Letters: Ignoring roots | Carbon capture | Trust Esteen | Vote for Cabaldon | Marines’ lives
East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Feb. 16, 2024
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Enforcement ignoresroots of crime surge
Re: “Newsom sending legal help to region” (Page A1, Feb. 9).
Where is the surge in housing to end the homelessness crisis in Oakland? Where is the surge in mental health services? Why is there always money for more policing but never enough to house and care for people?
Sending more police and prosecutors will not solve the underlying issues that are driving crime nor does it address how retailers have lied about the extent of shoplifting. It will also lead to more deaths in Alameda County’s notorious jail, Santa Rita. Someone else just died there, who was arrested on a car theft charge, the type of crime being targeted with this “surge.” Almost 70 people have died at the jail in the past decade.
We can’t successfully fight violence with more violence. As an Oakland resident and as someone who has been the victim of violent crime in Oakland, I want solutions, but this isn’t it.
Natasha BakerOakland
Op-ed misstates caseagainst carbon capture
Re: “Montezuma Wetlands CO2 plan is dangerous” (Page A7, Feb. 8).
Chirag Bhakta’s Feb. 8 op-ed makes false assertions about the Montezuma CCS project’s safety. He argues that pipelines taking the CO2 to Montezuma will be dangerous. Ironically, the Montezuma site was chosen based on geologic studies by national laboratory scientists to minimize the length of the pipelines. Leak impacts are negligible because the pipelines will be under the river. Montezuma is the best location to store CO2 from East Bay emitters if, as Bhakti asserts, pipelines are a major concern.
His assertions that CO2 storage projects have not been successful and leak are also untrue. There are numerous highly successful, decades-old storage projects and there are many natural fields where CO2 has been stored for millions of years.
Bhakta also ignores the benefits of decarbonizing the huge emissions from local power plants, refineries, hydrogen and renewable fuel plants. With new federal tax credits, not decarbonizing those emissions is irresponsible.
Gregory CroftSan Leandro
Esteen is candidateresidents can trust
Re: “Elect Bauters for Alameda County supervisor” (Page A6, Feb. 13).
Your editorial of Feb. 13 critiques the candidates in the contested Alameda County Board of Supervisor election March 5, but makes no endorsement in the District 4 race, citing serious ethical lapses of the 24-year incumbent, Nate Miley. Also denied an endorsement is his challenger, Jennifer Esteen, based on erroneous assertions that she would be subservient to unions in negotiations with the county.
Esteen was the member Vice President of Organizing for SEIU 1021. She’s never worked for a union. She’s a nurse and a union member. She’s an activist in her union in San Francisco where she works, not Alameda County where she lives.
If anyone has a conflict it’s Miley who, in the past six months, has taken at least $15,000 from Construction and General Laborers Local 304 and $11,000 from the county Deputy Sheriffs Association.
Unlike Miley, Jennifer Esteen will be a county supervisor whom we can trust.
Bob BrittonCastro Valley
Cabaldon deservesstate Senate seat
Christopher Cabaldon is running to become the next state senator to represent District 3. He has been endorsed by Democratic clubs, including the United Democrats of Southern Solano County, Northern Solano Democratic Club, and Sacramento Stonewall Democrats. He received the endorsement of Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club and Equality California. With threats to reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights, and climate change, he is needed to keep California’s laws strong.
What makes Cabaldon an impressive candidate is his history of being the longest-serving mayor of West Sacramento. During his tenure many innovative initiatives were started, including guaranteed universal access to preschool, urban farms, free college for local students and sustainable land use.
In the past, he was appointed to the National Advisory Board by President Obama. All of that makes him a great choice for the next state Senator and worthy of your consideration.
Andrew SmithBenicia