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Redirect HSR money
to local rail lines
Letter writer Tahir J. Naim is correct that if all the facts were known, California voters would support switching high-speed rail funds to local commuter transit. (“Improving Caltrain better than high-speed rail,” Page A6, April 21)
This would be even more so if we built higher speed commuter transit than we have now. It would increase the quality of life for millions of commuters stuck in stressful four-hour daily commutes. And it would relieve the housing crisis by providing access to more affordable housing. It would be greener than high-speed rail in its reduction of car emissions, highway construction, road maintenance and traffic control costs.
It’s time to wave goodbye to high-speed rail.
Ed Kahl
Woodside
Chavez has no say in
49ers’ political spending
In his Letter to the Editor, Pete Campbell suggests that the 49ers have contributed $300,000 toward Cindy Chavez’s campaign for mayor, and that Cindy accepted it (“Chavez shouldn’t take cash from outside S.J.,” Page A6, April 21).
The 49ers contributed $300,000 to a political action committee, which by law cannot coordinate with Cindy’s campaign. Even if she wanted to, Cindy cannot tell the 49ers not to spend that money. U.S. Supreme Court decisions say the 49ers can spend whatever they want to influence elections.
I’m just happy they’ve chosen an experienced, proven leader to support.
Danielle Kriege
San Jose
Foster youth could use
innovative policies
Innovative policy solutions that make use of existing assets are the way forward, as reported in the April 18 article by Katie Lauer on the $16.2 million homeless housing project (“City gets $16.2M for homeless housing,” Page B1, April 18). The Homekey program will renovate an inn to create housing units, which will change the lives of 43 unhoused neighbors.
Nearby, foster youth in Sacramento could benefit from an innovative policy solution like this one but are left with little support as they wait for the government to take action.
In Santa Clara County, probation officers and social workers can collaborate, so that legal decisions impacting a young person’s life are made more equitably. Dually-involved youth in Sacramento County do not get this option and navigate life-changing court dates with limited support.
When these groups pool information, they provide context to the courts that result in better decisions and fewer young people facing unjust incarceration.
Samantha Millar
Cupertino
Women’s rights attacked
in Texas and elsewhere
Re. “Texas law offers glimpse into abortion war future,” Page A7, April 14:
I have no words for the rage felt after reading about the arrest and charge of Lizelle Herrera for murder.
In Texas, 26-year-old Lizelle Herrera was charged with murder after a self-induced abortion. In Texas, it is now illegal to obtain an abortion after six weeks forcing many women like Herrera to take matters into their own hands. The life of a fetus should not be valued over the mother. To mislabel these women as murderers is unfair and reinforces the negative stigma surrounding abortion. Anti-abortion policies have forced women into difficult situations and unwanted pregnancies. Fear of prosecution and judgment has led to many self-induced abortions.
Abortion is a basic right and should be an option available to every woman. There needs to be more light shed on the topic of abortion and how anti-abortion policies challenge women’s right to autonomy.
Ysabel Margate
San Jose
Amid threats, wrong time
to cut defense spending
Lorah Steichen must surely be wearing rose-colored glasses, suggesting cuts to the Pentagon budget, with those funds diverted to fighting climate change. (“Simple way to save planet — cut Pentagon spending,” Page A7, April 21) In normal times, her proposal might seem reasonable, but these are not normal times.
Perhaps Steichen has overlooked the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including their threat to potentially use nuclear weapons. Russia has also been testing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States. So is North Korea. And China has increasingly set its sights on “unifying” Taiwan.
Where will this all lead? No one knows, but it certainly doesn’t seem to be the time to let down our guard on defense. As important as fighting climate change may be, threats to global peace would seem even more immediate and more of a priority than accelerating the fight against climate change. If we all end up in WWIII, no one will be worrying about climate change.
Joseph Gumina
San Carlos
Source: www.mercurynews.com