Giving up space supremacy

Re "What does the future hold for U.S. space exploration" (Viewpoints, July 9): As a descendant of the generation who put Americans into space, I am appalled at the Obama administration for ending the shuttle program without an American means to send man into space. America entered into space exploration to beat the Russians to the moon, but now we have to ask the Russians for a ride.

President Barack Obama has driven a stake through the hearts of Americans with his irresponsible and anti-American space policy. Shame on Congress for allowing Obama to yet again denigrate and demote America's greatness.

– Terri Pennello, Sacramento

The next frontier for NASA

The last space shuttle flight opens a great opportunity for America. Though these vehicles could fly many more times, the decision was made to cease shuttle operations to free up money for future space exploration and development, and it's important that these precious federal funds be used wisely. By getting back on track toward full exploration and use of the moon, the United States can open the next door in the use of space to improve life on Earth. Focused investments will leverage our technological and industrial base to promote the next generation of revolutionary space uses.

– Stanley Rosen, Los Angeles, director, National Space Society

A straightforward pension fix

Re "Can Legislature finally crack down on spiking?" (Editorials, July 9): More than likely, any legislation passed regarding pensions will be complicated, confusing, legally questionable and subject to various interpretations depending on whose ox is being gored. Better would be something that limits pensions to no more than $100,000 a year no matter what the person's earnings were. Anybody who was earning more than $100,000 a year should also have been saving for retirement. I wish just one year I had made $100,000!

– Eugene R. Wytrykus, Lincoln

Coverage lacks context

Spiking is wrong, but what percentage of the total public employees are we really talking about? Over the last month The Bee has focused on public service jobs and pensions. They are an easy target as the data are provided – unlike the private sector. Where is the balance in these stories? Where is the comparison of the average public sector pay with comparable private sector remuneration?

Recent articles also suggest that privatizing Sacramento jobs would save money. Where was the discussion and research to find out whether contractors would provide health care to their workers? The taxpayer will probably be paying through the back door. Where is the savings there?

– Diane Mitchell, Woodland

Some children are ungrateful

Re "Co-housing movement gains new ground" (Page A1, July 11): It's a sad commentary on our society that seniors must seek out other seniors to be "family" and a help to them in their old age. They may not be in much of a position to help each other. If adult children will inherit the residents' properties, where are they now, as far as being "family" and a help to them?

– Lorraine Gervais, Sacramento

Rural fire fee not fair

Re "Rural residents to pay for fire services" (Capitol & California, July 9): When Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB X1 29, he said that costs borne by the state for wild land fire prevention/protection services should be funded by the landowners in these areas. Right on! However, the fee of $150 is per structure. What?

Like our close neighbors, we follow guidelines of the Fire Safe Council: trim trees, clear brambles, mow grasses and weeds. However, the acreage across the road, with no structure, is a jungle of fallen or dead trees and vegetation a deer couldn't navigate. A fire coming up that ridge will shed embers and burn down nearby houses.

The fee should be by parcel or acres regardless of a structure. The governor quibbles that the bill is for prevention not protection. We're all responsible – homeowners or landowners.

– Linda George, Placerville

CEQA is not working

Re "Clover Valley foes lose appeal of EIR suit" (Our Region, July 9): "This is a case where CEQA worked," declared a three-justice appellate panel.

Really? They certainly must be kidding. The development effort began 20 years ago. A "significantly less ambitious project" was put forth by the new owners and was approved by the city of Rocklin in 2007. Well over 50 percent of this project is open space. Goodness knows how much money and how many man-hours were spent on this effort. CEQA is as broken as the California budget rattling around the Capitol.

– Phil Vercruyssen, Sacramento

Focus on jobs, not deficit

Re "Bleak jobs report dashes hopes" (Page A1, July 9): The jobs report reveals the destruction caused by deficit reduction efforts. The private sector actually created 57,000 jobs, but the public sector lost 39,000 jobs for a net gain of only 18,000.

While the Republicans scream about the deficit and demand that people get real jobs, they are ignoring the fact that government jobs are real jobs employing real people.

Republicans are holding the debt ceiling increase hostage to force huge cuts, but they refuse to consider those who become unemployed. The June jobs report is only the beginning of the horror they are causing.

– Marlene Aderman, Roseville

Online shopping has downside

Re "Congress needs to pass national 'Amazon bill' " (Editorials, July 8): It appears that The Bee's editorial writers are more interested in more taxes for California than a fair tax policy.

The Bee continually states that Internet sales companies have an advantage by not charging sales tax. It consistently ignores the fact that all purchases via the Internet incur a shipping and handling charge that exceeds the sales tax paid to in-state brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, you forgo the instant gratification of having the item, then have to pay to return the item if it is not what you wanted and in some cases not as advertised.

– Carl Fishel, Orangevale

Steinberg contradicts himself

Re "Steinberg backs teacher shield" (Capitol & California, July 7): Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg is either not very bright, or he is assuming that the rest of us are not paying attention. In May 2010, he boasted of his plan to shift some social services to the counties because they can do the job more effectively than the state.

In January this year, he wrote an article for The Bee that said, "Many of my colleagues, like myself, started public service as local elected officials. We haven't forgotten where we started or the importance of local control."

Now he is defending a law that takes local control away from school districts, telling them how to budget and how many staff members to hire, while at the same time it defers payments to those school districts.

– Jeff Randall, Antelope

A reality TV twofer in making

Re "Savvy consumers save a bundle by finding, redeeming coupons" (Page A1, July 9): Am I the only one who wonders whether all these people who are into super couponing, especially when enticed into it by TLC's TV series about this new obsession, might eventually end up on TLC's other hit TV series about super hoarding? Just wondering.

– Barbara Hopper, Roseville

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