Bad timing for Ventura tax measure

I would like to express my strong opposition to the City of Ventura’s proposed half-cent sales tax measure. I think the timing is completely wrong for an additional sales tax on city residents and those who come to our city to shop, dine and conduct business. For one thing, sales tax is a regressive tax and would hurt those least able to afford it the most, at a particularly difficult time for those at the lower end of the economic spectrum, many of whom are finding themselves out of work, struggling to stay in their homes, make their rent payments and just survive. Secondly, it would be harmful to city businesses and retailers, particularly small businesses that are already struggling in this harsh economy, by driving up the costs of goods and services for customers.

I also have serious doubts that a sales tax measure will pass in the current economic environment, especially given the fact that a serious credibility and trust gap currently exists between our City Council and the residents of this community because of some of the things that have happened in the recent past (the failed 911 fee, the $10 million investment losses, wasteful spending decisions on public art and consultant studies, etc.).  One only has to look as far back as the May 19 state special election and the tea party protests around the country in April to gauge the mood of voters regarding new taxes right now.

In the meantime, while we are struggling to retain vital public services (such as police officers and firefighters) during this budget crisis, I would also suggest that the city engage in proactive economic development efforts and do everything in its power to try to bring in new tax-generating businesses to the city. I realize that the way the economy is going right now, retailers aren’t exactly knocking our doors down, but we need to be as aggressive as possible in rolling out the red carpet for new businesses and creating fewer roadblocks to opportunities for economic growth in the city. When the city imposes arbitrary square footage restrictions on retail stores on Victoria Avenue, this certainly doesn’t help the cause.

I hope our City Council will make the right decision and not put the sales tax measure on the November ballot. To do so would be a further waste of precious tax dollars at a time when the city can least afford it.

Shiv Vyas Ventura

The futility of closing state parks
The governor wants to close most of the California state parks, including almost all of the parks along the coast of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Closing so many California state parks is so totally counter productive. Our state will lose so much money in tourist-generated dollars that would likely be more than any possible savings from the closures: sales tax, gasoline tax and purchases by tourists that keep our state businesses in business. Also, how is the state going to provide for all the unemployed park workers?

People visit California because of California’s image as a beautiful place with parks, beaches and tourist facilities. With our great weather, they visit year around. In the winter months, many people make long visits to California and bring their money with them to spend here.

Also, there is the issue of security. How will people be kept out of the parks? Lots of new paid security guards will have to be hired. People love the parks to hike, picnic and camp. Many will park their vehicles outside the parks and walk in. But fees will not be collected to cover the monitoring and cleaning of the parks.

Certainly, the trash will pile up, facilities will deteriorate without maintenance, and there will likely be more wildfires starting within the parks without the proper supervision of users.

Shirley Godwin Oxnard

Sea lions to blame for trout drought
A major reason for the decline in anadromous fish (News, 5/28) on the West Coast is the Marine Mammals Protection Act. The Santa Barbara Channel is overrun with well-fed sea lions. Steelhead trout don’t stand a chance unless sea lion numbers are controlled.

'J. LaVallee Ventura

'
No easy solution to weight loss
Thank you so much for your well-written, thoughtful and well-researched article (Cover story, 6/4). It is rare to see media that refutes the diet culture mythology and its latest twist — bariatric surgery. Thank you for your fine work. Those of us working in the field of eating disorders prevention and treatment appreciate your efforts to shed light on this important issue.

Susan L. Richter, MA, MFT CEDS
President-IAEDP Central Coast Chapter
Camarillo

The lap band works
I read “The Skinny on Being Fat: America’s Growing Problem” by Bien on (6/4) and did not think it presented lap band surgery accurately at all. It is designed to be a tool to help you lose weight, and it works. Indeed, one must still watch what you eat and make good choices so you still get a balanced, nutritious diet. And yes, it does require relearning what to eat and how to deal with the bad habits acquired over the years. This learning process is necessary, but without it, one cannot lose weight, with or without surgery. 

Lap band patients must understand that constant attention is needed, and it is often a three-year process to truly relearn good eating habits. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up enjoying food at all. You definitely need to plan ahead and eat with awareness, but you don’t need to eat every hour — that’s absurd. One can eat whatever one wants in small quantities as long as overall calories are controlled and nutritional balance is maintained. That’s a recipe for any weight loss program. The lap band just makes that far easier to do. For many, it makes it feasible, where diets alone have failed for years.  And any good doctor will also insist on exercise as an integral part of the program. 

Furthermore, the lap band surgery comes with tangible, significant health benefits for most patients — not anecdotal, but documented by years of medical research. This is a minimally invasive, relatively low-risk procedure which addresses the high risks of complications from obesity. Because of its high cost, most patients do not try it unless they’ve exhausted all other methods of weight loss. Even insurance companies are now covering it because it does indeed work, and the benefits far outweigh the costs and risks. In addition, it helps address a socially unacceptable condition of being obese. It’s not just a matter of poor self-esteem. It’s pervasive in our society that being overweight makes you a second-class citizen and a social outcast. Deplorable, but true. 

The Bien’s anecdotal story about Mildred, the gastric bypass patient, is just that — anecdotal.  Granted, this is a much more invasive surgery and much harder to live with. Whenever feasible, I would think the lap band option is preferable.

But gastric bypass is usually only done for extremely obese patients, hopefully after evaluating all the options.  It sounds as though Mildred did not do her homework and did not get the necessary counseling ahead of time to make this a successful surgery for her. As with any surgery, the better informed a patient is, the more likely a desirable outcome. Again, I would argue that in most cases, the risks of remaining obese far outweigh the costs. Certainly there will be some patients where this is not true. But the majority — I think not. 

After reading the article, it sounds as though it’s advocating throwing in the towel entirely.  Not much of a recommendation. And not a good reason to dismiss one of the few proven tools for weight loss — lap band surgery. 

Gerry Chambliss Ventura County