Letters to the Editor 4-21-22
Senior class A
Dear ER:
We are seniors who are very much in support of measure A in Manhattan Beach. We have lived in the South Bay for nearly 50 years, and in the same house in the Hill section for 37 years. Our children were educated in the Manhattan Beach schools (Pacific, MBMS, and Mira Costa) which set them up for academic success in college and graduate school, and frankly and maybe more importantly to be good, productive people. We were active in the PTA at Pacific, MBMS and the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation. Measure A seeks to bring our schools funding to a level commensurate with the average in California. Measure A guarantees that these funds will only be used to fund Manhattan Beach schools. It’s not some boondoggle to fund a bunch of nice to haves or fluff. Importantly, for folks who are over 65, there is an option to defer the increase, thereby preserving cash flow. It takes a one time request, which lasts until the house is sold. I urge all of you, but particularly seniors to support this measure to keep our schools functioning at a high level, and to a large extent keep our property values up. Highly rated public schools are a significant factor in maintaining property values in residential property.
Please join us in supporting Measure A on June 7th.
David Schmidt
Mindy Bath-Schmidt
Manhattan Beach
Room for refugees
Dear ER:
Finding ways to help Ukrainian refugees is a Beach Cities issue as well as an issue for all conscientious citizens of the Free World. The U.S. has promised to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. The population of the U.S. is 334.4 million. The combined population of the three Beach Cities is 126,000. To be proportional to population, 100,000 refugees for the US would mean 38 for the three beach cities. But because our area is much more affluent than the average in the US, that number should probably be several times 38.
I own six well located apartment units in Hermosa Beach. One is a large two bedroom, having a quite large private patio, plus a sunny south facing common deck area above the garages. It will become vacant in a few weeks, and I would like to offer it rent free to a Ukrainian refugee family of three or four for an extended period of time. Many of our fellow citizens own many more rental units than myself, or have space in their own homes or an RV in their driveway that could be offered. This is a rare opportunity to make a positive contribution to a global crisis. It would be quite small in comparison to the huge sacrifices being made by Ukrainians. We owe the brave Ukrainians an immense debt of gratitude for their fierce resistance. Most would agree that if not for that resistance Putin, the despotic dictator of Russia, would not stop with Ukraine and would proceed to other countries.
I have contacted UkraineTakeShelter.com and Representative Ted Lieu’s office for information on how to make my apartment available to a Ukrainian refugee family, but have nor received a response. Anyone who can help in this manner is asked to email RichardOStrom@gmail.com
Richard O. Strom
Manhattan Beach
Boards Across America
Dear ER:
This program makes me proud to be an alum of Leadership Hermosa Beach (“Leadership Hermosa Beach hosts Boards Across Hermosa,” ER Apr. 14, 2021). We are taking this idea and using it to support the Carolina Beach Mural Project. Thanks for the great project.
Maureen Ferguson Lewis.