Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for July 1, 2023

Dangerous cyclists prompt push for licensing

Every day, thousands of cyclists descend on beautiful Sausalito, zooming down Alexander Avenue and soaring up Bridgeway, seemingly ignoring all rules of the road and often riding three or four across, blocking traffic.

Acting with complete entitlement, many seem to claim the roads for themselves while flaunting safety standards, scaring pedestrians and motorists, all while creating vehicle congestion through Sausalito.

Registering bicycles and licensing cyclists is the solution, and cyclists should be required to pass a test comparable to the written one motorists take. This is common-sense thinking in a state that regulates just about everything else.

Cyclists can reach speeds of 30 mph or more, so what makes them that different from cars?

Clearly displayed bicycle license plates, viewable from a distance, will not only deter this reckless behavior but will provide identification in the event of hit-and-run incidents. The benefits extend to cyclists, too, given that identification will be easier in the case of stolen bikes.

Licensing cyclists and literally registering them and providing a license plate is the only way to ensure accountability and safety. Let’s protect Sausalito and Marin.

— Adam Abolfazli and Lucy Ruiz, Sausalito

Point Reyes elk fence should come down now

I want to thank the Marin Independent Journal for the excellent summary of the elk and ranching issues at Point Reyes National Seashore (“Point Reyes tule elk fence may come down, feds say,” June 14).

I hope the fences come down.

— Lisa Ridge, Novato

No choice now but to take the fence down

There are several lawsuits supported by environmentalists against the National Park Service and Point Reyes National Seashore. The lawsuit targeting the park’s general management plan has numerous broad complaints regarding alleged long-standing mismanagement of various park resources in the ranch core, citing the Organic Act, the Point Reyes Act, the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

There is an entirely separate lawsuit about inhumane negligence in the elk reserve, with different plaintiffs. In both lawsuits, the elk matter. At the very least, they are emblematic of continued gross abuse of national park principles in the seashore.

In the recently published IJ editorial (“All must be part of discussion to remove Point Reyes elk fence,” June 25) the authors were less than clear about the separate natures of each lawsuit.

Additionally, I paused when the authors wrote that longer-term tenant agreements for ranches were “promised” by the Interior Department. It is true that the contested management plan includes 20-year leases, and it is true that in 2012 then-Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a letter closing Drakes Bay Oyster Company that included these words: “I direct (NPS to) pursue extending permits for the ranchers within those pastoral lands to 20-year terms.”

However, that directive, issued under intense political and lobbying pressure, is not legally binding, as has been acknowledged by park service officials. The interior secretary is, of course, not allowed to promise a special interest group an action which is illegal.

I agree with expert comments sent to the park service regarding the planned action to take down the fence. They indicate that, since the elk are part of the wilderness, and since they are not “untrammeled” (meaning “free, unbound, unhampered, unchecked or having the freedom of the wilderness”) as required by the Wilderness Act, that the park service, in fact, has no choice but to remove it, regardless of any stakeholder’s claims or wishes.

— Ken Bouley, Inverness

‘Fake virus’ joke on comics page missed the mark

I am writing about the comic “Baldo” published daily in the Marin Independent Journal. On June 26, I was disappointed to see authors Cantu and Castellanos writing dialogue about the “fake virus,” which appears to discount the seriousness of COVID-19 in the real world.

I thought we were well beyond that nonsense. It was not a responsible statement, in my opinion.

— Denyce Codoni, Fairfax

Protect and strengthen federal voting rights now

I am a constituent and voting rights advocate in Marin County writing to appeal to my community and lawmakers to work toward restoring the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Ten years ago, the Supreme Court’s Shelby County decision gutted the Voting Rights Act and effectively legalized access to voting discrimination with an intensity that has continued to this day. Both states and localities have reverted to discriminatory practices that restrict the freedom to vote for voters of color, Native voters, voters with disabilities, and more.

Despite high turnout in the 2022 midterm election, we saw reports of voter intimidation and attempts to silence voters’ voices. Since the midterms, legislators have introduced a record-breaking number of restrictive voting laws.

Voting rights are fundamental because they secure all other rights. Before his death, Rep. John Lewis wrote: “Time is of the essence to preserve the integrity and promises of our democracy.” It remains a core priority of the civil rights community for federal lawmakers to meet this moment and pass legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act.

As we enter our 10th year without the VRA’s full protection, lawmakers at every level must meet the urgency of this moment and work to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Restoration of the VRA will strengthen federal voting rights protections and prevent new voting restrictions from being adopted in the future.

Please get out and vote.

— Alexandra Topper, Greenbrae

CPUC must transition utilities to clean energy

Yet again, I recently found myself being reminded that our world is rapidly warming. This time, it was news of catastrophic wildfires in Canada during most of the month of June. The time to act is now to stop polluting our atmosphere with carbon dioxide from our continued burning of fossil fuels.

With the passing of last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, there are incentives that make clean energy sources cheaper than old, carbon-emitting fossil fuels.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is tasked with regulating utilities and ensuring that ratepayers have affordable, safe and clean energy. I ask that the members of the CPUC show bold leadership and rapidly transition all California utilities from burning fossil fuels to producing our electricity to clean sources of energy such as solar, wind and energy storage.

Please, for the sake of our grandchildren and all future generations, make this transition your top priority.

— Ron Sadler, Novato

Return all Marin Transit Connect services now

I am writing about an article published May 2 with the headline “Marin Transit to end some services amid low ridership.”

Marin Transit Connect is a valuable service. The drivers are safe. The vans don’t waste energy and they are capable of carrying several riders and dogs to dog parks.

The new service is not up to my standards. I would prefer paying for a ride-sharing service.

— Karen Arnold, San Rafael