On a recent morning, Jim and Anthony Miller, former San Carlos residents, wrote into San Carlos Patch to vent about how they feel about the city's new coin program.
The program, implemented while Omar Ahmad was still Mayor, was installed as a way for the city to say 'thank you' to a select number of citizens for the contributions they make to the city.
The cost of the coins is $2,500 for 300 coins, which averages to just more than $8 per coin.
Former Mayor Randy Royce's wife, Yvette, who has been a librarian at Heather Elementary School for many years and who has done extensive volunteer work for the city, was the recent recipient of the coin.
Here's what the Millers had to say:
"COINS? Let me see if we have this correct. Second Harvest Food Bank is stretched very thin, Crossing Guards are gone, The Police Department went "poof" and the Fire Department has to rent a Battalion Chief. Parks Services is contracted out and San Carlos has money for COINS? Wait. Don't tell us! San Carlos can afford this. Not only that, the powers that be can give them to friends and family first. Gotta love democracy. COINS!
We don't have much to do with San Carlos any more, but we still have friends there we see occasionally. This coin thing has been a great source of humor for us. We list it among the very best examples of the democratic process in small town America."
Do you agree of disagree with the Millers take on the new coins the city is giving out? Are they being too critical of a well-intentioned program? Or are the coins a waste of money?
Let us know in the comments!
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