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Levi’s Stadium financials
even out for Santa Clara
Re: “Levi’s Stadium profits in limbo” (Page B1, Sept. 26).
I am shocked by the fact that Santa Clara received zero profit from Levi’s Stadium’s nonsporting events this past year. As someone who attended the biggest nonsporting event this summer at the stadium, I would have thought the city would get some profit.
The city of Santa Clara and the 49ers have always had disagreements but I assumed it was just logistical issues. However, I suppose other factors still directly benefited the city with the nonsporting events. For example, Taylor Swift’s two-night gig at the stadium gave Santa Clara the biggest economic boost since before the pandemic. With hotel sales and transportation, all that money went to the city, not the stadium. In the end, it realistically evens out financially.
Brianna Huffmaster
San Jose
San Jose must do more
to solve homelessness
I am a resident of East San Jose where the homeless issue has grown beyond control.
You can’t drive down Tully Road or Capitol Expressway without seeing homeless, tents and trash everywhere. I have witnessed a homeless man in a commercial parking lot with his pants down to his knees. I read posts of residents who have seen men masturbating in areas where kids walk by. I’m sorry to be graphic, but I am hoping Mayor Matt Mahan will wake up and do something about this issue. I feel that East San Jose doesn’t count for him and the City Council.
Clearing encampments is not the solution, as they just go elsewhere. We need to provide the resources to get them out of the streets. This should be the highest priority for the city. We are the “Capital of Silicon Valley.” Who wants to visit a city in such a state?
Janice Montalvo
San Jose
It’s the state’s duty
to fully fund education
Re: “The hidden price tag of California’s public schools” (Page A1, Sept. 17).
It is ridiculous that students from low-income schools cannot have the same extracurriculars and curriculums as schools from affluent communities due to a lack of donations. It is outrageous, in general, that students and their families have to contribute donations to their public schools so they can participate in more opportunities and learn the basics.
California can and needs to do better. It should not be up to our families or nonprofits in our cities to fund our art programs, libraries and counseling. This is why it is so essential to reform Proposition 13. While some families can contribute an infinite amount of money to their children’s education, that is not the case for everyone. Similarly, not every city and town in our state has a community with the numbers and resources to provide for our students. It is California’s job to fully fund our education.
Jennifer Chacon-Duran
San Jose
Reality of wildfires
is with us for good
Re: “Undergrounding power wires is best option for PG&E” (Page A6, Sept. 26).
California is bound to be on fire whether or not there are underground power lines or above-ground power lines.
Over the past decade, the rise in devastating fires has become an unfortunate normalized recurring event. The proposed plan can be a step in the right direction, but what does it do for the thousands of people who have already lost their homes, valuables and loved ones to these wildfires?
Diego Macaraeg
Milpitas
Quality music gets
little awards show notice
Modern music can be good music. Music composed in a digital environment is just as worthy of praise as a sonata composed on sheet music. I believe the real definition of good music is a piece that stands against the test of time and manages to masterfully evoke various emotions from the listener, regardless of the century it was created in. And yet it is hard to see good music get the proper recognition it deserves in this day and age.
With the Grammys looming ahead, it is safe to say that good music will not be rewarded that night, thanks to the most generous donors both within and without the award show. With other prestigious organizations headed in the same direction, will good music ever see the light of day again?
Esha Badhe
San Jose
Coverage aside, people
feeling pain of inflation
Virtually every day one reads in The Mercury News about inflation decreasing. Yet, we see the opposite whenever we buy groceries, fill our cars with gasoline, post mail or renew our subscription to The Mercury News.
The other day, we received a notice regarding the cost of our Medicare Advantage Part D for next year — $80.40 per person per month versus $35.20 per month per person for this year. This kind of inflation affects everybody and needs to be addressed by our government.
Zelek Herman and Jane Buechel
Palo Alto
Source: www.mercurynews.com