Measure R Vote Wasn’t About ‘Greed’

* I take great exception to the scurrilous remarks made by the former mayor of Santa Cruz, Neal Coonerty (Letters, July 30).

When former County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron ran for reelection, there was no indication to the voters that there was anything wrong with his policies. His opponent, John M.W. Moorlach, made some adverse allegations but these weren’t proven. Citron had the wholehearted support of the Board of Supervisors.

My wife and I are registered Democrats and supported Measure R, which would have raised the sales tax. However, we appreciated the stand of the opponents who declined to entrust any further money to the supervisors, who failed to exercise adequate control over Citron. The measure would have passed had the three supervisors (two had already retired) resigned.

This was a man-made disaster that could have been averted had the supervisors been doing an adequate job. I admire the voters of Santa Cruz County in their raising taxes to assist with the earthquake reconstruction, but Coonerty is off base when he accuses Orange County voters of “greed, selfishness and self-centered whining.”

BERTRAM ROWE

Corona del Mar

* Neal Coonerty exemplifies perfectly why left-wing socialist liberal politicians have lost the confidence of the people. They simply can’t think straight.

Coonerty compares the physical earthquake that hit his town with the financial earthquake of Orange County, then casts aspersions on us for refusing to raise taxes to repair the damage.

The Santa Cruz earthquake was an act of God, and thus nobody’s fault. The Orange County bankruptcy was an act of man, and many people’s fault. And we know precisely who they are!

Question for Coonerty: Are the people of Santa Cruz repairing their earthquake damage with an eye toward increasing or reducing damage in the future? I’d suggest they are working on a way to reduce it.

So are we.

DON HULL

Costa Mesa

* At last I’ve found a way to help the Orange County library system, a way to ventilate my frustration and anger over branch closings and limited services. Libraries form a part of my life as a writer and college instructor. Today I bought a gold library card for $25.

For this annual fee, I receive discounts at Borders Books & Music, Coffee Tea and Mystery, the Green Door and Mystery Ink bookstores. In addition, I put my personal bookplate with my name on it inside the book of my choice.

This touch of gold I carry in my wallet demonstrates my support of our public libraries. Are you listening, supervisors?

JOAN WEISS HOLLENBECK

Laguna Beach

* Thanks William Mitchell (“Supervisors Deserve Public Support in Efforts to Resolve Crisis,” July 23) for your call for Orange County residents and leaders to take a stand for political maturity. Let’s stand behind the supervisors we elected and not turn to an un-elected state trustee to guide us through our most difficult moment. Let’s give democracy a chance to work.

DALE O’NEAL

Laguna Beach