.Letters to the Editor: May 30, 2012

Elder-Care Awareness

Kudos to Ms. Dovey and the Bohemian for shedding important light on this very important topic (“Bedside Bankroll,” May 23). There are many different delivery models for home-care services, and each has its positives and negatives. Hopefully, this article will help families decide on the safest and most reliable provider when it comes to finding assistance for their loved ones. Let’s keep seniors safe at home.

Novato

Outstanding article! As a healthcare professional, I’m well aware of the need for quality care for the elderly in the privacy and comfort of their own home. It’s truly a shame there are people out there only too willing to exploit that need.

Online

Voting for Carpenter

I’m convinced after seeing the Fifth District candidates in action at a couple of debates that Ernie Carpenter is the best choice.

Time and time again, the current supervisor Efren Carrillo kept telling us that what we had was the best we could do. Well, maybe it’s the best he can do! I know that running for office must be hard, and once you’re in you don’t want to lose, but some situations call for the courage of conviction—come what may. I didn’t see that in the incumbent.

Councilwoman Jacobi has conviction, but she really needs more time to develop her political talents. Ernie, on the other hand, tells it like it is and isn’t worried about taking a stand. We face very uncertain times—I’m going with the candidate who has faced challenges before and has overcome them. I’m voting for Ernie!

Sebastopol

Election Heat

As the supervisor election heats up, here’s Efren Carrillo’s big decision: Should he stay above the fray and stand on his record, or get down in the dirt and obfuscate the issues of his opponent? Well, he seems to have taken the gamble. Misleading hit mailers (have you seen the one with the pig?) always point to a worried politician, and always point to where the money is coming from. Keep your eye on these mailers, they will be revealing. The gamble? Whether this will backfire on him in a region where it isn’t easy to fool a voter. Bosco tried and failed. Fifth District voters won’t vote for a candidate supported by builder/developer/vineyard/gravel mining money, and he knows it.

Occidental

Informed at the Polls

California’s secretary of state needs to do more for independent voters.

Due to redistricting and open primary initiatives, California has a whole new election system. On June 5, all voters can take part, whether they’re registered with a political party or not. It is the secretary of state’s important responsibility to promote voter participation, but the somewhat confusing voter information pamphlet by itself is not sufficient. This is especially true for California’s 3.6 million independent voters (formerly Decline to State, now No Party Preference), many of whom have never participated in primaries before.

We frequently hear professionally produced radio spots promoting the California lottery. Surely, voter participation is worth the same effort! The secretary of state’s office could be doing this and more. Certainly, a press conference or a series of public service announcements could be easily arranged.

It is in everyone’s best interest to maximize voter participation; otherwise, democracy suffers, with painful results. There have been rapid and significant changes in our voting system, and California needs to be doing a better job informing voters, especially independents, about what these changes mean.

Oakland

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