Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for April 15, 2023

Reconsider Marin City plan for new construction

I want to thank the Marin IJ editorial board for its recent editorial about the Marin County Board of Supervisors’ vote to approve $40 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds to a private developer for plans to add 74 units in Marin City (“Concerns, both broad and focused, surround Marin City development proposal,” April 6).

A group of Marin City residents are firmly opposed, Those residents provided multiple reasons for their objections, including: the units are not “affordable” based on the area median income of Marin City; the building design is a monstrosity; and there’s no adequate parking. There is also significant public safety risk from having only one road in and out — particularly a road that has flooded in the past.

While I agree with the editorial board that state lawmakers’ support for Senate Bill 35 bears responsibility for undermining local control, I am not willing to give a pass to the three supervisors who voted to approve this. It’s hard to believe they gave Marin City residents’ objections the weight they would have for their constituents in Ross, Belvedere or the Gerstle Park neighborhood of San Rafael.

“This is not the outcome that was anticipated with SB 35,” said Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters in the IJ’s news report of the meeting (“Marin supervisors reject pleas to halt Marin City housing project,” March 25). “It was not to build affordable, dense housing in mixed communities that already have a lot of dense housing.”

I encourage the three supervisors who supported this plan to re-examine their consciences and find a means to change their minds. They should join Moulton-Peters and Supervisor Eric Lucan in their opposition.

— Patricia Shea, Sausalito

County must have a daytime adult care center

Thanks to the Marin IJ for its recent coverage of issues affecting older people in Marin.

A recent article (“Marin’s only adult day health center will close,” April 10) detailed devastating news about the closure of Marin’s last-standing adult day center for people with dementia. Reporter Richard Halstead’s in-depth reporting about the loss of essential health service in Marin in the face of nonprofit and public sector cutbacks raises a challenge. How and when will Marin have a daytime adult care center so family and friends (who have the means and the time) don’t have to drive out of county for dementia day care and caregiver respite services?

I appreciate the IJ’s attention to and reporting about the physical, social and mental health needs of older adults. Awareness is the first step to making change happen.

— Linda Jackson, San Rafael

Important to talk to children about marijuana

I am a mother of two with a passion for helping others. As community outreach coordinator for Addicted.org, I want to help spread awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

With the ongoing commercialization of recreational marijuana, parents should be more aware of the risks and dangers, notice the signs of use and have constructive conversations with their teens, which may prevent them from using drugs altogether. In California, data shows that it is likely that an estimated 10% of kids ages 12 to 17 years old used drugs in the last month, and over 85% of those teens used marijuana.

Short, frequent discussions early in life have a tangible impact on a child’s decision about marijuana. Talk often and build open and trusting relationships. Lots of little talks are more effective.

Make views and rules about marijuana clear. Discuss beliefs and opinions. Be honest, express a clear message and do not lecture or threaten.

Ask them questions about what they know about marijuana, listen to their opinions and answer their questions. The conversation goes both ways.

Lead by example; what parents do is as important as what they say. Provide factual information about the risks and dangers.

Age matters for marijuana users. It makes a difference in how young a person is when they start using marijuana, namely in terms of developing an addiction later in life. Because recreational marijuana is a big business, 4/20 celebrations have a strong influence.

— Jody Boulay, Quebec City (Canada)

Marin needs moratorium on water hookups now

Some models predict Marin could face another drought in the near future. Considering that, I agree with the recently published letter by Thomas A. Tucker. The Marin Municipal Water District should not be hooking up new construction to the water supply right now.

At our house, we replaced the lawn with artificial grass, pared down our use, are trying to keep lemon, apple and plum trees alive and did our best to conserve. Now we face significant increases in water costs, without definitive plans to increase our water supply (“Marin Municipal Water District seeks rate hikes of up to 20%,” March 19).

We should increase the reservoir capacities and desalinate water rather than take from other sources. Does the state Legislature and the governor not hear that communities aren’t happy with forced building mandates? Where are we going to get the water to supply all that housing?

— Barbara Henderson, Kentfield

Further explanation of reparations plan is needed

I am a 78-year-old man with nine grandchildren. My family immigrated from Smyrna (modern day Izmir, Turkey) during the 1910s. My family was originally from the island of Lesvos. That island did not gain its freedom from Turkey until 1913.

Members of my family were treated like slaves by the Ottoman Empire and subsequent Turkish governments. They escaped the brutal murders of thousands of Greeks and Armenians before fleeing ahead of the destruction of Smyrna, which began in 1920.

After moving to California, my family has been quite successful. I measure it by the number of college graduates. Many family members have served in many wars for the United States.

Now, it appears we will be asked to pay retributions to Black Americans whose family members suffered after coming to America through the institution of slavery. Why do the ancestors of one enslaved people have to pay reparations to the Black Americans? Is it because we are White?

Please remember, as Greek immigrants traveled across the United States, they were persecuted by many of the existing White populations in America. Some were targeted by the Ku Klux Klan.

The Turks are a mixture of races. But, in the early 1900s, they were enslavers. Now, I am told that people whose ancestors were enslaved in Greece and Turkey may be forced to pay the descendants of those from Africa who were enslaved in America. I need to understand why.

— Andrew Efstratis, Novato

Texas governor should not pardon convicted killer

In Texas earlier this month, a man named Daniel Perry was convicted of murder in the fatal shooting of Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter rally in Austin in 2020. The rally followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. The prosecution argued Perry initiated the encounter by running a red light to turn into the crowd. Perry maintains that he shot Foster in self defense after Foster raised an assault rifle in his direction.

Within days of the verdict, Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to pardon Perry. If Abbott can pardon a criminal, what is to stop any governor from creating a hit squad with “get out of jail free” cards?

— Charles Kelly, Fairfax

Supreme Court ignores need to regulate guns

Hats off to Hank Zucker, who showed a correct understanding of the Second Amendment in his recently published letter. I agree that the Founding Fathers created the right to bear arms to reduce the need for a standing army, as well as to allow Southern states to protect against slave uprisings.

Corrupted and partisan, today’s Supreme Court denies the plainly stated principle that guns should be regulated. The damage to public life resulting from unregulated guns is all too clear.

— Potter Wickware, Mill Valley