Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
MAILBAG
City must clean up its own act first
How did city services come up with the unbelievable fine of $347,000 for trimming trees without a permit (“Pruning leaves a fine mess,” Friday)?
How about this. Instead of assessing homeowners who are trying to maintain their property, the city should first clean up its own house by filling in the potholes and repairing all the cracked sidewalks in the city. Who is in charge of these repairs, and to whom do I report them?
ROSEMARY KLEM
Glendale
Apologies deserved for over-regulation
I, for the most part, agree with both Allen Brandstater and Frederick W. Croft (“Officials should ‘go climb a tree,’” and “Rights of property owner lost in debate,” Mailbag, Oct. 19) in their sentiments regarding the over-regulation and loss of private property rights in Glendale.
But we have to face the fact that this is apparently what the citizens of Glendale want and what they voted for in the last election. They want big brother to tell us what we can do with our property, what we can plant on our property, where we can smoke, whose views we have to protect, when we can replace our windows and what windows we can replace them with (the last time I wrote about this I got a response from some homeowners association vigilante telling us how vinyl windows cause global warming, etc. — yawn).
I do believe that people should keep up and improve their property and not let it become an eyesore, but if in doing so we have to jump through a million hoops and wind our way through the maze of the permitting bureaucracy, that is truly overbearing and unjust.
Just like paying more than $300,000 for pruning — not removing, mind you — some trees is totally out of whack.
I sometimes wonder where all these folks were when south Glendale was practically razed back in the ’80s and ’90s. Were they whining up a storm and blitzing City Council meetings when the hundreds of apartments and condos were being built? Were they concerned about south Glendale residents losing their views? I doubt it. What’s next, a ban on tree houses? I do not agree with Brandstater’s call to have the city arborist apologize, be fired or go climb a tree, although he or she would probably enjoy that last one.
That city employee was just doing their job in enforcing this draconian law, a law desired by some overzealous community members and the City Council.
No, I think the City Council, mayor and these certain community members should apologize to the Collards and foot the bill. Well folks, it looks like the chickens have come home to roost and we got what we voted for.
BECKER DANSON
Glendale
Recognition raises standard of courage
In response to Mary Tyler’s letter (“Jews suffer too, but not seeking same,” Mailbag, Saturday), it seems that Tyler has confused the issue.
Armenian-Americans are not seeking a holiday, we are pushing for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by our government.
Yes, Jews have suffered tremendously during the Holocaust, and no one, except for a few lunatics, is denying that fact. Armenians, on the other hand, have not received closure. Turkey is denying the occurrence of genocide, and based on its strategic location in the world, is getting away with it.
How would you feel if Germans referred to the Holocaust as the tragic killings due to the confusion of World War II and our government accepted the explanation due to political reasons?
Holding monopoly on suffering is not a virtue, it is a selfish act. Armenians weren’t the first methodically exterminated people, and unfortunately not the last ones either, because the international community didn’t punish the perpetrators right after World War I. Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot and many others have committed more and more atrocities knowing they could get away with it. Look at Darfur.
Our government should not cherry-pick criminals. It must recognize criminal acts regardless of politics. It takes more courage to recognize fault in an ally than an enemy. It shows strength of character.
CHRISTINE ALEXANIANS
Glendale
Infrastructure being neglected for salaries
The road to a better city has not been paved with the residents’ best interests in mind.
That has been evident to me as I looked over the unfunded capital expenditures and the decisions the City Council has made this year and is contemplating at its capital improvement budget sessions Tuesday mornings (“Project options vexing mayor,” Oct. 24).
If you’ve been paying attention, many key arterial streets in Glendale are in significant state of disrepair: Glenoaks Boulevard as you approach Burbank, Colorado Street east of Brand Boulevard, Glendale Avenue south of the Ventura (134) Freeway, Central Avenue north of Colorado.
Our street surface conditions are not what they are cracked up to be, or maybe they may just be, cracked and riddled with potholes.
According to the 2005 Citywide Pavement Management System, we have a backlog of $51 million in deferred maintenance for needed repair, and we need at least $8.9 million per year just to keep the streets at an overall index level of 73.
But street improvements should be coordinated with any needed sewer improvements to maximize our investments.
Here again, given zoning changes in just the last couple of years, we can expect $38.5 million of pipeline and pump station improvement costs, according to the Glendale Wastewater Master Plan Update of 2007.
The pattern for at least the last eight years, it seems to me, has been for staff salary increases first, then political projects and whatever is left over to infrastructure.
It seems as if the city’s “100K club” is clamoring for more high-rise buildings savoring the increased property tax that will morph into more pay raises.
