{"id":8687248,"date":"2022-12-12T16:30:35","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T00:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/?p=8687248&preview=true&preview_id=8687248"},"modified":"2022-12-19T07:50:24","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T15:50:24","slug":"letters-1081","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/2022\/12\/12\/letters-1081\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters: Wrong direction | Developer’s ‘concession’ | Rejecting Seeno | COVID assistance | Everyone wins"},"content":{"rendered":"

Submit your letter to the editor via this form<\/a>. Read more Letters to the Editor<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

CPUC solar plan takesstate in wrong direction<\/h4>\n

Re. “California’s energy grid needs more solar \u2014 not less<\/a>,” Page A6, Dec. 8:<\/p>\n

The Dec. 8 opinion piece by Laura Neish summed up perfectly the proposal currently before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regarding rooftop solar compensation rates.<\/p>\n

It takes us in completely the wrong direction, virtually eliminating any incentive to install rooftop solar. That will lead to California, long a leader in rooftop solar, beginning the process of eliminating something that desperately needs expanding. Completely counterintuitive and wrong-headed.<\/p>\n

However, if past actions by the CPUC are any indication, they will rubber stamp PG&E’s request, and that will be the end of it as far as they’re concerned.<\/p>\n

Or perhaps not. With any luck, a vote to approve it will outrage California’s 1.5 million rooftop solar customers enough to finally take action themselves. When elected officials and their appointees refuse to act in the best interests of their constituents, the courts and ballot initiative process are the logical next steps.<\/p>\n

George Riggs<\/strong>Danville<\/em><\/p>\n

Developer’s ‘concession’is an empty gesture<\/h4>\n

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved an immense development last week that decimates a 30-acre property next to Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. 17,000 dump trucks worth of soil and bedrock will be excavated and the current bucolic hills will be flattened to make way for a development that does nothing to resolve the moderate-priced housing shortage. It will be an exclusive living community for a small segment of the senior population.<\/p>\n

Worse, a quirk in the way this development is classified as an \u201cInstitutional\/Service\u201d community lets the developer ignore county residential development requirements for integrated greenspace, greenbelts or public access. This 30-acre site begs for these requirements to be honored.<\/p>\n

The developer, with the board\u2019s blessing, wishes to appear magnanimous in its \u201cconcession\u201d of 2.4 acres of open space, which is an insultingly empty \u201cgift\u201d of unusable steep hillsides in an inaccessible, unseen area.<\/p>\n

Jan Warren<\/strong>Walnut Creek<\/em><\/p>\n

Concord voters rejectSeeno for CNWS<\/h4>\n

Re. “Some election lessons from San Jose and the East Bay<\/a>,” Page A16, Dec. 4:<\/p>\n

Add to the list of lessons learned from election results: In the Concord City Council District 5 election, Laura Nakamura won by a large margin over Tim McGallian, who voted in favor of Seeno\/Concord First as master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Laura Nakamura stated she would not have chosen Seeno as the master developer.<\/p>\n

In the recent Contra Costa County race to fill retiring Supervisor Karen Mitchoff\u2019s seat, two Concord City Council members who either voted for Seeno\/Concord First or voted to move forward with Seeno\/Concord First on the CNWS lost the election, one of them miserably.<\/p>\n

The lesson that should be learned? Concord residents do not want Seeno\/Concord First to develop the CNWS. The Concord City Council needs to listen to its constituents who clearly want change.<\/p>\n

Kathleen Barnett<\/strong>Concord<\/em><\/p>\n

We should extendCOVID assistance<\/h4>\n

The COVID-19 state of emergency is set to end on Feb. 28, 2023. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing for the last two years, we are running out of funds and resources to dedicate to the public.<\/p>\n

Without government funding, people without health insurance or who can\u2019t provide enough personal funds have limited options for seeking care, are forced to look for community-based care options, must find providers willing to absorb the bill, or pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n

Continuing COVID funding and providing additional benefits to the people would make a difference, especially to those still putting their lives on the line. Increase government funding to provide for COVID vaccines and tests. As a result, more citizens will be able to return to work, school and business.<\/p>\n

Shardaya Johnson<\/strong>Discovery Bay<\/em><\/p>\n

Respect for MarriageAct respects all sides<\/h4>\n

Congratulations to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. They have finally been able to come together and send a bipartisan piece of legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature. Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act demonstrates that cooperation and partnership are possible in today\u2019s divided world.<\/p>\n