The Public Voice

Letters To The Editor 09.29.11

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Great Uncrowding 

Although Gov. Brown likes to cite other states’ attempts at similar legislation, nothing is comparable to what California, a beast like no other, is currently attempting to do (“More than 30,000 state prisoners will shift from state to county control starting Oct. 1 – including 300-plus heading to Monterey County,” Sept. 22-28). This is a large and complex endeavor that is being rushed through for budgetary reasons – and falsely using the prisoner release order as an excuse for immediate implementation. Just recently, before adjourning till after the new year, the legislature passed a 100-page trailer bill to AB 109. Who has had time to dissect that document? Without providing adequate funding and the ample amount of time required by our counties to prepare for this monumental challenge, it is doomed to fail. And by failure, I mean the bankruptcy of our local governments and a huge spike in crime. This radical change deserves careful thought and consideration, neither of which the governor seems willing to provide. 

By claiming that only nonviolent and nonserious offenders are being dumped on the counties, the governor is only taking into consideration those parolees’ current commitment offense. For example, a gang member with prior convictions/commitments for violence and weapon-related offenses, who is serving his current term for possession of methamphetamine, is classified a “nonviolent/nonserious” offender. No matter how recent the prior serious/violent offenses occurred, the governor does not want to dwell on the past. This gang member who previously assaulted a 60-year-old women a baseball bat is now just viewed as an individual who has a drug problem and needs treatment. That is just a tiny little bit dishonest, don’t you think, governor? - masonm247 | via Web 

Let the marijuana people free. - Steve | via Web 

Zip It 

I appreciate being informed that Monterey County Parks is negotiating a Jacks Peak concession agreement with Ziptrek Ecotours, and that an environmental review is now underway (“County Parks Department is quietly considering a zipline at Jacks Peak,” Sept. 15-21). 

The story states Jacks Peak has “an annual operating budget of about $24,000, but revenue only averages about $20,000,” and County Parks “makes up the difference with income from more profitable parks, like Laguna Seca and Lake Nacimiento.”  

Jacks Peak is, of course, different from Laguna Seca and Lake Nacimiento. And it is quite different from downtown San Francisco, where Ziptrek operates a zipline in the Embarcadero. Bringing in a commercial zipline would change the nature of the park’s “cathedral-like forests,” as County Parks’ own website describes them.  

Want a zipline in Monterey County? Maybe Ziptrek would like to show Monterey vistas via a zipline route up Franklin Street, between downtown Monterey and the Defense Language Institute! If the volume of riders grew high enough, perhaps eventually Ziptrek could offer an affordable rate where it could also serve DLI students, faculty and employees as another transportation choice.  

Too crazy an idea? Probably so. And so is sacrificing the unique nature of Jacks Peak Park.  

If you are opposed to a zipline at Jacks Peak, please contact the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by sending a letter via email to CTTB@co.monterey.ca.us or via postal mail to P.O. Box 1728, Salinas, CA 93902. - Mari Lynch | Monterey 

Miles Lives! 

KION also said “Miles Davis is about to take the stage” on the Sunday news at about 9:09pm when they were broadcasting about the Jazz Festival winding down (“Five great places to splurge, or why I’m worried about KION,” Sept. 15-21). Geniuses. - Denise Mello | via Facebook 