Here is another roundup of some of the most thought-provoking reader comments of the week. Click on each topic’s headline to see the article in question. Comments are selected by our editors and subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity and length.
Costa Mesa Retracts Firefighter Layoffs
[This article has a] typical liberal-union slant. No shock from this website.
The city of Costa Mesa does not have some “outsourcing effort” to get rid of all city employees. Rather, they are trying to find ways to eliminate the huge current and future deficits facing the city. Thanks to union hacks and previously compliant councils, the city has to give a ridiculous six-month notice to lay off employees per the union contracts.
That’s what they did last year. During the interim, they said they would study what services can be outsourced to save money and what services can still be provided by current staff. That is exactly what they did with the fire services. They analyzed the costs and determined they could save more money by keeping fire services in house.
Hopefully the residents will see that the council is doing what’s in the city’s best interests, while the union only exists to keep getting more filthy lucre for itself.
— Newbie / April 19
Actually, Newbie, the council does have an outsourcing effort. That was their stated goal when they issued the layoff notices over a year ago.
Just think, though, how much pain, suffering and angry discourse would have been avoided if they’d done the studies before issuing the layoff notices, as their own [memorandums of understanding] required and as the public and their then city attorney advised them at the time.
If they had done it the right way, their reputations would be much better now, and the division in the community could have been avoided. Not to mention city staff not having had an ax hanging over their heads for 13 months!
— Valan2 / April 19
This Saves Money?
In reference to [Costa Mesa city spokesman Bill] Lobdell, it’s really ironic what he’s doing now considering that he wrote a column for OC Metro a few years back demonizing public employees and essentially saying that he thinks they’re the root of all evil.
In a fiscal crisis [City Councilman Jim] Righeimer authorizes a $3,000-a-week spokesman, who was quietly moved onto staff from freelance status. But it’s all about saving money.
— Jota / April 18
Why Ban Retail Sales of Dogs and Cats?
The reason for the focus on dogs and cats, as opposed to other pet animals, is twofold. First, most pets are either dogs or cats; others are in the minority. The second and more important reason is that 3 to 4 million unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters every year.
Every time you buy a dog or cat from a breeder, it means an animal in a shelter will be put to death. That’s the simple fact. The only way to reduce the shelter holocaust is to outlaw sales of breeder-sold animals in pet stores.
Adopt, don’t buy!
— Sincerely yours / April 18
Fewer Safety Complaints at San Onofre
I wonder if the fewer complaints indicate a real improvement or not. It is hard to say when the problem originates with a fear of reporting in the first place. This could be an indication that the fear is actually higher now. I wonder how many safety concerns would have been reported in a more complaint-friendly environment.
— Gary Headrick / April 18
A group who wants to see San Onofre shut down says Edison is misleading regulators? Yawn, no story there. I know! If we call them “experts,” then it gives them gravitas and makes our story “real.” Brilliant!
How about we wait to hear what the regulators say?
— El Hombre / April 13
Hey, El Hombre, if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has this place closed down, something must be wrong with it or else Southern California Edison would have it churning out more nuclear waste. I guess you believe in “safety last.”
— Nancy Nolan / April 16
Alleged Abuse of Special Education Students
This stuff, if it’s to be believed, sounds way over the top, especially in a school for the disabled. There are always two sides to a story. I would like to hear the other side too.
— Beelzebub / April 18
Wow! Sounds like a career is ruined over a he-said-she-said allegation. People need to be careful when they use words like “abuse” about a teacher. Even when he is found not guilty, the accusation will never go away.
This teacher was my daughter’s aide many years ago and to this day is still one of her favorite teachers. Never at one time did I feel or see anything inappropriate go on. I just hope there is solid evidence supporting these claims, because all you have are aides that have it out to get the teacher fired.
— McL / April 19
I agree with the last post. This appears too biased. Do those making the allegations truly realize the harm they cause? This could very well be disgruntled or misinformed aides. If so, isn’t slander a form of abuse?
— Gttyis / April 19
Transparency in Santa Ana
Councilman [Vincent] Sarmiento pointed to other strides the city has taken to make City Hall more transparent, like having a public information officer, and then later in the story Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez declined to comment. Mayor Miguel Pulido and council members Carlos Bustamante and David Benavides did not return requests for comment made through Public Information Officer Jose Gonzalez. And they tout that as trasnparency?
The predominantly Democratic Banana Republic continues to operate in secrecy as they pay lip service to open government. Ironically it is eerily similar to the predominantly Republican City Council in Costa Mesa. The more you look at it the more you realize they are all cut from the same cloth.
— Don Draper / April 14