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Speak Out
What makes someone 'Willow Glenish'?
In reading the article of Feb. 23 pertaining to the naming of the Ernesto Galarza School ["New school to be named after San Jose educator, activist"], I was appalled at the quote by San Jose Unified School District board member Carol Meyers. Ms. Meyers said she was at first concerned about the name because "it didn't sound very Willow Glenish."
I would like to know what Ms. Meyers considers a "Willow Glenish" name. As the article went on, she said that after learning more about Mr. Galarza she was sold on the idea. Was it the fact that Mr. Galarza was Phi Beta Kappa that changed her mind? Was it the fact that he pursued his doctorate at Columbia University? What exactly does make a person "Willow Glenish"?
I feel that Ms. Myers gave the impression that Willow Glen does not welcome diversity. I certainly hope that she was misquoted, because if not, I am very disappointed that an elected official would make a statement of this magnitude in a city that embraces all cultures.
Kathy Ramos
Kensington Park Court
Tax e-commerce so retailers can survive
Sometimes I wonder about our politicians. I heard today that several, including California Gov. Gray Davis, were in the White House debating Internet sales taxes with our president. Is this a serious question, really?
How are all the retailers supposed to stay in business and pay their overhead when the online sellers have this 6 to 8 1/2 percent competitive advantage? Do these politicians think, ever? Let's keep all the ecommerce businesses healthy, while we retailers who occupy all this space in all the stores and malls service ever-decreasing numbers of customers.
Half of us now are in business to service merchandise the customers bought online and cannot operate or assemble, or perhaps broke 20 minutes out of the box. And just who do you suppose they scream at when they find out they need to pay to have it fixed, or that we will not exchange it?
Hey folks, this is a slam dunk. If you do not ultimately collect sales taxes, you are going to have to plow under one-third of the shopping malls in this country, and find work for several hundred thousand persons that currently earn their living serving the retail trade. I cannot believe there is even a discussion about this. Also, unless I am mistaken, most states that have sales taxes have the enabling legislation drafted as Sales and Use Tax.
Apparently, the investment community is not the only sector of this nation suffering brain cramps about the Internet and e-commerce. I am not aware of any item on any agenda anywhere that is more foolish. You cannot continue to provide this level of competitive advantage to one class of business and expect the other class to survive intact.
Alan Caras
Campbell
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
