May 13, 2010 – Daily Brief

Before the daily discussion begins I would like to mention that the final touches are being put on the Memorial Day Observance at Eternal Valley. Everyone is welcome to join us Monday, May 31 at 10 AM sharp for a most memorable event. In the meantime check out this Youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=5pfBUUZNbFM . Grab your Kleenex.

The proposed sanitation fee increase is only the beginning of a series of planned increases that when last estimated (Weste and Ferry put this off last year until after the election) would reach over $600 per year per house. The total cost of the cloride removal plant, brine lines, pipe lines, and water purchases will be just a few hundred Million dollars. And for what? To supply water for downstream farmers and developers. Some money from this tax increase was going to buy water from the Kern to put in the aquifer for the use of other interests. Some of the money will be to take the salt out of the water, and to build a pipeline to send water to the Oxnard Strawberry farmers. When asked how much, the Sanitation district had no answer. There is no evidence of any crop damage from the level of salt in the water discharged. Read the actual reports. There is NO evidence of damage to strawberry crops, no evidence of damage to nursery crops, and no evidence of damage to the fruit of the avocado trees. There have been no studies on the local farms, only a survey of articles written elsewhere. The only thing that has been found is some “burn” to some the avocado tree leaves, of which there is great debate as to the cause. The number of total farmers affected by this false assumption of too much cloride? One farmer. First our government made us take out our water softeners that used salt, and they said that would fix the problem. Now, even as the cloride levels are still falling and before all of the sofeners are removed, they want to ram this tax increase through. Why? The water is safe to drink. There is no crop damage. The State water project sells us water with this level of salt. It is not about the cloride. Stand up people of Santa Clarita. There is no reason to stand for this outrageous tax.

I cannot believe that someone actually wrote that LTE about the use of a handicap spaces. How do you know that the author was not talking about me? I have a handicap placard and from time to time I actually use it. Though I will rarely take the last handicap space in the lot. I only do that when I am experiencing an evident issue with my prosthetic or residual limb. But as with many handicapped persons, it is what could happen rather than what is happening that qualifies me for the placard. I for instance have been walking around Wal-Mart, healthy and happy as a clam one minute, then all of the sudden, the vacuum system in my prosthetic decompresses and I am limping out of the store in incredible pain as the end of my residual limb crushes the bottom of the prosthetic socket. Having said all of that, I think the bigger problem with handicap spaces are the people who do not have a placard that use the spaces as a waiting zone. I have been appalled when I have approached these individuals about parking in the spaces and being told to mind my own business or to f… off. Handicap people should not have to prove they have a handicap every time they use a hc space and people without handicap placards should NEVER use hc spaces, even if they think they may need it at that moment.

I will be participating in the June 30th discussion, you can be sure of it. Once again, Santa Clarita residents and businesses are being asked to pay the price for a lack of imagination by County, State and local water and sanitation leaders. The high levels of chloride in Santa Clarita’s water are not the result of anything done in Santa Clarita. The chloride originated up North where 50% of Santa Clarita’s water comes from. The ingredients in Santa Clarita’s own groundwater are not the cause of the high chloride levels. As evidence, the World Health Organization reported in 2003 that the main sources of chloride in drinking water are, run-off containing road de-icing salts, the use of inorganic fertilizers, landfill leaching, septic tank waste water, animal feeds, industrial waste water, irrigation drainage, and seawater intrusion in coastal areas. None of these processes are widely utilized in Southern California. Calls by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District to solve the problem on the backs of Santa Clarita ratepayers without further study of the origins of the excess chloride is a perversion of policy and justice that has become the hallmark of water treatment leadership in California. Hopefully, the numerous public hearings that will be held on the chloride issue will help our leaders see that other potential solutions need to be examined. I don’t pretend to be an authority on chloride or the problems it poses. In fact I am not even sure which solution would be best. But what I do know is that many water professionals I’ve spoken with remain unconvinced that all options have been given a fair hearing.

The “park over the freeway” concept was already done in La Canada already (built right above the 210 around the 210/2 interchange), and was in the planning stages in Hollywood before funding fell through. Good concept if they can pull it off, but it will involve closing down some downtown streets which commuters will not like.

Sicken by the “Conservatives” in the SCV turning their backs on Poizner and Devore

Under the current Hart drug policy, I was very surprised to read that the Sheriff’s Dept “might” be contacted if drugs are found on a student at school. For starters, the school board should change the “might” to “shall”.

Petz: Nothing I have read about Poizner tells me he is any more conservative than Whitman, though I think he has a better record of getting to the polls and voting. I support DeVore and will be voting for him even though I know that Fiorina will be the Republican nominee.

Campbell is a tax-raiser and Israel-hater. Other than that he’s great!

The disturbing part is that so many desire a single point of view government. As long as it’s their point of view that is! Please tell me how this is going along with the founders vision of America when elected officials are thrown out of the party for not voting in lockstep against any differing views. There will be no debate and no other opinions. That is not the American way!

Petz has decided to support Carly based upon the endorsement of Sarah Palin. We need the most Conservative candidate who has a chance to win. With absentee ballots out it is not possible to wait any longer. Isn’t Korenthal the guy who rides his bike in marathons? Petz feels better now.

Petz, you actually take cues from Sarah Palin? Like for real for real? She ought to take tips from you. You can make up your own mind. Fiorina just called in a favor with McCain, who called in a favor to Palin. Anyway, get ready to stomach Tom Campbell.