Make good habits profitable

Re "Governor: All must be insured" (Capitol & California, Oct. 28): I could not agree more with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger when he states that: "It starts at home with healthier eating habits and regular exercise."

We need to make people more accountable for their own health and furthermore, for their lack of positive health behaviors. We should make some sort of monetary reward for those who adopt healthy behaviors. I believe that people who smoke, are morbidly obese, have high blood pressure, etc., need to pay more for their health insurance. As they improve their health, the reward will be monetary as monthly out-of-pocket expenses go down. Savings on cigarettes, food and medications would represent added rewards.

People can be healthier, happier and live better with changes in their own behavior. Let's make it count.

– Lori Bowden, Sacramento

Approaching 'GOP's Waterloo'

Re "Public option gains traction" (Page A1, Oct. 27): Anywhere from 50 percent to 70 percent of Americans being polled say they want a public option as part of health care reform being considered in Congress. Contrasting this, almost all Republicans are on record as wanting to kill not only any public option, but in fact, any health care reform.

Without a public option there is no choice or competition in the health insurance industry. Without competition the public loses and Congress has wasted everyone's time.

The GOP has a huge problem, and there is a good reason why Republicans are so determined to defeat President Barack Obama's health care plan. They know that tens of millions of people will benefit from the new health care coverage and will therefore become supporters of the Democratic Party for decades to come.

This has happened with Social Security, Medicare and civil-rights legislation. Democrats proposed these programs and have reaped the political benefits many times over.

Passage of health care coverage for all Americans will be the GOP's Waterloo.

– Ron Lowe, Nevada City

City's permit process improving

Re "Jump-start permits reviewed" (Our Region, Oct. 29): The Bee is to be commended on its series of investigative articles on permit-related issues. However, this most recent article raises some serious concerns that may negatively impact the city's ability to attract new businesses and jobs.

Last fall I completed the city's Planning Academy, and I was impressed with the improvements that have been made to the permitting process since the arrival of City Manager Ray Kerridge. The introduction of the matrix, with its team-oriented approach to coordinating projects, has not only resulted in more meaningful reviews, but also has greatly reduced the time required for permit approval. The granting of permission to start work on a project before the formal permit is received (the FPP program) has been an important part of the new process.

When a politically ambitious council member states that the city has "opened up a can of worms with this FPP program," one wonders if we are headed toward a resumption of the previous rule-bound process, which routinely resulted in procedural delays of weeks, months or even years. Yes, we need an audit to ensure that the streamlined system is not being abused, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.

– Paul Noble, Sacramento

Nestlé and conservation

Re "Nestlé work on plant can resume" (Our Region, Oct. 28): Restaurant patrons should not expect to be served. They should ask for a glass of water. That's conservation.

Gutter flooders should be warned or fined. That's conservation.

Xerophytic plants should replace the thirsty greenery. That's conservation.

Those users with water meters should pay their skyrocketing water costs with a smile. That's conservation.

Valley farmers should lose crops, and farmworkers should line up at food banks. That's conservation.

Nestlé should get industrial rates on our limited water supply to make a product nobody needs, using plastic bottles, no doubt, so we can replenish our landfills and keep oil revenues flowing. The local tap water is excellent, tastes great and does not need to be enhanced with plastic flavoring.

City Council members must have been drinking funny stuff when they let the Nestlé camel in the tent. Camels are notorious drinkers.

– Bev McGaffic, Citrus Heights