Gallegly is not in touch with his constituents

It's often said that our elected officials are elected "for the people, by the people," which I have always interpreted to mean that they're elected to represent the people's needs and in their best interest.

The July 17 Thousand Oaks Acorn cited a bill introduced by our elected congressman, Elton Gallegly, to begin steroid testing in high schools to the tune of $50 million over the next three years.

Huh?

Mr. Gallegly, have you not been reading the papers or talking to your constituents? Our community is in an uproar over lack of school funding and the number of schools that are being closed down, as well as the removal of important school programs in the schools that stay open.

I'm baffled by your actions to support the testing of high school kids for steroids when there are so many larger problems looming before the community- - $50 million for testing, and not even for criminal drugs but for steroids? Give me a break.

I was unaware that the local use of steroids was so rampant in local high schools that we needed to have it addressed with such radical measures. Investing this much in a bill that requires parental consent for the testing seems wasteful during this time of economic despair.

On a good note, with the potential school cutbacks around the corner, kids won't need to use steroids since there will be fewer and fewer athletic programs for them to participate in. Jeff Stolze Thousand Oaks