HERBERT MOLANO
Tujunga
How did city services come up with the unbelievable fine of $347,000 for trimming trees without a permit (“Pruning leaves a fine mess,” Friday)?
How about this. Instead of assessing homeowners who are trying to maintain their property, the city should first clean up its own house by filling in the potholes and repairing all the cracked sidewalks in the city. Who is in charge of these repairs, and to whom do I report them?
ROSEMARY KLEM
Glendale
Apologies deserved for over-regulation
I, for the most part, agree with both Allen Brandstater and Frederick W. Croft (“Officials should ‘go climb a tree,’” and “Rights of property owner lost in debate,” Mailbag, Oct. 19) in their sentiments regarding the over-regulation and loss of private property rights in Glendale.
But we have to face the fact that this is apparently what the citizens of Glendale want and what they voted for in the last election. They want big brother to tell us what we can do with our property, what we can plant on our property, where we can smoke, whose views we have to protect, when we can replace our windows and what windows we can replace them with (the last time I wrote about this I got a response from some homeowners association vigilante telling us how vinyl windows cause global warming, etc. — yawn).
I do believe that people should keep up and improve their property and not let it become an eyesore, but if in doing so we have to jump through a million hoops and wind our way through the maze of the permitting bureaucracy, that is truly overbearing and unjust.
Just like paying more than $300,000 for pruning — not removing, mind you — some trees is totally out of whack.
I sometimes wonder where all these folks were when south Glendale was practically razed back in the ’80s and ’90s. Were they whining up a storm and blitzing City Council meetings when the hundreds of apartments and condos were being built? Were they concerned about south Glendale residents losing their views? I doubt it. What’s next, a ban on tree houses? I do not agree with Brandstater’s call to have the city arborist apologize, be fired or go climb a tree, although he or she would probably enjoy that last one.
That city employee was just doing their job in enforcing this draconian law, a law desired by some overzealous community members and the City Council.
No, I think the City Council, mayor and these certain community members should apologize to the Collards and foot the bill. Well folks, it looks like the chickens have come home to roost and we got what we voted for.
BECKER DANSON
Glendale
Recognition raises standard of courage
In response to Mary Tyler’s letter (“Jews suffer too, but not seeking same,” Mailbag, Saturday), it seems that Tyler has confused the issue.
Armenian-Americans are not seeking a holiday, we are pushing for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by our government.
Yes, Jews have suffered tremendously during the Holocaust, and no one, except for a few lunatics, is denying that fact. Armenians, on the other hand, have not received closure. Turkey is denying the occurrence of genocide, and based on its strategic location in the world, is getting away with it.
How would you feel if Germans referred to the Holocaust as the tragic killings due to the confusion of World War II and our government accepted the explanation due to political reasons?
Holding monopoly on suffering is not a virtue, it is a selfish act. Armenians weren’t the first methodically exterminated people, and unfortunately not the last ones either, because the international community didn’t punish the perpetrators right after World War I. Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot and many others have committed more and more atrocities knowing they could get away with it. Look at Darfur.
Our government should not cherry-pick criminals. It must recognize criminal acts regardless of politics. It takes more courage to recognize fault in an ally than an enemy. It shows strength of character.
CHRISTINE ALEXANIANS
Glendale
Infrastructure being neglected for salaries
The road to a better city has not been paved with the residents’ best interests in mind.
That has been evident to me as I looked over the unfunded capital expenditures and the decisions the City Council has made this year and is contemplating at its capital improvement budget sessions Tuesday mornings (“Project options vexing mayor,” Oct. 24).
If you’ve been paying attention, many key arterial streets in Glendale are in significant state of disrepair: Glenoaks Boulevard as you approach Burbank, Colorado Street east of Brand Boulevard, Glendale Avenue south of the Ventura (134) Freeway, Central Avenue north of Colorado.
Our street surface conditions are not what they are cracked up to be, or maybe they may just be, cracked and riddled with potholes.
According to the 2005 Citywide Pavement Management System, we have a backlog of $51 million in deferred maintenance for needed repair, and we need at least $8.9 million per year just to keep the streets at an overall index level of 73.
But street improvements should be coordinated with any needed sewer improvements to maximize our investments.
Here again, given zoning changes in just the last couple of years, we can expect $38.5 million of pipeline and pump station improvement costs, according to the Glendale Wastewater Master Plan Update of 2007.
The pattern for at least the last eight years, it seems to me, has been for staff salary increases first, then political projects and whatever is left over to infrastructure.
It seems as if the city’s “100K club” is clamoring for more high-rise buildings savoring the increased property tax that will morph into more pay raises.
HERBERT MOLANO
Tujunga
Save/Share
 |
 |
|
| MAILBAG | MAILBAG |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of glendalenewspress.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
Not registered yet?
RSS