Sounding Off:

Am I wrong, or do Costa Mesa residents care more about politics than they do people?

Hear me out. This opinion comes from reading article after article about good programs.

Struggling to maintain the spirit of making a difference in the community, Michael Miller’s three-part series on volunteering got me thinking that we can’t blame the economy for everything (“Volunteering on empty,” Sept. 22 and “Laboring through,” Sept. 15).

I’m a longtime volunteer in various groups and projects. I have met some interesting people that understand the motto, “no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” By being a volunteer, you can learn about the nonprofit groups’ missions, and discover a few things about yourself. The experience is different for each person.

As a volunteer you get to enjoy the feeling of being part of something big, being one of the team, and having something you can look back at that has a positive end result. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, a donation can also keep the vision going.

As a comparison, think back to our last city election, when checks were flowing to candidates. People were sure generous around that time. How do I know this? Anyone can request a copy of the campaign contributions 460 form in the City Clerk’s office. I will never forget what I read, that Costa Mesa residents are generous, to the point of making $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 contributions. Some came from business folks, too.

Did I mention your campaign contribution checks to elections are not tax deductible? I might need to mention this several times for you to appreciate the full impact of this letter. Costa Mesa residents could have gotten more “bang for their buck,” and a tax deduction too, if they had donated just half of their campaign contribution to youth, sports, arts, seniors — all the struggling groups I’m reading about in our paper. Instead of helping out one of the many wonderful volunteer groups, your campaign contribution went to printed materials and bulk mailing. Sad, we get so caught up in politics.

Local politics should be just that: local. We need future leaders who will encourage us to donate to Costa Mesa programs and support our volunteers (who are priceless, by the way). I want to see a future local politician take out an ad in the local newspaper that reads, “please support your favorite local charity or programs, put your money toward fellow Costa Mesa citizens who are working hard to make a difference, and not toward political literature.”

I want to have the reassurance of knowing our leaders care more about local charities than they do politics. If Costa Mesa residents have only one place to donate their money this year or future years, please think of the nonprofit groups before politics or at the very least think of the tax deduction. This would be a win-win for our community.

LINDA SNEEN is a resident of Costa Mesa.