If Houchen is guilty, it’s of two...

If Houchen is guilty, it’s of two crimes

When government officials violate the law the way Pam Julien

Houchen is accused of doing, there are always two crimes committed.

The first relates to the particular offenses involved. The second

relates to the abuse of public trust.

It is this combination of violations that should lead to jail time

for any official convicted of abusing the system in a serious manner.

All too often, white collar criminals with money or connections are

able to beat the system and avoid going to the slammer.

That is too bad.

The allegations against former Mayor Houchen did as much to damage

the city’s image as the illegal condo conversions did to compromise

our local housing stock.

We must respond to this civic despoliation by demanding a heavy

and public price to be paid.

It is fair to say that Houchen benefited tremendously while in

office, using her influence and perks to maximum advantage. If

convicted, she deserves the same consideration the other way. Houchen

knew that what she was doing was not only wrong but was harming our

city. We should not be sympathetic to her plight.

TIM GEDDES

Huntington Beach

If convicted Houchen should serve jail time

As an elected official, she was anointed with the oils of 100%

public trust. As a wife, a mother and a business professional, it

should’ve been second-nature for her to eschew any dark side

temptations of public officialdom. What a tragic waste of personal

and public trust. Yes, if convicted, she should serve jail time.

WILFRED H. MEYER

Huntington Beach

There’s no place

like Home Depot

I just wanted to register that I am in favor of the new Home Depot

on Magnolia street. I think we need one in this area.

PAUL HOLLSTEAD

Huntington Beach

Depot opponents should relent

I think that Home Depot should be able to build anything they want

to on that area as long as they conform to the city code. Anyone that

lives near there has been living next to a big box store for years

and should not be able to block legitimate use of a business

property.

RICHARD TERRY

Huntington Beach

If they build it,

she will come

I live on Adams and Newland and I’m hoping that they build it. I

was looking forward to it being built. That’s really all I wanted to

say, I’m hoping that it doesn’t get turned down and hopefully we’ll

be seeing a Home Depot in the next year or two.

DANA CAROZA

Huntington Beach

Looking forward

to a Home Depot

I think it’s wonderful! And I just hope they aren’t too many Home

Depot-Lowes that ... I don’t know that there’s enough business to go

around, but if they think there is, for me it will be wonderful

because it will be closer and I’m getting on in years and like to

drive less so that would be great.

NOREEN MCLAUGHLIN

Huntington Beach

Home Depot not so sweet for everyone

I don’t think there’s any chance of fighting city hall. I was very

involved in the stop Wal-mart effort. I think it’s a waste of time

and money to fight city hall because there are agendas that are under

the table that you have no chance to even see. So Home Depot will

come in and it won’t make that much difference anyway. That’s

basically it. I made the sign that was on Talbert, that big sign, and

a lot of people worked hard, but again, it doesn’t matter what the

people want.

ROSE RATNER

Huntington Beach

What the city

needs is a Costco

I don’t have any objection to Home Depot, I do have an objection

to the city not getting the tax base from a big thing like Costco. My

shopping dollars have gone to Costco, Westminster Mall, stadium

seating outside the city, I didn’t think we needed Lowes.

Now we have Lowes and Home Depot. Gosh, we don’t need another home

improve- ment type of building. We need to have businesses like

Fountain Valley does. I’m sure they must be getting a lot of tax

revenue from Costco and Sam’s club.

JANET GOLDSTEIN

Huntington Beach

Depot will bring more noise, traffic

I live on Lindsay Lane, which will be terribly affected by having

a Home Depot so very, very close, right behind the fences of my

neighbor.

It’s too close. The matter of trucks coming all night long, the

hours that this Home Depot is going to be open and also, I’m very

concerned that the entrance and exit to Lindsay Lane will be blocked

by these trucks and by also the increased cars and trucks that will

be blocking my street.

I think if they’re going to go ahead with this, then we should

have a stop signal on Lindsay Lane, so at least we’ll be able to get

out of our own tract.

MARY GILLESPIE

Huntington Beach