Election special | Letters to the editor, Nov. 2, 2018

Looking up under the GOP control

Mr. Cox/Jantz: Please tell us why you are challenging Reps. Nunez and Valadao. Economy up, stock market still up, unemployment lowest since 1969. These issues were possible because our representatives in Congress support President Trump. The only real reason is to thwart him.

Fresno police hold parks ransom

Why is Fresno police holding the future of our children ransom when it comes to parks? Instead of siding with the 35,000 people who put the Yes on P measure on the November ballot and the all of the Fresnans who want more and better parks, they are choosing to dig their heels because they simply want more money for themselves.

Let’s remember that public safety (police and fire) already accounts for more than half of the city’s general fund budget. This doesn’t include additional funding they receive from outside sources, like school districts and private businesses.

Let’s not forget to mention that this year alone, we have spent millions of dollars in settlements for wrongful officer-involved shootings. As reported in The Fresno Bee, $1.72 million was paid to the family of Stephen Willis and a record $2.8 million was paid to the family of Dylan Noble. That's just to name a few.

I’m sorry, but as a taxpayer, I’d rather my money go to something that will go toward the betterment of our youth and our community than to pay more settlements and pensions.

Putting police, parks at odds

How “philanthropic” of Darius Assemi to pit the community against each other. I hope residents see right through this – parks aren’t political, but essential to making Fresno better.

A few things caught my eye when reading his opinion piece. Yes, parks provide many benefits. And its commendable that Granville neighborhoods include green space (thanks to taxpayer dollars, by the way). However, not all Fresnans can afford to live in new neighborhoods.

I agree the Cultural Arts District Park is magnificent, and coincidentally central to many Granville properties in downtown. This park wouldn’t have been built without $2.4 million in tax subsidies that allowed for the fundraised match Mr. Assemi touts. And with the Yes on P measure potentially bringing in more than $37 million for parks, the city of Fresno can apply for even more funding for parks using that same charitable concept. Why does Mr. Assemi oppose doing this for all neighborhoods?

Mr. Assemi, we shouldn’t have to buy one of your homes to have a nice park. We deserve nice parks just as much as our tract home neighbors.

Stand on the right side of history: Vote Yes on P.

Reader questioning writer’s motives

Andrew Shinn’s op-ed (Oct.13) leaves me with more questions than answers. He says he is now opposed to Devin Nunes, but his stated reasons are unconvincing.

It appears that his major reason for now rejecting Nunes is his distaste of President Trump. Trump’s previous life (as a Democrat) was indeed wild and self-centered, like many of his contemporaries. His “conversion” to conservatism, however, is a work in progress. Conservative evangelicals have by and large accepted his imperfections because of his promise to restore Christian values (freedom of religion, right to life etc.), put conservatives on the Supreme Court, etc.

Shinn criticizes Nunes for “discarding the Constitution” but offered no evidence for this accusation. Is he disappointed because Rep. Nunes is leading the effort to uncover a conspiracy in the FBI, CIA, DOJ and the DNC to monitor, block and destroy this president? Is Nunes now guilty of “discarding the Constitution” because he and his committee are uncovering this plot? It seems so.

Finally, Shinn criticizes Nunes for “attacking the free press.” This makes me question his sources. Anyone following all the news knows that the so-called “free press” is almost completely liberal in its views. ABC, NBC, CNN, N.Y. Times, Washington Post etc. have all been on a mission to destroy Trump and anyone who supports him. All of these “free press” sources have been opposing Rep. Nunes’s work. Of course, he will push back against this bias.

It appears, then, that Mr. Shinn, although claiming to be a conservative, has moved in the direction of progressivism. FPU is, unfortunately, no longer the bastion of conservatism it once was. Devin Nunes has my support!

Reader accepts writer’s views

Kudos to Andrew Shinn for exposing the emperor’s new clothes. As a lifelong Republican and a prior Nunes supporter, he has decided that he can no longer support Nunes’ disregard of the values that our country was founded on, the values that brought about the American Revolution.

