Moral Deterioration at Heart of Poor Behavior
It is time for men (and women too) to weigh in on the subject of sexual harassment. The point is that not all men are knuckle-dragging prehistoric monsters preying on and victimizing innocent women.
The problem is a decades-long deterioration of morals in this country fed relentlessly by a liberal Hollywood culture and media that celebrates immorality displayed in the treatment of women, foul language, killings and bad behavior in movies termed entertainment.
I recently viewed a children’s book about monsters that “fart” the smell of strawberries. Can anyone recall ever reading a children’s book that used what we always considered “bathroom language” to describe a monster passing gas? Not a big deal one might say. But it is a big deal if you bring up children who see this language as normal and who see women marginalized on television and movies. It is also a big deal when God is taken out of our education process because it offends certain atheists and left-wingers that despise religion and all the lessons of morality it teaches us through the Scriptures.  
The issue of sexual harassment is serious and not to be taken lightly, but the consequences of our lowered moral standards is also equally serious and should be taken seriously by all citizens of this great nation.
Who is ready to speak up on the subject? Who is ready to take the risk of being politically incorrect when they publicly criticize the moral deterioration we witness daily in public life.  
Morals count!
Al C. Restivo, Ph.D.
La Cañada Flintridge

Proposed Tax Reform Possible Detriment to Home Ownership
There’s a reason homeownership is still considered the “American Dream.” A home is a place to create memories, a means for building wealth, and a pathway to strength and stability in the communities we all call home.
Here in Glendale things are no different, and that’s something for lawmakers to remember as Congress embarks on an effort for comprehensive tax reform. Middle-class families have built wealth for centuries through homeownership and real estate investment. Homeownership allows families to protect themselves against rising rents and inflation, while offering an opportunity to build equity over time.
Let’s face it: most families can’t get a loan to purchase stocks or invest in a mutual fund, but they can get a safe mortgage product at competitive rates to invest in a home. It’s a tremendous mechanism for building wealth that shouldn’t be taken away.
Best of all, homeowners aren’t the only ones who benefit. For every two homes sold, a job is created. In all, home sales support an average of more than 2.5 million private sector jobs every year. At almost $3 trillion, real estate accounts for more than 16% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). At the state level it accounts for more than 20% of the GDP.
That’s a big part of why, for over a century, the American tax code has incentivized homeowners. The country’s leaders acknowledge that a strong, stable housing market is good for everyone, which is why it deserves support. Comprehensive tax reform is a worthy goal, and lawmakers should be applauded for their ambitious approach. Important tax incentives such as the mortgage interest deduction and the state and local tax deduction are a part of the tax code to ensure all creditworthy families have a fighting chance at the American Dream.
The current proposal calls for a cap on mortgage interest deduction at $500,000 for new mortgages. With the median cost of a single-family home at $606,000 in Los Angeles County, homebuyers would see their dream pushed further out of reach, while current homeowners would have the welcome mat pulled right out from under them. In 2016, 4,665 homes were sold in the tri-city MLS service area of Glendale, Burbank, La Cañada. [Of these], 3,818 sold for more than the $500,000 and 2,896 had mortgages in excess of the proposed “$500,000 mortgage deduction allowance.” To date in 2017, 4,003 homes sold, 3,450 for more than $500,000, and it is estimated that 1,877 were mortgaged for more than the proposed allowance.
As Congress continues working through this process, the incentives that put homeownership within reach for millions of Americans deserve full support from both sides of the aisle.
Addora Beall, 2017 President
Glendale Assn. of Realtors