It takes a lot of work to run a city. From collecting garbage to fixing potholes to maintaining our water system, city workers come to the job everyday determined to make Santa Paula a great community. And it’s only fair that we receive comparable salary and benefits received by our counterparts in other cities in the county.The recent contract deal agreed to by the SEIU and the city gives city workers their first raise in two years, and it’s a long time coming.I can’t help but think this would have been resolved much sooner if the city of Santa Paula had more substantial economic resources. Unfortunately, Santa Paula continues to face economic struggles and every year we find ourselves once again having to tighten the belt.Simply put, we need more money - not just so we can pay city workers what they deserve, but also so that we provide more support for our police, firefighters, libraries, and youth programs.Yet where does that kind of money come from? The short answer is that it comes from growth. I’m not talking about uncontrolled, rampant growth. I’m talking about smart, sensitive growth.That’s exactly what Measure Y and The Adams Preserve is going to give us. Smart growth is just 25 homes a year for 20 years, sensitive growth is preserving more than 4,000 acres as permanent open space, and economic growth is the more than $20 million a year that The Adams Preserve will ultimately generate for the city. That’s money that could be used to help address city priorities and to help bring parity in pay for city workers.There are some people who want to stop growth completely and are against any type of change in our community. The facts tell us that we must grow to get the economic boost we need to achieve the type of changes we want in Santa Paula.Measure Y and The Adams Preserve is a good place to start. I hope you will join me in voting YES on Measure Y.John DunnMember SEIU, Local 998Yes on Y or the futureTo the Editor:I’m writing today to voice my support for Measure Y. I currently work two jobs to put myself through school, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have more job opportunities in Santa Paula. Measure Y would bring in revenue to the city that would hopefully improve our local economy, and hopefully make Santa Paula a place where new businesses can open and thrive.Having a healthy job market is one of the most important parts of a good community - something that both retains and attracts people. I’ve lived in Santa Paula my entire life, and I’m frustrated by the lack of job opportunities that are available to us here. The young people in the community, especially recent graduates, need more opportunities - otherwise we need to move elsewhere to find employment. And for those of us who have to work to put ourselves through school, we need jobs to make sure we get the education we need to be productive members of society.I believe that the development of The Adams Preserve would help to attract more businesses to the area and thereby create more job opportunities. I support this initiative because it will help strengthen Santa Paula’s economy and community, and eventually help make it possible for me to raise and support a family here.Cecilia RuizSanta PaulaScamTo the Editor:Simply put, Measure Y for Adams Canyon development is a SCAM.The initiative document contains language that is conflicting and deceptive. Yes it provides for 495 luxury homes at the north end, but it also provides for public housing in unlimited numbers. (Please read the initiative, page 2, paragraph [4].) We seem to be looking at the same 2,200+ homes as provided for in the city general plan.It written legally into the fine print that the Arizona developer hopes we don read. 495 plus ther housing doesn add up to 495.Other deceptions: Our trusted Bob Gonzales failed to admit in his letter (praising the development) that he is now a paid employee of the developer. Bob is paid to promote what is potentially the most massive development wee dealt with. I confirmed it.Also, police and fire personnel are being told that the housing will be for them, yet the same 40+ acres are being promised to school districts. How does that work? It doesn, of course, it is part of the scam.Please vote No on Measure Y and show this developer that we may be small, but we are not fools.Julie ToviasSanta PaulaSuccessful raceTo the Editor:On Saturday, February 25, 2006, Santa Paula was witness to an event that, even though brief in its appearance, put our City in the middle of something rarely seen in the United States; a race of internationally renowned bicyclists. The race sponsored by Amgen began in Sausalito on February 19th, wound its way south, through Santa Paula ending at Amgen in Newbury Park on the 25th. The final course on February 26th ended in Redondo Beach, CA. Santa Paula and its residents were invited to view these riders as they pedaled their way into history as one of hopefully many future races along the California coastline. Santa Paula was tasked with making sure the race passed through the City without incident. This was further complicated when race organizers requested that all intersections and private driveways be staffed. This was to prevent motorists or residents from entering into the path of the race. The Santa Paula Police Department summoned all personnel possible and realized we needed more assistance, much more assistance. We called for aid from neighboring police agencies, their staff and volunteers; still, that was not enough. With the help of a lot of local organizations and their people, we were able to rise to the challenge. A partial list of those organizations and people who assisted were:ARES/RACES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service Radio Amateur Civil EmergencyServices) Heritage Valley, service clubs from Santa Paula, including Rotary, Lions, Optimist and Kiwanis, Santa Paula Boy Scout Troop 305, Captain Steve Lazenby and the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), Brian Yanez and his staff of the Recreation Department, Santa Paula Public Works Department, Santa Paula Citizens Patrol, American Medical Response, Fillmore Fire Department, Santa Paula Fire Department, Santa Paula City Hall, Port Hueneme Police Explorers, Santa Paula High School students including the Human Resources Academy and the Key Club, Port Hueneme Police Volunteers in Policing, Gold Coast Cruisers, Las Piedras Police Storefront and volunteers, McKevett School, SPPD Dispatcher Schladetzky and Dispatcher Gomez, SPPD Reserve Unit, Ventura Police TSOs, Santa Paula Police Motor Unit, Ventura Police Motor Units, Oxnard Police Motor Units, and of course many family and friends.We, the Santa Paula Police, would like to extend our gratitude to all those who helped us make this race safe and memorable. We would also like to thank everyone who may have been inconvenienced during the race; your patience was truly appreciated. There were so many people in attendance during the briefing and during the race that we may have unintentionally omitted your name or organization from this list, however we could not have accomplished this task successfully without your help.With much appreciation,Sergeant Carlos JuarezSanta Paula PoliceDepartment