Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.
San Jose must boost
traffic enforcement
The model of policing seems to have changed in San Jose during the pandemic. These past two years have been difficult for many including our first responders, but traffic enforcement seems to have gone by the wayside.
Every day I see drivers weaving and driving aggressively, speeding excessively and stop signs are seemingly invisible. According to NHTSA, a third of all traffic fatalities involve speeding.
Traffic enforcement is one of the fundamentals of keeping residents safe; how many need to be injured or killed before San Jose restarts a traffic enforcement program?
Richard Ajluni
San Jose
Milpitas should consider
other options for park
We commend your newspaper’s articles on the Milpitas Metro Specific Plan (“Proposal for housing worries current commercial tenants,” Page B1, Nov. 4), bringing awareness to the community. The city’s outreach via emails is a hit-and-miss effort.
We have concerns about the proposed park in the Innovation Subdistrict. Tucking a park at the end of Watson Court, ostentatiously for public use, does not make any sense. The gist of our concerns:
• If this park is for employees of R&D complexes, please consider rooftop parks and gardens maintained by employers. Do not displace long-time Milpitas businesses at Watson Court for this.
• If this park is for the community, please make it prominent, central, near homes, shops and retail.
• The park does not need to be attached to creek trails. Please also consider city-owned land or parcels owned by big corporations.
We ask that the issues above and more be highlighted in the plan’s consideration.
Francette Huynh
Milpitas
Giants-Posey relationship
a stark contrast to A’s
As sad as it was to watch Buster Posey retire (“Buster Posey: A true giant of the game,” Page A1, Nov. 5), it also made me appreciate just how much the Giants organization values their players. While I still resent the fact that they blocked the A’s from relocating to San Jose, I can’t help but respect how they treat their players.
Conversely, the A’s don’t have the same approach. It’s difficult as a fan to support a team that will undoubtedly get rid of current and future stars once they are nearing a significant pay raise. It’s a business, I get that, but it doesn’t mean you can’t treat your employees (players), and fans for that matter, right.
It appears that the current owner of the A’s, John Fisher, really cares only about himself. The fans see that. In the best interest of baseball, I don’t understand why MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred isn’t pressuring Fisher to sell the team.
Mark Milioto
San Jose
Dems’ far-left faction
threatens broader goals
It’s clear from the Virginia election results the majority of American voters are rejecting the idealistic and well-intended, but perceived to be radical, agenda of the “Democratic Socialist” faction of the party (“GOP victories have Dems examining voter frustrations,” Page A1, Nov. 4). Surrendering to their demands has: undermined timely resolution of a more modest infrastructure bill; fed fears regarding real and lasting inflation and, ironically, labor shortages; supported a form of criminal justice reform and police “defunding” that eschews reasonable accountability and concern for community safety (see the district attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles) thereby increasing general fear of community violence which has contributed to a vicious circle of skyrocketing firearm purchases and a surging homicide rate.
Failure to adopt a more moderate agenda will result in a backlash democratic loss of the Congress and presidency, thereby undermining needed, practical and lasting social and environmental progress and political reform, and possibly, depending on the Republican presidential nominee, democracy itself.
Steve Baron
Cupertino
Infrastructure done,
time to tackle climate
After weeks of uncertainty over whether President Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill would ever actually reach his desk, it’s a relief that the bill has finally been signed into law. This is a huge win for Biden, and for all Americans.
The fact that the bill passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress suggests that members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are listening to the concerns of their constituents regarding the need for the United States to address the devastating impacts of climate change.
But as Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said, “There’s a lot of good stuff in the infrastructure bill … but that package does very little to affect emissions and therefore won’t prevent climate upheaval.”
To address this, Congress should include carbon pricing in the upcoming budget reconciliation package. The United States. would meet its goal of 50% emissions reductions by 2030 — another huge win for Americans.
Paula Danz
Los Altos
Death tax repeal would
bring ‘inherited privilege’
Re. “Repealing death tax will help family businesses stay afloat,” Page A8, Nov. 5:
Robert Rivinius couches his position in the language of oppression, but he is actually advocating for inherited privilege.
If he gets his way, the descendants of an individual forever receive the privilege of not paying their fair share of taxes, for no other reason than that they are descended from a previous owner. This is bad social policy in a democracy, and it is bad tax policy. Taxes should have a broad base and low rates.
Note that the person writing this letter has owned a home in Sunnyvale for three decades and pays an unfairly low property tax compared to many of the neighbors. That should change.
Daniel Dobkin
Sunnyvale
Source: www.mercurynews.com