I understand his frustration. I, too, would like a congressman who embodies the values that we all hold dear. I, too, would like a congressman who meets regularly with constituents regardless of their views, who works hard in Washington on issues related to the Central Valley, works across the aisle to accomplish those goals, and operates with transparency, honesty, and integrity. I, too, would like a congressman who fights for our right be informed, for a free press.

Please vote. Inform yourself. Look carefully at the issues and at the candidates. Does the candidate you support actually uphold our country’s values? When lifelong Republicans decide that they need to support Andrew Janz to support our country’s future, it is a wake-up call. Join the revolution. Vote for Andrew Janz.

Flaws seen in Proposition 10

I received yet another flier supporting Prop. 10. It showed who was supporting it and who was against it. Yet, when you read the actual Official Voter Information Guide and read about Prop. 10 and look at who is actually against it, you will notice that the NAACP, California Seniors Advocate League, California Chamber of Commerce and United Latinos Vote have all submitted arguments against it.

One of the big concerns is that housing costs will actually increase. Prop. 10 doesn’t protect renters. It gives government control over single family homes. I am sure that there will be plenty of rebuttal to this submission, but if you read Prop. 10 thoroughly, you will find it severely flawed and it will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. We cannot afford another proposition that will hit our pocketbooks.

Is Nunes’ campaign that stupid?

The Devin Nunes’ campaign couldn’t possibly be this stupid. With millions of dollars to spend, their best strategy is to criticize Andrew Janz’s supporters for exercising their freedoms under the Constitution. Additionally, the Nunes’ campaign lies about “supporting” health care. Nunes, in fact, voted to take health care from millions in the Valley. Devin Nunes is a fraud and maybe worse. I imagine the best way to clarify the issues would be to have a live televised debate between Janz and Nunes. But when all you do is misrepresent the truth, then a debate might be too risky for Nunes.

The truth is Janz supports water for the Valley and expanding health care. He supports creating jobs in the Valley and a compassionate immigration policy. He even supports the “sacred cow” of the Republican Party — the Second Amendment. I hope other Valley residents are tired of Nunes and his political inaction, devotion to Trump, negligence on the environment, and general incompetence. We need a real change in the way we are represented in Washington.

Why everyone should back Prop. 6

Why would our state legislators purposely try and sabotage the middle class? The Road Repair and Accountability Act adds a 12 cent tax on a gallon of gasoline. Prop 6 will repeal this act. When you tax an essential item, like gas, you don’t deter people from using it but instead you burden the people that rely on it. It’s time that California allows the people to actually keep their money. Caltrans has recently said that if Prop. 6 is passed then several road projects will be canceled or postponed, but why can’t we continue to fund it using the money that the state has already saved? California’s budget projects a $16 billion surplus. If we used money from the surplus we could fix our roads without it directly impacting the middle class. California also has a “rainy day” fund which means the government is holding onto money while the middle class suffers.

I encourage every voter to vote Yes on Prop. 6. Anyone who opposes Prop. 6 doesn’t care about the roads, they just want someone else to pay for the government’s responsibility of caring for infrastructure.

Graphic art or scary propaganda?

Those of us who have seen the 40-page Nunes attack magazine that had been stuffed into mailboxes earlier election season may have noticed the very subtle details that adorned the front and back covers. Understated artistry such as having The Bees drinking the Kool-aid. (Because freedom of press is somehow comparable to the Jonestown massacre or something.)

But one very interesting detail I noticed was actually subtle, and I've seen very little talk about it . It revolves around the RESIST signs the drowning insects carry. They are black with colored letters that line up in the pattern of baby blue, pink, white, pink, baby blue. To the untrained eye, this may seem like a collection of random pastels, but to a member of the LGBTQ community like myself, it was clearly the trans pride flag.

Was this a fluke? Maybe the result of a lazy graphic designer Google searching for a glossy jpeg? Perhaps. But if not slacking artists and under-representation in the Nunes approval staff, then the implications are far more dangerous, and the visage of floating bodies waving trans colors now decorates counter-tops Valleywide. And frankly, that's some terrifying propaganda.

