Letters to the Editor
Editor:
Regarding an article written by (GRF) Treasurer Sandy Geffner (Aug. 7), I was so relieved when I learned that he would be taking over this position. He did an excellent job for our Mutual, and I know that GRF finances are in very safe hands.
The article pointed out that minimum wage rose by 78% over a 10-year period while GRF wages rose by 51%. Minimum wage is a special case. Voters recognized that extremely low wages made it impossible to live in California, so statewide action was taken to lift them.
Most workers and retirees in our state, however, receive steady but modest adjustments. When management pay rises by 51% over a 10-year period, it outpaces the reality that average families and seniors live with. If we want to make fair comparisons, we should look at what typical wage earners and retirees receive, not a special category like minimum wage. My own income, for instance, increased by 34% over a 10-year period, closely matching the rate of inflation. My hope is that GRF spending on staff salaries, maintenance, needed improvements and having necessary savings put aside for future needs will be managed prudently.
Edward Hickman Mutual 3 Editor:
It is not definitive yet to me if the left-turn-arrow/four-waypedestrian- crossing installation is complete.
It seems that there are some omissions that need to be attended to for the safety of both drivers and pedestrians at our busiest intersection.
If pedestrians are able to advance in every direction when traffic is halted, it appears that there needs to be signage that doesn’t permit right turns on red at all four stops.
Further, if pedestrians are permitted to make diagonal short-cut crossings, then some pavement level lighting at diagonals should be blinking to alert drivers such as already are in place on St. Andrews by the Lutheran Church. Mitzi Winks Mutual 5 Editor’s Note: The safety upgrade at St. Andrews Drive and Golden Rain Road is not yet fully operational as it was discovered that a new traffic controller is needed. Right turns on red will not be permitted during the pedestrian cycle once the project is finished, plus the pedestrian cycle will only be triggered when someone is crossing the lanes. Currently the walk cycle is triggered even when no one is crossing. Diagonal crossing is not allowed as the safest path is in the marked crosswalks.
