Smooth Streets
Argus Courier
I remember when this agricultural community had a bank on each corner and smooth streets. Now we have a coffee latte on every corner and the distinction of the pothole capital of California. Our money goes to consultants and researchers on the impact of electric cars, bicycle paths along the river, mountain goat parks and double pane windows for a soup kitchen. It's in your hands. Voters, it won't be long before you will determine Pot-Hole-Luma's future.
PAUL A. LEWIS, Lucerne and Petaluma

International - Animal for Good Egg Award
Argus Courier
In early June, before Pothole-luma made statewide news, I had houseguests from New Zealand. I gave them directions to my house from the 101.When they arrived, I asked, "Did you have trouble with the directions?" They said no, "but what's with your roads? A bit rough, aren't they?" No kidding! Today, I got an e-mail from a friend in Burbank. She said Pothole-luma made news in Southern California, which raises this question from me: How about naming Animal and the pilot of the plane with the "Pothole Capital of California" message as Good Eggs at the next Butter & Egg Days Parade? After all, they're local heroes, having successfully gotten the word out and embarrassing the clueless on the city council. Despite having their Pinocchio noses tweaked out of joint, there seems to be a light at the end of the pothole tunnel. Hmm ... maybe it's just light pouring through yet another hole.
BOB CANNING, Petaluma

The True Reason for Potholes
Argus Courier
We have a pothole problem on our streets and we know what causes potholes - vehicles.
BARRY BUSSEWITZ, Petaluma

Money could have gone to our streets
Press Democrat
As a former Petaluma councilman, it was once the opinion of our council that public safety and street maintenance were considered first priority. Unfortunately, this belief seems to have taken a back seat with Petaluma City Council members of late. As a result, Petaluma is now called the "Pothole Capital of California." We are being laughed at.
We respectfully suggest in the future, council members pay more attention to the basic needs of their citizens rather than going on spending binges, wasting millions on various pet projects such as Lafferty and dust-collecting planning studies.
Petalumans are watching with disbelief as to what is going on at City Hall. It is a day of talk -- talk that reckless spending is over.
PHIL JOERGER

Potholes caused by Politicians
Press Democrat
Readers should be under no illusion that recent letters and antics about Petaluma potholes are really about potholes --they're about politics, pure and simple.
SHERI CARDO

No civil rights for the noisy
Argus Courier
An article in the July 3 Argus-Courier describing action taken by angry council member Maguire objecting to an airplane flying over Petaluma was alarming.
Maguire was so angry he thought about arresting the pilot, called the police, and also called several airports. Maguire had a good I.D. on the plane because it was towing a banner reading "Petaluma, Pothole Capital of California."
This reminds me of the movie where a traffic officer goes completely crazy at a large airport and starts ordering the airliners from the sky, yelling "Everybody is under arrest."
Men in white took the officer away in an ambulance.
I hate to tell Mr. Maguire, but Petaluma has an airport and I have observed other airplanes flying over Petaluma. Men with nets and an ambulance standing by the council chambers will be less expensive than a civil rights lawsuit.
Maybe it was the banner being towed by the airplane that disturbed Maguire.
After the election in November, another city in west Sonoma County might hire Maguire to look for doors on the ground or screen city signs for hidden meanings. He could also search that city's air space for suspicious contrails.
So many civil rights to violate and so little time.
DEWEY THOMAS, Petaluma

Council should start working for Petaluma instead of pointing finger
Argus Courier
If certain Petaluma City Council members put their energies into making informed, responsible, and swift decisions to uphold the quality of life in our city instead of endlessly whining and opining, certain members of the public wouldn't feel the need to tout Petaluma as the "Pothole capital of California."
To suggest a tax-paying member of the public should spend $500 to $1,000 of his own money to fill in "a pothole or two" is preposterous because that is precisely the job that should be paid for by our tax money. Not to mention said citizen would probably be arrested for impeding traffic and vandalizing public property after a certain council member called the police.
For several years now the quality of our roads has deteriorated steadily, while the city puts off repairs. Every day the repairs are delayed, the more our roads are damaged, and the more expensive it will be to repair them. And the more expensive it becomes, the harder it is to find money in the city budget for street repair.
Council members: stop pointing fingers at the citizens of Petaluma and start working for them. When citizens feel that city issues are being addressed in a timely, efficient manner, they will start feeling respected, and so will you.
ERIKA LARSON, Petaluma

Council should show leadership on street repair
Argus Courier
If Mr. Maguire would take some of his indignation at the pilot of the "pothole airplane" and focus it on the shameful conditions of Petaluma's streets, maybe Petaluma would be moving toward a plan for street repair.
It was the headlines about our city having the worst streets in the Bay Area, as well as the outcry of our local citizens that has brought this situation to everyone's attention, not our City Council's leadership. Out of citizens' frustration at the lack leadership comes pothole bumper stickers, airplanes and signs. At least the bumper stickers give me some comic relief as I drive on my deeply rutted street.
Our city leaders should stop making excuses, blaming past city councils, and calling the police over the noise of an airplane. Give us a plan for the sorry state of our streets and show us that any future measures that we may vote on, will be used on our streets, and only on our streets.
JUDY SHUBIN, Petaluma

