bicycle cartoon

ACLU vs. Cave Creek

Scott Haberman | Cave Creek
Dear Members of the Town Council:
Thank you all for the courage that you displayed in passing the ordinances that cleared our streets of vagrants. We all knew it wouldn't be easy. We all knew the other shoe would drop. But did we all know that your stand to make Cave Creek a safer community would have such a profound effect?

I am not privileged to have access to arrest records. Nor do I know if an assortment of criminal activities has started to diminish since the ordinances were instituted.

But, as a Creeker that strolls the town core in the early morning, I can tell you that you have re-created a town where it's residents don't feel threatened by scores of unemployed men hanging out on street corners.

Your effort along with the MCSD have almost immediately put an end to the loitering, shanty towns, and general spectacle that plagued Cave Creek for years.

It will be an expensive proposition to fight for our rights and our ordinances. I make no claim of superior intelligence to guide your decision or tell each and everyone of you what should be done. However, can you imagine going back to the street corner fiestas, influx of employers looking for cheap labor, and shanty towns in our washes?

You have my support. And again, THANK YOU!

Tim Russett – Love and Education | A Short Poem

By Arlin Troutt | Apache Junction
I'm sick of this fake election
And these crooked politicians
That all agree to go on TV
And lie about world condition

The real number one issue
Is Over-Population
And we were tricked to choose War and Famine
Over Love and Education

So Let's not forget the National Media
That knew it and refused to discuss it
Now they mourn and praise the talents
Of a propagandist like Tim Russet

Illegal "rights"

Name withheld be request
In the Preamble to the constitution it was written: "We the people of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union, etc., etc."

I didn't know law-breaking people from another country actually have rights in America. Then I ask myself- do people who are thinking of coming here, or come here and then leave still have American rights? I guess if they are God given then they are for everyone.

Keeps me pondering what are rights? Really – they were to restrict the government, not keep us in chains.

Police ID grandmother of road-rage killing

J-P. A. Maldonado | Desert Foothills
As usual, the Arizona [People's Democratic] Republic neglects to fully describe the shooter. Is he a bearded, turbaned Sikh? An Asian? A black? A Native American? No. Both shooter and victims were observed engaged in a shouting match in (guess what language?); Spanish! If citizens are going to be on BOLO, wouldn't it be nice to discard some ethnic groups for better efficiency? The APDR editorial staff seems to be under orders to cool it concerning Hispanic criminals. Never mind that, according to a 26-month tally I kept two years ago, eighty-four percent of the names identified in violent crimes are of Spanish origin. No - not Spaniards, or Argentines, or Peruvians, or Chileans, or Uruguayans, or Costa Ricans, etc. Once the criminals are captured, or ICE identifies them, they seem to be almost exclusively of Mexican or Salvadorian birth or descent. Until then, nada from our version of Pravda.

Dare I suggest that the Arizona [People's Democratic] Republic has an agenda? Ya think?

Your fan

Name withheld be request
Dear Don: I am very disappointed in a man by the name of Dan Saban running for sheriff. I was at a speech that he gave and it is so clear that he is selling out to the illegals that are destroying our country. A good friend of mine sat at a table with what could only be described as legal illegal aliens. “Why can't people enforce the laws of our land,” Gerald Richards a candidate for the county attorneys office all but said that he was not going to enforce a law that is on the books. Don it is so upsetting that people cannot see the drain that is caused to this country. They all seemed like a bunch of glad handing phonies.

Thank you for all you do. Keep up the good work – you are a friend to Cave Creek.

Day Laborers

B. Jean Walters | Cave Creek
Mr. Sorchych – Okay, enough! I totally agree with you relative to the need to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants, etc. However, I am also tired of the vilification of others and the hyperbole/name calling you use.

The point of the ACLU lawsuit and the Maricopa County Superior Court judge's decision has to do with the free speech of DAY laborers. Not ALL day laborers are illegal. By protecting the rights of these people, ALL of us are protected.

Calling those of the Republic's editorial board "dunces" is ironic, in that they get the big picture, while you are still name calling. I find this approach to arguing your point disreputable as you weave the thought in the minds of your readers that the ruling was made to protect illegal aliens, I'm sure with the intended result of stirring up their anger.

The suit was brought not to protect the right of ILLEGALS, but rather to protect those rights that belong to you and me. Nobody said preserving our way of government and living would be easy.

Open letter to Cave Creek Town Council

Gary Kiernan | Cave Creek
I just wanted to make you aware that I support what is going on in attempts to change the way the GI bill works. As you know, the GI Bill pays veterans that served honorable to go to college. What you may not know is how little it pays. The program requires that you pay a minimum of $1,200 dollars just to be accepted into it. On top of that you can "donate" another $600 dollars and have the monthly payment upped a little.

I served the military from 2002 to 2006 and am currently attending MCC and will be transferring to NAU to finish off my Bachelors. The problem is, that while the GI Bill does cover my expenses at the community college, it does just so barely. With gas at its current prices, the cost of tuition, and the fact that working while attending full-time college can be a strain, it makes a lot of sense to revisit the GI Bill and for it to be updated.

Education benefits don't even cover half the cost of most colleges. The maximum yearly benefit available through the current GI Bill (to active duty veterans) is $9,675 or $38,700 over four years – less than half the cost of an average state school.
The new GI bill will afford more veterans than ever the chance to obtain college degrees but changing the way the bill works. Instead of a flat fee that is currently awarded, it would pay for the tuition, books, lab fees, and give a small living stipend that would make attending school within reach for EVERY veteran.

