Letters: With election over, it's time to tackle obvious problems

Now that the elections are over and the various boards and positions filled, check into some of the problems that are obvious to even the most casual observer. Perhaps even help our financial situation.

The statistics behind the scorecard in the paper ("County gets D+ for child welfare," Oct. 31) are outrageous. It says that 84 percent of children in Child Protective Services are not abused. Let's see if I got this right: 16 percent (10 families) are abused. That means that 50 families' children that are under Child Protective Services are not abused. Why are taxpayer dollars being spent on these kids?

Forty-eight percent of children are drug-free. Do 52 percent have a problem? Are the 98 percent of arrests for non-violent crimes drug-related? Looks like the "Just Say No" program is doing a lot of good. Why not take the money spent on this and give to law enforcement to curb drug abuse? Enlist the Community Watch Dogs to be on the lookout for drug dealers and do something useful for the community instead of harassing the police.

The Butte County Office of Education is advertising for a migrant education recruiter in Del Norte County. What? All education dollars come out of the same public trough, the taxpayers. Why is Butte County recruiting here? How much is our School Board wasting on similar things that have nothing to do with educating our kids in the three Rs?

The bums panhandling all over town are obvious. Why not pass an enforceable anti-loitering, panhandling ordinance? Surely one of you newcomers is smart enough to find a model on the Internet. At least arrest them for stealing grocery carts. There must be 20-30 in front of the recycling center.

If the harbor commissioners want to do something constructive to improve the harbor, collectively grab the harbor's equipment and weed-eat and clean up the trash. The bunch of you could do it in two days.

Jim Wisbauer

Crescent City