Santa Paula’s future
To the Editor:
Sometimes we get a good look into the future when we stand on the shoulders of the past. Looking back at the reason that our Santa Paula Hospital closed a few years ago is simple, too many patients were not insured or were not able to cover the cost of the health care services that were provided by our hospital.
A contributor to this problem was the construction of many tax sheltered housing units in Santa Paula by Cabrillo Economic Development Co. (CEDC). HOW? CEDC’s type of development has been encouraging families that can’t afford health insurance to move here from all over the county. Every family has medical needs and where do they go to get them if they have no insurance - our emergency room. The law require that our hospitals provide service for all those in need.
On January 4, 2012 there was an article in the New York Times by Becket Adams that explains what is happening in many hospitals around the country. They are struggling with a growing problem of “permanent patients.” What is a “permanent patient”? They are mostly illegal immigrants or people who lack insurance and the hospital cannot legally turn them away. This leaves hospitals stuck with uninsured illegal immigrants, and sometimes a ‘permanent patient’ at massive cost. This results in hospitals going out of business. An illegal immigrant cannot afford the annual cost of over $10,000 for his family’s health insurance and the employment available to illegals does not usually offer family health insurance. Santa Paulans do not want to loose our hospital AGAIN!
High density, low end housing does require more services of police and fire departments, however these rental units are tax sheltered and do not contribute enough taxes to cover these services. This leaves our city of Santa Paula holding the bag economically. The State of California is broke and the state is with-holding more of our city’s tax dollars each year that should be coming back to us from Sacramento.
The question is, do you think Santa Paula needs more tax sheltered projects that require services without the taxes to cover them? Or do you think we need a more balanced approach and with some good quality, taxpaying, single family housing?
David Kaiser
Santa Paula
To Tracy and the staff of Rabalais’
To the Editor:
Our many thanks for your support on my 70th birthday celebration over the New Year’s weekend. With our five kids and their families, totaling 19, attending this event, we could not have accomplished it without your help. They arrived from Denmark, Rhode Island, a couple from Seattle and one from Santa Barbara.
You and your staff were wonderful. And talk about quality, the best compliment I can make on the food you prepared for us is to relate the comments, like, “This is delicious, is there any more?” and “Where did you get this?” The Spinach Artichoke Dip and baked brie appetizers, Soft Chewy Chocolate Ginger and Flourless Peanut Butter cookies, muffins, both the quiches, mashed potatoes, veggies, were all wonderful and then we had your Flourless Chocolate Cake. Your reheating instructions went flawlessly. Your efforts greatly relieved the anxiety that Chris would have otherwise felt. Please tell your staff that we appreciate the quality of the food and the effort it took to start their day at 5:00 AM in order to ensure the freshness. (Sounds like I should be in sales.)
In addition, since our family members were staying at the Glenn Tavern Inn, the easy walk to Rabalais’ was a natural, first thing in the morning, for their first cup of coffee. Jason and Elizabeth were especially grateful for your friendly atmosphere.
Paul Briner
Santa Paula
Lost and found
To the Editor:
On January 8th I lost my wallet at the Ventura Swap meet. What a disappointment I must say. After about 20-30 minutes into my exploring I go in to reach for my wallet and it’s gone. I run to my van and find nothing. I was pretty upset to say the least since I had all my credit cards, ID, and some cash for shopping. I cancelled all my credit cards and my ATM card, which surprisingly had not been charged. At 5 pm that afternoon I got a call from the Santa Paula police station indicating a lady that lived in Santa Paula had turned it in. WOW.
I cannot be more grateful to this woman from Santa Paula who found my wallet and returned it. I would assume most people wouldn’t think twice to take the cash and just dump the wallet. Not only did she try finding someone to turn it into at the swap meet, since she did not know where the Ventura Police Department was, she turned it in to her hometown police department of Santa Paula (per the officer of Santa Paula).
Thank you so much whoever you are. You are truly a great citizen and a wonderful example to those around you for being an honest citizen. I would like to believe there are many people like you but its not easy considering the stories we read to the contrary. Thank you again. I’m glad to know there are still good honest people in this world and you proved it. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR KINDESS AND HONESTLY.
Silvia H. Orozco
Camarillo
Voters be responsible
To the Editor:
We voters occasionally have an awesome responsibility to cast our vote as to whom we think is the best qualified person to be the President of the United States with the ability protect its citizens, and build an image of security for all America.
Logically, if you wanted to build your dream house and needed to select a building contractor, how do you make this most important decision? Do you look for the most experienced and proven builder or the contractor with no experience that tells us that HE wants a chance at proving his ability to us?
In 2008 we chose a man that sounded great, but without experience. He knew immediately that he needed help, so he personally selected a team of advisors (CZARS) to guide him. However the advisors that he personally selected shared one thing in common, they also had no previous experience at building anything.
Our dream house is in trouble! Logically, we now need to rethink our past decision that got us in trouble and make some changes. We made a mistake in 2008, now we need to correct it in 2012.
David Kaiser
Santa Paula
Congratulations Jerry
To the Editor:
Well Jerry, what can I say! Well, I can only say this one thing and I will say it now, and that is congratulations Jerry for winning Firefighter of the Year for the City of Santa Paula Fire Department.
It’s good to hear that you would be the one to win it this year, and I can imagine that you would be the unanimous choice to win it this year after being chosen by your fellow colleagues and comrades at arms in the professional field of firefighting and other emergency services like medical services, like you did when you and your other fellow firefighters came to my mom’s aid. And judging you for this for which you won it is a great feel for you; also by being judged by your fellow colleagues and comrades at arms for your peers for winning this prestigious award.
And I know that you are a very happy person, as well as a very happy camper. You were an inspiration this year, buddy, to us all, and you were there when people like my mom and I needed you.
Especially on Thursday, July 7th of last year, last summer when I drove up to Station 81, when I saw you and Chief Araiza in the back of Station 81 when I came in to tell you the sad news that my mother died. You immediately texted everyone in the department, telling them the sad news for me, and that was very good of you to do that for me.
I really appreciated that thank you. And forever I will always be in debt and grateful for and to you for what you did for us - and that includes my mom and I - for what you mean to all of us here in Santa Paula. And the City of Santa Paula will always be appreciative to you for what you did and for what you have done, and that is serve to fight and protect the properties and the residents of the City of Santa Paula, of the City of Santa Paula Fire Department.
And Jerry, I know that Devera and your kids, as well as Jo Jo and his wife and their kids are proud of you for winning this award. But I know that your mom and dad are also proud of you for winning it, as well as your whole entire side of the family, as well as Devera’s whole entire side of the family too; other than the residents of Santa Paula, the City of Santa Paula, your colleagues, comrades at arms, and everyone else, too, I know are proud of you for winning this award.
But most of all and over and all, but last but not least, I’m very proud of you for winning this award; and I just want to say congratulations, jerry, for again winning this prestigious award, and for being my friend along with the other guys as well as Devera and your family too. Congratulations! Continue to do and keep up the good work, okay. Thank you.
John Bravo
Santa Paula