Madera Unified officials, already concerned about sustaining critical programs and supplies for its 18,500 students faced with an unprecedented budgetary shortfall, are reeling from a recently received demand that it pay attorneys’ fees of approximately $1.2 million. This demand comes despite Madera Unified’s cooperation in and expedition of the claim brought to them.

In August 2008, the Madera Unified School District was served with a lawsuit filed by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of San Francisco, the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Seattle University Law School Professor Joaquin Avila on behalf of Madera residents Maria Esther Rey, Jesse Lopez and Carlos Uranga. The lawsuit claimed the at-large method by which our governing board members are elected was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act. In short, the lawsuit asserted that “the District’s elections diluted the ability of Latino residents to elect candidates of their choice to the school board, or to influence the outcome of a school board election.”

Although Madera Unified did not agree with the allegations in the lawsuit, the district did not oppose it, preferring instead to devote resources to education, not litigation. Since receiving the lawsuit, Madera Unified has been working diligently to transition from an at-large election method, where all of the voters of the district vote on board members, to a by-trustee area election method, where voters are divided into geographic trustee areas and board members are elected only by the voters that reside in the same trustee area. We anticipate a by-trustee election system to be used for a special governing board election in either May or June of 2009.

While Madera Unified values the voices of its constituents, the challenge to its election system necessitated a request of the State Board of Education to waive the citizens’ right to vote on the matter of whether or not to shift to a by-trustee election system.

At its January 7-8, 2009, meeting in Sacramento, the State Board agreed to grant Madera Unified’s request for a waiver, thus opening the way to a special governing board election in May or June of 2009.

Despite this cooperation, the plaintiffs’ attorneys have submitted a demand for fees of approximately $1.2 million.

Our main regret and dismay throughout this process is that the plaintiffs and their attorneys opted to file a lawsuit against the district rather than approaching the district directly to engage in a civil discourse over their concerns. While Madera Unified received vague and threatening letters from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights in the spring and over the summer of 2008, the claims in those letters were unsubstantiated, and the Lawyers’ Committee never indicated they represented any Madera residents. We were unaware these plaintiffs had concerns over the District’s election method until we were served with the lawsuit. In fact, we were not aware of who the plaintiffs were until the lawsuit was delivered to our offices.

It is important to note that under California law, there are other methods — not necessitating a lawsuit — that could have brought the trustee area issue to the district’s attention at a minimal cost. One such method would have been to take the matter directly to the Madera County Committee on School District Organization with a petition containing fewer than 150 signatures or request the County Committee to initiate a study.

Unfortunately, the plaintiffs never sought a solution through Madera Unified or the Madera County Committee. Instead, they retained attorneys from San Francisco and Los Angeles and filed a lawsuit against Madera Unified that, based upon other avenues available through state law, was completely unnecessary.

It is also important to note that Madera Unified never opposed the preliminary injunction to de-certify the November 2008 election results. The district, on its own, voluntarily moved toward the formation of trustee areas without any court mandate requiring us to do so. Yet, the plaintiffs’ attorneys are requesting Madera Unified pay them legal fees in the amount of over $1 million. Based on our non-opposition to the lawsuit and the speed with which we formed our voting areas, the fees being requested are unreasonable.

Even more troubling is that this request for legal fees comes at a time when our district, like school districts throughout the state, is facing an extremely bleak budget forecast. A state budget deficit of $42 billion will mean reductions and cutbacks for Madera Unified. As the financial picture grows darker, it becomes more and more difficult to properly fund the programs that shape our students’ educations and futures.

With the difficult times we are facing as a backdrop, we find it very unfortunate that plaintiffs are now requesting the district to pay the exorbitant sum of over $1 million in legal fees. We are acutely aware of the importance of ensuring that our limited resources are devoted to the education of children, not taking them out of the classroom to pay for litigation. Every dollar diverted to the plaintiffs’ attorneys is a dollar that could have been spent on classroom materials, sports and music programs, facilities, student meals and transportation, the hiring or retaining of teachers and staff, and every other aspect of educating the district’s students. Such a result could hardly be said to benefit the plaintiffs or the constituents they purport to represent, not when their concerns could have been addressed at virtually no expense to them, and relatively minor expense to the district.

