Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Sept. 26, 2022

Connolly is a good choice to represent Marin

Damon Connolly is the best candidate in the November election for the California District 12 Assembly seat vacated by Marc Levine. Connolly will bring to the California Assembly a sincere commitment and dedication to the Marin/Sonoma community.

I met Connolly in 2007 shortly after he was first elected to the San Rafael City Council. We have worked extensively with him throughout his seven years as a member of the council and eight years as a Marin County supervisor. The purpose of that meeting was to request Connolly’s support for a pedestrian sidewalk along the very dangerous Lucas Valley Road. At that time there had been several incidents between vehicles and pedestrians there.

As a result of our meeting, Connolly committed to the project and helped bring it to a successful installation in 2015. Since then, I don’t believe there have been any serious incidents along this heavily traveled corridor off of Highway 101. The project was just one of the many community-oriented endeavors that Connolly has brought to a successful conclusion.

That desire to support our community and the in-depth knowledge and experience working the halls of the city and county governments make Damon Connolly the ideal candidate for the California Assembly.

— Ray Lorber, San Rafael

Connolly is a fighter for environmental protections

I hope those who favor environmental protection will vote for Supervisor Damon Connolly for the state Assembly seat representing Marin and Sonoma counties. He has fought for open space and coastal protection. He championed the recently passed Measure A for support of open space and agriculture.

Connolly is a “climate warrior.” He helped form MCE (formerly known as Marin Clean Energy) and testified at the California Public Utility Commission on behalf of rooftop solar owners. He is strongly opposed to the solar tax proposed by the commission, and has promised to lead the effort in the Legislature to oppose any solar tax.

I believe that if you have rooftop solar and want to avoid the proposed tax, vote for Damon Connolly for Assembly.

— Jerry Meral, Inverness

Marcell is best choice for Tam Union District

In the November election, Renee Marcelle would be, in my opinion, the best choice for Tamalpais Union High School District trustee.

I have known her as a member of my little church in Marin City. I marched with her for justice and civil rights. I have always found her to be transparent, wise and great company. She is both brilliant and utterly committed to the well-being of young people.

She is a mother of two teenagers in the district, and has been a school volunteer for 14 years. She has been a pro bono lawyer for innumerable people in need. She has been a teacher’s aide and a school library volunteer. She would make a wonderful trustee.

— Anne Lamott, Fairfax

Rooftop solar panels should be encouraged

In his recent Marin Voice commentary (“Rooftop solar overdue for a correction,” Sept. 16), it appears that Robert Archer uses the word “equity” to justify gouging solar users. He is echoing the public relations stunt being used by the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to boost its own profits.

The most detailed energy modeling study ever done on this subject found that more rooftop and community solar and batteries is $120 billion cheaper over the next 30 years than just large-scale energy on its own. In 2018 alone, the state canceled $2.6 billion of long distance power line projects because of rooftop solar and energy efficiency.

The truth is that the “cost shift” was invented by utility industry strategists in 2016, which we know from a leaked utility industry memo. I question Archer’s sources.

Equity and environmental justice advocates — 129 of them — just asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to oppose this effort to misrepresent equity. The letter urged the governor “to take a stand against the misrepresentation of equity that has dominated the Public Utilities Commission’s net energy metering (NEM) proceedings. Utility companies and other proponents of the ‘cost shift’ argument — that ‘affluent’ solar customers are shifting utility costs onto (low-income) non-solar customers — have weaponized equity to limit or even eliminate the NEM program in California. This is a tactic being used by utilities in other parts of the country to attack rooftop solar.”

With climate shifts getting more aggressive, we must match it with equally aggressive actions to switch to renewable energy. This is not the time to disincentivize rooftop solar. It should be encouraged in every way possible.

— Wendi Kallins, Forest Knolls