Jun 10, 2008

Letters

Prepare for disaster

Dear Editor: As we study the disaster recovery in Myanmar and Chengdu, China, we think this is an important message to get out. Most of us have experienced a power outage of some length. Your digital clocks go dark. Cordless phones and Internet connections fail.

But what if, God forbid, a major disaster struck and you lost all power and water for two whole weeks? That's what leaders in emergency services advise is a probable scenario in the event of a major earthquake. In the wake of Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina, emergency responders like police, fire, medical, and public works officials have prepared impressive response plans to handle various types of major disasters. But they can't do it all.

Our team from the San Mateo Leadership Program explored these issues with key officials responsible for the safety and welfare of people in San Mateo County. One message came through loud and clear: Each and every resident needs to prepare to be self-reliant for at least two weeks.

Residents need to understand that emergency communication systems may go down and emergency responders will be swamped by a wave of urgent crises. So you may be on your own for a while. But you can take steps to prepare for that risk. Store enough water. Have a first-aid kit, a crank-powered radio and an emergency evacuation plan. There are many other critical steps you can take now to avoid misery and potentially life-threatening situations later.

Take steps now. Go to your city hall or www.FEMA.gov to get more information. The real disaster would come from being unprepared.

Jeff Downs and

Abigail Karlin-Resnick,

San Mateo Leadership Program



Open space initiative

Dear Editor: As a longtime resident of Redwood City, I am concerned by the petition for the Open Space Vote Initiative that was touted around town by out-of-towners. It bothers me that these outsiders were paid by an out-of-town group to solicit and harass my community's citizens to get signatures for their ballot initiative.

I have been approached by these individuals outside a coffee shop, a supermarket and at my front door. When I asked them to explain what the potential initiative means, and how it affects me, they knew very little. All that they knew was that it takes a two-thirds vote to approve changes to open space.

Clearly these people were paid to collect signatures and misled Redwood City residents without knowing what the potential initiative was really about.

I want to see my fellow residents involved in the future of this great city, and I think we should all have a chance to share our vision for change. But in my opinion, this initiative is the wrong way to go about it.

Arnoldo Arreola,

Redwood City



Our tax dollars

Dear Editor: At the Millbrae City Council meeting on May 28, the city staff presented, during a study session, the budget proposal for the next two years. It was shown that although the city's income has been slowly increasing over the last couple of years, expenditures have kept a parallel pace.

One of the issues facing the city is that the fire assessment tax will sunset shortly unless it is reinstated by a vote of the public. What was troublesome in the proposed budget was the purchase of a Cadillac Escalade for the fire department. The cost of one of these tarted-up Chevy Tahoe units will burn about one-quarter of the annual income from the tax. Perhaps a new command vehicle is needed (although no evidence was shown to support this) but certainly the expenditure has to be in the best interests of the citizens of Millbrae.

What are these people thinking of? To make an irresponsible purchase such as this flies in the face of the public's perception of the fiduciary duties of the city staff and council. Certainly in the face of the recent failure of an increase in the countywide sales tax measure and the failure of the two Millbrae school tax measures, one would think that the city staff would recognize that a free-spending budget is not something that the public will support.

At that same meeting, we were informed that there will be a public study session in the near future in regard to the budget, although a date was not set. I urge all the citizens of Millbrae to keep a watch for this meeting and to attend and express their displeasure with the city staff's free-spending proposals.

Mike Sullivan,

Millbrae



Police criticized

Dear Editor: I was at a bar and restaurant in Palo Alto with my family members celebrating my college graduation when my and my sister-in-law's purses were stolen.

After this, we headed outside to make calls to the police department. After several unsuccessful attempts to get a nonemergency line, I actually had to call the East Palo Alto police to ask for the number. Upon finally speaking to the operator at Palo Alto Police Department, I was told I could not make a report by phone, nor could an officer be sent for assistance. All that would be done was a message would be sent to officers on duty that an incident had occurred. We managed to wave down an officer in his car and spoke to him for nearly 15 minutes. He refused to document the incident and said all we could do is get online or come in Monday morning to file the report.

In this day and age, documentation is extremely important. I cannot place a claim for my stolen cell phone without a police report. My sister-in-law's credit card was stolen, and a report could very well be requested by the credit card company. The credit card was used twice while we stood outside talking to this officer, and one of those charges was less than 100 feet away inside the same business.

Why will the Palo Alto Police Department not make a police report when a crime has occurred? I was under the impression that when an incident occurs, I can count on what is considered "the finest" of the city. Obviously, I am sadly mistaken.

Gina Bravo,

Belmont



Mideast conflict

Dear Editor: Michael Barton is missing a few facts when he compares Hamas to the Jewish underground in British-occupied Palestine [Letters, June 3]. I don't believe that you will find any history of suicide bombings back then; that is a Palestinian creation. When the Irgun Movement bombed the King David Hotel, it gave a telephone warning to evacuate, which was ignored. Furthermore, the hotel was used by the British as a military headquarters. Most important is that when the Jewish underground achieved political power, military leaders became political leaders. They built a democratic state, even including Israeli Arabs in the process, and they have served in every Knesset (parliament). Did Barton forget how Hamas came to hold absolute power in Gaza? After winning the election, they began to kill political opponents, sometimes throwing them off tall buildings. To some, Hamas may be freedom fighters, but to most of us they are just terrorists.

Gil Stein,

Santa Cruz