06-04-2025
‘Obstructionist bureaucrat': Turlock mayor holds funds hostage for critical We Care Program
'Turlock approves 114 houses amid neighbor complaints. The site has long grown strawberries,' ( Feb. 15)
At the March 25 Turlock City Council Meeting, Mayor Amy Bublak put on an appalling performance regarding a resolution about the We Care Program, an important partner in Turlock that provides transitional and emergency shelter, mental health treatment and job training to help homeless individuals become more self-sufficient.
The program has been awarded a large grant from Stanislaus County, with a routine, administrative step to receive a letter of support from the Turlock City Council by April 28, before the funds can be released.
Bublak, however, opposed the resolution, contending that the county failed to identify what funds the county will pay to the City of Turlock to address homelessness. The mayor now apparently intends to hold the We Care Program hostage 'until the county comes to the table,' despite the impending April 28 deadline.
This is a dispute between the city and the county, not with We Care. The decision to block funding for this critical program is the move of either a naïve politician or an obstructionist bureaucrat. Turlock residents deserve better.
Myrna Wachs
Turlock
Opinion
'Budget cuts impact national parks: What visitors need to know,' ( March 13)
American writer and historian Wallace Stegner once called our national parks 'the best idea we ever had.' Yet President Donald Trump's rush to cut spending and eliminate federal jobs for those who work at the national parks is at odds with this great notion. On the chopping block are park rangers who respond to medical emergencies, visitor center employees and crews that clean bathrooms and empty garbage cans. Firing thousands of employees with no notice or reason is cruel — leaving individuals without paychecks, unable to serve in the parks they love.
Recent court orders from two federal judges have led to the reinstatement of about 1,000 National Park Service employees; however, further cuts are still planned, potentially impacting park operations and visitor experiences. Further proposed cuts include a potential 30% payroll reduction for the National Park Service.
One might hope the national parks would be spared the current political polarization many governmental agencies now find themselves embroiled in. It is reasonable to believe that former President Teddy Roosevelt, a great Republican, would not be in favor of the cuts the current administration is proposing to the national parks — America's best idea.
Kent Mitchell
Riverbank
'Trump orders removal of 'divisive,' 'anti-American ideology' Smithsonian exhibits,' ( March 27)
President Donald Trump continues his war on truth. In addition to authorizing Elon Musk to tear apart the government and cut funding to critical agencies and government programs, now, our national parks are at risk.
Our rights are threatened when the presidential administration not longer adheres to the laws of the land. Trump even fired the inspectors general of 17 federal agencies, individuals who were the watchdogs for fraud and waste.
Now, the operations of the Smithsonian Institution and the Kennedy Center are being interfered with by Trump. The president now seeks to remove all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from the Smithsonian. Instead, he wants to propagate his version of 'truth' and eliminate our history.
Diane Kroeze
Modesto
'California Democrats were called 'soft' on sex trafficking. This could make it worse | Opinion,' ( March 25)
Every year, the California legislature and news media push anti-trafficking bills focused on policing and criminalization, approaches that have harmed survivors and failed to prevent exploitation. This recent column is a necessary reminder that real solutions require more than punitive laws. They require a public health approach.
For 25 years, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast) has provided services to survivors in Los Angeles, Our data shows the impact of criminalization: Nearly half of the 250 survivors in our long-term services disclosed having criminal records, often due to being forced into crimes by traffickers or misidentified as offenders, which creates significant and lasting barriers to jobs, housing and stability.
Survivors are not a monolith, but one principle is clear: We can't cause harm to end harm. Instead of continued criminalization, lawmakers must invest in housing, healthcare and economic opportunities — real solutions that prevent human trafficking.
Kay Buck
CEO, Cast
