Matters Of Opinion

They certainly won't admit it, and they can't cite a single specific reason for it. But make no mistake, Coastside Fire Protection District Board Directors Gary Riddell, Mike Alifano and Doug Mackintosh are committed to tossing out our CalFire contract and returning to the gruesomely failed previous model of a stand-alone local fire department. They have already started spending bunches of our taxpayer dollars to make it happen in a process Alifano characterizes as "due diligence" - hiring expensive outside legal, financial and human resources consultants to report on the positives and negatives of the transition.

As a Coastsider, born and raised and now with a family of my own, my only agenda is what's best for the Coastside. I was appointed to the Coastside Fire Protection District Board of Directors in 2010 by current board members Gary Burke, Ginny McShane and Doug Mackintosh. Gary Riddell was the only current member that did not vote for my appointment. I was elected for the 2012-2015 term after running unopposed. I did not take any campaign money from anyone, and denied the only help offered when throwing my name in the election hat from CalFire's Local Union 2881. My connection to the Coastside Fire Protection District comes without any baggage, period.

All eyes are on Half Moon Bay this time of year as some of the world's most elite big-wave surfers and countless fans await announcement of the Mavericks surf contest. Mavericks has given a lot to this community - everything from adding tourist dollars to the local economy to providing world-class surfing.

Between 1960 and 2009, there were 25 national election cycles in the United States compared to 15 in Sweden and 12 in the United Kingdom. We Americans like to renew our public leadership more frequently than other nations. Here in California, we favor small units of government and frequent elections to pick our leaders. What we less frequently do is ask ourselves is this a good way to govern?

Beth Oelhert's "Matter of Opinion" (Review, Nov. 16) is nothing more than repackaging the Noblesse Oblige Theory, but there is nothing noble and everything oblige.

Despite the struggling economy, there's lot of excitement these days at the San Mateo County Harbor District's two public harbors, located at Pillar Point Harbor near Half Moon Bay and at Oyster Point Marina in South San Francisco.

I'd like to respond to your Nov. 2 opinion piece about the "Occupy Half Moon Bay" movement. I believe the efforts of the "Occupy" groups are misplaced. It was the government that forced the banks to make bad loans in the name of equity and fairness. The Community Reinvestment Act was passed under Jimmy Carter in 1977 and enforced by Bill Clinton with Janet Reno threatening banks with criminal action if they failed to make what the administration considered appropriate loans. They have been duped. The "Occupy" group needs to move its protests to the congressional offices of every state, and stand in front of the White House in Washington.

Passing Measure H is the Coastside's best hope for a new Half Moon Bay Library. Measure H, on the November ballot, is intended to ensure that our San Mateo community colleges will continue to be able to offer affordable, quality education to local students in state-of-the-art facilities.

The Coastside Tennis Club recently raised almost $50,000 in entirely private donations toward the resurfacing and enhancement of the high school tennis courts. The project is now complete and looks wonderful! I invite everyone to come up and take a look - you will be impressed with the brand-new courts, net posts, nets, windscreens, and lighting system, as well as the newly paved spectator and access areas.

A few years back, many thought that $2 million was an unrealistic goal for the Cabrillo Education Foundation. Now, thanks to a growing number of community members who value education (those with and without kids in these schools) and who have become regular donors, we have reached this critical level in the CEF Endowment Fund!

Marvin lived his entire life - all 16 or so years - in and around the Stone Pine parking lot in Half Moon Bay, but I only noticed him about a year ago. Walking through the lot, I almost stepped on him as he was sunning himself on the pavement.

How many times have we all been stuck in the Pacifica Highway 1 traffic jam that extends to Linda Mar beach or up past the golf course? Have you missed an airplane flight, a business appointment or were your kids late for school? With only two ways out of town, a lot of Half Moon Bay residents are very familiar with this miles-long traffic bottleneck.

As the 3rd District Supervisor for San Mateo County, I have the good fortune of representing a vast swath of land stretching from Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County border and reaching inland to Redwood City. This is an astonishing amount of real estate, almost all of it in agricultural territory.

The natural beauty of the state of California is world famous. Our coastline, forests and mountains are a precious resource for all our citizens. California State Parks preserves these assets for the benefit and enjoyment of all - for our generation and generations to come. We are truly fortunate to have 19 state parks here in San Mateo County.

Many factors determine economic outcomes. Today our government sector has become inefficient and this has placed a drag on our economy. When government fails, many other institutions fail with it.

Most of what I've read and heard about the ongoing transition with Half Moon Bay's policing tells me most people are worried about future public safety here. As a local home-owner since 1985, and a recent retiree from law enforcement (I served with the San Francisco Police Department from 1984 to 2011, including 21 years in patrol), I have cultivated a deep understanding and appreciation for both public safety and living on the coast. I think having a countywide patrol force will offer us better overall service, and the service should cost less.

Lennie Roberts of the Committee for Green Foothills continues to use hyperbole in her opposition to the Big Wave Project (Review, May 25). In her last Matter of Opinion, she made unusual claims relating to project size, environmental damage, extraordinary hazards to disabled adults, and that Big Wave does not comply with county, state and zoning regulations. Here are the facts.

Prom is a night you will remember for the rest of your life, and you'll want it to go as flawlessly as possible, so the following are some tips and friendly advice.

I am a high school senior recently accepted to five of the seven colleges to which I applied. As I breathe a sigh of relief and prepare to make the difficult decision of where to attend, I'm also reflecting on the costs and rewards of being successful in the college admissions process. For ambitious students who dream of being admitted to a selective college, high school is a confusing mix of conflicting information and mounting pressure.

Let commission know: Reserve trail is for everyone

Years ago, when I first moved here, I had the pleasure of a long conversation with Glenn Ashcraft. Glenn was one of the town elders and had seen and done a lot. We met by chance, but he was friendly, knowledgeable and generous. He told me things that I did not know about Half Moon Bay. He talked about the town's past, the beginnings of the Pumpkin Festival, and some of the quiet, behind-the-scenes acts that helped to make things right.

The first earthquake happened on Friday, March 11, at 2:46 p.m. Kariwa registered intensity 5, lower on the Japanese earthquake scale. I was at Kariwa Elementary School, where I work. We felt shaking side to side for about three to five minutes.

The controversial new security camera pilot program at the high school has Half Moon Bay students and concerned community members up in arms.