Madera Unified has made it clear throughout this process that it does not take issue with the creation of trustee areas or the transition to by-trustee area elections.

However, being asked to pay over $1 million in legal fees that serve to financially benefit a Seattle law professor, attorneys from a Bay Area law firm and a global law firm representing the plaintiffs when Madera Unified schools are already staring at unprecedented budgetary shortfalls is extremely disconcerting, particularly when litigation was not necessary based upon other available recourses.

John R. Stafford,
Superintendent
Madera Unified School District

As a member of the Pan American Club from 1964 to 1981, I have lots of good memories of New Year’s dances, the Valentine’s Dinner Dance Installation, Mother’s Day Dance, Fathers Day dances, Halloween dances and Thanksgiving dances.

Throughout the years, my wife and I enjoyed dancing to the music of Lupe Manriquez Band, Monsanto Band, Manuel Contrerras Band, Ray Camacho Band, Paul Sauceda Band, Bobby Avila and singer Linda Avila, Bobby Avila and singer Isabel Verduzeo, Octavio Ruelas Band, Ben Torres Band, Arturo Carazos Band, Beto Garcia and GG’s Band and Johnny De Lao Band, who also played for our wedding Dec. 27, 1953.

My wife and I enjoyed most dancing to the music of Ray Camacho Band who went overseas to entertain the soldiers one year, and also played for Bill Clinton in Washington for his inauguration.

I have a great memory of a New Year’s Dance at Hatfield Hall. The Pan Am Club Board decided to put money inside the balloons and at 12 midnight, the balloons would come down from the ceiling, and all the members and guests were jumping to get one of the balloons.

I remember this friend of ours, Robert Chavira, was hit by an elbow, and passed out, and we took him outside to get some fresh air, and about 12:45 he came out of it, and he told his wife, “Vera, honey, let’s go back in.”

So I told Robert, “the dance is over,” so we all went home.

I also have a good memory of a Halloween Dance in 1971 at Odd Fellows Lodge.

Eddie Chapa,
Madera

The president-elect and his family are going to get a first pet. The Obamas will soon learn what I and so many others know, rescue dogs are the very best. I can say this with absolute certainty because I have three rescue dogs in my life. One is my own and two belong to my daughter and are my grandpuppies.

Chelsie is my fur-baby and she is the best dog in the world. I walked into Pet Smart one Sunday a little over a year ago and her eyes met mine. She has this little tiny face that doesn’t quite fit her body. She has black ears and patches around her eyes that are just a bit off centered so she resembles a slightly drunk Batman. Anyway, the poor baby was in a kennel with a Jack Russell. And though the Jack Russell was cute, he was being a Jack Russell and bouncing all over her. She just gave me a look that said, “Please lady, if you have any compassion in you, you would rescue me from this hyper little beast.”

So, much to the delight of the people with the PROUD organization, I did.

Chelsie is a weird mixture of rat terrier, basenji and Dalmatian, and she is a female. Let me just tell you now, she lives up to that reputation. Chelsie has me on a schedule, and I don’t dare try to adjust it to fit my lifestyle. No sirree, she makes sure she keeps me in line. Until I got Chelsie, I had no idea I could love an animal so much.

Then there is Sling Shot. My daughter adopted Sling Shot from the SPCA in Yolo County, where she lives. Sling Shot is great Dane/Lab cross. Sling, as we call him for short, has the heart of a Chihuahua. He thinks he’s a lap dog. The second one of his people sits down he’s up in their laps. He curls up as small as a 100-pound dog can curl up, makes himself comfortable and snores. Sling also has a tail that should be classified as lethal weapon. When he gets that tail wagging, nothing is safe. He has been known to leave bruised thighs in his wake. Sling is also a coward. He is afraid of everything.

Sling’s mommy lives on the Delta and from time to time small critters get into the house. One day in particular a lizard ended up in a pair of sweat pants. Needless to say there was a bit of screaming when the lizard was discovered. While his mommy was screaming and throwing pants, Sling did what any self-respecting big dog would do, he jumped on the bed, hid under the covers and whimpered.

