E-cigs, equal opportunity, unequal pay

E-cigs should be regulated

Re “Brown should heed warnings: E-cigs aren’t benign” (Editorials, March 29): Kudos to The Sacramento Bee for backing the proposed bill to regulate e-cigarettes as a tobacco product.

Usage among adolescents has tripled in the last two years, and recent studies have shown e-cigarette formulas contain large quantities of nicotine while the aerosols emitted contain harmful carcinogens.

E-cigarettes should be considered tobacco products and should be subject to all laws that apply to other tobacco products, including smoke-free air laws.

Regulations are needed to not only protect public health and restrict the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, but to curb the intense marketing and advertising to youth. In addition to advocating for the regulation of e-cigarettes, the American Heart Association has an aggressive tobacco-control legislative agenda to improve the health of all Californians by raising the tobacco tax by $2 and increasing access to smoking cessation programs.

Equal opportunity, too

Re “Isn’t it time for movement on women’s inequality?” (Editorials, March 29): Equal pay for equal work needs to move beyond the talking stage to action. Some legislators need to stand up and make this issue right. But shouldn’t equality for women also include equality of opportunity? That issue has moved forward some in recent years where we see women in jobs historically handled by men, even in the military.

However, in one area that issue remains bogged down in a religious quagmire: the opportunity for Catholic women to be ordained as priests. The reasons given by the Catholic Church for an all-male priesthood are as superficial as those given nearly a century ago to keep women from voting. Equal opportunity for women is vital to our democracy. Let’s move ahead on all fronts.

We are above the common lot

Re “Unequal pay for women persists at Capitol” (Page A1, March 29): The headline should be “Unequal pay compared to the hardworking taxpayer.”

This clearly shows why the state that I was born in and will die in is in utter disarray. I’m a licensed, liability-insured electrical contractor. I fix, repair and construct in the electrical field. I learned the trade, passed the contractors board test and do the best I can. For us working folks to read that the lowest-paid of the highest-paid Senate staffers has to rough it out on only $13,750 a month is insane.

In my humble opinion, these people are glorified personal assistants who are great at scheduling meetings to discuss more meetings. I’m sure they have some talent, I guess. I believe they should cut their pay in half all the way to Gov. Jerry Brown. And no perks at all. Pay for your gas, car and housing, and no per diem.

Yes, incompetent government

Re “Incompetent government” (Letters, March 29): What a thoughtless letter that Larry Smith has penned in regard to his revisionist history about what has caused poverty to exist today. President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society programs and his so-called war on poverty transferred billions of dollars which did not alleviate poverty. Poverty has increased in spite of the government spending trillions on inefficient social programs. There will always be poor people in our society. The Democrats have gutted our pocketbooks through taxes and regulation, not policies that President Ronald Reagan implemented back in the ’80s. Isn’t revisionist history grand?

Red Hawk’s shooting range?

Re “Straight shooters needed in Redding” (Forum, Northern Exposure, March 29): In reading and talking with neighbors it seems that the Miwok Indian tribe of Shingle Springs is not interested in being a good neighbor and plans to go ahead with their 29-lane outdoor shooting range in El Dorado County. This range is next to Highway 50 and homes.

Let’s send them a clear message and boycott their casino. By supporting only neighbor-friendly businesses we will maintain our beautiful and quiet neighborhood. This county belongs to everyone and is not the domain of the Miwok Indian tribe.

Pat on the back for Sen. Gaines

Re “Mouse roars at Tesla rebate” (Forum, Dan Morain, March 22): I’ve never been a supporter of Sen. Ted Gaines, but his recent legislation, SB 40, is one I’ll staunchly endorse.

Currently, as part of California’s war on global warming, there is a $2,500 rebate to purchasers of electric vehicles. Let’s not forget that Elon Musk, producer of the $100,000 Tesla electric car, ignored California when it came time to build his battery factory, which would have provided 6,500 jobs. He chose Nevada instead, where they granted him gag-inducing $1.3 billion in tax breaks, plus free land.

Gaines’ bill would limit tax rebates for electric cars that cost no more than $40,000, a clear statement that California taxpayers would not be subsidizing purchases of Musk’s gold-plated cars. No doubt Musk will release a squad of lobbyists to kill this bill, and he most likely will succeed. That would be a shame. But a pat on the back, however, for Gaines’ effort.

This story was originally published April 4, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "E-cigs, equal opportunity, unequal pay."