1 day Ago By Letters to the Editor
Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.To break with past,elect Taylor as mayorBarbara Lee has served her district well in Congress, but now is a time when Oakland desperately needs new, young and informed leadership based on the pressing realities that face our city.
The job of the mayor is to make the city work, fix the significant budget deficit, fix the streets, address the homeless issue, and make Oakland be seen as a safe city to live and do business in.Now is not the time for something like a congressional committee or hopeful appeals and thinking that others will give us money to get our house in order. We need leadership that isn’t accountable to special interests.
We need leadership focused on Oakland and what needs to be done to make the Oakland government work for us.We need Loren Taylor on the job.Patrick CullinaneOaklandNo Bay Area transit taxwithout a clear auditRe: “Transit bill to get another road test” (Page A1, March 24).
It is amazing that the California Legislature has proposed a bill to establish a new sales tax for Bay Area transit systems. This antique transit system has never attempted to rid itself of the massive duplication of services, which promotes excessive costs.The bill requests approval for taxes without any audit to match current operational expenses with unknown tax revenues.
Unfortunately, BART has continued to fight a transparent audit that identifies existing operational costs.Vote no on any increased sales tax proposal until the Metropolitan Transportation District reveals Bay Area transit expenses and future fiscal needs with an audit. Transparency and accountability must occur.
Things that remain the same don’t change.Bernard NortonLafayetteMeasure T would keepschool standards highRe: “Voters should stop Acalanes’ latest tax hike” (Page A6, March 25).I respectfully disagree with the editorial on the issue of a parcel tax for the Acalanes School District.
My children graduated from Campolindo High School. They got an excellent education and took AP classes and were able to graduate early from college. They are all working now.
I believe to keep a good teaching staff we have to pay them decent salaries. When my children were in high school, the teachers’ pay was less than what a BART customer service agent made.It’s a choice between educating your children or not.
This is the future of the country.James CherayilLafayetteBridge trail helpsfew but hurts manyRe: “Don’t blame trail for Richmond-San Rafael backup” (Page A6, March 26).Considering the author, that the article is blatantly misleading is reasonable.
Mr. Prinz is certainly correct in his claim that the walkers and bikers who use the “trail” over the bridge are not responsible for the traffic congestion. Closing a lane of traffic to give mostly recreational bikers and walkers a “trail” is, however, a major contributor.
Backup at the toll plaza is largely the result of squeezing four lanes into two. A third lane would mitigate congestion substantially.I tire of “feel good” actions by legislators to reward the few at the expense of the many.
In this case the very few (in infrequent crossings — I see maybe 10 users on the entire span) at the expense of the very many.Alan BrooksLivermoreSen. Padilla must openlines of communicationI have been calling Sen.
Alex Padilla’s Washington, D.C., office often to voice my concerns about the current federal administration, only to be met with a frustrating limitation — a 30-second voicemail cutoff.
Worse yet, on weekends, I can’t leave a message at all. When I call Sen. Adam Schiff’s office, I don’t encounter these issues.
I brought this to the attention of Padilla’s San Francisco office, and they attributed it to the volume of calls they receive. However, if Schiff’s office manages to accommodate callers without these restrictions, why can’t Padilla’s?Constituents deserve open lines of communication with their elected representatives. Voicemail access is a crucial way for citizens to express their concerns, especially for those who cannot call during business hours.
I urge Padilla to address this issue and ensure that all Californians have an equal opportunity to make their voices heard.B.J.
Reynolds-KoonceLivermoreYosemite road crewsa testament to successRe: “Crews clear rockslide early, reopening a key route” (Page B1, March 27).This article was about clearing access to Yosemite using a complex process of removing hundreds of tons of rock, drones to take detailed images, and an aerial lift with workers extending 130 feet while others rappelled from the cliffs.Related ArticlesLetters: Democrats must heed the shift to the right in 2026 electionsLetters: Chronically underfunded Acalanes schools need Measure TLetters: Bay Area owes Dr.
Sara Cody thanks for her swift actionLetters: Time for state’s polluters to pick up the tabLetters: Park volunteers get the shaft from San JoseDetailed maneuvers addressed areas of unstable boulders and stone to be excised. You’ll have to read the article to learn about the “I wish I’d thought of this” strategy that was used. After excising cliff and rock detritus, they clean up, finish the roadwork and open the highway.
The news is about geology, technology, strategy, cooperation, skill and timing. A photo and map illustrate the scope. My favorite sentence: ”The Yosemite area is no stranger to active geology.
” What a droll understatement.I love this story. You could print it on a flag and hang it in salute to flawless journalism and a successful endeavor — civilization at its best.
Jo Liana KingAlbany.
