Call to Action

Many Crescenta Valley dog owners train their pets at Hollywood Dog Obedience Club (HDOC), which trains in Griffith Park, and we love having you train with us. Trained dogs make good neighbors.

But although readers live in the Crescenta Valley, the decision of the LA City Parks and Recreation Dept. to increase the fees by 80% to all dog training groups using the city parks will affect you, too, because dog training clubs, like HDOC, will either need to charge more for classes or go out of business.

Keeping the cost of classes low is important because we know most of our dog owners have rescued or adopted their dogs from shelters. Dogs from shelters that are trained are rarely returned to the shelters, becoming lifelong family pets. This means that HDOC, which paid more than $9,000 last year for use of Griffith Park for two hours a week, will be paying more than $16,200 next year.

HDOC is a non-profit club. Dog owners pay the trainers a fee for the trainers’ services; HDOC receives a percentage of that fee to pay for the park time and to maintain equipment.

HDOC has a vested interest in the parks. HDOC paid for the first light standards in the park across from Mulholland Fountain 70 years ago. HDOC cares that dogs are trained and well behaved so that they are not sent or returned to dog shelters. But who cares about the dog training clubs who benefit the citizens of our area?

If you care, please write to the LA Council members that enough is enough. Roll back the rates for the dog training groups that benefit all our neighborhoods.

Thank you,

Karen Saunders

Hollywood Dog Obedience Club member

Less Government, Please                                          

There are three things I fear: larger government, special interests and labor unions. None is concerned with what is best for the people. Giving government the responsibility of being in charge of our lives is a recipe for disaster.

Government is the most inefficient business in the world. Just look at the debt-ridden governments at all levels. Look at the high taxes that alter our lives and have destroyed the middle class in this country. Look at the homeless on our streets. Look at the decaying infrastructure of our streets and highways.  This is the fault of both parties.

The best description is lack of performance in representing the people.  Let’s put the blame on our elected leaders. Let’s not give them more responsibility for our lives.

I still believe in democracy and capitalism. I believe that the rewards of success encourage us to work hard. We lead the world in discovery because of capitalism. In a socialistic society where everything is given by the government there is no incentive to succeed. You pay 70% in taxes. The government owns and controls the means of production; personal property is sometimes allowed, only in the form of consumer goods. You have much less voice and freedom.

I think its time for the people to demand change. There is nothing wrong with our current democracy that cannot be fixed. Stop special interests’ power and influence through new laws. Stop the money influence. Stop labor from making decisions solely for their membership. Replace or recall our elected representatives that are ignoring the people-first needs and are controlled by these mentioned groups. Insist on bipartisan cooperation from all parties. Party in-fighting should be grounds for recall. It hinders the job they were elected for and divides our nation.

There are plenty of watchdog services out there to report on those not doing their job. Insist the news media report the news without coloring it. They should be legally responsible for misrepresentation. A good news report must be balanced, accurate, fair and properly attributed. The news reports should tell the full story.

Ken Grayson

Grayson’s Tune Town – Montrose