Letters to the Editor

Re "Tax proposal turns spotlight on lawyer" (Page A1, Feb. 10):

Re "Next to Indy, Sacramento looks shabby," (Marcos Breton, Feb. 8):

Re "Bishops draw line in health care fight" (Page A1, Feb. 10): Catholic bishops assert that federal guidelines on contraception coverage for non-Catholic employees in tax-supported institutions is offensive to Catholic morality.

Re "Distressed area homeowners get $1.2 billion" (Page A1, Feb. 10): I am curious why no news agency has held Presidents Clinton and Bush responsible for the foreclosure problem.

Re "Economy Burdened by Weight of Government" (Viewpoints, Feb. 10): When someone wants to blame government, the Ronald Reagan legacy is rolled out. Rep. Kevin McCarthy lays the blame of our sluggish economy on government spending, taxes, and regulations. These same factors existed when our economy was booming.

Re "Alice Waters eyes Sacramento for next 'edible schoolyard'" (Stuart Leavenworth, Feb. 5)"

Re "Bishops draw line in health care fight" (Page A1, Feb. 10): The religious rights of the Catholic bishops end when they begin limiting the rights of others. When the church enters the secular market, it must abide by secular rules or return to its role as a strictly religious organization.

Re "Bishops draw line in health care fight" (Page A1, Feb. 10): The Catholic Church claims its religious freedom is threatened if Catholic institutions have to provide contraceptive coverage. What about the religious freedom of the employees? What right do bishops have to impose Catholic doctrine on non-Catholics?

Re "Will settlement help homeowners dig out of a hole?" (Editorials, Feb. 10): In the short-run, helping homeowners with negative equity will help the economy in the short run by preventing foreclosures, bankruptcies, and personal misery.

Re "Economy burdened by weight of government" (Viewpoints, Feb. 10): Rep. Kevin McCarthy verges on the dishonest when he states America will soon have the highest corporate tax rate at 39.2 percent. From the Congressional Budget Office: "Corporate tax receipts as a share of profits are at their lowest level in at least 40 years."

Re "Economy burdened by weight of government" (Viewpoints, Feb. 10): Rep. Kevin McCarthy points out that the U.S. fell from first to is fifth in competitiveness, and blames big government. Countries ahead of us include Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden and Finland have national health care, good public education, and solid national retirement programs.

Re "Tax proposal turns spotlight on lawyer" (Page A1, Feb. 10): Throwing good money at a broken school system in this state is like tossing a gallon of water on a burning house. For years, people have been screaming that we need to put more money into the California school system, all the while turning a blind eye to the over-paid salaries at the administrative levels.

Re "Council schism perils arena" (Page A1, Feb. 9): The Sacramento City Council should take Indianapolis' lead. Until three years ago, that city had nothing going for it but the once-a-year Indy 500 and a progressive city council.

Re "Power to the Pedal" (Living Here, Feb. 9): The story about the woman who bicycles from her midtown apartment to work two miles away was charming. I used to do that, too, about 30 years ago, when I worked at a state office building at 19th and Capitol and rented in East Sacramento. It's fun and easy to peddle to work when you're young and the job is nearby.

Re "Reuse contaminated land for renewal energy sites" (Viewpoints, Feb. 9): Our son is a freshmen student at CSU Monterey Bay, formerly Fort Ord. How wonderful it would be for these young people to get real work experience by designing, building and installing solar panels on the campus. There are plenty of cemented areas leftover from the army base, ready for solar ground panels.

Re "Grocer leads drive to keep city pools open" (Bob Shallit, Feb. 9): One article was about a local grocer leading ambitious plan to raise $1 million to keep Sacramento's swimming pools open. Kudos.

Re "Comcast stiffs fans of classic movies" (Editorial Notebook, Feb. 7): It is heartening to see the outrage at Comcast's arrogantly and surreptitious price increase for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). If a subscriber did not happen to look at the fine print in a bill a few months ago, the change would have been a total surprise).

Re "State must expand access to food stamps" (Editorials, Feb. 8): I am surprised that The Bee would endorse reducing verification requirements for food stamp recipients in a time of federal and state budget deficits.

Re" Council schism perils arena" (Page A1, Feb. 9): Political consultant Chris Lehane, in promoting using parking revenue to help finance a new arena, is quoted in the Bee making a curious and telling statement: "The more unified Sacramento is, the stronger the city's position will be in its discussions with the NBA when it comes to getting a deal done that represents the best interests of the public."