Letters to the Editor

I am writing about Dave McCarthy, City employee, Marine Corp hero, and another in a long list of corruption victims in the city of Culver City.

In December of 2006, I also retired from the Police Dept. after 20 years with the city and 28 overall in law enforcement.
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I was forced to retire on medical conditions after being severely injured in the line of duty. I came within a hair of spending the remainder of my days confined to a wheelchair prior to major surgical intervention.

The School District has been running our Middle School and High School at enrollment levels that are historically pretty high (scroll down to see graphs below), and much larger than most experts feel are beneficial (especially for economically and racially diverse schools such as ours).

The high enrollments in recent years are the result of the School District admitting ever increasing numbers of new permit students into our secondary schools.

I read with a smile Tom Supple's commentary yesterday (“Entrada Tower’s Strange and Twisting Path Is Full of Contrasts”).

­ As Sgt. Joe Friday used to Say, "Just the facts!"

Mr. Supple was correct in almost everything he said — except for the hearsay of my comment that I was voting for the Entrada Office Tower project.

I’m writing to clarify a few of the points that David Mielke, the President of the Teachers Union, made on May 2 (‘Teachers Union President Fires Back Against 2 or 3% Pay Cut Idea’) in response to Patricia Tam’s letter of May 1 (‘A Strategy for School Board: Let Teachers Take 3% Pay Cut’).

In light of the fact that the School District is potentially looking at a reduction in state funding in the neighborhood of $3.2 million, every budget item impacting the General Fund (Unrestricted Moneys) has to be considered.

Re ‘Here Lies Entrada, R.I.P. — But Silbiger Brings Back a Few Other Oldies,’ May 6

The lack of citize­n participation at the first Budget Meeting on Monday night may be the legacy of 8 years of a dismissive City Council that, at times, seemed to do as its members pleased. Many have literally been driven away.

­ [His presentation to the City Council last night.]

Mr. Mayor, City Councilmen, my remarks tonight are in the nature of a rebuttal to comments that have been voiced on why we should support the Entrada Tower Project:

“Yes, it’s very tall, but several buildings in the Hughes Center are more than half its height, so it won’t look too much out of place.”

In a recent article (“Entrada Funeral Becomes Old News, Project May Spring Back to Life,” April 29), you again claim that the majority of the audience at the April 14 City Council meeting were from Westchester.

No matter how many times you and the city make this claim, you are wrong.

I am very disappointed in thefrontpageonline.

When I agreed to speak with the paper regarding my letter to the editor of The Daily Breeze, and my situation, my sole intent was to add to the dialogue regarding the plight of returning combat veterans, many of whom are suffering terribly with depression and post-traumatic combat stress, and hopefully to assist in the healing process.

­ Re ‘A Strategy for School Board: Let Teachers Take 3% Pay Cut,’ May 1

I am deeply disturbed by the article stating that teachers should offer to take a pay cut.

I am currently a teacher in the Culver City School District.

Does Patricia Tam realize that our economy is terrible right now?

Re ‘No Apology from School Board President Over Open House Flap,’ April 30

­ As a former School Board Member, I could not pass up the opportunity to respond to this article.

First and for most­ Dr. Dana Russell, if he has not already done so, owes the principal at El Rincon School an apology.