Unlike editor Raheem Hosseini's Oct. 10 commentary, "The Jackson dilemma," I offer a more incisive guest commentary on the candidates for Jackson and Amador Water Agency District 1, with Amador County's Measure M thrown in, as it aptly demonstrates the hearts and souls of the candidates.

Volunteer firefighter Franck Tremaine's Oct. 10 letter ("Firing up support for M") and Jackson Fire Department Capt. Tony Mathos' Oct. 14 commentary ("Measure M will mean quicker response") are right on the button in stating a quicker response saves property and lives; most everyone would agree. The beneficiaries of this free service are thankful for the firefighters and emergency medical providers who care enough about human life and our community to do the jobs they do. These volunteers feel good about themselves. But now these same men want you to vote in a half-cent sales tax so they can be paid. I have no problem with paid firefighters, as they should be paid. My problem is that these men, unknowingly, are not as compassionate as they think they are, and here is the reason why:

In January, Jackson Vice Mayor Connie Gonsalves spoke of the Amador Fire Protection Authority and re-imposing the sales tax. To my question, "why free?" Connie said that the state insurance department was not in favor of "charging," and with a paid fire department our insurance costs will go down. No cost-benefits analysis from Connie. No itemization of deficiency points that the Fire Rating Bureau would remove that would put Jackson into a lower classification. Just a blanket statement from Connie without supporting facts. Little wonder that the saying goes, "Amateur County."

So then I looked at my homeowner's insurance policy and there in black and white, it would pay $500 for any fire department call to my house. Next month in front of the city council, I did the math for them: five fire department calls in February at $500 each X 12 months = $30,000 each year, yet no one on that council - Rosalie Pryor Escamilla, Andy Rodriguez, Al Nunes, Gonsalves and neo-incumbent Wayne Garibaldi - decided to explore the issue further. Later, the Ledger Dispatch reported that AFPA stated that the added sales tax would give the Jackson Fire Department about 30 grand a year. Later in August, state insurance department personnel assisting a homeowner by looking at the fire-damaged house, told me the $500 is in everyone's insurance policy as mandated by state law. Now why in the heck would someone want to forego charging the users for that fire department service? Too much paperwork is but a dumb excuse.

User fees rationally recognize that users benefit from the services provided. Compassionate? Not if it means burdening all us non-users with a sales tax. Similarly, to give away for free the 80 percent fire department calls for EMS is not compassionate when you consider the added sales tax would place a heavy burden on many in our community for the benefit of a few. EMS costs should be charged in traffic accidents to those responsible. Let their car insurance rates go up instead of - you guessed it - stupidly sticking a sales tax to all the rest of us innocents who are cautious enough to avoid causing accidents. If EMS is for medical reasons, and the beneficiary is poor or unable to pay, then there is the social services budget. A simple and compassionate solution worth examining? You betcha! Did incumbent candidates Al and Wayne recognize the inherent injustice? Nope!

Which leads me to the other candidates in our community. A lot of folks here are retired, which is just a nice way of saying Jackson will be their last stop on earth. Though they come on fixed incomes, they come to smell the roses, to hear the birds sing, to hear the creeks gurgle on their way to the treatment plant (What? Jackson Creek is dry? Shame on you, AWA!), to smell the fresh air (damn that San Joaquin Valley air pollution) and to enjoy their last days in this haven of the Sierras. This is the quality of life we all cherish and that Marilyn Lewis and Judy Jebian refer to. If Andy's only criticism of Judy is that she thinks differently about Oro De Amador than he does, then Andy must be in agreement with the rest of Judy and Marilyn's platform on the quality of life. Both stopped the city's unjustified and exorbitant water and sewer rate increases. Both stopped the Jackson Hills development and its disastrous consequences.

As for AWA District 1, Bill Condrashoff's commitment to justifiable water and sewer rates shows his compassion. But all that Madonna Wiebold has to offer, as opposed to Bill's credentials as an engineer from top notch UC Berkeley, is that she "ran a local water company for 15 years." Which is to say she sold bottled water.

As for the third Jackson seat, Dave Butow makes more sense than Keith Sweet because of his strong historical ties.

Now that, Raheem, is a much more informative commentary than yours. Dare to print it pre-Nov. 4?