Chevron's been very generous

I can see people going to the doctor if they really have a health problem, but people going so they can get on a list for a possible payout is despicable. The attorneys are just as bad.

The people of Richmond have been charging Chevron for years for all kinds of problems, and yes, some of them are true. Chevron has had fires and released toxic particles.

However, Richmond residents don't really know how much Chevron means in the way of jobs and all it contributes to the community. For example, if you have a baseball team and need equipment, Chevron has been very generous in supporting that need.

Charles Whaley

Pinole

They are not 'entitlements'

Some bureaucrats and politicians are calling Social Security and Medicare "entitlements."

They are trying to scam us taxpayers so they have an excuse to take those benefits away or reduce them. They don't care, since they get obscene medical care and retirement benefits they do not contribute to.

This is completely wrong. Most of us have been paying into Social Security most of our working lives, along with Medicare after it was enacted. This is insurance we paid into, not an "entitlement"!

Roland Mueller

San Pablo

Obama inherited

"Obama must be defeated for our country to get back on track," wrote Sandra Stokes on Aug. 20.

What track? The track President Barack Obama inherited was a steady nose-dive from prosperity to financial chaos. He also inherited an unprecedented growth of the national debt.

This was the track created by President George W. Bush, culminating in his last months with record bailout spending and job losses.

Efforts to change the track have been met basically with the House of Representatives blocking them.

Exactly what is this "track," if it is not what Presidents Clinton and Obama stand for?

Frank Nieman

Pleasant Hill

Report the truth on public employees

Once upon a time, professions such as teachers, firefighters and police who dedicated their lives to public service were looked upon favorably. As in most occupations, they accepted the wages and benefits that were offered to them by their employer.

Now, the media have made these professions targets due to their pay and benefits. Many public employees have made considerable concessions and pay a substantial percentage of their benefit costs, but that is rarely published. Biased journalism aimed at discrediting public employees often omits key supporting facts, which distorts public perception.

Wikipedia defines "Journalism Ethics and Standards" as "the principles of -- truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability -- as these apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public ... This is widely known by journalists as the 'code of ethics.' "

The lack of impartial and objective reporting toward public employees is evident in many of the articles I've read on the topic, and it detracts from the newspaper's credibility. All I ask is, please, stick to the "code."

Rob Gelhaus

Concord

Firefighters' view is irresponsible

Just who is irresponsible?

Vince Wells, Contra Costa County firefighters union president, had a commentary published recently chastising the Times' Editorial Board for recommending a no vote on a proposed parcel tax. He says the board is irresponsible.

Talk about irresponsible. He and the union refuse to consider any alternative other than more tax money. The real problem is the obscene salaries and pensions. Wells conveniently ignores this.

He further says, "The fire district has put forward a fiscally responsible plan ... ." This is a total falsehood. The district has no plan except to tax us more. It refuses to develop a plan that considers all alternatives.

His and Chief Daryl Louder's comments always carry the threat of your house burning down if we don't give them more money. Yes, the firefighters go on more than 41,000 calls a year. But he fails to tell you that only 486 calls (1.1 percent) in 2011 were for structure fires and 70 percent were medical calls that AMR can handle nicely without firefighters' help.

The $100,000 salaries plus 100 percent pension equals no more tax money.

Ken Hambrick

Walnut Creek