Letter to the Editor, Register-Pajaronian 02/23/10

Stimulus money use is not an example of successs

To the Editor:
How can Rep. Sam Farr hail this as a success of stimulus monies? This is the very thing that has got us into all the trouble we are in. How many people using this medical clinic are legal U.S. citizens?

We continue to fund these programs that fuel the the illegal immigration movement. We cannot afford to fund Healthy Start and Salud Para La Gente. What kind of message are we sending? Wake up America! Every institution in our country is floundering from misuse. Quit the nonsense.

David Oldemeyer,
Watsonville

Letter to the Editor, Register-Pajaronian 02/27/10

Salud Para La Gente serves all the people

To the Editor:
This is to correct Mr. Oldemeyer's misunderstandings in his letter in the Register-Pajaronian on Feb. 23.

In 2009, Salud Para La Gente received $323,327 in Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds to hire additional medical providers, and $912,830 for the renovation and expansion of the clinic's capacity at 45 Nielson St., Watsonville. Salud itself also contributed $375,000 to the expansion project. The construction monies provided employment to 13 hardworking local contracting firms, which greatly appreciated the work, with it being more than 5,160 man-hours of work and almost $785,000 in wages infused into our local economy.

Salud is a Federally Qualified Health Center and is required by federal law to serve all who seek its primary care services medical, dental, optometric, Elderday irrespective of their ability to pay or their station in life. By virtue of the stimulus funds, Salud anticipates being able to serve an additional 1,328 new patients, with 14,821 new patient visits within the next two years.

Sara Clarenbach
Director of Advocacy, Community Engagement & Media Relations
Salud Para La Gente