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The rich pay most
health-care costs
A frequently discussed topic in debates for the 2004 presidential election is health care. Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that no one will tell you what health care means?
First, there is the cost. The proponents of universal, single payer health care variously estimate the cost at anywhere from $50 billion to $100 billion. The cost of entitlements has a history of always exceeding estimates by anywhere from three to 19 times. Anything that is free is always abused, and the costs go up exponentially.
This means that the cost of this comprehensive health care will be anywhere from $150 billion to $1 trillion. And remember that the hated rich, who are getting most of the tax cut, will as usual have to pay more than 90 percent of this cost.
Next, let me say that I am in favor of necessary health care for everyone. There are very few people in this country, including the rich, who want children who are sick, sometimes seriously, to be without care. I want a system to defray the costs of serious conditions that are no fault of the victims, so that families do not lose everything and get thrown out on the street because a loved one gets some terrible disease. So, what is the problem?
Does this health care include cosmetic surgery on demand? Should the rich have to pay for tummy tuck surgery for those who overeat and never exercise? Should the rich have to pay for the treatment of those who indulge in self-destructive behavior like smoking, drug abuse or unsafe sex?
Even the U.S. government — correction, the hated rich — do not have limitless resources. I don’t hear a single politician giving one moment to addressing these problems. They are always prepared to give away the hated rich’s money for votes.
By the way, my wife and I have a combined annual salary of more than $90,000. It has taken us 40 years of very hard work to get there.
We are among the hated rich who pay more than 40 percent to 50 percent of their earnings in taxes.
Roger Jarvis
Los Altos Hills
Thanks for making
fund-raiser successful
The Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade Association just finished its two fund raisers of the year, Rock Back the Clock and the Antique Faire. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank the community for their support of these events. As a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, we rely on the money earned at these two events as well as donations to continue to produce the parade every year. On Nov. 30 will be our 27th parade down Main and State streets.
A special thanks to Dr. Kevin Sawyer and the merchants at Rancho for hosting Rock Back the Clock, Sept. 5. This has always been a very special event in which the children of Los Altos along with their parents get to eat, dance and visit with friends they have not seen all summer.
Come join us at the parade Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. It’s a Los Altos tradition!
Nancy Schneider
President, Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade Association
City should move
forward with hotel
I read your editorial endorsing the proposed hotel at First and Main streets (Aug. 27). Assuming the history detailed in the commentary is correct, we should be concerned over the recent actions taken by the city council.
When the city council went out for an RFP (Request for Proposal) and selected Roxy Rapp as the developer of the project two years ago, it was intended that both parties would go forward in good faith. I was surprised to find the council backpedaling on its previous obligations and once again requesting an RFP. This action was apparently taken based upon the faulty premise presented by an outside consultant that the city could receive higher income from the property than had been already negotiated with Rapp. I say “faulty” as a second RFP provided no new, interested parties.
Essentially, the city hired an outside consultant who said they should be greedy and request additional financial concessions from the chosen developer (Rapp). This was done with complete disregard for the good-faith efforts and considerable expenses already incurred by Rapp. The action taken by the council has only served to delay the project and the benefits created by the building of the new hotel.
When the city purchased the property at First and Main streets, it did so with the intent of providing additional parking and additional income to the city. Neither of these issues actually addresses the additional benefit of having a hotel in our downtown.
The hotel in itself would create a synergy. It would bring additional people downtown and would not compete with the other businesses but rather enhance those businesses that already exist.
Synergy in many ways is more important than the bottom dollar when updating and enhancing our downtown. It helps create vision. It helps provide the momentum required to attract additional businesses and patrons to downtown. It also helps create additional incentive for businesses to invest there. The proposed hotel (and movie theater, which is also on hold) can help in the future success of our downtown.
I agree that all of us in the community should send a clear signal to our existing and soon to be new councilmembers that we should move forward with the proposed hotel project as negotiated with Rapp. He and our community deserve no less.
Bill Maston
Los Altos
