MAILBAG:

Rod Kunishige’s “Stick to the city, council,” (Dec. 25) seems to serve him well as a base for a rant against many things that interest him, but ignores some very important facts that make the council’s action a win-win in my view. He wants to know who would benefit from the sale below value of distressed houses. I would first ask who benefits from removing the senior center from its current very convenient location to a place off in the boonies.

I know, I know. They are obligated to use the vacated land for a park or other community use. Right! And how did someone ever get those condos built on the beach that was supposed to be inviolate? Don’t tell me they won’t find a way to develop that Senior Center land to build some pricey condos.

Getting those houses sold and occupied is a great way to fulfill our obligation for affordable housing on which we are delinquent. At the same time we realize a dream for a few families who are forever outside of the possibility of having their own homes; and we protect the area from urban blight that inevitably comes to abandoned homes. Perhaps Kunishige has no feeling for the poor.

I have offered to house-sit one of those homes while it is unoccupied. As a retired senior I can do that. I would imagine there are other seniors out there who would be willing to do the same. I could even do some tutoring while I’m there.

Stick to your guns, City Council. Your hearts and your rationales are in the right place.

Patricia R. McCully

Huntington Beach

Buying homes takes away from local funding

The Huntington Beach City Council spending our tax dollars to get into the home foreclosure business is less a priority than what I’d suggest.

I see no reason to give banks more bailout money. The extra million dollars that the council seems to have is better served for infrastructure but other items that come to my mind include ensuring that our loyal city employees and their union get the money they were promised. A few years ago we had a $50 million unfunded liability that the council largely ignored. It was a big rage at the time but not a word has been offered in recent years. The question is, has the liability been fully funded? Are not our employees worthy? If not, why not?

I know city staffers argue that we can get some funding from the state or federal government if we adopt (insert the latest fad program here) “investment.” The truth is that it all comes from our pockets regardless of the government source and it always takes away from ongoing local funding.

Some have said, “See, we saved 50% on this purchase.” If they really could not afford that expense without going into debt, continued “savings” would force them to beg for help. It may be that the council plans to join our governor in asking for a bailout. There is a huge difference between what we want and what is affordable.

Our city does so many wonderful things for the community. These are things that we can all agree are warranted. Once all of our obligations are met, we can then expand city services. But, until all our work is complete, extraordinary expenses are at best irresponsible.

Write to the City Council and urge them to remember their fiduciary responsibility and obligations to their employees. Ask them, are they expecting an excessive amount of tax revenue this year despite what they have said?

Rod Kunishige

Huntington Beach

Resolve to eat less meat in the coming year

This has not been a good year for the meat, dairy, and egg industries.

It began in February, with USDA’s largest ever recall of ground beef produced by California’s Westland-Hallmark Meat Packing Company.

In April, Archives of Internal Medicine published a 25-year study of 88,000 women finding that those who ate lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains were less likely to suffer a heart attack and stroke, respectively, than women addicted to more typical American diets.

In May, the American Institute for Cancer Research warned consumers that grilling of meat or fish raises the risk of colon cancer. A National Cancer Institute study in the November Proceedings of the National Academy of Science confirmed that consumption of meat and dairy products elevates the risk of cancer.

Last spring, the prestigious Pew Charitable Trusts and Johns Hopkins University called for a phaseout of factory farming. In November, 63% of California voters agreed by requiring that animals raised for food have space to turn around and spread their wings, possibly wiping out the state’s egg industry.

Let’s make 2009 a really good year for ourselves by exploring the rich variety of veggie burgers, dogs, deli slices, and soy-based milks, cheeses and ice creams in our local supermarket. This is one new year’s resolution that’s easy and fun to keep.

Harold Undell