Nunes deserves different medal

First, the president should absolutely give the Presidential Medal Of Freedom to Devin Nunes if it’s renamed the Medal of Presidential Freedom from Oversight, Scrutiny, and Accountability.

Second, the “gas tax” isn’t “unfair to working families.” Conservatives like to say it’s unfair to ask the 1 percent to fund anything alone, so this tax couldn’t be more fair. People who drive on roads buy gasoline to pay for repairs and improvements. Today people drive further on a gallon of gas, providing less revenue per mile of usage, while the cost of repairs, like everything, goes up. This is infrastructure. This is jobs. This is money in California staying in California. In this world you get what you pay for. One ad stated that the tax adds $1,000 per year for gasoline. Yes, if you buy 22.83 gallons of gasoline a day.

Mom says city should multitask

Darius Assemi claims we need to handle one problem at a time and that he’s not supporting Measure P.

Measure P would generate $38 million every year to fix our parks, build new parks and provide jobs for youth and veterans.

As a mom, balancing full-time work, kids and volunteer efforts, the “one problem at a time” approach sounds like a cop out.

When getting my kids ready for school, I can’t tell them, “Sorry, I can only do one thing at a time, so only one of you gets to go to school today.”

I’ve got to multitask. We should expect the same level of resourcefulness and problem-solving skills from city leadership.

If we want a Fresno we can all be proud of, we need to walk and chew gum at the same time. We need solutions. We shouldn’t dismiss the leaders who crafted Measure P and the 35,000 of us who signed on in support of a better city.

If Mr. Assemi feels strongly about safety, then he should be supportive of Measure P, which will provide clean, safe, neighborhood parks.

Nunes stoops to new low in race

Devin Nunes never stooped to the desperate and pathetic level we see him in now. Witness the barrage of ugly, nightly TV ads that falsely paint a respected prosecutor of violent crimes as a leader of a “far-left resister group.” Really, Devin? Andrew Janz has never led the peaceful demonstration taking place “every Tuesday” outside Nunes Clovis office for the last 85 weeks. It was started in February 2017 by my wife and myself before Janz entered the race. We were soon joined by 100 other senior citizens, moderate Democrats, Republicans and independents alike. We are all constituents who have taken a quiet stand for change and justice in CA-22 and are all waiting to speak with our elected representative.

We invited both Janz and Nunes to meet and talk with us. Janz came several times, but Nunes has been a “no show” just like all other events we have invited him to. Nunes’ ads tell us he is running scared of Janz because this race is getting way too close for comfort. So, what do you do when you are losing — just lie! What do we do when you are winning — just vote!

Paramedic says vote yes on Prop. 11

Proposition 11 requires private sector EMT’s and paramedics to respond to 9-1-1 calls even during rest and meal breaks, as is the current practice.

A recent California Supreme Court ruling, Augustus vs. ABM Security, requires guards to be ‘relieved of all work’ when on break. This narrow ruling may be applied to the EMS sector. Lawsuits have already been filed. Proposition 11 excludes private ambulance providers from this ruling.

Without Proposition 11, if an ambulance is on break and a child is hit by a car nearby, a distant ambulance would have to be sent. No one wants that, but this is what the court ruling mandates.

Sierra Ambulance operates paramedics in Coarsegold, Oakhurst and Bass Lake. Each station is 10 miles from the other. Our Coarsegold crew could be on mandatory break when a 9-1-1 call comes in. We would have to send the Oakhurst crew from 10 miles farther. These types of situations will happen without Proposition 11.

A yes vote on Prop. 11 will guarantee that the closest ambulance will be sent to your 9-1-1 call, which has been the common practice for decades.

Costa helps trades workers

Apprenticeships in the building and construction trades have been around for a long time. The opportunities that exist in today’s market for apprenticeships are many. Thanks in no small part to congressmen (Jim) Costa’s continued advocacy for the creation of these programs, not only the federal level but within state government. Congressmen Costa has consistently supported the working men and women of the Central Valley. He knows the value of apprenticeship programs in the construction trades and the impact a successful completion of an apprenticeship has on the stability and economic viability of the Central Valley and its families.

