Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for March 12, 2023

Do not allow Belvedere to kill local wild animals

I am writing in response to the recently published article about people in Belvedere worried about wild coyotes (“Belvedere residents sound alarm over coyote danger,” Feb. 28).

Some residents are asking the Belvedere City Council to consider proposals to exterminate coyotes. The report quotes Ken Paglia from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife saying, “It’s up to the city to decide what course of action they want to take, but relocation is not really a feasible option.”

As for the feasible option of living with the coyotes, that apparently doesn’t suit the wealthy residents of Belvedere. During the meeting, one said the coyotes’ “cackling” keeps him awake. Another resident she was “the biggest animal fanatic,” before demanding that they be “killed” and the problem should be “eradicated.” Clearly, Belvedere residents are concerned about the impact on their pets’ lives.

The impact for people living in this neighborhood of multi-millionaires is not being able to leave their small dogs and outdoor cats unattended. But why are they demanding eradication as the only feasible option? Is it really up to the city to decide what to do next?

Belvedere is still part of Marin County. I wonder how many Marin residents share a willingness to pressure county officials, state officials and even federal officials with the power to impose — by any means necessary — a semblance of coyote-free order.

— Mike McKinney, Novato

Targeting towns with housing lawsuits not right

I am writing in response to a report about Fairfax dealing with a lawsuit from housing advocates (“Fairfax sued by housing backers,” Feb. 9). The suit is not only counterproductive but an insult to democracy.

Housing is a worldwide crisis. Investors managing hedge funds and other investors are speculating in housing and using homes as assets. The vacation-home phenomenon is exploding costs across the globe and it is clear that there are few local options to change things. Towns are increasingly faced with rising costs and declining income.

Yet the group, Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY), which purports to be a housing advocate, is suing Fairfax. This comes in the middle of a cycle of compliance with the state law regarding mandated housing numbers. The suit will cost the town money it can ill afford to spend. A similar group called Urban Habitat sued Pleasanton over its voter-approved town expansion limits. It won a $1.9 million settlement. Despite that, residents are still waiting for more affordable housing. Some have called these groups “bounty hunters” looking to extract money from municipalities.

By suing Fairfax, the YIMBY group aborted the local democratic process, inserting itself as an arbiter of justice. But the entire process of creating housing elements from the general plan has little to do with the creation of affordable housing. A study by the Public Policy Institute of California found that there has been little housing built associated with these elements and the process that creates them. This is because towns do not build housing and builders, as well as investors, are capitalists who want the highest profit for their money.

If the YIMBY group is interested in affordable housing, it should build it. I have been on a nonprofit board that built affordable housing, so I know it can be done. Suing towns, attacking our democracy and our established local rights is not the way.

— Niccolo Caldararo, Fairfax

Congress could help make fuel more affordable for all

The production of food depends on diesel to power the tractors. The distribution of food depends on diesel to power the trucks. The production of diesel depends on refining capacity to turn crude oil into diesel and gas. Refining capacity has been declining since 1990 because the oil companies know that we will be using a lot less in 2040 than now, therefore, there is no encouragement to invest in the industry.

The price of food and gas is where everyone experiences inflation.

Congress could make it easier for oil companies to invest in refining capacity (which we do need), instead of oil production where we already have much more than we need.

But don’t expect Congress to do anything sensible since, left or right, they are only playing to the audience that will re-elect them and are unable to think past the next election.

Good luck fighting climate change if the only way to do it is to inflict pain on poorer people.

— Chet Seligman, Point Reyes Station