Letters to the Editor

Unprecedented attack To the Editor:I cannot believe the unprecedented verbal attack on our Mayor by a group of supposedly reputable citizens of the We CARE organization. Surely, they cannot blame Mary Ann Krause for the erosion of this town. Mary Ann has worked tirelessly for the improvement of Santa Paula and its people.John Wisda and his group acted in a hostile and irresponsible manner. I am ashamed of them. If they believe so adamantly in their crusade, I simply want to ask - where were all of you when the Fagan Canyon meetings were held? I attended most of the meetings and I certainly didn’t see you there.Wisda reportedly said that he wanted her to resign. How dare he? The people of Santa Paula elected this hardworking council and Mr. Wisda seems to spend most of his time writing rambling letters to the Times and causing friction in the town. Of course, this is just my opinion. I hope that I am still entitled to that freedom, also.Carmita Dickerson WoodSanta PaulaWho really cares?To the editor:I lived in Santa Paula for a number of years and did business here as well. My wife and I were forced to buy somewhere else four years ago, when we were looking for a larger home, because we couldn’t afford any of the few homes available in Santa Paula.The We “Don’t” Care group is now doing its best to keep people like us out of Santa Paula. The only thing they seem to care about is their own selfish interest. This apparently includes keeping new (job creating) industry from town.It’s a shame that a small group of people, some of whom DO NOT live in Santa Paula, can bring the city to its knees and stop growth. They don’t want low income or middle income people moving into their city. From statements they’ve made, it appears they will accept only large, high price homes to be built and only a few of those. I would bet that most of those people who signed their petitions were not aware of their real motives.As for any racist overtones to the debate, they can deny all they want, but at least some of the We “Don’t” Care organization doesn’t want any more people of Hispanic heritage moving here. One well-known Hispanic man, born and raised here, was called a “dumb Mexican” by a signature gatherer in front of the post office because he disagreed with the ballot measure.I ask my friends in Santa Paula to look past the propaganda to the real motivation from the leadership of this group, and reject their plan to close the gates to Santa Paula.Brian WilsonFillmoreA class act!To the Editor:The Santa Paula High School play “Once Upon A Mattress” was performed this past Friday and Saturday nights. This musical production comes to you courtesy of Basil Augustine and students from Santa Paula High School, McKevett and Isbell Schools. Mr. Roina and his orchestra provided the music, which was outstanding. The orchestra included Donna Nelson on the piano, Daniel Kim (violin), Cari Leidig (cello), Tatiana Kiesewetter (flute), Santiago Gomez (flute), Mark Morales (clarinet), Ricardo Alamillo (bass clarinet), Jude Kiesewetter (trumpet), Sarah Saldino (bass), Jerry Cruz (percussion), Margie Smith (percussion), and Jesse Camacho (piano assistant).This musical comedy was done very professionally and was very entertaining. The cast and crew, along with many volunteers, worked long and hard in order to bring this production to you.The story, based on the fairy tale of “The Princess and the Pea,” centers around Prince Dauntless (Kenneth Johnson), whose mother Queen Aggravain (Adrienne Gomez) tries to keep the prince to herself and wants the prince to marry a true princess of royal blood.Here’s your chance to support our students, who put in many long hours rehearsing their parts in the play so everything could run smoothly, and the result was an incredible production. The choreography (Kristi Crisp, Lisa Grimes), acting, costumes (assembled by volunteers) and the scenery were all very impressive.This production is well worth the time you will spend seeing a musical comedy in front of a set that was beautifully designed. The acting was superb, the singing was supremely good and could compete with American Idol. Once again here’s your chance to support our students, and if you have children or grandchildren and would like to spend some time with them, please take them out and see “Once Upon A Mattress” at the Santa Paula High School Auditorium. The next performances will be June 3, 4, 10 and 11.Ray LunaSanta PaulaDisgustedTo the Editor:I was disgusted to read Peggy Kelly’s front-page article in the 5/25/05 edition of the Santa Paula Times. It appears that the City of Santa Paula/Health Care Authority is attempting to obtain millions of dollars in insurance monies from litigation against the Santa Paula Hospital Board of Directors. The article included numerous allegations of misdeeds. These accusations are factless, and untrue.I have proudly served as a Board member for the last four years. As President of the Santa Paula Hospital medical staff, I participated on the Board of Directors. I worked countless hours with many talented, dedicated, and intelligent volunteers. We struggled mightily to keep our small 45-bed hospital open. We were never compensated, despite what the article seemed to suggest. Our sole purpose was to provide quality health care to the residents of the Santa Clara Valley.Unfortunately, SPMH like many other hospitals in California was unable to remain solvent and closed in December 2003. Fifty-one percent of hospitals in this state are losing money, and struggling to remain viable. In addition to SPMH eighteen other hospitals in California ceased operations in 2003-2004 including: Santa Teresita (Duarte), Angels Hospital (Rancho Cucamonga), Century City (Los Angeles), Monrovia