the killing of Antonio Saldivar. Since, from all reports, the

public knows of no living eyewitnesses aside from the officer himself, it

is impossible for the general public to judge whether the shooting was

justified.

The Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Division scandal should

prove one thing for certain, that police officers are human beings,

complete with all the foibles of mere mortals. What we now know about the

circumstances surrounding this tragedy lead one at least to question the

official public characterization. It is counterintuitive that Saldivar,

surprised by a highly excited armed police officer, decided to pick up a

toy gun (upon which no fingerprints were found) and attempted to defend

himself in the face of lethal force.

Since we now know that Saldivar was not the subject of a chase, when

and how did that toy gun end up in his hands? Could the officer have held

off firing and called in backup? Was there time to make that decision?

Reasonable people must ask these questions. Unfortunately we will

never know.

Doubts cannot convict the officer, neither can speculation. Residents

of Orange County need to know whether the District Attorney’s decision

not to prosecute this killing was due to his department’s recognition

that for a lack of eye witnesses they could not get a conviction, or that

the evidence clearly exonerated the officer? The public can’t help here

either. Perhaps the Independent can ask the District Attorney’s Office?

JEFF LEBOW

Huntington Beach

Council members need to end hidden agendas

I thank the Independent for many years of pursuit of the truth. After

it seemed that a few council members had a hidden agenda in their

“guidance� of the city, you guys stuck to your guns in spite of lots of

partisan complaints and, in my opinion, gave the citizens another chance

to let our council not be influenced by corporate donations.

What I think has come out of Dave Garofalo’s downfall is that all

politicians should be thinking, “How will this appear to my

constituents?�

Having the hubris to expect us to believe in their integrity when they

accept money that has the appearance of tainting their vote is not only

arrogant; it’s not very smart.

BILL HALPIN

Huntington Beach