Page 3 - Sanger Herald 10-18-18 E-edition

Random thoughts The school district and its Measure B should not be considered guilty by association ...
See Mary Orton's letter to the editor on this page.
Grand juries in 2008 and 2018 expressed strong negative opinions about the way the City of Sanger misused designated funds for things other than their intended purpose.
In 2008 the city was using DBCP/water funds for just about everything but DBCP/ water.
In 2018 the city was ignoring an oversight committee's protestations to apparently fulfill a city manager's quid pro quo with a police bargaining unit and give improper raises
to everyone in the unit instead of just those already being paid out of Measure S funds.
The City of Sanger is infamous for the way it plays fast and loose with designated funds and the way it ignores an oversight commit- tee that tries to hold it accountable.
That's the City of Sanger - not the Sanger Unified School District.
The school district apparently abides by the rules.
The City of Sanger apparently does not.
You shouldn't regard the school district guilty by association. (Guilty by association
Comparing SUSD's Measure B to Sanger's Measure S ...
Upon receiving a "Yes on Measure B" mail- er today, I thought it wise to read Measure B. The first thing to come to mind was "Measure S," and that says a lot about Measure B. These are my concerns:
1) Use of the word project (sing.) as re- lated to needs.
2) Reference to "or to be located" under project list.
3) Bond funds will be spent on the con- struction and equipping new facilities, in particular a new educational complex in the Sunnyside area.
4) Projects to be financed with bond pro- ceeds and additional finance sources. (From
In my OPINION
Vote as if your future depends on it
SANGER HERALD 3A THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018 EDITORIAL & OPINION
By Dick Sheppard
The dismissive way the current city hall adminis- tration treated the Measure S Citizens Oversight Committee is bound to taint the perception of any local bond measure that claims it will be held accountable by an oversight committee.
Dick Sheppard
refers to the attribution of guilt without any proof, solely because of who someone associ- ates with.)
Repeating what I wrote last week, the school district and the City of Sanger are separate entities. They do not share finances or governance.
I have heard nothing to indicate the school district does not keep its word and follow
the rules. But I have read four grand jury reports, 2008, 2012, 2015 and 2018 that ques- tion the City of Sanger's governance and han- dling of money.
It's my opinion the school district is much better at being trustworthy and reliable than it is at designing lawn signs to promote its Measure B. Seriously? You can't read its lawn signs without getting up close and squinting. It's a lot easier to read about Measure B on page 6A.
•••
The city, in my opinion, quickly regretted
that the words "supplement" and "supplant" were ever used in ordinance 1094, which attempts to define how Measure S money should be spent.
After the brouhaha with the oversight committee and the most recent investigation by a grand jury, the administration is work- ing harder than ever to focus on other ways of defining how the public tax money should be used.
If it ever admits that line item supple- ment vs. supplant is an issue — and not some overall percentage or some bottom line based on how much came out of the general fund
where?)
5) Citizens Oversight committee (again,
Measure S, and we all know how well that worked out).
6) Performance and financial audits (Mea- sure S again).
7) Project list is not complete and states as much.
8) How can an Educational complex can be built for the requested amount and still be able to do other projects?
9) Sounds like an end-run around the City Council to get a new baseball field.
10) What provisions are being made for increased staffing needs?
11) Costs not limited.
12) Why are bond proceeds paying for an election? Who pays if it fails?
13) Too many final decisions are relegated to the Board of Trustees. What does the Over- sight Committee do? (Measure S again)
14) No guarantee of project completion.
15) Adds $60 per $100,000 assessed valua- tion to property tax bill.
16) Interest doubles principal.
17) Cannot be used for salaries (Measure S, again).
in 2008 for public safety — it has to wrestle again with the recent raises out of Measure S funds, and the fact that it is now paying more for the same level of service it had before, and that's just wrong.
•••
Waytogo John Ypma, the Initiative Foods
boss, for taking the next step in rising from the ashes of that disastrous fire back in 2016.
Last Friday, John presided at a ground- breaking ceremony for Initiative Foods' new plant on Industrial Way. The new 30,000-square-foot building will be home to baby food production, cold storage, a labora-
tory and office space.
The new facility will be able to produce
more than 100 million units of baby food each year.
•••
Don't forget the candidate forum at the
Sanger Woman's Club this Saturday from 1-3 p.m. It's your opportunity to ask questions.
"We have met the enemy and he is us."
- Pogo
Comments, complaints and suggestions may be emailed to sangerherald@gmail.com
18) Real purpose of bonds?
