Police budget allocations are disproportionate

The truth is that our public employees have already endured pay cuts.

More than $20 billion in cuts have been absorbed by California public schools alone during the last three years, dragging the economy further down.

We must step up and stop more damage to education, and yes, I believe fairness dictates that those who can best afford to pay should be taxed accordingly.

I am also grateful to the Glendale News-Press for clearly reporting the Glendale Police Department’s proposal of a much, much smaller reduction of its budget next year than any other city agency (“Police propose $370,000 trim,” May 27). In fact, the police budget will actually increase by $3 million over last year, even with its “cuts.”

Yet on May 24, major news outlets reported that crime continues to drop significantly, in all regions of the country, including California. Violent crime rates are at their lowest in nearly 40 years, and property crime rates also continue to decline.

Glendale’s crime rate is significantly lower than the California average. Of course, schools, libraries and the police shouldn’t have to fight for crumbs left over from our unfair tax policies, the prison industry and our endless, pointless wars.

But until we correct the big picture, the notion of out-of-control crime locally just doesn’t hold up in reality, and thus can’t be used to justify disproportionate budget allocations to the police, to the disadvantage of other local services during this painful time.

Roberta Medford

Montrose

Keep canyon library open

I am dismayed to hear that our Chevy Chase Canyon Library is once again on the potential chopping block (“Residents rally for libraries,” May 27).

Council members have suggested that the management of the library be transferred from Glendale Public Library Services to Community Services and Parks; however, the valid concern of canyon residents is that this may potentially be the first step toward elimination of our library.

We would be happy if Community Parks and Services held some classes or events at the library, but we do not want to altogether lose our library in this process. Our library has been a vibrant host to some amazing speakers and events over the last couple of years. We have attended a fair number of them and been very impressed with not only the presentations and activities, but with the number of families from the community who have been in attendance.

My children and I have enjoyed the local connection to books and DVDs — we often walk up to the library as a Saturday afternoon outing. In a time of cutbacks, it has been nice to have a neighborhood spot where the children and I can go that does not involve expensive admission fees and travel.

Over the last few years, the library has had its hours reduced to a bare minimum. We will continue to plead with members of the City Council that they at least allow this one neighborhood service to remain here in our canyon. The city does not provide any other “social” services to our canyon. We have only one small park to service the entire canyon.

Please don’t strip us of our local library. I find it appalling that this canyon can be so overlooked by the city for social services.

Thanks for your consideration to keep our library active, and to improving its children’s, teen and adult reading sections.

Betty Fritz

Glendale