23rd Congressional District

* For me, Rep. Elton Gallegly’s July 31 letter to constituents became an exercise in futility. I was moved to respond but discovered he does not have a [direct] e-mail address and still doesn’t.

His unwillingness now to debate his opponent before the voters is consistent.

Recently, our Ventura County district attorney chose to “support Gallegly as most committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe.” Besides the normal good support we should expect of any officeholder, no reasons are given for making that claim. However, from Gallegly’s voting record, we should surmise that he would support HR 407, the concealed carry reciprocity bill, for a nationwide carrying of concealed weapons--a position the National Rifle Assn., cowboys and many Republicans take as being supportive of public safety.

The only way to tell Gallegly he is wrong, on this or any issue, is to elect Michael Case.

WARREN WILKE

Ventura

* As a teacher in Oxnard and as a past president of California Assn. for the Gifted, I want to thank Gallegly for his outstanding responsiveness to his constituents and for his strong support of education.

For years, our organization--composed of parents, educators and community members--had worked to identify gifted students who had been overlooked by the system. Finally, I contacted Congressman Gallegly. His concern for children and education was obvious, and he quickly took action, authoring legislation to provide funds to the states to help identify these diamonds in the rough and working to get it passed by the House of Representatives. His efforts earned him our association’s award of recognition earlier this year.

Gallegly is not only a congressman who wants to improve education. He’s also a congressman who listens to the concerns of his constituents and then does something about them.

MARTHA FLOURNOY

Oxnard

* I want to publicly thank Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) for helping Ventura County to receive $1 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to continue improving our criminal justice information system.

The Sheriff’s Department will use this grant to design and implement a system that will allow us to centralize electronic inmate records. This system will also allow the courts, district attorney’s office, probation and our jail facilities to share data. This system will not only make the justice system more efficient but will make the public safer by reducing the possibility of an inmate being inadvertently released because of delayed or unclear paperwork.

It is also a key component of a larger countywide system accessible from patrol cars, which will improve the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement officers.

Our department would not been able to complete this project without this funding, which was only acquired through Rep. Gallegly’s concerted efforts to include our request in an appropriations bill.

I deeply appreciate his hard work on the behalf of the law enforcement community and residents of Ventura County.

BOB BROOKS

Ventura County sheriff

* I recently hosted a gathering at my home for Case, the Democratic candidate for the 23rd Congressional District. Because I live in Leisure Village, all of the invited guests, both friends and neighbors, were seniors.

The group responded enthusiastically to his discussion of ensuring that Medicare and Social Security be strengthened by the new and unprecedented budget surplus. Using that money for individual tax cuts--as suggested by the Republicans--was not one of his priorities.

Interestingly, the seniors agreed wholeheartedly with him. None were asking Case, “What are you going to do for me?” or “Will you save me money by relieving me of the marriage penalty?”

These seniors weren’t interested in the “me-me-me” approach to politics that is so evident in the letters to the editor written by Gallegly supporters, who write only what the present representative has done for them.

This group, at least, seemed to have outgrown the politics of “me” and were thinking in terms of politics of community--which is undoubtedly why they were so enthusiastic and financially supportive of Case and the ideas and programs he spoke about that afternoon.

NANCY STEIN

Camarillo