Mailbag: Here come the complainers

Glendale is known as a tree city and has been for many years. I live in the Rossmoyne area and am happy that the city has taken the money and effort to plant trees where they are missing or could enhance the streetscape.

Trees add to the quality of life and quality of the very air that we breathe.

I was amazed at the lack of knowledge of Gary Huerta, who wrote of his learning experience of what he owns and what the city owns (“Take your trees back, Glendale,” Feb. 9). It is never too late learn and hopefully is never too late to realize that the planting of trees in any part of the city is an asset to the community. It seems that the city always has those who complain about everything. Those are strong words — inconsiderate and arbitrary, and negligent. Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Carmel are in for real trouble with all those trees and ambience.

The last group of trees that I planted cost me $100 each and a couple of hundred dollars to have them planted. Here the city comes along and gives a tree, a true thing of beauty, for free and they still hear the “howling” from some.

Huerta’s remarks are a prime example of the saying “No good deed goes unpunished.”

I wish to thank Steve Zurn, Glendale’s director of public works, and his staff for the trees in the Rossmoyne area and want to say “keep up the good work.” There will always be those who complain, detract, grumble and retain a constant state of dissatisfaction no matter what the city does to improve and beautify.

These people will always find “something or someone” to complain about; it makes their day.

CAROLE WELING

Glendale

Congress needs to discuss health care

Health-care spending continues to rise. Americans have not found a way to safeguard families from the financial burden of health care.

As an occupational therapist working with children with medical and developmental problems, I find this untenable. I see the worry and stress parents experience when their child is ill and developmental milestones are delayed. Protection against the rising cost of medical insurance must be a priority because it leads families into debt and in some cases bankruptcy.

It is my hope that congressional lawmakers from both sides of the aisle can find consensus on the following issues: