November 21, 2008
Letters to the Editor
August 15, 2008
I was appalled after reading the section entitled "From the Editor" regarding "Business Community Deserves Better from City Council." Do the officials for the City of Taft have their eyes closed? Can they not see what is happening to the City? The town, in reality, is shutting down. More and more business' are closing on a weekly basis. However, the business' that are closing, there are none coming in to replace them.
When I moved to Taft, the first thing that I did was go onto the Web-site to see what was out there. After being on the City of Taft web-site for only a couple of minutes I then redirected my search to the Chamber of Taft web-site and found the information that I was looking for. Whenever I am searching a particular city I search for Chambers. I would think that the City of Taft and the Chamber of Taft would work hand and hand in trying to develop our city and better it. Well I know that one agency feels that way.
When I heard that the whole matter was regarding money, as it always is, I went onto the City of Taft web-site to look at the budget. To my surprise I was not able to pull up this information. Even where it said additional links and under this area was a section for the budget I was still not able to click on it. It was not a link, just words on the screen. Then I decided to look to see if there was an area where I could report any problems and thus report this problem. That is when I discovered that the web-site has recently been re-designed in February 2008. In addition I could not find out who the web-designer is. This brought up two questions: First, how much was spent on this new and improved web-site and secondly is the web-designer locally or are we paying someone in another area.
When I first moved to Taft I kept on hearing the phrase shop Taft. Well that is kind of hard to do when there is nothing here. And the stores that are here are closing down. In addition, I have heard horror stories regarding new business' coming into Taft and the rings that they have to jump through in order for the council to approve them. Does the City of Taft really want new business' to come into our town or is this just an act that they are portraying. Maybe they missed their calling. They all had an opportunity to get involved with acting a couple of weeks ago when they were filming here in Taft. Because the way I see it they could win academy awards for their performances.
Back to the budget. I work throughout the day leaving the house at 7:30 AM and do not get home until 6:00 PM. It is kind of difficult for me to pop into City Hall and request a copy of the budget. Also, on occasion, through my work, I have had to contact City Hall to request information and I am lucky if I get to talk to a real person. Usually I have to leave a message and usually in a week they return my call. This is real professional. I would like to see the budget to see what the city is spending money on. As with all politics I am sure that there are frivolous spending that can be eliminated. But then again, it takes a real person, someone who knows what it fells like to feed a family of five with little money coming in. Maybe that is the answer to all of our problems; have House-wives in the position of City Council, with all of Taft as their children, maybe then we would have extra money and make good choice.
The Citizens on Taft need to stop talking and start getting involved. Maybe next Christmas they will realize what they City of Taft has done when they line up on the street to watch the Christmas Parade and realize that there is no parade due to the fact that they was not money due to "cut backs". What a pity to the children of Taft. Or maybe when everyone is waiting for the fireworks to start and realize that there will not be a show, then they will get involved. I urge everyone to support the Chamber of Taft. Imagine the faces of the City Council if residents actually attended the City Council meeting in support of the Chamber. Will they still deny the Chamber the money after seeing that residence are in support of this. If they do deny the money then they should not be in office because they are elected by the people. If this is the case maybe the people should see what can be done to put people in that will do what we want and not what council they want.
Signed a Concerned Citizen of Taft
Your editorial regarding the Taft City Council's snub of the Chamber is right on. Historically, the Chamber has provided valuable services to the City of Taft. The present Chamber is certainly deserving of assistance.
I recognize the Council is facing the possibility of a hit on it's income stream by the State. But, "0" for the Chamber?
I watched, in disbelief, a recent Council meeting wherein a gift of up to $5,000 was made to a PG&E program to plant trees in Northern California. The purpose of PG&E's program is to offset the carbon footprint made by the City's carbon emissions. Well, I guess it's politically correct these days to overcome one's guilt in causing Global Warming. But, "0" for the Chamber?
To be fair to the members of the Council, I believe the person representing PG&E pulled the wool over their eyes. PG&E was presenting two distinctly different programs. One program "audits" the City's power usage and suggests various rebate programs and/or investments which can be made to save energy usage. The audit is a free service offered by PG&E and apparently is underway. The other program is the aforementioned carbon footprint offset. The presenter kept going back and forth with descriptions of both programs. I recall one council member asking a question as to the savings the City would realize. I believed the question referred to the carbon footprint program. The answer given by the presenter from PG&E was confusing, at best. He intertwined both programs into his answer. He should have just said " there isn't any savings in the carbon footprint program". It's going to cost the City an additional $4,500 to $5,000 on its PG&E bill. Not one Council member dissented either in the discussion or the vote.
