Sacramento supervisor’s definition of “safety” is severely lacking | Opinion

Budget realities

“Sacramento leader: The county’s budget rewards failure, cuts public safety | Opinion,” (sacbee.com, June 18)

Sacramento Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez’s editorial fails to mention that the county’s commitment to “safety” relies primarily on coercion after the fact rather than prevention. Cops, courts and cages are what she complains are being underfunded, despite being roughly 70% of the county’s budget.

Incarcerating for addiction is seven times the cost of medical treatment, and it is less effective. But Rodriguez proposes no expansion of rehab. She just wants a jail expansion, even though the Mays decision settlement doesn’t request it.

It’s not news that cops just want more money without being more effective. Please start solving problems, and stop adding to them.

Mark Dempsey

Orangevale

Newsom’s regressive mandate

“What does Gov. Gavin Newsom have to gain politically from state workers’ return to office?” (sacbee.com, June 23)

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office mandate will effectively move money from state workers to rich downtown building owners. Meanwhile, state workers face increased costs for gas, parking, commute time and childcare.

It is regressive and discriminatory.

The mandate also lacks a genuine operational need. Telework flexibility attracts and retains the knowledge base that runs the state, even while salaries lag.

Kate Turner

Rancho Cordova

Who is an American?

“Patterson shooting shatters California’s bubble: We aren’t safe from ICE | Opinion,” (sacbee.com, April 9)

Everywhere I go, I see people decorating their homes and businesses for our nation’s 250th birthday. We celebrate our privilege to be an American, and our pride to live in the greatest country in the world.

But at the same time, we have also seen thousands of people in our streets being rounded up and deported — many of them with families and jobs, just trying to live the American dream. Individuals who are deported lose everything.

So what is an American? What makes us American? Is it where you were born? Is it where you’re parents were born? Or whether you speak English?

Steven Trevino Jr

Clovis

Fossil fuel industry

“California physicians: Fossil fuel companies must pay for climate damages | Opinion,” (sacbee.com, April 24)

Emissions from burning fossil fuels are rapidly warming our world at a rate that has never occurred in the history of our planet. So why do we continue to burn fossil fuels?

The fossil fuel industry has tremendous control over our government. The industry spends more than $100 million per year lobbying elected officials. This lobbying serves as a highly effective financial instrument, yielding unparalleled returns on investments by securing multi-billion-dollar taxpayer subsidies, rolling back environmental regulations and stalling clean energy competition.

We cannot expect meaningful climate action as long as our representatives are financially beholden to the industry driving this crisis. Voters must demand transparency and reject candidates who prioritize fossil fuel payouts over our planet’s future.

Ron Sadler

Fresno