Chin up: It's time for 2009

With the year just ending, here's our formula for a better 2009. Not really resolutions, but mainly wishful thinking.

To the Oak Park School Disrict: a year without new taxes, please. The community is in a recession, for crying out loud. Administrators are getting salary hikes and new spending projects are in the works. A year without teacher raises would be a nice gesture, too.

To the Calabasas City Council, why not a rollback in utility user taxes? (See above.) Many residents are hurting and the city is swimming in cash reserves. Maybe the city's taxes will be a campaign issue in the upcoming council election.

To the Agoura Hills City Council: no more hillside grading until the current dust settles. These are Agoura's hills we're talking about. The massive grading at the intersection of Reyes Adobe and Agoura roads has made a mockery of the city's environmental image.

To the Whizin's shopping center: time for a major face-lift. Not just Botox, either. This old friend needs a whole new look.

To the Las Virgenes Water District: enough about the drought and the sky is falling. A progressive rate structure that penalizes wasteful consumers should be enough to keep conservation alive.

To the Lost Hills Sheriff's Department: a year—even one week—without having to deal with criminals breaking into other people's homes and cars. A little honesty in the 'hood would be nice for a change.

To the area's new home and shopping center builders: Stop already. Please sell the stuff you've got.

To the unbeatable, unstoppable Oaks Christian football team: an opponent that can make it a game.

To the Las Virgenes School District: no more blaming the state for all of education's woes. It's the economy, stupid. We've all spent irresponsibly, not just the state.

Because of the high cost of energy, that light at the end of the tunnel just went dark, but to all of our Acorn readers, we still say, have a happy and prosperous New Year.