TAKE A HISTORY LESSON

Apparently the Monterey County Weekly understands Proposition 98 but just has a different view of our laws [“Endorsements,” May 15-21]. Proposition 98, you wrote, would “eliminate deference to government in property-rights cases.”

Our nation is founded on the premise that individual rights rise above the needs of government. This is why Article V of the Constitution’s Bill of Rights states, “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Deference in property-rights cases is supposed to be to private owners, not to government.

When voters approve Proposition 98, government will still be able to acquire land for public projects like roads, power lines and reservoirs. However, Proposition 98 will require government to deal honestly with property owners and to pay fair prices. Farmers know from painful experience that private owners often receive less than fair value when their land is taken.

Proposition 98 will protect homes, farms, churches and business against all-too-common government abuse. The competing Proposition 99 is worse than a sham. It provides no protection against eminent domain abuse and contains a poison pill that would eradicate all of Proposition 98. – Robert Eli Perkins | executive director, Monterey County Farm Bureau, Salinas

HOW DO YOU TEXT “LIBRARY?”

May 10 the Pacific Grove Library celebrated its 100th year of making books available to the public. P.G. schoolchildren had done a read-a-thon to support the library. The librarian received a check from the children in the amount of $18,000! There were many cakes and goodies, right under the sign that said “no food or drink in the library.” We happily crooned songs from the ’60s right where it said, “quiet study area.” People can participate in supporting the fund-raising effort by stopping into the library and getting a birthday card. Friends of the library report that on the day of the party they raised $3,400 in book sales and donations; they continue to receive contributions from our area and from out of state.

Thanks to the staff and Friends of the Library for helping us all notice how important language and books are to us. How they will be missed when all we have are text messages and spam on the mind. – Helene Constant | Monterey

WHAT GRADE ARE YOU GUYS IN?

Publishing cartoons by Toles, Tomorrow and Bolling is an insult to your readers! Those who might appreciate them must have never survived kindergarten! Be careful, people will begin to conclude that they reflect the mentality of your staff (and in fact that’s happening already)! – Charles L. Pifer, M.D. | Carmel

CLARIFICATION

Some information was unclear in our endorsements for the 4th District supervisorial race [“Endorsements,” May 15-21]. Bart Bruno owns Monterey Peninsula Engineering. In 2004, Ila Mettee-McCutchon and her husband went on a cruise with Bruno and Marina Heights developer Michael Shaw. Also, Mettee-McCutchon recently sought $70 million in tax relief and incentives for the current Marina Dunes developer. She pushed for the money from the city of Marina, and got it. Then she went to the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, which turned her down.