Pothole warriors, wasted money & free speech
Press Democrat
I take issue with your July 6 editorial labeling "Animal" as part of the problem in Petaluma. He is using the only form of expression that will get the City Council's attention. If anyone appears at meetings espousing views contrary to the liberal ones of the majority of its members, they are usually criticized or ridiculed.
The people of Petaluma want the city to do its job by maintaining the infrastructure and not with additional tax dollars. The majority of citizens do not like to see millions of tax dollars spent on Lafferty, on a bike path under the freeway that is seldom used, and on raising the city manager's pay by 16 percent at the time of a huge budget deficit.
Everyone I have spoken to applauds what "Animal" has done. It is a grass-roots form of free speech telling the council that we want the budget balanced and not with new taxes. We want them to take care of the community and not try to engender social engineering with our money.
DAVID TRAVERSI

Council ignores needs of city
Press Democrat
After reading the July 3 article about potholes, I have to say - Wake up Petaluma City Council.
Of course you don't agree with the tactics used by this group of grass-roots activists. They point out your obvious lack of concern for the city and its citizens. The City Council has had input from the community for years about the condition of our roads, only to ignore it.
Yes, it's embarrassing to have a plane banner and signs proclaiming Petaluma as the "Pothole Capital of California." However, this seems to be what it takes to force them to do their jobs.
The only exception is Bryant Moynihan, who has tried to hold their feet to the fire on this issue all along. I applaud the efforts of Pierre Miremont, Animal, Moynihan and anyone else who can get our City Council to do the right thing and repair our roads. Shame on them for forcing it to come to this.
RONALD J HUHN JR.

Council's shame
Press Democrat
It is too bad that the majority of the Petaluma City Council members are not embarrassed by the job that they have done. They should hang their heads in shame; our streets are a mess. They are unsafe.
I support the bumper sticker campaign and the aircraft flying the banner. .
I support the highly over-paid city manager leaving. I will not vote for a tax increase to pay for street improvement. .
The city public facilities and services mission statement even says, "The Department is the caretaker of Petaluma's street and building infrastructure." .
What a farce that is. .
Way to go Animal. .
MARGARET E. (PEGGY) BAKKER

Pothole Pollution - HUH?
Press Democrat
Outside, this Saturday morning (June 29), looking up into a pristine, deep blue sky, with the golden sun streaming down all around me, I am watching a tiny plane which has been circling over town for, at least the last hour - tediously towing an enormous banner with the words "Petaluma - Pothole Capital of California." This is the most silly, sophomoric display I have seen in quite some time.
Whoever decided it was worth the time, thought, imagination, and money to pollute the regional air space with fumes and noise for such a meaningless gesture should wake up and pay attention to some of the truly serious (as well as truly beautiful) realities that surround us.
How about using that plane to photograph Gallo ripping up the hills and forests just south of Healdsburg or Syar dredging 70-foot deep pits in our aquifer-water filter in the Middle Reach of the Russian River?
Better yet, the plane could be used to give us an expansive vision of our beautiful valley and tidal estuary, surrounded by thousands of acres of green marshland. It's a matter of focus, with a sense of meaningful proportion.
SCOTT HESS, Petaluma

City should hire Animal
Press Democrat
We would like to thank the person responsible for circling the potholes in Petaluma. Helps us know in advance when to avoid being rudely jostled and avoiding a possible flat tire. You are doing a great job. Thanks. Maybe the city of Petaluma can hire you - at least you get something done.
MOIRA STEEPLETON, Petaluma

Wants to apply for Animal's job
Argus Courier
Does anyone know how much we are paying the city employee to drive around our streets here in Petaluma and circle all the potholes with chalk? I know I could do that . . . might need a little on-the-job training. But with time I could figure it out.The last pothole I drove into I didn't have a problem finding it, just turned my lights on to get out. It wasn't circled either. Just wondering where our tax dollars go.
JIM LaRUE, Petaluma

Petaluma drivers are all DUI
Press Democrat
At the least, I would like to say to the fine Petaluma police officers that in their noble pursuit of DUIs, if you see me weaving down the streets of Petaluma, it's not because I'm "impaired."
"Just avoiding the potholes, sir."
JOHN AMEN

From the mouths or children too!
Press Democrat
Dear City Council: My name is Louie Evdokimoff, I am 12 years old and go to Kenilworth Junior High. I live on Lauren Drive, and there is a problem with the road. It is rough like a dirt road with tons of rocks. At the ends of the road, it is smooth for several yards and then turns rocky the rest of the way. What I would like you to consider is that you put new road throughout the whole street instead of just at the ends. At one end, there are potholes that you filled up with something, and it makes our street look bad. The weird thing about it is that it's right next to the smoother pavement.
When my friends and I want to roller skate or skateboard, we either have to do it on the sidewalk or on the end of the street. What is dangerous about this is that a car may come off Washington, making a speeding turn and hit us. What I wish you to do is not to think of me as a nobody and think of our safety and of our parents always having to come out of our homes and down the street instead of popping their heads out the window or opening the door to howl, "dinner."
It would help us all out and make us a safer community -- and safe is the key word of this whole letter.
LOUIE EVDOKIMOFF