Schillo at It Again

The Marie Antoinette of Thousand Oaks (minus the hair), Frank Schillo, is at it again--screaming “let them eat cake” at those Ventura County residents in need of services of last resort (“City Says It Pays a Lot but Receives Little Back,” Feb. 21).

‘Mine, mine, mine,” Schillo cries, much like a 2-year-old in a snit. He really does know better. He’s staged this tantrum before and had all the facts laid out for him.

Once more, for the record, Frank.

The role of counties is different from cities. The state requires that counties allocate property tax dollars in some very specific ways. They have the responsibility for providing services of last resort for children, the aged, disabled, medically indigent, hungry and homeless.

Counties run the courts, jails, fire services, sheriff services, hospitals, health clinics, public defender and district attorney’s offices, libraries and endless social services. Over the last 10 years, mandates from the state have spent over 80% of county property tax dollars. Cities have only one mandate from the state: they must provide workers’ compensation for their employees.

Councilmember Schillo should rush to educate himself on the responsibilities that other governmental agencies face. He should learn compassion for those less fortunate and gratitude for the fact that he lives in a city that has few citizens in need. While his City Council was pondering whether to enter a city float in the Rose Parade, his county government was closing health clinics and making across-the-board cuts in county services.

MADGE L. SCHAEFER

Thousand Oaks

Schaefer is a former member of the Board of Supervisors.