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4A - RED ROCK NEWS, Sedona, Arizona Wednesday, May 26, 2010
OPINION
News staff offers
tips to graduates
for next step in life
On Wednesday, May 26, Sedona Red Rock High School
releases another batch of seniors out into the world.
With the onset of graduation season, I began to reflect on
my feelings at the age of 18 as I prepared to take the next step
in my life. I remember being excited and feeling as if I really
could do or be anything.
It's a bittersweet time in a teenager's life when he or she
says goodbye to old friends and family, and heads out alone
toward an unknown future.
Some of Sedona's graduates will be excited they can't
wait to get out of here; others will be scared they're leaving
the safety net they've created over the years. Most will feel a
mix of both emotions.
Graduating from high school is a sacred right of passage in
our culture, and when you're at that point, it can feel like one
of the biggest changes you've faced in your life, because it is.
Now, as Sedona's graduates do the same, I balled on the
Sedona Red Rock News staff to offer some words of wisdom
to the class of 2010. Congratulations graduates.
Trista Steers
Managing Editor
Tips for Graduates
You will meet people who do not like you and people you
don't like, and there will be no reason for it. Do not worry
about being liked by everyone. It is not possible. Be the best
person you can be and like yourself. It will attract the people
who will like you and the people you will like.
Always have goals. Remember, a person without goals is
destined to achieve them.
Lu Stilt
Feature Writer
Keep an open mind. Activities, classes, people that don't
interest you or have interests different from you? Take those
classes, do those activities, make friends with those PeoPle.
You never know what you can learn and what direction that
experience can take you.
Go with your gut feeling. If something in your heart, head
or gut is saying no, there's a eason. Follow it; you may not
get a chance to change it later.
--- Jo Page
Typesetter
Travel, as much as possible, throughout your life You
will learn more than you can imagine.
Constance Israel
Copy Editor
Always say yes to a new experience. Opportunities rarely
come at a time of our choosing.
Study an art form. Your art and your children are the only
legacies you will unselfishly create.
-- Christopher Fox Graham
Assistant Managing Editor
If you plan on going to college, don't take a year or two
offbecause you probably will never return.
Stay at home and don't move out until you are ready and
have a decent income.
-- Michael Maresh
Reporter
The Sedona Red Rock News welcomes your viewpoints: Send let-
ters by e-mail to editor@larsonnewspapers.com or mail to:
RO.
"Opinion"
Sedona Red Rock News
Box 619 Sedona, AZ 86339
Letters must be 300 words or fewer. Letters in excess of 300 words
will be edited using the newspaper's discretion.
All letters submitted must include the writer's signature, printed
name, and for verification purposes, address and phone number.
Letters without a phone number cannot be verified and will not be
printed.
Attacks against individuals will not be published. Letters that are
considered libelous will not be published. We reserve the right to
edit any letter for space and good taste.
.~- ~.-" 7 J t The 'bio' ot ~edona and Oak Creel< Canyon k,r more than 45 veavs -v--~--~ ' ~.
Publisher: Robert B. Larson
THE SEDONA RED ROCK NEWS (ISSN 1044-7555)
is published twice a week on Wednesday and Friday
for $39 per year local by Larson Newspapers, LLC.
298 Van Deren, Sedona, Ariz
Periodical postage paid at Sedona, Ariz.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
SEDONA RED ROCK NEWS,
P. O. Box 619, Sedona, AZ 86339-0619
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Member of Arizona Newspapers Assn. & National Newspaper Assn.
The entire contents of all Larson Newspapers publications, including the
Sedona Red Rock News, the Cottonwood Journal Extra, The Camp Verde
Journal and their Web sites are 2010 by Larson Newspapers. No portion
produced by Larson Newspapers may be reproduced or reprinted in whole
or part by any means without the express written permission of the publisher
or managing editor of Larson Newspapers.
/ ALASKA OR I
I uAa wout.t aE l
'10
Sedona RED. ROCK
NEWS
Letters to the Editor
Let new councilors
make own decisions
According tothe May 14 article ["Council
opposes SB 1070," Sedona Red Rock News]
stating that the present Sedona City Council,
which is being replaced by newly elected
council members, recommends that the new
City Council oppose Senate Bill 1070: Why
should the group that has just been voted out
of office direct the new council? Have they
all read Senate Bill 1070 and are they aware
of how illegal immigrants are stealing from
the Social Security funds?
I'd like to quote an article written by Mary
Johnson, writer for The Social Security &
Medicare Advisor. She writes, "For about 7
million senior citizens, the Make Work Pay
tax credit didn't pay at least not as much
as they thought. Those senior taxpayers
would end up having to repay a portion of
the credit they already received in higher
pay or pension checks, resulting in lower
refunds, or even unexpected taxes.
"And while honest U.S. senior citizens
sort out the government's overzealous
tax credit, a sizeabIe group of workers
is illegally pocketing hundreds of those
extra dollars in Making Work Pay dollars
immigrants working without legal
authorization under stolen Social Securify
numbers. Not only did they get money that
they aren't entitled to in their paychecks,
many will also get credit toward future
Social Security benefits on those same
illegal earnings.
"The 2009 stimulus legislation forbids
illegal immigrants from getting tax credit
But the hastily enacted legislation had
no mechanism for employers to confirm
whether the Social Security numbers
presented by workers are valid or stolen,
and whether workers are legally authorized
to work.
