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Buying our way
out of water crisis
Replying to John Adams who proposed a moratorium on residential development until water is secure (“Without more water, new building must stop,” Page A16, Dec. 5), I don’t disagree but will point out that about 80% of California’s water goes to agriculture.
Arizona, I understand, bought out the water rights of its farmers. California can do the same through eminent domain and development fees. We still need enough water flow for our natural systems that support all life, however.
Tahir Naim
Santa Clara
Judges don’t have luxury
of correcting record
Having had the privilege of serving as law clerk to late Chief Judge Robert F. Peckham, I vividly remember his pain when wrongfully attacked in the press because he could not “set the record straight,” as judges are precluded from commenting on their cases.
So I sympathize with Phil Pennypacker, a respected retired judge, sitting by designation in a recent case, whose decision to release the defendants pretrial without bail received a “Who’s Down Arrow” from The Mercury News. The DA did not file any opposition to the bail request, which the DA had an obligation to do — and explaining his reasoning — if he considered either defendant to be a risk to the community or flight risk.
Lon Allan
Monte Sereno
Without stiffer sentences
crime wave will continue
Our state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, just announced guilty convictions and sentences for a big shoplifting ring (“AG announces sentences in retail theft ring busts,” Page B1, Dec. 4). The leader got six years, but will likely serve due to our state’s time off for good behavior. Another criminal got a sentence of just one year in jail and two years probation. The rest got probation.
They stole approximately $8 million in drugs and electronics from Walgreens and other stores and had $1.8 million seized from bank accounts related to the scheme. Due to our state’s weak criminal laws, soft on crime judges and sentence reductions for “good behavior,” theft in California will continue to grow. Lots of Rob Bonta-type speeches won’t deter these criminals from repeating their crimes. Only longer mandatory sentences for repeat offenders, tougher criminal laws and changing the “time off for good behavior” to 15% will stop the crime wave from growing.
Brian McCormick
San Jose
Ban horse racing
to save animals
Another horse racing death on the track — Medina Spirit, a Derby winner (“Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit dies,” Page C2, Dec. 7). Enough already. This keeps happening. End animal abuse. Ban this cruel “sport.”
I grew up with horses. They are amazing animals, sensitive and compliant. I used to always marvel at how a feed pail could be heard a half-mile away, the appreciation when I scratched a difficult itch to reach. They deserve our protection from human greed.
Robert Wahler
San Jose
Toy guns as gifts
can foster wrong ideas
In reference to the Letter to the Editor in the Sunday, Dec. 5 edition about toy guns being given to children for Christmas (“Toy guns as gifts teach poor lessons,” Page A16), being a conservative I still believe it is wrong to do so.
Firearms are only for protection against those who are trying to kill or injure you. Who knows what kinds of ideas this might foster in a child. We must avoid another 1963 as well as another Kyle Rittenhouse.
Paul Taylor
San Jose
Infrastructure bill was
a first step for climate
The climate crisis is positioned to be one of the most crucial issues for upcoming generations. That is why it is so important for Congress to pass climate legislation. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a critical first step. Thankfully, it recently passed the House of Representatives and was signed by President Biden.
The act includes landmark funding to build a nationwide electric vehicle charging network and thousands of clean, electric school buses. It also provides funding to strengthen our electrical grid and to improve energy efficiency, which is great because the cleanest energy is the energy we never use. Not only is all this important for the climate and our health, but it’s also going to generate millions of jobs nationwide.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Rep. aNNA Eshoo for voting for this bipartisan bill and for her commitment to prioritizing our public health and environment.
Hannah Besly
Los Gatos
Measure US greatness
in aid to Afghanistan
The people of Afghanistan are starving and sick.
The new Taliban rulers are incapable of taking care of them.
Americans are the can-do people. We must immediately establish and execute a rescue plan providing food and medicine. Let us once again show our power and greatness. This is what we do best — helping others.
All people of faith should also demand rescue action since every major religion has such a requirement.
Christianity, for example, requires that the hungry be fed, the thirsty be given drink and medicine be given to the sick. (Matthew 25:35-36)
Let’s show the world how great America really is. Let’s get this done.
John Cormode
Mountain View
Source: www.mercurynews.com