Mailbag

Citizens should chip in to cover budget

Hey, City Council members, why are you not utilizing your greatest available assets — the citizens of the city? Set up a procedure to receive voluntary contributions to the general fund and I’ll be happy to send you $500 to cover my share of the shortfall. If most of the city’s employees are willing to forgo their annual pay increase (thank you, city employees), then the citizens should also pitch in and do their share as well.

Just think, if 20,000 individuals or families contributed $500 you wouldn’t have a shortfall, but a $300,000 surplus.

I’m sure many citizens like me consider Glendale to be more than just the city we live in, but our home and, again like me, want to have that home well maintained.

Not everyone will contribute $500, some will contribute less and maybe some will contribute more, but in the end I think you will get a lot of contributions. However; (take that, June Casagrande) if you still have to make cuts, please start with the Glendale Police Department, and limit them to union members, as we can replace them with better later.

DAVID S. BROWN

Glendale

Sad to see end of the Valley Sun

It was with much disappointment that I read that the Crescenta Valley Sun would fold into the Glendale News Press as of July 3 (“Crescenta Valley Sun to close,” June 12).

As Steve Pierce, president of the Crescenta Valley Town Council, stated, the Crescenta Valley-Montrose area has been largely ignored by the Glendale News-Press over many years, even before the existence of the Sun.

The Crescenta Valley Sun was outstanding in its coverage of local schools. I especially support their decision to cover all the local schools including Catholic, religious and private, as well as our great public schools. Private and religious schools have found it difficult to get the coverage in the News-Press.

The Sun was also willing to cover fun school events like dances, carnivals, graduation and parties, as well as sports teams of the Crescenta Valley area.

The Glendale News-Press is usually heavy on the arguments “on the dais,” or “the days of the lives” of the Glendale Design Review Boards.

Lately, their 15 minutes of fame has centered on the arguments of the police union.

Instead, the Crescenta Valley Sun has been amazing in their coverage of all local schools. The Crescenta Valley Sun All-Star student coverage is excellent. The Sun also takes submissions from local students, which I think is an excellent way to get students interested in writing.

Robin Goldsworthy and her team were excellent in their vision for a local paper.

I sincerely hope Dan Evans’ statement that the extended News-Press would take over the Crescenta Valley-Montrose beat turns out true.

I also hope that the schools, students, and educational issues of the Crescenta Valley-Montrose area get the coverage they deserve.

We’ll miss you, Crescenta Valley Sun.

JULIE SULLIVAN REIF

Montrose

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sullivan is president of the Parent-Teach Organization for Holy Redeemer School.