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Solar owners are
locked in on capacity
Re: “Rooftop-solar firms struggle” (Page A1, Jan. 10).
Your recent article on the effect of reduced compensation for homeowners’ excess solar generation was accurate but also missed one very important point.
For all 2 million Californians who already have rooftop solar, we can’t add capacity without being moved into the new compensation plan.
We installed solar panels with enough capacity to cover our historical use, plus extra, so we could convert from gas heating to electric heat pumps, which we did.
But now, if we wanted (or could be required to buy) an electric range or clothes dryer, we’d need more panels to cover the demand. And more panels means we’d be in the new compensation tier, not our current one.
Early adopters should be allowed to keep our generation tier without being punished with a 75% reduction in compensation for adding panels. As it stands, there is a huge disincentive to adding new generation to existing systems.
Ben Sparks
Oakland
Trump supporters
must be countered
Re: “Danville citizens should speak up against hatred” (Page A6, Jan. 10).
I am responding in full support of Jim Boot’s letter.
I, too, am enraged and disgusted that Donald Trump’s cult is parading their hate around our town. I have come to believe that the supporters of this self-proclaimed wannabe dictator are not misinformed — no, they are just like him. They are selfish, out only for themselves. They have no moral center and promote cruelty and violence against people who do not look like them.
Why don’t they just emigrate to Hungary, China or Russia, where they would thrive under a repressive dictatorship such as they seem to want here?
Marilynn Gray-Raine
Danville
Forum offers chance to
learn about candidates
Learn about the candidates vying to be the next state senator for California Senate District 5 at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 21. Livermore Indivisible will host an online forum with the candidates — Jerry McNearny (D), Jim Shoemaker (R) and Carlos Villapudua (D).
Register at trivalley.rocks/LIJan24 to obtain the Zoom link to join the forum. Send questions for the candidates to trivalley.rocks/SD5Q by Monday.
Starting with the 2024 election, the Tri-Valley will be part of this district because of redistricting after the 2020 census. The district will also contain Lodi, Tracy, Manteca and Stockton. The seat is open because current state Sen. Susan Eggman cannot run again because of term limits.
Get to know the candidates (all residing in the Central Valley) to help decide how to vote in the primary election in early March.
Kristine Kansa
Livermore
Biden’s support of Gaza
slaughter unconscionable
From the beginning of Israel’s assault on Gaza, President Biden has pledged unconditional support for Israel. Biden immediately dispatched two carrier groups and began the nonstop supply of weapons including huge bombs being used to flatten entire apartment blocks, resulting in the killing of more than 23,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. These weapons enabled the destruction of Gaza’s civil infrastructure, including housing, hospitals and sanitation, depriving Gazans of food, medical supplies and water, rendering Gaza virtually uninhabitable.
Defying international calls for a permanent ceasefire, the United States has blocked all U.N. resolutions to end the carnage. Facing unprecedented international isolation, Biden has only approved perfunctory requests for Israel to reduce civilian casualties but refuses to condition further U.S. aid on Israel’s compliance. As the arch-enabler of the ongoing genocide, Biden has made a mockery of U.S. claims to be a defender of human rights and no longer deserves to be our president.
Michael Dunlap
Oakland
Source: www.mercurynews.com