And finally, there is Wiley. Wiley is German shepherd/coyote cross, hence the name Wiley Coyote. Wiley is the sweetest dog ever born. He just wants to love you. He is very generous with his kisses. Wiley also has no vocal chords, due to some jerk who should never be allowed around animals, let alone own one. Wiley isn’t much of a watch dog either. If somebody came after Wiley’s mommy, he would say, “Come on in and rob us. Take all of our worldly possessions, but please, please, please pet me, and let me lick you all over your face!”

Yes, for all of their quirks and the heartbreaking stories rescue dogs have, they are by far the very best dogs ever. To adopt your own special furry friends, contact the Madera County Department of Animal Services at 675-7891.

Lori Mitchell,
Chowchilla

Why can’t (we) the taxpayers have anything nice?

Southern Pacific employees took it on themselves to restore a bay window caboose to use on the Madera run.

When I first saw it last year I was just nuts. I chased it down and caught it on the siding of the main line by Central Avenue. I actually trespassed on railroad property to walk up to it and take some pictures. I was even invited to get up on the platform and have my picture taken standing on it.

Since then, I look for it around noon, just to watch a thing of the past slowly travel by. I wave, they wave pack. Leaving TECO the other day (around 11 a.m.), I saw the train coming. As it passed, I could not believe that some jerks had graffitied that fine caboose.

All of the United States is fouled by this crap and we seem to just accept it by painting over it and wringing our hands at the cost. When Madera got its $150,000 grant to buy that truck and hire three employees to paint over this crap I wrote the Tribune and said it wouldn’t work. I even suggested night vision goggles and night vision scopes to take these guys down. I said, a couple on Monday night, a couple on Tuesday night and by Wednesday we won’t have a problem.

The city didn’t take that route, and here we are. Half a million bucks to paint over crap, and no solution. The only operating caboose ( on a real rail line) in the country and some jerks sprayed it. We need a real plan. It needs to be severe.

Time to limit our liabilities.

Bill Hoffrage,
Madera

By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune

People who are interested in changing the way immigration laws are enforced, or in changing the laws altogether, hope such activity will be toward the top of the pile on President Obama’s desk, but they shouldn’t hold their breath. While the new president did mention immigration reform in his inaugural address Tuesday, he didn’t spend many words or much time talking about the subject.

The best guess among Obama watchers is that he will either (1) make no changes for now or (2) do little more than slow or stop the Bush tactic of raising and strengthening the fences between the United States and Mexico.

It’s unlikely he will change the scrutiny at border crossings, which has been steadily increased since the 9/11 attacks. He probably will continue to beef up the Border Patrol, with an emphasis on trying to contain illegal crossings, primarily along the Mexican border.

Any substantive changes would be harder to get through Congress, which has little concensus on what constitutes an immigration problem. Border states such as California and Arizona, if nothing else would like help in paying for the costs of providing services to illegals. Other states, less affected by immigration, don’t see why the federal government should pony up more than it already does.

Many agricultural states depend on immigrants to provide seasonal and even year-round workforces for farms and food processors.

Other states resent the inflow of immigrants and would like to see all but legal immigration completely cut off.

The economy, though, may do more than Obama will to change immigration patterns. The downturn in construction, for example, has dried up the job market for many immigrants, and some who have come to the U.S. are going back south.

By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune

President Obama’s first inaugural speech won’t go down in history alongside those of Franklin Roosevelt or John Kennedy. But his behavior, and that of former President Bush, set high standards for the handing over of the presidency.

As he began his speech, Obama thanked Bush for taking steps to make sure the transition of government was smooth and free of conflict. Obama saw Bush off as the former president boarded the presidential helicopter for one last time on his way out of Washington.

Bush did his best, starting even before election night, to make sure Obama and his team would have an easy time in transition. He kept Obama apprised of what he was doing to try to deal with the nation’s financial crisis. Obama’s people weren’t refused information, but were kept abreast of all that was going on.