I highly suggest that you look into this matter and make sure that your readers are aware how our veterans are being rewarded for their sacrifices.

On the CCUSD Blogspot

Posted by CCUSD Watch
Cave Creek Unified Schools outlook goes from positive to negative
Don't believe us. Well, maybe you will believe the folks at Fitch. For those unfamiliar, Wikipedia says, "Fitch Ratings, is an international credit rating agency dual-headquartered in New York City and London. It was one of the three Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSRO) designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1975, together with Moody's and Standard & Poor's."

Fitch Affirms Cave Creek USD No. 93 at 'AA-'; Outlook to Negative
In the course of surveillance, Fitch affirms the approximately $44.6 million in outstanding general obligation (GO) bonds of Cave Creek Unified School District (USD) No. 93 at 'AA-'. The Rating Outlook is revised to Negative from Positive. The district was placed on Positive Outlook on Aug. 24, 2006 based on Fitch's expectation that the district would maintain or improve its favorable financial position. Subsequent to Fitch's review, the district's financial position deteriorated during a period of leadership transition. The Negative Outlook is tied to Fitch's assessment that the district faces pressure from flattening enrollment, declining fund balances and a tax averse electorate.
The 'AA-' rating reflects the district's large tax base, which has grown through both home price appreciation and a merger with a neighboring school district in July 2007. Despite high area wealth levels, the district taxpayers denied its capital spending plan specifically aimed at improving the district's high school. In November 2007, the district failed to pass its capital override and bond initiative. The district's anticipated capital funding from the state for the high school remains uncertain due to expected cuts from the state's budget.
The district has historically had high fund balances. In 2004, the district's unreserved general fund balances equaled $3.1 million or 12.8% of total expenditures. After two years of spending deficits the unreserved balance fell to negative $125,000 in 2006. While general fund balance has been partially replenished since the low in 2006, it remains significantly below previous levels. The district does not plan to increase its fund balances to previous highs.

So since the district has emptied its rainy day fund, the assumption here is that district borrowing may now cost more. The rating did not change, just the outlook. You could take that to mean the district is on probation with Fitch.

According to Fitch the district needs you! Going forward, the district will need to manage expenditures in line with enrollment and obtain support from its citizens for its capital funding needs in order to pass important overrides and bond initiatives.
Bet you will not see that on the district's website or in The Arizona Republic.

Letter to Mayor Phil Gordon

Name withheld by request
I am writing to let you know just how disappointed I am in the position you have taken on the illegals that have invaded Phoenix. For the life of me, I cannot understand why you would condone the illegal migration of people who have broken the laws of our land when they cross our border illegally. They are criminals before they ever get started in America and you, for whatever reason, are harboring them.

The financial burden to the legal citizens of Phoenix is something we shouldn’t have to put up with. Illegal immigrants are putting serious pressure on our entire infrastructure: law enforcement, hospitals, health care, welfare, schools, prisons, increased insurance premiums, increased pollution and traffic on our roads and highways.

Gangs and drugs are rampant throughout the city. Murder, death due to illegal drugs, drug smuggling, people smuggling, rape, theft and all sorts of related crimes are a result of not enforcing our laws. As a result of ignoring the law, our children are forced to grow up in a violent environment with constant temptations and pressures children shouldn’t have to endure.

The question I have is why? Why have you put the citizens of Phoenix in such a position and why do you continue to support such a stance? What’s in it for you that you would take such a stance? You have chosen to ignore the laws of the State of Arizona and laws of the United States of America. How does that work? How are you able to pick and choose the laws you decide to obey while the rest of us are expected to abide by all the laws on the books? Are our Government Officials now above the law? If so, when did that happen?

I’m sure this letter is a bitter pill to swallow and your first inclination will probably be to throw it away with disregard, but I would hope that you would consider what I have written. Please enforce our immigration laws.

IIlegals and Sheriff Joe

Charlie Eller | Via e-mail
As you may be aware, Sheriff Joe Arpaio is the only law enforcement officer known to enforce immigration laws. You may not be aware that the Arizona Governor and the Mayor of Phoenix, both pro-illegals, have managed to strip $1.6 million dollars from the immigration enforcement budget of the Sheriff's office. This is to stop the enforcement of the law!

Sheriff Joe is still trying to turn the tide of illegals and their criminal behavior and the social ills they create. His efforts have had a very obvious positive effect in Maricopa County. Cave Creek was a virtual rat's nest of illegals before he started sweeping the area. It is now almost free of illegals. The impact has spread far beyond the county and now restaurants, contractors, builders and others are hiring legal American workers for the first time in years.

I am asking you to help raise at least $2 million dollars for Sheriff Joe.
The Sheriff has decided not to use an e-mail address for fund raising as it would not have an audit trail. In order to ensure there is no fraud in the campaign, he insists on mail donations only.

Please pass this along. If 20 people tell 20 more, after five forwards, we can reach 64 million people. If ten percent send $5 each, we will raise $32 million dollars to start solving the illegal Mexican problem. A single dollar each would raise $6.4 million! What a strong message we can send to these scumbag politicians!
Please cut out the following and send a check to Sheriff Joe.

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MSCO Donation Fund
100 West Washington Street
Suite 1900
Phoenix AZ 85003

Sheriff Joe, please accept this donation for your immigration enforcement activities. I am writing "Illegal Immigration" on the memo line of the check to show my personal support.
Thank You

Name: (optional) _______________
State: __________________

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