Southern California water grab must be halted lest it ruin us
Editor, Ceres Courier,
Protect Our Water and Environmental Rights is a bipartisan association of farmers, businesses, environmentalists, and other people concerned about efficient water use in this state that strongly supports Assemblyman Bill Berryhill's Asssemby Bill 2421 to make the state tell the truth about the cost of this incredibly opaque project to transfer even more water out of the Delta to Southern California.
If you aren't sure what project we're talking about, neither is anyone but a few men behind the green curtain. They don't want any questions. They just want us to all get along and pay the bills, no excuses. No thanks. You don't realize it up there, but Southern California has been a leader in excuses for water waste, while claiming they're doing a great job of water conservation and reuse. We've quantified that the Southern California urban water agencies could conserve and reuse as much water as they plan on taking from the Delta via this new boondoggle of a project, while achieving the security they say they're seeking. Their recent voluntary 20 percent reduction in water use shows they can. Because conservation and reuse have proven to be so very cost effective, we're certain that conservation and reuse would cost a fraction of whatever is ultimately proposed.
All the voters and water ratepayers of this state deserve to know the hard facts about the costs for whatever water conveyance system is chosen behind that green curtain. It's time to rally behind AB 2421 like there's no tomorrow, because without enough water in the Delta to keep everything going, your economy will be gone.
Stephen William Bilson,
Founding Member
POWER
* * * * * * *
In support of Measure T, the tax for county libraries
Editor, Ceres Courier,
In these difficult economic times, would you be able to survive an 87 percent cut in income? Yes on Measure T will ensure that our local Stanislaus County library system will be able to survive and thrive.
Successful passage of Measure T-Save Stanislaus Libraries - is a vote to continue to support a miniscule one-eighth of a penny sales tax that we currently pay. This amounts to about $20 dollars per household. These essential funds cannot be taken away by state or federal politicians to balance their budget shortfalls and every penny earned and spent by Measure T is overseen by our local independent citizens' oversight committee to ensure proper administration.
Much research most notably by world renown education literacy and linguistic specialists Stephen Krashen from the University of Southern California, Syying Lee from National Taipei University and Jeff McQuillan from the Center for Educational Development has indicated that libraries provided access to books and had a larger impact on reading achievement test scores than poverty, and in other cases had nearly as strong an impact. This suggests that providing more access to books can mitigate the effect of poverty on reading achievement, a conclusion consistent with other recent results. This result is of enormous practical importance: Children of poverty typically have little access to books. Libraries can provide this access.
Yes on Measure T will ensure that the Stanislaus County Library system can continue to provide:
• Special children's programs such as stories times and class visits
• 129 public internet stations to allow youth to access job and college information
• The adult and family literacy programs
• Internet access to electronic information resources: www.stanislauslibrary.org
• Nearly 500 hours of service weekly at all branches staffed by experts
Yes on Measure T is a non-partisan issue that is a sensible cost effective way to help our communities become better prepared in today's information based economy. For more information and to find out how to become involved, please visit www.SaveStanLibraries.com.
Your Yes on Measure T vote on June 5 helps our libraries survive and thrive!
Mary Mageean Morado,
Ceres
* * * * * * *
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed with the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters should contain 250 words or less and be void of libelous statements. Letters may be sent to The Ceres Courier, P.O. Box 7, Ceres, CA 95307, or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com
Editor, Ceres Courier,
Protect Our Water and Environmental Rights is a bipartisan association of farmers, businesses, environmentalists, and other people concerned about efficient water use in this state that strongly supports Assemblyman Bill Berryhill's Asssemby Bill 2421 to make the state tell the truth about the cost of this incredibly opaque project to transfer even more water out of the Delta to Southern California.
If you aren't sure what project we're talking about, neither is anyone but a few men behind the green curtain. They don't want any questions. They just want us to all get along and pay the bills, no excuses. No thanks. You don't realize it up there, but Southern California has been a leader in excuses for water waste, while claiming they're doing a great job of water conservation and reuse. We've quantified that the Southern California urban water agencies could conserve and reuse as much water as they plan on taking from the Delta via this new boondoggle of a project, while achieving the security they say they're seeking. Their recent voluntary 20 percent reduction in water use shows they can. Because conservation and reuse have proven to be so very cost effective, we're certain that conservation and reuse would cost a fraction of whatever is ultimately proposed.
All the voters and water ratepayers of this state deserve to know the hard facts about the costs for whatever water conveyance system is chosen behind that green curtain. It's time to rally behind AB 2421 like there's no tomorrow, because without enough water in the Delta to keep everything going, your economy will be gone.
Stephen William Bilson,
Founding Member
POWER
* * * * * * *
In support of Measure T, the tax for county libraries
Editor, Ceres Courier,
In these difficult economic times, would you be able to survive an 87 percent cut in income? Yes on Measure T will ensure that our local Stanislaus County library system will be able to survive and thrive.
Successful passage of Measure T-Save Stanislaus Libraries - is a vote to continue to support a miniscule one-eighth of a penny sales tax that we currently pay. This amounts to about $20 dollars per household. These essential funds cannot be taken away by state or federal politicians to balance their budget shortfalls and every penny earned and spent by Measure T is overseen by our local independent citizens' oversight committee to ensure proper administration.
Much research most notably by world renown education literacy and linguistic specialists Stephen Krashen from the University of Southern California, Syying Lee from National Taipei University and Jeff McQuillan from the Center for Educational Development has indicated that libraries provided access to books and had a larger impact on reading achievement test scores than poverty, and in other cases had nearly as strong an impact. This suggests that providing more access to books can mitigate the effect of poverty on reading achievement, a conclusion consistent with other recent results. This result is of enormous practical importance: Children of poverty typically have little access to books. Libraries can provide this access.
Yes on Measure T will ensure that the Stanislaus County Library system can continue to provide:
• Special children's programs such as stories times and class visits
• 129 public internet stations to allow youth to access job and college information
• The adult and family literacy programs
• Internet access to electronic information resources: www.stanislauslibrary.org
• Nearly 500 hours of service weekly at all branches staffed by experts
Yes on Measure T is a non-partisan issue that is a sensible cost effective way to help our communities become better prepared in today's information based economy. For more information and to find out how to become involved, please visit www.SaveStanLibraries.com.
Your Yes on Measure T vote on June 5 helps our libraries survive and thrive!
Mary Mageean Morado,
Ceres
* * * * * * *
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed with the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters should contain 250 words or less and be void of libelous statements. Letters may be sent to The Ceres Courier, P.O. Box 7, Ceres, CA 95307, or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com