For his part, Obama demurred when reporters tried to get him to second-guess Bush on the financial crisis, saying, “We only have one president at a time.”

Obama’s inaugural speech, while little was wrong with it, seemed less of a stemwinder than he has been known to make, such as those in the “Yes, We Can” mode.

Perhaps he realizes, now the election is over, that his “Hope” campaign may have raised the expectations of at least some of his supporters to unsustainable heights.

His speech seemed to emphasize that while his supporters can still believe in change, it may be a while before they actually see it.

Traditionally, the presidential honeymoon lasts about 100 days. In Obama’s case, it may last a bit longer than that, because he brings a lot of political chips into the game.

But he seems to know that reality may temper expectations, at least for a while. That gives him high marks for maturity as well as behavior.

If you bought your property within the last four or five years you may qualify for a reduction of your property taxes under Proposition 8 (Passed, November 1978). In Madera County, the property owner must file the county’s form.

If the assessed value (county taxable amount) of your home is higher than the market value (what your home would sell for in today’s market) then by law your taxes should be lowered by the Assessor’s Office.

To file the Madera County form, call the Assessors Office in Madera at (559) 675-7710 and request their form to be sent to you. You can also obtain their form online (Madera-county.com/assessor/forms.html)

The sooner you file this form the sooner your taxes may be reduced. You should receive a temporary lower tax amount each year until the market comes back. That could be months, or years.

File now.

Kenneth Russell,
Ahwahnee

All comments are edited for length and content. Due to content or space limitations some comments may not be published Please limit your calls to two minutes or less.

“I would like to thank the Madera County Civil Service,” said a woman, “for dedicating their conference room to my daughter, Julie Ford.”

A lady wanted “to comment on a few things on the Red Line. First, where is the public recycling? Madera has let graffiti and the dumping of garbage all along the roadways get out of hand … I’ve been recycling for years, but we need a place to dispose of it. (Editor’s note: For hours and directions, call Heartland Opportunities Center, 674-4521.)

“Also the mailboxes here are broken into on a daily basis out in Madera County … Oh, by the way, what happened to, to whatever it is, the train stop, being moved to the other location at Country Club Drive? It is still over there on Avenue 15.”

A man called with “another message about postal service in the Country Club (Drive) area.” Several people have mentioned they are getting others’ mail, “and the same thing has been happening to us. The postal workers should have a little professionalism and talking on the cell phone (while distributing mail) is uncalled for.”

A lady had a similar comment. “I have been wondering what has been happening to our mail. Payments that were sent were not received and we have been missing mail. Then, I’ve been reading where many people have been having the same problems. I hope the mail delivery will improve.”

A man had a solution for “these little (graffiti) taggers. You dress them up in a little pink tutu and you take them around with the cleanup crew. Then hang a sign on them that reads ‘This is what I get for tagging.’ Or you can take them out to Wal-Mart and put them in a see-through plastic box and let them stand in that thing all day long stating again, ‘This is what I get for tagging.’ You’ve got to embarrass them. You’ve got to humiliate them. You can’t just send them to Juvenile Hall.”

A lady left a rather confusing message that said, “I think the only way to get rid of these horrible taggers is, when you catch them, you put them along with their families to get rid of them all.”

An online Red Line visitor, “Juan,” thought he had the solution to Madera’s graffiti problem. He writes, “The problem is the ignorance of the parents and the passive nature of the school district … I remember all the kids at school with tagging on their backpacks and binders. Confiscate the d–n things, take pictures, match them with the graffiti around town, (and) bingo the problem is solved.”

He wasn’t pleased that the city wanted to hire graffiti elimination experts. He writes, “Thats more money the city doesn’t have out the window.”

A woman, who said she “was a local reader” and “doesn’t normally call the Red Line,” saw “an article on page six about animals that were up for adoption. The proofreader in there doesn’t seem to be doing his job because the headline says the ‘Pest of the Week.’ (instead of ‘Pets of the Week’) I think you should try a little harder.”

“I keep reading in the Tribune about all the wonderful plans for the city in the year 2025,” said a lady. “But from what I witnessed this afternoon I don’t see it happening. I saw a poor, helpless cat suffering from injuries inflicted by someone’s dog. This little cat was trying to, but unable to, reach help.