Hospital (Monrovia), Central Valley Orthopedic and Spine Institute (Sanger), Elaster Community (Los Angeles), Northridge-Sherman Way Campus (Van Nuys), Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center (Hawthorne), Pine Grove (Canoga Park), Orange County Community (Buena Park), Bellwood General (Bellflower), St. Francis Medical Center (Santa Barbara), San Luis Obispo General (SLO), LAC/High Desert (Lancaster), Granada Hills (Granada Hills), Santa Ana (Santa Ana), and Mercy Westside (Taft).I seriously doubt that board members from these bankrupt facilities are being sued. The problems facing King/Drew Medical Center are noted in local papers almost daily. Closer to home Ojai Valley Hospital may have prevented closing by aligning with CMH. Additionally, Henry Mayo Hospital in Santa Clarita is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.Health care finance is very complex and ultracompetitive. Reimbursement for hospitals and physicians in California ranks near the bottom nationwide. Financial pressures (inadequate reimbursement from Medicare/Medical, large numbers of uninsured/underinsured patients, and slim profit margins from managed care/IPA contracts), competitive pressures (aggressive marketing and recruiting of patients by other local hospitals and clinic systems, loss of physicians providing specialty care including OB and orthopedics) and industry trends in which hospital based services are being diverted to outpatient/surgicenter settings, all negatively impacted SPMH. The Hospital Board struggled with these and many other problems. Money was lost steadily over the last twelve years of operations. Our board negotiated in earnest with other hospitals regarding the possibility of merging/consolidation. We attempted to recruit specialists that had left and bring new doctors to the hospital. Additionally, we utilized health care consultants and legal experts to help with the financial problems. Our diligence was not rewarded.I have practiced Family Medicine in Santa Paula for the last ten years, and served as an Emergency Medicine physician at SPMH for eight years. Additionally, with four other local doctors, I have helped to provided much needed after hours and weekend urgent care services in Santa Paula since January 2004. I intend to support the Ventura County Medical Center’s reopening of the hospital in November 2005. I also endorse the concept and planning for a newer and better hospital in our community when the existing physical plant is no longer practical. However, I do not support political grandstanding. City Council/Health Care Authority sponsored litigation will not help to improve health care in our community, it will ultimately cost our taxpayers precious dollars in legal fees. The economy of our town mirrors that which the hospital faced. Mean spirited legal maneuvering and politically motivated and biased newspaper articles will further discourage myself and other well-intended persons from volunteering in this community in the future.Michael C. Tushla, M.D.Santa PaulaCare about what?To the Editor:This is primarily addressed to the WE CARE GROUP. You say WE CARE, about what? Try putting aside your self-serving ideologies for a moment and ask yourself what is best for SANTA PAULA. It is very apparent that you do not want any growth in the City. WHY? And don’t tell me it’s a matter of more traffic or size. We all know the real reason.SANTA PAULA is DYING, can you not see this, potholes everywhere, inadequate POLICE and FIRE protection, not to mention a new SEWER PLANT, where do you propose this will come from? If you don’t want growth maybe you would be willing to forego your Prop. 13 TAX BREAK to pay for the above items.I have only lived in Santa Paula for nearly 16 years and every time something GOOD comes along it is shot down by mostly the same crowd. Now we have lost a very fine Police Chief, possibly our Mayor, who knows what else. WHAT A SHAME!!!Growth if controlled is not a bad thing, and 215 homes a year for 10 years is not overly huge and would solve many of the problems. So once again I ask WHAT IS BEST FOR SANTA PAULA.Allan F. HairSanta PaulaAbout changeTo the Editor:While I feel bad for Bedell, Barbara Webster and Thille Schools because there is going to be another change of principals, Bedell is very lucky to have a leader like Patti Fulbright for the upcoming school year. Personally, I have been both an employee and parent under the leadership of Ms. Fulbright and know that she is organized, effective, and firm yet understanding. I think the parents and staff will be pleased to know they are getting a very hard-working principal.Anne McInerney-SolisSanta PaulaMisleadingTo the Editor:In response to Helen Wolff’s letter on May 27, 2005: Ms. Wolff stated in her letter “We are not aware of any people misleading the public in our efforts.” How untrue can you get? What about one of the founders of We CARE contacting the homeowners on Santa Paula Street and other citizens, telling them lies to scare them to turn against the project.To quote my letter to the Editor dated April 8th: “I have heard some of the stories they (We CARE) have told the citizens. Santa Paula Street residents will lose up to eight feet of their front yards for widening. Santa Paula Street and Santa Barbara Street will become four lane one-way streets. There will be signal lights at every intersection on Santa Paula Street. If this were all true, I would be upset too. But it is not true. That will not be happening. They are using scare tactics to get what they want.”There has not been one response written disputing any of the facts I put in that letter, not one! That shows me that it is true that they have been saying that. And that is misleading, very misleading.Roger Brooks