Valadao leads, works hard, does right

I didn’t grow up with David Valadao. I don’t know him as a farmer. I met him as a naïve member of the state Legislature who initially had a deer in the headlight look about him. He then ran for Congress and surprised many by winning. Everyone expected him to be a puppet for Congressman (Devin) Nunes or (Kevin) McCarthy. But, surprise! He has turned out to be his own man for his own district. In my estimation, he has developed into an effective representative for the Valley. He took a committee assignment because he saw the potential to better affect the policies that matter most at home. He recognized that he could be more effective on water and agriculture issues as a member of the Appropriations Committee; smart move and smart man.

He has shown leadership, respect, and interest to those around him and those he serves. He is not afraid of work or to take a hard stance for what is right for his constituency. He says what needs to be said. I am proud to know David Valadao, to call him a friend, and to support him for Congress.

Proud to have Nunes in Congress

Why shouldn't those of us in the Central Valley be pleased and proud to have Devin Nunes as our representative? He is one of us, re-elected repeatedly by us to represent us in Congress. His undergraduate and graduate degrees are in agriculture. His chief of staff is headquartered in Visalia, not D.C., as most others are. A visit to his D.C. office finds nearly all his staff are from the Valley. We should be proud that he has achieved a chairmanship of an important committee — Intelligence — which deals with the national security. Finally, his residence is in our district, not in D.C., like most other representatives.

No on P sets right priority

A vote against Measure P is a vote against parks couldn’t be further from the truth.

As Americans, we have scrutinized taxation going back to the birth of our nation. It’s a function of government that we hold to the highest standard because of the burden it imposes on its citizens. This is why I believe that if we agree to pay a higher tax rate, it should be for the needs of the highest priority.

With that in mind, I ask my fellow Fresnans, if you made a list of the needs you would like to see addressed in our community, what would it look like? If you were to rank that list, what would be at the top? Police, fire, roads, parks?

Of course, we would like to have it all, but it would be prudent for us to start at the top. We need to start with what we feel is the most important — it starts with public safety. Without the confidence of knowing that you and your belongings will be safe, a day at the park will be anything but.

No on P is not a vote against parks, it’s a vote to review our priorities.

Brand stand on parks measure disappoints

I am highly disappointed in Mayor Lee Brand and his lack of leadership. He is urging voters not to support the Yes on P ballot initiative because he is behind the ball. Children and families should not suffer because Mayor Brand did not plan ahead to meet the deadlines for a public safety ballot initiative. Further, the Yes on P ballot initiative shows Mayor Brand's weakness. As mayor, he is unable to move policies forward and he does not have any negotiating power in his own city. He decided to walk away from the negotiating table with nothing, but we still need parks. If public safety is a major concern of his, why is there not a public safety ballot initiative on the November ballot? Voters should ask, why would Mayor Brand not support children and families access to parks?

I am supporting Measure P because children and families deserve parks. Yes on P allocates funding for parks, arts, after-school programs and public safety. Yes on P is good for Fresno. Yes on P is good for children. Yes on P is good for public safety.

For good of the state, no on 6

We have some tough decisions to make concerning our deteriorating infrastructure on California — highways, roads and bridges. Does anyone believe the answer is to do nothing?

A no vote on Prop. 6 allows SB1 funding to stay in-place, which provides needed funding for our highways. A yes vote on Prop. 6 removes funding from our highways. What is the next step if we vote no and what is the next step if we vote yes?

A no vote on Prop. 6 means putting construction workers to work across the state fixing our highways. A yes vote means halting construction work across the state on our highways. Is it wrong to fix our highways, roads, and bridges? Is it wrong to put construction workers to work? It appears some people want us to think so.

The population in California continues to expand, bringing more and more drivers to the state, which means more wear and tear on our highways. The situation is only going to get worse. Let’s not put party affiliation first. Let’s put California first. Join me in voting no on Prop. 6 and let’s fix our highways.