El Toro, Cont’d
I continually receive propaganda from opponents of the proposed El Toro airport. Recently, a flurry of mailings suggests to readers that in order for Orange County to be a premier location, just like LA, San Francisco and San Diego, we “need” a Great Park.
Ironically, the same argument applies to Orange County’s need for a sufficient airport. Without infrastructure to support our business community, Orange County may not continue to be a premier place to live.
Julie Kelly
Corona del Mar
Energy, Cont’d
On April 10, I as a citizen of the state of California was invited to attend a congressional hearing in Sacramento on the topic, “Assessing the California energy crisis, how did we get to this point and where do we go from here?”
I went there to call attention to the fact that all taxpayers will have to pay the extra costs that the generators of electricity have charged Californians above the cap that the utilities had to pay in order to keep the lights on. The state should receive refunds. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has the power to order the out-of-state power generators to send refund checks to California. These generators and marketers have made billions at the expense of the California taxpayers and utilities.
We want our money back!
Major Bowles
Taxpayer
Huntington Beach
SAT Scores
I am stunned but not surprised at a recent proposal of Richard Atkinson, president of the University of California system, to eliminate the use of SAT test scores as part of the UC’s admission process. He has deemed the SAT to damage self-esteem and prevent the UC system from being racially diverse. This mirrors much of the gobbledygook which has led to many failed academic reforms in public schools.
Atkinson instead would use grade point averages despite high schools varying in academic rigor. He believes them to be a better predictor of success, but the College Board, which oversees the SAT, has compiled reams of data which conclude the very opposite.
The SAT serves not only the college or university in its assessment of the student, but it also enables the student to select a school which better matches their academic ability. A student blindly led into an academic environment beyond their ability is more likely to drop out of school.
Regrettably, this is just another case of an education leader wanting equal outcome instead of equal opportunity. Sadly, virtually every Democrat member of the Assembly has signed a letter praising Atkinson on his vision.
Ken Maddox
Assemblyman, 68th District
Garden Grove
China
It is bad enough we are the cash cow for China. Damn near everything we buy is from China,from batteries to body parts. They know we are a greedy bunch and look to exploit us in every way.
China’s government uses that money to buy arms from Russia. They buy businesses and property here in the U.S. They buy politicians here in the U.S., too. (Remember our boy Bill?) What they cannot buy from us they are now stealing (the reconnaissance plane).
We had better wake up and smell the Peking duck before our goose is cooked!
Barry M. Gold
A moderate Republican
Irvine
Estate Tax
Wealthy icons such as Bill Gates Sr., Warren Buffet, George Soros and a few Rockefellers are opposing the repeal of the estate tax. Well, that’s all very nice that these few super rich don’t mind paying the death tax. But there are hundreds of thousands of individuals and small business owners who would prefer to leave their wealth and businesses to their families.
What is most telling about the attitude of Gates et al. is that they claim the estate tax encourages them to leave more of their wealth to charitable foundations. And we thought they were leaving all this money out of the goodness and generosity of their hearts. Now we learn the reason they give to charity at all is to avoid a big tax bill!
Even socialist Canada repealed its estate tax years ago.
Mary Szterpakiewicz
San Diego
