Measure P  saves police

Editor,

As a political conservative, I am normally against any increase in taxation. However, the dire circumstances of our economic situation in Antioch have made it necessary for me to reconsider my position.

I have always been and continue to be actively involved in our Neighborhood Watch program. As such, I witness first hand the devastatingly negative impact that the lack of manpower at the Police Department has on public safety. To exacerbate the situation, we are informed that unless the city can find other sources of income, 10 additional police officers will be laid off. This brings the police manpower down to an unacceptable level.

Measure P is a means to raise the income level of the city so that we can maintain if not improve the manpower situation. We desperately need this funding in order to maintain the level of service in order to safe guard our neighborhood from an onslaught of criminal elements. Funding from Measure P will be for our city only, not to be shared with the county or state.

Let’s be realistic, Measure P funding will not be only used for the police department, but will be used for other services as well. However, if you look at the city’s budget, 65% of the budget is allotted to the police department. So if you follow the same share of the pie chart, the majority of the funding will be spent on the police. If one needs convincing, the Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) has endorsed Measure P on their website, www.AntiochPOA.com. To me, this is half a loaf of bread, not as good as the whole loaf, but much better than no loaf at all. I am voting for Measure P in the November ballot and I hope you will too.

Hans Ho

Time for change on council

Enough!  There is enough division, enough apathy, enough violence and fear.  It is time for a change. There is no more time for talk, idle promises, and the dominance of special interests. Quite frankly, our city suffers from neglect.  Her streets are becoming dirty and increasingly more unsafe.  Our beautiful riverfront lays dormant.  We stand divided on important issues when what we need more than anything is unity. There is a need for a partnership between our school district and the city, with our police, community groups, labor and business.

This is my home.  It is where my wife Robin, a school teacher, and I have raised our 3 children for the last 15 years. It is where I successfully served on the school board, attend church, and volunteer with helping our youth and families who are likely to commit or become victims of violence without intervention, through the Youth Intervention Network. It is where I shop, work, and serve whenever, and however I am needed.

I will not sit and watch what is happening to our city! If elected to the City Council, I will use my experience on the Antioch School Budget Advisory Committee, School Board, Antioch Economic Development Commission and 27 years in business management to govern, manage and develop our cities assets. I will work to unite us, restore us, promote us and preserve us.

Will you stand with me this November? I need your vote. Call me direct at 925-978-0938 or email me at garyagopian@comcast.net.

Gary Agopian
City Council candidate

Ruehlig is dynamic, dependable

As founder of the United Filipino American Association of Antioch (UFAAA), I have worked with Cynthia Ruehlig on numerous community projects. Whether it was in her role as co-founder of the Antioch Music Foundation, curator for the Buhay Pinoy cultural exhibit, program designer of the UFAAA  Leadership Conference or co-organizer of the Saringhimig Singers Concert at the El Campanil Theatre, Cynthia  has been extraordinarily dynamic and dependable.

Time after time, I have seen Cynthia demonstrate an unwavering resolve in seeing a job done with an eye for perfection from start to finish. Our students deserve this quality of dedicated leadership on the County Board of Education, Area 5. Vote Cynthia Ruehlig.

Rudy Fernandez

Parsons is good for Antioch

Dear citizens of Antioch and our city council,

As a resident of Antioch for 13 years and of Rivertown, Antioch for nearly half that time (yes, we have a river) I have learned to care for my town like a wayward teenager – she has so much potential, but has not had the right kind of influences and not enough care.

In an era of do-little city councils and underwhelming leadership, one of our council members and current city council candidates stands out: Martha Parsons. In addition to her being an exemplar of responsive city government (that’s how it is supposed to be), she understands that she, and the city she helps direct, works for us, the citizens. When our neighborhood has an issue, she will not only look into the problem, but she will also help solve the problem, even if it means she does it herself.

Martha Parsons gets her hands dirty. Of the many formal and informal city clean ups, Martha is there. Martha Parsons is good for Antioch. Martha has done what no one else on the council has done, which is to get and keep the interest of the Water Emergency Transportation Authority, and to secure state funds in hopes of obtaining a ferry boat station for Antioch; a project that could help revive downtown (Rivertown) Antioch.

If you want someone who will actually get things done for our city and who genuinely cares for our city and will work for us, vote for Martha Parsons, Antioch council, she has already worked hard to earn my vote.

John Dodson

Dump dumb Boxer

Dear Editor:

We can strike hard at the Democratic Party by dumping California’s 18-year toxic asset, Senator Barbara Boxer. We can also keep Jerry Brown from becoming governor again.

Boxer is the Democratic Party at its worst – and she represents no one else, despite her grossly misleading, now-repudiated “VFW PAC” endorsement. She is an unthinking, non-listening, surly leftist hack who disgraces her office and appears to despise large sectors of our society. She is widely considered among the dumbest members of the Senate, but there she sits, one of the most powerful people in the country. Her career is built on an irresponsible 2 + 2 = 22 federal spending philosophy we will be paying for endlessly, on tyrannical over-regulation and government by trial lawyers, on pro-abortion absolutism and methodically trashing any opponent whose conscience suggests a different approach to the issue, and on the type of callous ultra-environmentalism that’s killing the Central Valley.

To see and hear what is wrong with America, look at our toxic asset Boxer. If you want to do something about it, replace her with sensible, decent business executive Carly Fiorina. If you don’t, stop complaining about such malfeasances.

As for Jerry Brown, consider the company he keeps, agrees with, and owes allegiance to: the crowd that backs Boxer and has come very close to wrecking California. Meg Whitman – who is pragmatic, mature, tough, brilliantly successful in the private sector Brown doesn’t get, and unlike Brown owes nobody anything – gives our state a fighting chance to turn around before it’s too late.

David Frisk

Change needed on County Board of Education

Dear friend,

I am a candidate for the Contra Costa County Board of Education – Area 5 and I ask for your vote.

My goal is to change the incumbent’s many, many years of lackluster representation of our children from Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley and Pittsburg.

I am running against a 20-year incumbent (whom no one seems to know) who avoids public contact. He has failed as a trustee to establish checks and balances necessary for the Contra Costa County Office of Education to operate effectively.

• The incumbent has consistently voted to raise the salary of the superintendent without question; even with impending lay-offs and unfilled vacancies.
• I will require a performance evaluation as well as a comparative study of Bay Area county superintendents total compensation packages prior to voting for or against a salary raise for the superintendent.
• The incumbent has not advocated for improving disciplinary appeals procedure, despite past controversies.
• I will advocate to improve the disciplinary appeals procedure to guarantee due process and consistent enforcement.
• The incumbent has ignored the growth of cities and school districts, resulting in an incoherent and gerrymandering Area 5 with the cities of Antioch, Pittsburg and Bay Point each split to two different representative areas of the Office of Education.
• I will advocate to consolidate individual school districts to a single represented Area of the Office of Education to ensure active representation.

With your support, I will work hard to maintain fiscal solvency, improve academic performance, provide career-oriented education and promote transparency and accessibility. For more information, visit www.cynthiaruehlig.com or e-mail cynthia.ruehlig@gmail.com.

Yours truly,

Cynthia Teves Ruehlig
County Board of Education, Area 5 candidate