Mary Orton
Sanger
By Fred Hall
Democrats overplayed a false narrative during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings and employed tactics, which at best can only
be called marginal, on their way to voting
in lock step to deny an eminently qualified jurist to occupy a seat on the Supreme Court. What's especially egregious is the fact that at least three really marginal liberals sailed through the process. It seems that only strict constructionists and conservatives find
it tough sledding when they seek such an appointment.
Meanwhile, back in California, voters face a long list of initiatives and are poised to select candidates which, one can only hope, retain the conservative tendencies of the population of this area. Huge sums of out- side money are pouring in to ensure that the Valley has a chance of becoming as liberal as the rest of the state. We're hopeful that the hard-working people of this area, who fully understand that a paycheck does not come from government, will vote to support true American ideals.
In a state that is increasingly pricing out the average family, something has to be done to bring the cost of living into check. We can't afford higher fuel costs, more expensive util- ities and ever growing housing costs. Inane regulations and restrictions being penned every day by a growing bureaucracy are cer- tainly driving factors. People can no longer afford to live here. How else does one explain the expanding homeless problem.
Recreational marijuana does not help nor does the idea of sanctuary “shoot-up” zones for drug addicts. The overreaching attitude of politicians in today's world appears to be to empty our prisons. We are on the way toward that goal when we appear to be decriminal- izing everything. Just put them back on the street with a special leather-bound copy of their special "California rights.”
California is in an absolute mess when it comes to distribution of the limited supply
of water. Think about that rationally for a moment. California's population is now dou- ble the size its infrastructure's original intent. We can a. grow crops to feed people, b. try
to restore rivers that have been dry for the better part of a century or c. flush it down the river to the ocean or cede control to the environmentalists. One can't provide water service for twice the population and deal with these other issues.
Why the hell are we building a futuristic railroad to nowhere when out roadways, statewide, are so horrible. When we realize that gasoline tax money is going to help build this boondoggle, we need say no more.
Stop voting for people who want more of your money and stop voting for bond issues that only place us deeper in debt and result in no movement on the problem which they are supposed to fix.
Read about the issues and candidates and vote as if your future depends on the deci- sions made at the ballot box. It probably does! But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
In addition to the Sanger Herald, publisher Fred Hall oversees two other Mid Valley Publishing newspapers - Reedley Exponent, and Dinuba Sentinel. Contact him at (559) 638-2244 or fred@midvalleypublishing.com.
With the ever-growing
mass of political claims
and a virtual deluge of
political ads swirling about
us, it's abundantly clear
that we are drawing to the
close of “silly season.” A
quick check of the calendar
reveals there are only 20
days between now and election day Nov. 6.
If you're one of the ever increasing num- ber of voters who opt for vote by mail, your ballots should have reached your home by this time. We hope each and every one of you has taken the time to do your own research of the candidates and initiatives and has not relied on much of the scurrilous information being supplied by third parties.
Having spent more than 50 years in the newspaper business, it's really tough for
me to admit that much of what is reported
as being absolutely factual is open to one's interpretation. There was a time, believe it or not, when one could actually rely on report- ing as being factually correct. Not so much in today's media, which is so driven by “clicks!” It's even worse for those who rely on Facebook, Google, Yahoo and assorted others as their way of keeping up on what's going
on in the world. These web sites and services make no attempt at honest reporting nor do they employ true professional journalists.
In a year when it appears all semblance of rational thought has gone right out the win- dow, it is going to be imperative that people who are capable of thinking in a constructive manner ask themselves, “Is this good for the country?”
When America has an administration that has given the country an improving economy, more people (including minorities) work-
ing, welfare roles being reduced, record low unemployment and increasing salaries, does it really make sense to change horses? We know what the Democrats are offering has been tried and has been an abysmal failure. That's just the mainstream of the party. The far left wing is advocating socialism which has always resulted in a depleted economy, starving people and eventually leading to the rise of a dictator as a solution to resulting problems.
Ask yourself exactly what the opposition offeris as a reason to put them back in power after a devastating period during which they were in control. The only things I have been able to sort out of the convoluted mess they are offering as a platform are endless inves- tigations of the winners of previous elections and/or appointments and taking back the tax breaks, which have been such a part of the engine of this recovery.
Class and racial warfare have been the operative methods of dividing and conquer- ing the electorate for far too long. Americans are far too good, and we fully expect them
to rise above the machinations of a political party in search of its lost power. The implica- tion that the rich have become wealthy on the backs of hard-working Americans should be a non-starter. With just a moment of rational thought, that claim makes no sense at all.
Early predictions in the press of a “blue wave” have begun to wane because Senate
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