“That is when several elementary school kids got off a bus and, before an adult could get to the cat, three-quarters of the kids tried to kick, step on or shoot this poor animal. Just think, those kids will be the adults in Madera in 2025. To see kids acting this way, it just broke my heart.”

An online reader, self-identified as “Ms. Sandoval,” wished to warn parents. She writes, “I would like to give warning to parents dropping their kids off at the skating rink on Friday and Saturday. The owner is selling energy drinks to these kids, most kids are in corners making out with each other, the dances are inappropriate and these kids range from (ages) 11 to 15. And people wonder why the teen pregnancy rate is high. Friday was my son’s first and last night there.”

Another Internet guest, “Karan Pursell,” commented on the passing of the city’s ballpark icon Kenny Taylor. She writes, “I didn’t know him past a ‘hello’ at a ball game. My son Mike knew him from his involvement in Madera baseball. When Kenny heard that Mike had leukemia, he called to check on him and to see if he could do anything for him. That meant a great deal to the whole family, especially Mike. We were sad to hear of his passing and only wished we could have called to see if we could have helped him. God’s comfort and peace to his family.”

Thank you for your calls. Remember, the Red Line is open for your messages 24 hours a day by calling 674-4478, or by logging on to maderatribuneredline.com.

By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune

Critics of President George W. Bush are rushing to get their final, anger-driven licks in before Barack Obama is sworn in on Tuesday. Their hatred of Bush is palpable. It isn’t enough that Democrats and their supporters in the media treated Bush as they would have treated a pinata during the preisdential campaign, but it seems they have to continue hating him even as he heads out the door of the White House.

Of course, feelings about President Clinton among Republicans and their backers weren’t much different in 2001, just before Bush took office. Clinton was roundly despised among Republicans, not so much for his policies, but for his personal behavior while president.

All this hatred, all these resentments, must have something to do with a certain lack of maturity on the part of those who feel them. Some people have been taught that they have the right to be resentful toward others. “Justified anger,” we are told, can be a good thing. But that goes against the advice of the great ethical and religious teachers.

Psychologists agree, telling us that those who feel resentment toward others are most likely to behave in ways that can lead to others resenting them. Most resentments, they say, are the result of being unable to deal with one’s own emotions. Such folks, unable to deal with such feelings, wish to justify them.

“Resentments give you an excuse to return to your old ways,” writes Dr. Wayne Dyer. “This is what got you there in the first place!”

Ultra-liberals, most of whom voted for Obama, are getting ready to despise him because he doesn’t seem inclined to put their agenda at the head of the train right after he becomes president. That is sad.

We seem far too quick to criticize, and far too slow to forgive — for our own good.

By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune

Here is good news for Barack Obama on the day of his inauguration:

Oil — the light, sweet crude variety — was trading yesterday for $34.39 per barrel, which is an enormous gift for the American people — or for any who use oil.

When oil was trading last summer in the $150 a barrel range, the biggest transfer of wealth in the history of the United States was taking place as money flowed to offshore producers. Now, that wealth is staying home for the most part, and although the current price still is historically above average, it is welcome.

For Obama, and the American people, this will mean two important things:

–The economy will be easier to fix, because less money will be going abroad, and the effects of high oil prices, such as increased transportation costs and the shock rising gasoline prices gave domestic auto manufacturers, will level off fairly quickly. Already, people are seeing the results of being able to keep more of their money.

–Obama will have more time to get his energy initiatives in motion.

During the campaign, he promised the United States would become energy independent. That promise will take longer than one presidency to fulfill. Still, he won’t be under the gun to adopt an energy policy just to be seen as doing something. President Carter painted himself into that corner trying to deal with an oil embargo.

That illustrates why oil and energy will be so important to the new president.

Almost all of Obama’s term in office will revolve around oil and its ramifications. Economics, climate change politics, the Middle East, Eastern Europe — all of the problems and opportunities he faces are intertwined with the politics and finances of oil.

Given all that, he begins this singular day with welcome good news.