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Town Square Postings

On TV30 woes

These problems will only continue as the station has put the news producer who is in charge of the station who produces the show that is wasting the station's money. He is the person who brought Britney Spears and other content like "timesaver traffic reports" and "microclimate weather" to the news when it does not serve the Tri-Valley's interest.

TV30 needs to focus on public affairs programming, and get rid of all this other garbage. If they want to produce entertainment, it should be done by volunteers and not salaried employees.

By the way, TV30 used to have a weekend newscast that aired on Friday, Saturday and Sunday but it was removed during Davis' tenure. So he actually is responsible for getting rid of more hours of news, and instead replaced it with programs from other stations that do not generate revenue.

On possible school budget cuts

The goal should be not to cut programs, period. Sports, all programs are valuable and should be kept.

I would much rather undo the superintendent's team and trim the administration than having to undo my child's team of teachers, reading specialists.

Mr. Casey: you must trim your team--talk to parents, read their comments, there are positions that are simply a luxury right now. Example: the public information department. If you continue to refuse to see the obvious, then it may be harder to convince people that a parcel tax is needed. How can you possibly tell a parent that reading specialists will be laid off, coaches' stipends reduced...yet your PIO stays on board?

Let's be fair here. Cut at the top, then we pass a parcel tax.

On new BART station at Stoneridge

Doesn't anyone else see this as a bad idea? At the Owens location, there are not too many homes or businesses. But along Stoneridge, there are many neighborhoods, which have always been quiet, and for the most part crime free.

This is definitely a bad decision, and I am wondering if something can be done to halt it before it comes. I mean weren't they supposed to go out to Livermore then to Tracy like 10 years ago? Or is it OK for Alameda County to pay taxes on nothing? Wasn't there also an extension to San Jose coming soon?

Either way I don't want BART in my neighborhood. Look at all the neighborhoods along BART's path. All are crime ridden and pretty trashy. Look out the parking lot and see crime, poverty and filth. Is that what people want surrounding the mall, and the surrounding neighborhood? Not what I want or my neighbors, that's for sure.

I don't see the mall having that much of a problem with business. They seem pretty busy to me. And if so, why not try putting better stores, instead of worsening the area? About 20 years ago there was a homeless problem in that neighborhood and the parks. Do we need this again? I don't think so. It may not happen immediately, but with time it will happen.

Posted by Aaron

Posted by Linda, a member of the Pleasanton Middle School community, on Mar 14, 2008 at 1:21 pm

I am glad to see Town Square Posting. The column is over due.

You did not do the comments on the parcel tax justice. The parcel tax and the districts list of cuts has been the top topic of posts for weeks. There have been many comments that deserve to be printed in hard copy.

This topic needs more consideration than others because it is a forum for parents to voice concerns without fear of our children being effected.

PUSD is playing hide the pea by talking about emotional cuts. Don't participate in those discussions, it only divides parents, pitting one important program against another.

We are comparable to San Ramon in most ways demographics and test scores.

Even with San Ramon's parcel tax revenue, Pleasanton has more money per student than San Ramon. San Ramon's administrators did not take their raises.

Mike

Many of us are skeptical of PUSD's choice of cuts since they seem to be intended to manipulate the community to approve a parcel tax.

hire an independent professional to come in and really look at the books,

After seeing serious cuts, kept away from our kids, if I believed there was still a true need, then I would support a parcel tax.

Beth