"But even if there had been a require-
ment to confirm Social Security numbers,
the major online tool that Congress and
President Obama want employers to use,
E-Verify, wrongly clears illegal workers
about 54 percent of the time. According to
Westat, the research company that evaluated
the system, E-Verify misses many workers
because it cannot detect identity fraud.
"Although the government has not
attempted to estimate the cost of illegal
work to the Social Security program, one
hint is contained in the Social Security
Administration's Earnings Suspense File.
The file contains wage reports [W2s] sent
in by employers for which Social Security
numbers of other information don't match
up with that in the Social Security files. The
Social Security Administration received
more than 10 million such employment
reports representing over $89.7 billion in
wages in 2007, the most recent year for
which data is available."
Isn't this one of the reasons for SB 1070?
I know that if I travel, by air, from Phoenix
to Denver, I must show a valid photo ID, no
matter what my color, before being allowed
to enter the boarding area. If I'm stopped for
a minor traffic violation, no matter what my
color. I must show a valid driver's license
and registration of the vehicle. Is this any
different than SB 1070? Because of the
amount of money Social Security is paying
to illegal immigrants, Social Security is
paying out more thanit brings in.
If the outgoing council members were so
smart, why weren't they reelected? Let the and demand the benefits of a citizen without
new incoming City Council members make earning them?
their own decisions. What kind of message are you giving our
Harry Feltmanchildren? That it's OK to break a federal
Sedona law if you want something you don't have
that belongs to someone else, and you take
it anyway?
gal immim'alion This bill does help border security as a
deterrent to illegals who don't want to be
caught and ruin their chance of becoming
is a media circus legal. You cannot immigrate into this
I worry that Councilman Dan Surber.country with a criminal record.
and others on the outgoing Sedona City . If Senate Bill 1070 is "inhumane," our
Council may have their priorities confused government should be fair and adopt Mexico's
by calling a special meeting to oppose what law, allowing citizen's arrest if they "suspect"
the state of Arizona does. someone is illegally in their country, and
Instead of worrying about any possible requires that illegals be held until deportation.
backlash over Senate Bill 1070, perhaps the If they remm and are caught, they get a 10-
council should address what will be a bigger year sentence in a Mexican prison,
It didn't go unnoticed that tile mayor and
potential'danger to our local tourism and
new council members chose to play hooky
economy. SB 1070 is headed for a long stay and not take responsibility for the job they
lost in the legal system and the furor over it were elected to do and one member just
is already starting to blow over. I would be went along with it out of "respect" for
much more concerned about repeat visitors someone who says it's OK to break the
deciding to go elsewhere once they find out law in Sedona and ignore state law at the
that every time they pay for something in
Sedona they will be taxed over 10 cents expense of our citizens.
on the dollar now that the fraud called the MaHlyn Kowalehuk
Proposition 100 Sales tax increase passed Sedona
on May 18.
I honestly can't blame anyone for voting
for it either. Public safety and education These shonanigans
is .important and I find it sad that certain
members of the state government would will be easily fixed
hold them hostage because a budget surplus
was allowed to slip through the fingers of A small group of Sedonans are clinging
elected officials. I know I have to think to life in the Old West as evidenced by the
twice about going to California because of shenanigans perpetrated by the outgoing
how much higher gasoline prices are there, gang of four at the city of Sedona budget
I don't doubt that some people will consider hearing May 12. The reduction in pay
other places or at the very least be spending provision, as reported by Michael Maresh
less money here. I'm sure there are plenty of the Sedona Red Rock News, cuts by 50
of other places whose schools rank higher percent the pay of the mayor and incoming
than Arizona that also have much lower council members.
sales tax than we are about to have here. Clearly, this action appears to be a mean-
Perhaps the council should consider spirited procedural measure meant to bush-
opposing misguided budget priorities the whack the Sedona mayor and duly elected
state has or even offsetting the coming sales council members. There is little doubt
tax increase in the state by considering a that the mayor and new Sedona council
city sales tax cut. I worry that the economic members will be required to make some
damage such a higher sales tax would pose difficult decisions in the future, and I trust
to Sedona will be much worse than any they will be able to rectify this punitive pay
pathetic boycott threats to Arizona we have reduction foisted upon them.
been hearing so much about through this Robert anford
never-efiding illegal immigration media Sedona
circus.
Danny Morton
Oak Creek Canyon
Nice to hear from
OK to break law if someone intelligent
It gives me great satisfaction to have
yOU want better life someone come to a Sedona Fire District
board meeting and speak and then write a
Sedona City Council members, by request meaningful, intelligent letter on purchasing
of one who should have recused himself and cost management -- someone who
from this for conflict of interest based on knows what he is talking about. In the
familial descent, decided that it's OK to past we have experienced just the oppo-
break the law if you want to have a better site. Pomposity and self-importance have
life, you're Latino and "just want to work" reigned o er common sense and intelli-
here without earning the right legally, gence. That's like someone who has been
So if you can't punish people for trying in California government telling you how
to better themselves, then it must be OK to t.o balance your budget. Pick a chair on the
steal food, clothing or a car. Don't worry, Titanic anyone?
it's OK if you're trying to better yourself. You got my vote Joe Demme -- great
Many citizens here would like to work advice, great letter.
but can't get jobs because illegals have
them. Charles Christensen
Why did ! bother becoming a legal immi- Sedona Fire District
grant when all I had to do was come here Governing Board Clerk