In highlighting legislation in the California Legislature, Marc Joffee’s article “Two California foster care bills miss the mark” (April 25) also noted the importance of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Unfortunately, this important program, which enjoys broad bipartisan support in Sacramento, is on the chopping block. Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature made a commitment to make a life-changing investment in the lives of youth in foster care — $20 million a year over the next three years for CASA. That funding would deliver to all youth in foster care in the state the one thing they need above all else: a stable relationship with an adult they can count on. CASA’s 11,000 volunteer advocates are each matched with a child, and they stand by that child during dramatic and challenging times. We know that children who have an advocate are more likely to receive appropriate services, more likely to do well in school, more likely to be psychologically sound, more likely to be adopted rather than shuffled from one temporary placement to another and more likely to be hopeful about their future. The promise of receiving $60 million over three years enabled the California CASA Association to fashion a plan to increase the program’s reach by recruiting more volunteers, strengthening the professional staff and expanding public awareness to inspire additional community philanthropy. Now the state must deliver on its commitment. Our youth in foster care cannot afford this painful budget cut.
— Regan Dean Phillips, Orange, CEO, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Orange County
Refugees at our border
Re “The end of Title 42” (April 30):
I wish Congressman Lou Correa would provide us with some facts, not “I hope it happens this way” logic. We gave tracking devices (cell phones as an example) to some migrants. How many, what type, initial cost, monthly cost and how many are still active? Migrants were told to report to a local office. How many were told this and how many have reported? Over the last 10 years what percentage of migrants never showed for their immigration hearing or court date? Percentage of no-shows actually deported? Analyze real data to determine if this rush at our borders is a scam. We have millions of immigrants who have followed our rules and laws and have been waiting to legally enter our country.
— Jerry Griffin, Long Beach
![Last week, the editorial board asked readers what they thought about whether or not the state of California should pay reparations for slavery. We published the first round of responses on Tuesday, as we normally do, but as a result of the volume and quality of letters submitted, we are presenting additional letters from across […]](https://www.sgvtribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2018_1008_generic_mailbox_letters_to_the_editor3-12.jpg?w=513 "Last week, the editorial board asked readers what they thought about whether or not the state of California should pay reparations for slavery. We published the first round of responses on Tuesday, as we normally do, but as a result of the volume and quality of letters submitted, we are presenting additional letters from across […]")
![Re “Enough of the Marxist delusions” (May 14): I agree with Matt Fleming that taxing the rich is not going to save democracy (though our democracy is in extreme peril and I hope something can save it). But, in usual fashion, he sets up a straw man, the obscure Excessive Wealth Disorder theory, and […]](https://www.sgvtribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2018_1008_generic_mailbox_letters_to_the_editor3-11.jpg?w=513 "Re “Enough of the Marxist delusions” (May 14): I agree with Matt Fleming that taxing the rich is not going to save democracy (though our democracy is in extreme peril and I hope something can save it). But, in usual fashion, he sets up a straw man, the obscure Excessive Wealth Disorder theory, and […]")
![Re “Should the United States have open borders?” I was fascinated to read the arguments of both Sal Rodriguez and Susan Shelley … because Rodriguez’s position isn’t really “open borders” at all. He argues it should be easier for well-intentioned immigrants to come to the U.S. without having to navigate such a complicated series […]](https://www.sgvtribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2018_1008_generic_mailbox_letters_to_the_editor3-10.jpg?w=513 "Re “Should the United States have open borders?” I was fascinated to read the arguments of both Sal Rodriguez and Susan Shelley … because Rodriguez’s position isn’t really “open borders” at all. He argues it should be easier for well-intentioned immigrants to come to the U.S. without having to navigate such a complicated series […]")
![No, it would be impossible to help all ethnicities that suffered past injustice History is the study of past events. The operative word is “past.” We can’t go back and help those people who in the past have suffered injustice. Probably every ethnic group on the planet has suffered injustice at one time […]](https://www.sgvtribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2018_1008_generic_mailbox_letters_to_the_editor3-9.jpg?w=513 "No, it would be impossible to help all ethnicities that suffered past injustice History is the study of past events. The operative word is “past.” We can’t go back and help those people who in the past have suffered injustice. Probably every ethnic group on the planet has suffered injustice at one time […]")