Local elections have people abuzz. So, where do our readers stand on desalination, the district 5 supervisor race and Prop. 32?
Yes on Measure P
In Mayor Don Lane’s letter of Sept. 25, “Desal Affects All,”.html he refers to revealing secrets, scrutinizing arguments, making stuff up and incorrectness. Let’s set his record straight.
It remains bewildering how Lane, along with two other serial city council members, continues to lead the charge toward constructing an environmentally-financially risky and “expandable” desal system—without a mandate from voters and water rate payers.
To the exclusion of an array of sustainable, effective, and less costly water supply and management options, Lane voted to authorize $14M toward the development of “desal as the best solution.” Most of this scarce community capital has gone to a retain a stable of desal industry consultants to investigate, plan and promote public acceptance. If built, the $130M-plus regional desal factory would be located on a seven-acre Westside site below the UCSC campus.
Lane also rejected a community-driven request to establish neutral fact-finding arbitration to address desal-related misinformation, factual omissions and inaccuracies. Furthermore, he opposes the passage of Measure P (“No Desal Without Voter Approval”) on the November ballot.
Paul Gratz
Co-author of Measure P, Santa Cruz
McPherson Will Unite
Starting with the fifth district run for supervisor, a very disturbing trend has developed amongst the supporters of the Eric Hammer campaign in letters to the editor.html, many having to retract their statements. I personally endorsed Bruce McPherson and received hang-up calls and an obscene message.
George Wiley, a Democrat and highly respected SLV governing school board trustee, and the driving force to build the SLV school library, dropped out of the supervisor’s race and endorsed Bruce McPherson. He too has been intimidated by comments made threatening that he would never be elected again in the SLV. Don’t we have a choice?
I look at the McPherson-Keeley partnership as a real plus for our district. Being able to set aside party lines and get the job done is a good example for politicians everywhere to follow.
We need the experience of Bruce McPherson, a competent, ethical leader. Bruce will bring balance to the present board, protecting the environment, our schools and the people who live here.
Annette Marcum
Ben Lomond
No on Prop. 32
Working families in California are facing the biggest and most devastating attack on our rights this election in November. Prop 32, set to appear on the ballot, is a deceptive and destructive measure that threatens the jobs, wages and retirement of workers like us—while at the same time giving corporate special interests even more power and influence over our politics and government. The proponents of the so-called “Stop Special Interest Money Now Act” claim the measure would actually lessen the big-money influence in Sacramento, but the truth is, the ex-CEOs and ultra-wealthy anti-worker activists behind this measure secretly wrote in a whole heap of exemptions for themselves and their Wall Street cronies. We cannot afford to sit back while corporate CEOs and billionaires trample our rights in order to push their own self-serving agenda.
Chris Knerr
Santa Rosa