Perhaps, there's a way to reconsider this decision and spend the money on a local priority, like the Chamber.
-Stephen Steinhoffer
When I moved to Taft, the first thing that I did was go onto the Web-site to see what was out there. After being on the City of Taft web-site for only a couple of minutes I then redirected my search to the Chamber of Taft web-site and found the information that I was looking for. Whenever I am searching a particular city I search for Chambers. I would think that the City of Taft and the Chamber of Taft would work hand and hand in trying to develop our city and better it. Well I know that one agency feels that way.
When I heard that the whole matter was regarding money, as it always is, I went onto the City of Taft web-site to look at the budget. To my surprise I was not able to pull up this information. Even where it said additional links and under this area was a section for the budget I was still not able to click on it. It was not a link, just words on the screen. Then I decided to look to see if there was an area where I could report any problems and thus report this problem. That is when I discovered that the web-site has recently been re-designed in February 2008. In addition I could not find out who the web-designer is. This brought up two questions: First, how much was spent on this new and improved web-site and secondly is the web-designer locally or are we paying someone in another area.
When I first moved to Taft I kept on hearing the phrase shop Taft. Well that is kind of hard to do when there is nothing here. And the stores that are here are closing down. In addition, I have heard horror stories regarding new business' coming into Taft and the rings that they have to jump through in order for the council to approve them. Does the City of Taft really want new business' to come into our town or is this just an act that they are portraying. Maybe they missed their calling. They all had an opportunity to get involved with acting a couple of weeks ago when they were filming here in Taft. Because the way I see it they could win academy awards for their performances.
Back to the budget. I work throughout the day leaving the house at 7:30 AM and do not get home until 6:00 PM. It is kind of difficult for me to pop into City Hall and request a copy of the budget. Also, on occasion, through my work, I have had to contact City Hall to request information and I am lucky if I get to talk to a real person. Usually I have to leave a message and usually in a week they return my call. This is real professional. I would like to see the budget to see what the city is spending money on. As with all politics I am sure that there are frivolous spending that can be eliminated. But then again, it takes a real person, someone who knows what it fells like to feed a family of five with little money coming in. Maybe that is the answer to all of our problems; have House-wives in the position of City Council, with all of Taft as their children, maybe then we would have extra money and make good choice.
The Citizens on Taft need to stop talking and start getting involved. Maybe next Christmas they will realize what they City of Taft has done when they line up on the street to watch the Christmas Parade and realize that there is no parade due to the fact that they was not money due to "cut backs". What a pity to the children of Taft. Or maybe when everyone is waiting for the fireworks to start and realize that there will not be a show, then they will get involved. I urge everyone to support the Chamber of Taft. Imagine the faces of the City Council if residents actually attended the City Council meeting in support of the Chamber. Will they still deny the Chamber the money after seeing that residence are in support of this. If they do deny the money then they should not be in office because they are elected by the people. If this is the case maybe the people should see what can be done to put people in that will do what we want and not what council they want.
Signed a Concerned Citizen of Taft
Your editorial regarding the Taft City Council's snub of the Chamber is right on. Historically, the Chamber has provided valuable services to the City of Taft. The present Chamber is certainly deserving of assistance.
I recognize the Council is facing the possibility of a hit on it's income stream by the State. But, "0" for the Chamber?
I watched, in disbelief, a recent Council meeting wherein a gift of up to $5,000 was made to a PG&E program to plant trees in Northern California. The purpose of PG&E's program is to offset the carbon footprint made by the City's carbon emissions. Well, I guess it's politically correct these days to overcome one's guilt in causing Global Warming. But, "0" for the Chamber?
To be fair to the members of the Council, I believe the person representing PG&E pulled the wool over their eyes. PG&E was presenting two distinctly different programs. One program "audits" the City's power usage and suggests various rebate programs and/or investments which can be made to save energy usage. The audit is a free service offered by PG&E and apparently is underway. The other program is the aforementioned carbon footprint offset. The presenter kept going back and forth with descriptions of both programs. I recall one council member asking a question as to the savings the City would realize. I believed the question referred to the carbon footprint program. The answer given by the presenter from PG&E was confusing, at best. He intertwined both programs into his answer. He should have just said " there isn't any savings in the carbon footprint program". It's going to cost the City an additional $4,500 to $5,000 on its PG&E bill. Not one Council member dissented either in the discussion or the vote.
Perhaps, there's a way to reconsider this decision and spend the money on a local priority, like the Chamber.
-Stephen Steinhoffer
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