Positive Benefits in County Jail

Dr. Michael Sparkuhl, the self-appointed arbiter of all that is good for Santa Paula (Letters to the Editor, June 14), argues there will be no “positive economic, social or educational benefits” to the city from the proposed county jail.

Can you be serious, Doc? There will be hundreds of jobs, well-paying jobs with benefits and opportunity for advancement just minutes from our city limits. The construction jobs alone will provide many Santa Paulans with gainful employment. Perhaps the doctor will appreciate this: County employees all have excellent health insurance! Even he must understand what that means to people in this day of outrageous medical bills. The average guy or gal on the street is much more concerned with just earning a living and getting by to worry about every square inch of greenbelt.

I cannot begin to tell the good doctor how to spend his free time or money. What I charge him with is to take this same energy and vitality so desperately needed in our community and apply it toward solving some of Santa Paula’s real problems. Form a committee to improve the quality of education in our schools. Join the library commission and find a way to keep our library open so it is once again a valuable asset to our citizens instead of a darkened and under-used liability. Work with the Chamber of Commerce to do something about the continued deterioration of our beautiful Main Street. Form a committee to fight the gang violence on our streets.

The jail is a fact, like it or not. Save your energy for the next battle and nip it in the butt before it becomes beyond the influence of everyday citizens.

JAMES GILDEN

Santa Paula