Opinion

A few months ago, I wrote a letter to the editor defending Joe Paterno and his record at Penn State University. As time has passed and the investigation shows that he did cover up the truth I feel it necessary to acknowledge that I was wrong, and that I would like to apologize to all of the readers of the Free Lance.

Sometime in August, state legislators are expected to pass pension reforms aimed at making our public retirement system more sustainable and less vulnerable to abuses.

My name is Jim Gibson. I am a member of the board of directors at the San Benito Health Foundation and have been the treasurer of the foundation for two years. In a recent interview with the Free Lance and, in an editorial that quoted me extensively at a Hollister City Council meeting which I did not attend, I do not feel that my views on the proposed Salud Para La Gente-led federal grant application have been adequately expressed.  With your permission I would like to do so now.

This letter is in response to Marty Richman's letter to the editor of July 20. Marty lists RDA bonds, sewer bonds, a $920,000 loan from the water fund to the general fund and Calpers payments as excessive debt which could destroy the City.

I am confused by the new Friday Free Lance (the old Pinnacle).

Sheriff Thompson has demonstrated common sense, good judgement, compassion and leadership in making it clear that the Sheriff's department will "not deport people" (Free Lance News, Friday, July 20, 2012). Undocumented immigrants come here in search of work and to feed their families.  Most are not criminals and they help support our economy. Most pay taxes and do not qualify for tax returns. Also, due to strict requirements, most undocumented immigrants cannot access pubic assistance. 

On August 9th, 1974, President Richard Nixon resigned. (After a bipartisan vote of the House Judiciary Committee to impeach “Tricky Dick”.) Then the newly-elected Miss Oklahoma visited Washington. Asked if she’d seen the Senate Office Building ("the S.O.B.”) yet, “Miss O” innocently replied, “Oh – is Nixon still in town?”

Did you know Hollister had to borrow about $920,000 recently from an enterprise fund to pay a bill it owed the county? The loan was necessary to take advantage of future savings from moving emergency dispatch to Santa Cruz 911, but the fact that we had to borrow the money shows just how little financial wiggle room we have left. Unfortunately, the loan becomes just another piece of the puzzle usually shown to public only a little bit at a time. City budgets and finances are complex issues under the best of circumstances, when there is no central thread to hold the information together it becomes impossible to see the big picture.