Sacramento Bee readers react to city’s climate action plan, zero bail policy, homelessness
Crisis ignored
“Sacramento CA City Council resumes in-person meetings,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 17)
Kudos to The Bee for highlighting the public’s concerns about the climate crisis by placing a photo from the City Council meeting on the front page of the Aug.18 edition. But the accompanying article didn’t give any context. There was an outpouring of Sacramento residents urging the council to prioritize climate action. Over 40 people showed up in chambers urging the council to complete the long-overdue climate action plan with committed funding.
The Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change delivered unanimous recommendations for climate mitigation over two years ago. Additionally, the council declared a climate emergency. But the needed staffing and funding for implementation still have not been allocated. Sacramento residents are showing up to hold our leaders accountable. We need the council to treat this emergency as an emergency.
Pat Ferris
Sacramento
Coverage-worthy
“Sacramento CA City Council resumes in-person meetings,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 17)
I was dismayed to see that there was no story in The Bee about the action the City Council took on the climate action agenda item despite a front-page photo showing attendees holding up signs demanding climate action.
The only story was about open meetings returning, ignoring the far more consequential matter of the city’s climate action plan. Right now, the city of Sacramento is determining what actions it will take over the next 25 years to reduce the local impacts of climate change. The plans the council adopts will either drive action that can improve the livability and resiliency of our communities for decades or set us permanently on the wrong path. That is surely worthy of coverage.
Ruth Holton-Hodson
Sacramento
Let’s prepare
“CA hospitals near deal on delaying seismic safety standards,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 18)
I was in the middle of the 1994 earthquake in Southern California. Mother Nature cannot be controlled or predicted. We need to make sure we are ready for the natural disasters she will put in our way.
The health care industry must not be allowed to comingle other health care costs with seismic readiness. The last thing we need is not to be able to help injured individuals because our hospitals have collapsed or do not have power or water.mIt’s been 28 years since the Northridge earthquake. It’s past time to ensure seismic safety.
Walt Shaffer
Elk Grove
Homeless solutions
“Why Sacramento CA is failing to make a dent in homelessness,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 4)
One of the reasons our attempts at managing the homelessness problem is failing is due to a mindset that views the homeless as a single group. There are, in fact, different solutions for different groups.
Homeless individuals who are not mentally ill and who do not suffer from addiction could be housed in a variety of locations. The encampment at Miller Park is enclosed and has toilets, showers, meals and services. Why is this not a model that could be used in other places?
Another issue is the idea that each City Council member has to find a site in their district. This results in objections by every residential neighborhood. But homeless sites don’t have to be in residential areas. They should be near Loaves & Fishes, in Discovery Park or at any number of sites that aren’t primarily residential. It shouldn’t take millions of dollars to use empty lots or vacant buildings.
Elaine Silver-Melia
Sacramento
Getting hotter
“Federal study: New climate law to slice carbon pollution 40%,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 18)
The Inflation Reduction Act is absolutely a big deal. However, keeping the Earth’s global temperature at a safe level requires much more. After millennia of stability, the Industrial Revolution ushered in the burning of fossil fuels for energy, and the atmospheric carbon dioxide level began to rise.
The earth has warmed over 1 degree Celsius. The climate crisis is upon us.
Gary M. Stewart
Laguna Beach
End zero bail
“Yolo County DA: 70% of those released on $0 bail re-arrested,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 23)
I first heard about the idea of releasing suspects with no bail several months ago and thought it was an incredibly stupid idea that was bound to fail. Time has certainly proved me right. There is a reason offenders are kept off the streets: It’s called public safety.
The legislators who passed this idiotic piece of legislation should be held responsible. How can they go to victims of violent crime and murder and defend their position? It’s time to end this feel-good experiment and keep criminals where they belong: in jail.
Dan Bachman
Saskatchewan, Canada
Punish him
“After raid, Trump must be prosecuted if he committed a crime,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 20)
After what has been a weekly revelation of misdeeds by Donald Trump and his platoon of subordinates, committed both following and during his time as president, law-abiding citizens are increasingly dismayed and concerned that this cabal is using the nation’s system of justice to evade and bankrupt those responsible for arresting and prosecuting them.
While no one advocates a return to a time of summary hangings, a democracy can be undermined by the glacial pace of penalizing those who wantonly violate our laws.
Nevertheless, when representatives side with and aid wrongdoers, voters must elect replacements to oust partisans unwilling to honor their oath of office. There is no swift guillotine on the field of politics, but voters can still lance toxic boils that merit removal.
Daniel Fong
Rancho Cordova