Publication Date: Friday, May 27, 2005
ReaderWire
ReaderWire
(May 27, 2005)
Historic value
Passing Measure A, the parcel tax for Palo Alto schools, is perhaps the most important single school district vote our community will make in 50 years.
It tells us whether we are a declining or rising community. Our Palo Alto schools are barely holding onto our past academic glory. Hard work and large financial contributions from parents and teachers are helping Palo Alto schools survive. Most teachers spend hundreds of dollars per year of their own money subsidizing their classrooms and work a 55- to 60-hour week.
As a social-studies teacher to 5,000 students in the Palo Alto Unified School District from 1967 to 2001, I remember the 1960s and '70s when we had true academic excellence in the district and massive community support.
Enrichment classes, many electives, aides and nurses were found in great quantity and quality throughout the district. In the high schools the students could pick from eight foreign languages. During the Great Depression in 1937 at Jordan Jr. High School all students were given free medical and dental examinations along with a quality education.
So now that we are the wealthiest state in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, what has happened to our values relating to our children?
Reaffirm our historic values supporting educational excellence. A "yes" vote supports the future of our community, state and nation.
Diane Rolfe
Emerson Street, Palo Alto
Clue us in
"The city's proposed spending plan for 2005-06 has generated little community discussion this year," according to Bill D'Agostino's article in the May 25 Weekly.
"Most residents have no clue," community activist Bob Moss said in a quote from that article.
Well, Bob, I do have a clue, but I have not protested the loss or downgrading of some of the things I care about because I don't know what the city could cut that would not affect our lives. Do you have suggestions for what should be cut? If there isn't enough money, what can be done?
In my neighborhood, for at least the past five years, my house has not ever been out of earshot of a major home-construction project. When contractors disobey the working-hours rules, I talk to them, call them or write them. If they continue to break the rules, I call the noise-control officer.
I have had to do this several times. I am sorry there will be only one such officer in future, because I know many neighborhoods have the same problem that mine has.
I use our tennis courts several times every week. Of course, I would like them to be cleaner and better maintained. But am I to try to divert money from something that may be far more basic and important to city life for my hobby?
Clue us in, Bob. Tell us what painless cuts can be made.
Sue Kemp
Seale Avenue, Palo Alto
Cut Microsoft
The May 20 ReaderWire asks: "What can the city do to retain its employees?" One large expense that can surely be reduced is the amount being paid to Microsoft every year for Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft file server and client licenses, Microsoft E-mail server and client licenses, and for upgrading to more powerful computers needed to support Microsoft products.
The City of Palo Alto likely pays Microsoft license fees that are at least hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The added cost of computer upgrades every two or three years that are required to support Microsoft Windows products result in the city likely paying more than $1 million a year.
Many cities and corporations throughout the world are moving to free, open-source software available that can replace all of the above.
One example is the city of Largo, Florida, where they also have about 1,000 employees and have estimated they save at least $1 million a year by using open-source software and not having to upgrade their computers every two or three years.
Instead of Microsoft Office, there is the free Open Office suite. Instead of the other costly Microsoft products, there is Linux, which includes free mail and file server clients and servers.
There is also free software that allows older machines to be retained without them having to be upgraded every few years by using them as "thin clients."
Open-source software could certainly not replace all Microsoft products in every department for the City of Palo Alto. But for a significant percentage of the city departments, there is no question that free, open-source software would be an excellent solution, save the city money and save employee jobs.
Tim Flagg
Boyce Avenue, Palo Alto
Wedding bliss
The Weekly's story on the wedding of Beverly Dedini and James Pullin (May 20) was well written and definitely tugged at the strings. The Dedinis are friends of ours.
We were not able to make the wedding due to teaching constraints. We will be at the June 18 wedding in Stockton. We are hopeful that Michael will continue to improve and be able to return to Stockton for the wedding.
The Dedinis are incredibly strong people who have overcome a lot. Thank you for telling this small part of their story. I will be sharing the story with my middle school newspaper and yearbook classes.
Anita Marie Wertz
Janet Place, Stockton
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