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Communities must
have say in development
Across San Jose, residents are finding “notices of development” in their quiet neighborhoods: a massive condo development to replace a beloved recreational facility; a seven-story skyscraper towering over a street of single-family homes; or multiple million-dollar mansions replacing a single older home requiring removal of several age-old redwood trees.
When residents seek to give input about these jarring new developments, they naturally turn to their City Council representatives. Unfortunately, owing to numerous new state laws, city councils and city planning departments no longer control local zoning issues.
If citizens want to be heard, they should support a proposed ballot measure that will restore balance between state mandates and local control of zoning issues.
Sandra Delvin
San Jose
Study must focus on
value of microgrids
Re: “Riling PG&E, San Jose OKs electric utility” (Page B1, Oct. 5).
The Mercury News report on the study to form a San Jose municipal power grid aligns well with the previously published letter, Oct. 3, on the importance of microgrids.
For years PG&E has opposed microgrids. As a monopoly PG&E fights against local power production and has been protected by rules at the CPUC to prevent power crossing over property lines unless they own the lines.
Microgrids allow for flexibility and resilience with a focus on local needs and clean power opportunities.
In the forthcoming study, I recommend the investigators include the value of microgrids in the analysis.
Rita Norton
Los Gatos
DA should rethink
support of Prop. 47
Re: “‘Theft tax’ is costing families more than $500 per year” (Page A6, Oct. 5).
Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou’s commentary has it right. Proposition 47 has been a colossal failure.
Making virtually every theft under $950 a misdemeanor, no matter the number, has resulted in rampant theft, the closure of many retail businesses, as well as the annoying lockdown of ordinary items in our stores. It decriminalized most drug possession, which was supposed to encourage offenders to voluntarily seek treatment rather than agree to treatment to avoid jail time. The result? Participation in many drug courts has fallen dramatically.
These results were predictable, which is why 55 out of 58 elected district attorneys in California, along with almost all of law enforcement, opposed its passage. Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, along with current Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, endorsed it. Residents must demand that their district attorney rethink his support for these failed policies.
Dolores Carr
San Jose
Padilla fails to show
ethical integrity
New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez has been indicted on charges of bribery and corruption. Thirty-one of his fellow U.S. senators have asked him to resign. The New Jersey governor has asked him to resign. Many members of the New Jersey congressional delegation have asked him to resign. Gov. Newsom has asked him to resign. All so he can deal with the allegations of bribery and corruption.
California Sen. Alex Padilla has expressed disappointment and said other platitudes. In an era of mistrust of our leaders and institutions, we need and expect our California elected leaders to display ethical and moral integrity. If they cannot, they should step down.
Robert Woolsey
Saratoga
