Anaheim

Much applause to Anaheim City Councilmen Tom Daly, Irv Pickler and--much to everyone's surprise--Bill Ehrle for having the guts to rescind a 4% utility tax and cut their own salaries by 30% ("Anaheim Council Voids Utility Tax, Cuts Own Salaries," July 24). It's widely known that government can and should trim their plump budgets as suggested by small reductions here and there. Everyone else has had to tighten their belts, Mr. Mayor (Fred Hunter) and Councilman (Bob) Simpson! Let's hope Anaheim voters remember these two who would not envision effective cost-cutting measures that have swept other municipalities.

A January completion is scheduled for the 180-unit, $10.7-million Belage Manor senior citizens rental complex near Euclid and Loara streets in Anaheim. Developed by Newport Pacific Development Corp., Newport Beach, on the 3.1-acre site of the old Doctors' Hospital, the three-story project will feature rents from $388 to $550 per month.

A man who carried no identification when he was hit by a car Saturday was identified by family members Tuesday as Yeh Hsiao, 65, of Anaheim. Police said his son, Andrew Shiao, lives in Alta Loma in San Bernardino County. Hsiao was struck at Lincoln and Euclid avenues and was on life-support systems at UCI Medical Center in Orange. He died at 6:23 p.m. Sunday, according to the coroner's office. Officials had been trying to find his family.

Anaheim is taking bids for a lot at 915 S. Maple St. The property is being sold "as is" and "with all faults," but one lucky bidder could walk away with a deal. The city clerk will accept bids until 2 p.m. Thursday. Offers must be accompanied by a cashier's check for 10% of the bid amount. The bids will then be reviewed and considered by the City Council. Bid forms can be obtained at the clerk's and city engineer's offices.

Bob Laster of Anaheim averaged 215 for 10 games Monday to lead the Pro Tour Qualifier event of the Professional Bowlers Association $200,000 True Value Open. Competing in his second PBA event, Laster totaled 2,150 pins. In second was Skip Wolfe of Dixon, Ill., with 2,089 pins while Jeff German of Warren, Ohio, finished third with a pinfall total of 2,068. The top 39 bowlers from the event advance to the tournament proper on Wednesday.

Randy Harvey's observation [June 17] regarding the lack of All-Star recognition for the Angels is certainly true. As a season-ticket holder, I can offer one answer to his question as to why there isn't more unified fan support. The Orange County population is made up of so many people with allegiances to other parts of the country that homogeneous support is impossible. There seem to be as many cheering for the visiting team as for the Angels. When I listen to radio broadcasts of games played in other cities, silence occurs when an Angel hits a home run, but when a visiting team hits one in Edison Field, you'd think it was an Angel by listening to the noise.

Re "City's Ruling Means Fear for Families," Feb. 29: The city government of Anaheim is sounding more Scrooge-like every day. The effort on the part of the City Council to limit the number of days a person may reside in a motel is representative of Orange County's war on the appearance of poverty in our midst, while doing nothing to fight the root causes of poverty. Never mind that motel living is often the last stop between a secure home and homelessness. Orange County as a whole seems to consider poverty the most heinous of crimes.

The Anaheim Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) program should be expanded. It's a catastrophe that an INS agent is not screening arrestees 24 hours a day. Remember, authorities are not seeking out individuals who appear to be illegal. When a suspect is arrested, he is asked about his citizenship status. If he is in these United States illegally, then the deportation process commences. Anaheim's message should be: If an illegal immigrant attempts to commit a crime in Anaheim, then he may be deported to his country of origin.

Textron Inc. said Tuesday that it has sold its Anaheim-based Remex CAM Operations to Seymour Electronics and Automation Inc. The sale price was not disclosed. Seymour Electronics and Automation, of Topeka, Kan., is a subsidiary of Seymour Foods.

This eviction makes little sense, but it does make Anaheim look like it has a narrow-minded, small-town mayor and council. Set Free has received numerous awards over the years for unselfish work in Anaheim and surrounding communities. In these tough economic times when we're all being taxed to death, it makes no sense to stop an effective church group from doing free work in the community like Set Free is doing. Will gangbangers, taggers and druggies sit down and communicate with Mayor (Tom)