Bolton’s cartoon is way off base I...

Bolton’s cartoon is way off base

I was reading your paper today and I saw on the forum page a

cartoon by Steve Bolton and I think the man is way off base. I mean,

we have money for all these things like jails and prisons and

everything but there isn’t money for schools and then we finally get

a nice sports complex where our kids can play and be safe and have

fun. He thinks the money is a great waste of money, I think the man

is completely off base. I think we need to spend more money on our

kids and our youth and less on prisons. But I think it is better to

have prevention than to try to solve problems after it happens.

HERB ROSENTHAL

Huntington Beach

Thanks for taking pokes at council

Steve Bolton, thanks for your humor in the Indy.

I really enjoy sharp barbs against the Huntington Beach City

Council. There seems to be a lack of common sense and any real

interest in hearing what residents have to say. Instead, we are

regarded as gnats that must be endured.

Cuts in the budget are aimed at sensitive areas rather than

benefits and travel.

ROD KUNISHIGE

Huntington Beach

Let’s lose helicopters in the cuts

I am calling to comment about the budget cuts. The single most

expensive item that the city runs is the peace air unit. Those

helicopters cost more per hour than any other item on the entire

agenda. And they are about as cost effective as having a team of

trial lawyers sweep the beach with toothbrushes.

JIM WARDLOW

Huntington Beach

Cutting HBTV-3 a move long overdue

My comments are regarding the city budget. Shooting down HBTV-3

was long overdue. It was a taxpayer’s subsidy for city officials to

flex their egos.

The seniority system in the city government allows the old-timers

to keep on doing the same old paper shuffle. It would be nice if

employees, when they realize that they work for the taxpayers,

treated the public as if they were the customers they need to

satisfy.

And why when it is so important for kids to learn to enjoy books

do we close libraries? Why not let volunteers take over landscaping

chores in public parks and city green belts? This could be a

permanent solution in the long run saving money. And they do a better

job. Why also not outsource some of the services? It will save

salaries, employee benefits and medicine and retirement benefits.

PETER CLARK

Huntington Beach

More than just 3 murders in Surf City

I was just reading the Independent this morning about the safest

ranking and all that and you mentioned three murders in Huntington

Beach so the ranking was dropped. . I really think you should add

that to it because that makes it even more unsafe here, you have to

worry about being killed by a policeman or assaulted.

BRIAN MORGAN

Huntington Beach

Surf City has never really been safest

There are definitely worse cities. However, the safest city

ranking was never true. They didn’t even consider per capita. And if

you don’t do that, you certainly can’t compare a little beach city

like Huntington Beach with like Detroit, D.C., New York, Chicago --

it just doesn’t work like that. You’ve got it right, apples and

oranges. Big apples and little oranges. So that is my answer to that.

It has never been the safest city ever. JAMES H. BRIDGES

Huntington Beach