AG Rob Bonta should get back to prosecuting crime, not harassing cities | Opinion

Bonta should get back to prosecuting crime

“California must dole out harsher punishment for cities that flout housing laws | Opinion” (sacbee.com, Sept. 9)

One might think prosecuting crime, of which there is an abundance in California, would be the priority for Attorney General Rob Bonta. Instead, he seeks to “punish” cities like Elk Grove and others because they are “illegally” failing to build “affordable” housing where he and Governor Newsom say such housing should be built.

Pesky local elected officials who attempt to approve or disapprove prospective housing beware: if you do not enforce the state’s laws, which apparently can be interpreted only by Mr. Bonta and Mr. Newsom, expect to be sued, fined, and forced to comply with “strict reporting requirements” (for five years!) as defined by the AG and governor, neither of whom lives in Elk Grove.

Why should locals bother to elect a mayor and city council when the AG and governor can decide where the never-defined “affordable” housing should be built?

Where will state meddling with local affairs end?

Bill Motmans

Sacramento

Slow growth needed for Elk Grove

“California settles affordable housing lawsuit with Elk Grove. What did they agree to?” (sacbee.com, Sept. 4)

I’ve lived in Elk Grove since 1990, worked here since 1977, and ran for City Council in 2004 on a slow-growth platform. Since cityhood, Elk Grove has ballooned into a sprawling mess of traffic-choked streets and big box McMansions almost to the Cosumnes River.

These monstrosities are not even close to affordable unless a buyer has sold a pricey home in the Bay Area. Affordable housing? It must be full of drug addicts and rapists! NIMBY! Oh, it just won’t make anybody any money.

Developers tell their pet politicians to vote “NO” so they can continue to support their goal to pave over every square foot of Elk Grove.

Carol McElheney

Elk Grove

Blame climate change, not Sutter Health Park

“New synthetic turf is expected at Sutter Health Park for A’s baseball in 2025. Here’s why,” (sacbee.com, June 20)

I was in the outfield stands in the summer of 2010, hoping to snag A-Rod’s 600th career homer, when a National Weather Service interrupted the game with an urgent tornado warning. The Bronx is not a typical tornado hotspot.

The 110-degree weather at the 2014 Australian Open melted players’ plastic water bottles, years after the tournament switched from grass to hard courts.

Unless Major League Baseball and its outspoken player representatives are suggesting indoor climate-controlled stadiums – which I don’t think they are – I’m not sure what they expect West Sacramento to do about it.

It could be worse. Fans at a Kansas City Chiefs playoff game were hospitalized for frostbite not too long ago.

I say “play ball.” At least they won’t have alligators sunbathing while PGA tour players are trying to sink putts.

Adam Silbert

New York

California can pioneer offshore wind development

“California lawmakers plan to give out $500M in electric bill refunds, streamline clean energy,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 30)

We are living in the midst of an extreme weather crisis and it’s time to act.

Clean energy, including floating offshore wind energy, can have a positive, transformative impact on our climate and air quality. It is essential that local communities are actively involved throughout the planning and development stages.

As a former Morro Bay City councilmember and the inaugural chair of the California Legislative Central Coast Caucus, I cannot stress enough how vital community engagement and scientific data are when developing such projects. This is why I was proud to have secured $3.6 million in this year’s budget for comprehensive scientific monitoring of offshore wind energy development. It’s also why I’ve authored Assembly Bill 2537, the Offshore Wind Community Engagement Act.

If signed into law, AB 2537 will create the Offshore Wind Community Capacity Building Fund. This fund will provide resources to Tribal Nations and local communities to effectively engage in offshore wind energy development and prepare community benefits agreements authentically and with the needed expertise. With AB 2537 we can make California a leader in equitable and inclusive clean energy development, uplifting the needs and voices of local communities and Tribes.

Governor Newsom must sign AB 2537 into law to take a crucial step toward achieving our shared vision of an equitable and sustainable energy future.

Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay)

Stop selling our natural resources for private profit

“An environmental tragedy is unfolding 50 miles south of Sacramento. There’s time to act,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 31)

Butte County Supervisor Teeter with a private company and Golden State Natural Resources propose an absurd project that will log our California trees, make wood pellets and sell them to Europe and Asia for commercial electricity generation.

The plants in Lassen and Tuolumne counties will log a 100-mile radius taking trees of all sizes. Once those trees are gone they will need to expand logging to maximize their profits.

Their argument that logging would decrease wildfires is also absurd. Increasing temperatures on logged land by removing leaf cover will make wildfires worse. GSNR has already spent the majority of a loan from Golden State Finance Authority and received money from the US Forestry Service. Wouldn’t that money be better spent on proven-life-saving projects like supporting home hardening efforts?

Jean Marquardt

Chico

This story was originally published September 22, 2024 at 5:00 AM.