California forum letters: Bee readers respond to Valenzuela recall, gas tax, SCUSD strike

Keep Valenzuela

“Sacramento councilwoman Katie Valenzuela served with recall notice. What’s behind campaign?” (sacbee.com, March 19)

A narrow-minded minority of East Sacramento denizens have begun preemptively opposing Councilmember Katie Valenzuela with a recall petition. Citing the councilmember’s inattention to “providing safe and clean neighborhoods,” recall-supporters ignore East Sacramento’s privileged status as one of the City’s cleanest, safest neighborhoods, and they ignore Valenzuela’s efforts to shelter and provide services to homeless Sacramentans. While property crimes are an increasing concern citywide, Valenzuela’s emphasis on community participation and helping those most in need is exactly what we need. A compassionate approach focusing on equity and opportunity throughout our local economy will ultimately lead to a community whose members all have a stake in a thriving Sacramento. Now is the time for reasonable, compassionate East Sacramentans to reject attempts to shorten Valenzuela’s term.

William Pavão

Sacramento

Entitlement

“Planning a Sacramento City Council recall over mimosas and brunch won’t fix homelessness,” (sacbee.com, March 18)

Let me get this straight: Newly arrived residents of a controversial infill project bordered by established neighborhoods are starting a recall petition against the district’s duly elected city council member because they didn’t vote for her. What part of redistricting don’t they understand? Katie Valenzuela is a popular and energetic council member, one trying to solve the city and county’s homelessness dilemma. I guess the residents of this newly built enclave don’t share Midtown’s values of compassion and diversity. They must have moved here only for proximity to mimosa-serving restaurants and bars. This recall petition is the definition of either chutzpah or just plain entitlement.

Travis Silcox

Sacramento

No time to waste

“As drought deepens, California reverses course and orders cutback in water deliveries,” (sacbee.com, March 18)

Because there is little doubt California is heading into a third consecutive year of drought, there is also little doubt that the state is going to have another horrific wildfire season.

Forest ecologists from The Earth Institute make a strong case that the “fuel reduction” projects, so generously subsidized by our tax dollars, won’t provide much protection. To safeguard property and save lives, we must instead concentrate on risk reduction measures like home hardening and defensible space creation in high-risk fire zones; the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans and wildfire scenario simulations; optimization of evacuation routes; and the purchase of necessary fire-fighting equipment.

Gov. Newsom and state legislators must step it up. These measures are costly and require expedited funding. There’s no time to waste. California will all too soon be aflame once again.

Jennifer Normoyle

Hillsborough

Spend wisely

“Suspending California’s gas tax is a political stunt. It won’t cut costs at the pump,” (sacbee.com, March 16)

I take gas prices personally. While my budget is impacted by recent increases, I am mostly concerned about high energy prices as it pertains to climate change and long-term energy policy. So long as we have crippling dependence on fossil fuels, we can expect to lurch from crisis to crisis. But we can change the future through strong leadership and innovative energy policy.

We need greater investment in alternative energy sources and tools such as carbon pricing to promote innovation and provide meaningful dividends to the consumer. We need to diversify our energy sources and assist homes and businesses in making the transition away from fossil fuels. While my budget would welcome a rebate check, I’d far rather the funds be spent toward making us energy independent.

Earl Sanders

Sacramento

Carbon fee needed

“California lawmakers want to help with gas prices. Here’s what’s wrong with their plans,” (sacbee.com, March 23)

Americans are paying at the pump because fossil fuel corporations have seized control of Congress. With autocratic power to raise prices while collecting fat federal subsidies, they lie about climate change and repress efforts to develop safe, clean and affordable alternatives.

Gasoline prices don’t even include the cost of wars for oil (Iraq); wars financed by oil (Ukraine); Americans dying prematurely from air pollution; or the massive casualties of a wounded climate. A simple and powerful solution is for Congress to enact a carbon fee, collected from oil and coal companies, with all money passed along in monthly two-to-three-figure cash dividends to families. Inspired by the courage of the Ukrainians? Ask President Biden and Congress to resist Big Oil and enact carbon fee and dividend like the Energy Innovation Act.

Bruce Hagen

Petaluma

Model behavior

“Sacramento city teachers to strike next week as dispute over staffing drags on,” (sacbee.com, March 20)

My son is a high school senior, so I’ve spent 13 years watching the war between the Sacramento City Teachers Association and the Sac City Unified School District. No district in the state has had as much strife.

Shouldn’t people who put children first – as both SCTA and SCUSD claim to do – model good behavior for them? When kids disagree, adults suggest they work out their differences. Why can’t SCTA and SCUSD do the same?

According to the fact finding report: “This case has been complicated by a dispute between the parties as to what the scope of the fact finding should be.” In other words, SCTA and SCUSD can’t even agree on what they disagree about. It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic, because our kids are paying the price.

Erin Riches

Sacramento