To clarify

Re "Tahoe clarity turns a corner" (Our Region, March 22): As shown in the graph of lake clarity from 1968-2008, Lake Tahoe lost an average of 1 foot of clarity (transparency) from 1968 to 1988. The good news is that the rate of clarity loss from 1988-2008 has slowed to one-half foot per year. In addition to other reasons for yearly fluctuations in lake clarity measurements, the graph suggests that wet years (1997, 2003, 2006) tend to show decreased lake clarity as compared to dry years. The year-to-year trends are not as significant as longer trends.

The fact that Tahoe clarity measurements for 2008 (another dry year) was not much different than clarity for the last several years does support the idea that environmental improvement projects and other efforts to clean up urban runoff have helped slow the decline in clarity. As noted by Joanne Marchetta from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, we may have turned the corner "in the effort to restore lake clarity to levels seen a generation ago." However, The Bee's headline "Tahoe clarity turns a corner" implies that lake clarity is improving. There is much more work to be done. Tahoe's clarity will truly turn a corner when the multiyear clarity trends are flat or improving.

– Robert Erlich, South Lake Tahoe

Our right to know

Re "Sunshine Week: It could be sunnier" (Editorial, March 20): Thank you for your editorial on Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week is good reminder of the public's right to know what its government is doing, and why. But this is something that should be a priority for our state year round. Making government as transparent and open as possible, and thus more accountable, is one of my top priorities.

Two bills that I have authored – Assembly Bill 1181 and AB 1274 – will ensure simple access to the most basic information regarding campaign contributions and who is being paid to lobby on what issues. We have the ability to make more information available online than ever before, yet our current system serves insiders more than it does everyday Californians.

Government shouldn't be done in the dark, plain and simple. By increasing access and encouraging the public to play an active role in their government, we empower Californians to make more informed decisions that better their lives.

– Alyson Huber, Assembly member, District 10

Gas pump facts

Re "Gas pump retrofit squeezing stations" (Page A1, March 20): This article inaccurately presents the facts on difficulties station owners have encountered in meeting a complex and very expensive mandate. Here are the facts:

• Although a regulation was passed in 2000, the Air Resources Board did not certify a system until 2005 – can't upgrade unless it's certified.

• That equipment applied to only 10 percent of state service stations.

• It wasn't until the summer of 2007 that a system workaround was approved. It was a very expensive, unanticipated alternative (two years to upgrade at that point).

• It wasn't until December 2008 that a full system for most service stations was fully certified.

This program has been fraught with delays, unanticipated problems and excessive expense. ARB has been fully aware of the problems from day one but has done very little to make things better. Station owners have had less than two years to comply, although state law gives them four years.

– Jay McKeeman, Sacramento

vice president, Government Relations & Communications

California Independent Oil Marketers Association

Obama destroys American values

The majority of those who voted for Barack Obama took a crapshoot, hoping this emerging young candidate would follow through with his promises for a better America. With less than a 100 days of governing, Obama has made it perfectly clear that his agenda for the American people is not about life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. His agenda is about the destruction of American values and principles in order to achieve absolute power.