'Shut up and pony up'

Re " 'Right-wing rag' loses subscriber" (Letters, July 6): I agree with Roger Cook from Lincoln – stop messing with state workers. I know many in the private sector have been laid off, have taken pay cuts, have seen their retirement plans devastated and have even lost their homes, but stop picking on state workers.

Even though state pensions and health care are unsustainable in their current form, California taxpayers should shut up and pony up. Even though California is currently facing an unfunded liability of over $48 billion for state retiree health and dental benefits through CalPERS, the taxpayers should just dig a little deeper.

Stop this talk of benefit reform! I know reform would only affect new hires, not current employees, and the proposed reforms would still provide some of the best benefits in the nation – but stop, this is crazy talk. Why fix it if it isn't broke?

Just raise taxes! Don't furlough or lay off state workers; that's for the private sector! I'm sick and tired of all this talk about long-term fiscal responsibility. How dare you publish an honest and objective editorial that contained actual facts! I, too, will be canceling my subscription!

– David Sagan, Roseville

Strong mayor's weaknesses

Re "Johnson's sure capital is ready for strong mayor" (July 4, Page A1): There are two big things wrong with Kevin Johnson's strong-mayor initiative that were not reported. First, it offers no term limits. Other cities in California that have adopted the strong-mayor form of government have term limits of two four-year terms, including Oakland, San Diego and Fresno. Without term limits, we will have an unlimited political patronage system just like Chicago. Second, the initiative calls for an immediate conversion to the system rather than allowing voters to wait until the next election cycle to elect their strong mayor.

Hopefully voters will recall that one of Sacramento's best mayors was Joe Serna. He did not need to change our city's form of government. He knew how to form relationships with and then lead the council to achieve his objectives.

Johnson, unable or unwilling to do this, now wants voters to give him a big stick to accomplish his yet-to-be-defined agenda.

– Alexander James, Sacramento

Social services over safety

Re "Maybe we can live with fewer deputies" (Editorials, July 3): I read with amazement the Bee's editorial applauding the decimation of sheriff's patrol services in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County. As a sheriff's deputy, I worked for all three contract cities (Citrus Heights, Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova) and heard first and from citizens about why they broke away from the county. The primary reason was the lack of law enforcement in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County.

The Bee's assertion that residents of the unincorporated county will be protected because of other jurisdictions' proper law enforcement staffing levels is nonsensical. Does the Bee (and Roger Dickinson and Jimmie Yee, for that matter) think that a police officer from the city of Folsom is going to patrol Carmichael or North Highlands? I think not! Sadly, our Board of Supervisors couldn't find the internal fortitude to temporarily suspend bloated social services to keep the law-abiding and taxpaying citizens of Sacramento County safe. Annie, get your gun.

– Lt. Michael Goold, Sacramento

The governor as Nero

I was born and raised in California, and am very disgusted to see what is happening. There is the old saying that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger bullies the poor and elderly, and plays ego-driven games with the Legislature while California disintegrates. He has grown tired of the role of governor and is now reverting to his true nature: self-made elitist and spoiled movie star. I take solace in knowing I never voted for him!

– Kim Scioloro, Sacramento

Keep the two-thirds rule

Re "Had enough of 'minority rules' " (Letters, July 6): What the writer forgets is that the population of California consists of 100 percent of the people, not 51 percent or 52 percent.

If a simple majority rule vote becomes the law, it will disenfranchise a huge part of the population and negate their viewpoints and opinions.

The two-thirds majority vote must continue so we all have a voice.

– Bill Karr, Placerville

Blaming the victim in killing

Re "McNair's death was sad, but signs were there" (Sports, July 6): Bill Bradley's opinion piece on the murder of former Tennessee Titan Steve McNair was ill-conceived. The article seemed to blame the victim, as if to say it was his own fault for being killed since he had gotten a DUI once. In rebuttal to the closing lines "McNair's death was sad and odd. But, it was not stunning," I'd like to point out that yes, his death was stunning. It stunned his fans, it stunned Nashville, it stunned enough people to be written up in newspapers nationwide. That would not have happened if it had simply been "odd."

Bradley's opinion piece trivializes McNair's death and does not belong in the paper, let alone on the sports section's front page.

– Caitlin Flynn, Sacramento

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