Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Aug. 28, 2024

Dominican should have disclosed plans for sale

The administration of Dominican University has had no hesitation over the years bringing its good neighbors together in forum when they’ve asked for our support. Now, after it quietly sold two parcels of land, how ironic that the administration feels it was misinformed throughout the process (“San Rafael housing plan size rattles Dominican University,” Aug. 19).

In a letter to the city, the university president complained that the administration was misled by its own consultants and/or the city and/or buyer-developer regarding potential land use. A spokesperson disclosed that leadership consulted with many experts prior to the sale. What the administration did not do is to have any discussions with its neighbors at any time during the bid or sale process.

We live in an area of high wildfire risk. A disclosure of a potential sale would have provided us the opportunity for input, and for us to possibly purchase the land where the parcels could have remained as open space. At the very least, disclosure would have minimized ill feelings.

I am just one of many neighbors who feel betrayed. We were completely uninformed of the bid process until after the transaction was finalized. Dominican is my neighbor, but I no longer consider it a good neighbor.

— Susan Page-Metcalfe, San Rafael

Vote no on Measure M, the Novato sales tax plan

I’m writing to compare the proposed sales-tax increases for Novato and Mill Valley on November’s ballot.

Novato officials expect it to raise $10.3 million in 2025 and to continue raising amounts forever, as there is no “sunset” clause. Some asked the Novato City Council to include one, just like Mill Valley (just like San Rafael did in 2020).

Mill Valley expects the tax to raise $4.2 million in 2025. There is a sunset clause requiring the tax to expire in 10 years “to ensure that officials regularly review and justify the continued need for the tax and ensuring accountability in spending.”

Novato did not identify particular items it would spend the new yearly taxes on beyond addressing the deficits of $3.3 million to $3.8 million per year over the next five years. I suspect the money can be spent on basically anything the council wants.

Mill Valley identified infrastructure upgrades over the next 15 years with projected costs at $150 million to $180 million, well beyond available budget allocations.

Novato officials have failed in seeking various local, state and federal grants since 2017, in part because they require applicants to present current annual reports. Since 2017, Novato has not completed a timely audit. Meanwhile, Mill Valley has a practice of leveraging grants to maintain and upgrade its infrastructure needs. Mill Valley is subject to annual audits that have been timely.

Novato leaders project deficits for the next five years, but ask voters to approve a sales-tax increase that covers over twice its estimated budget deficit. Leadership doesn’t appear to have a specific plan as to what the new tax would cover over the decades it could be in place. It’s a blank check for the City Council.

Novato should vote no on M.

— David Gabriel, Novato

Bay Area Catholics need to see the apology letters

I am writing in response to Stuart Lindh’s recently published Marin Voice commentary (“San Rafael parishioner extols restorative justice process,” Aug. 19).

I’m glad everyone had a moment of togetherness after a group of people were arrested when they pulled down a statue of Junipero Serra in San Rafael. I hope the vandals have learned the error of their ways, though I suspect they are likely indoctrinated, privileged and exceedingly misguided young adults.

While Lindh’s explanation of the process to resolve the violent vandalism seems reasonable, I, for one, believe those apology letters must be shared with the archdiocese and ultimately with Bay Area Catholics. The vandals offended us all and we would like to read, as Lindh calls them, “heartfelt, sincere, thoughtful and eloquent” letters of apology so we can judge for ourselves the sincerity of their apologies. Then, as Christians, we can forgive them.

— S. Mangold, Millbrae

Vandals should apologize to all Bay Area Catholics

I am writing in response to the recently published Marin Voice by Frank Lindh concerning the destruction of the statue of Junipero Serra, which was on church property of Mission San Rafael.

I would like to call attention to the fact that the victims of the attack on a parish statue of Serra, one of our saints, were not just the people of the parish but every Catholic in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I therefore support Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s continued request for restitution, and a public apology through him to the Catholics of the region.

— Rosa Angela Piccini, Milan (Italy)

Don’t litter in nature; leave Half Dome open

I always cringe when I see write-ups of good trails in Marin. Please people, either stay home and watch TV, or pick up after yourselves (and others). Don’t leave your trash. When I am out and about, I am always picking up people’s trash, week after week and year after year. In my experience, the trash is usually worse after the IJ suggests any fine spot.

Additionally, I read Jim Wood’s recently published letter with his concerns about the dangers of hiking the Half Dome trail at Yosemite National Park. Many of us do get out and do this often or occasionally. Some of us appreciate the more-than 14 miles (round-trip). Some don’t use gloves.

The world is a dangerous place. Where is our level of being responsible for our own choices instead of removing the teeth from every wild animal, place or possibility? Perhaps we should all stay home and order Amazon deliveries until there is nothing left of nature.

— Sierra Salin, Fairfax

Tim Walz initially lied about his DUI long ago

In 2006, when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was first running for office to become a member of Congress, his publicity team told lies to the public about the circumstances of Walz’s 1996 DUI. He tried to minimize it and didn’t correct the record until 2018. This is all detailed in a recent fact-checking article posted on CNN.com.

For me, it’s not so much that Walz clearly wanted to dissuade voters in his district from thinking ill of him at the time, or that he wanted to distract them from the truth. It’s the underlying disappointment in his actions and words: Clearly, he is willing to lie.

If you’ve ever been on a jury, where a witness obviously had been known to lie, you might have been instructed by the judge that you would be within your rights to disbelieve anything that person had to say about any other subject. Based on that, I wonder if that is who we really want for a vice president. Is that who we want for potential succession to the presidency of our country?

— David McLaughlin, Novato

Rhetoric of Biden, Harris needs to be more elevated

I know former President Donald Trump is no angel, but I would like to see political discussions on both sides rise above sixth-grade insults and out-of-context fear mongering.

I am extremely disappointed with President Joe Biden’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. Biden quoted Trump out of context by repeating that the former president said there were “good people on both sides” during a conflict in Virginia between White nationalists and others that resulted in one death and many injuries. Trump later clarified that he wasn’t referring to White nationalists.

Biden then told the audience that Trump said there would be a “bloodbath” if he isn’t elected in November. Trump has been clear that he meant it would be an economic bloodbath (not violence).

Finally, both Biden and presidential nominee Kamala Harris have said that Trump wants to be a dictator “on day one” of his presidency. But he was speaking facetiously to make a point about border and oil industry policies he believes in.

— Eric Fransen, San Rafael