Letters: Utility tax | What problems? | Campus climate

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Oppose PG&E’s
utility tax plan

Perhaps the California Public Utilities Commission should be renamed the California PG&E Utilities Commission since it is only PG&E that will benefit if the commission votes in favor of its proposed new pricing system.

Proposed is the highest utility tax in the country — between $400 and $1,500 a year. You could not get out of paying the utility tax, even if you buy zero electricity from the grid. The utility tax would increase the utility bills of millions of people who live in apartments, condos and other homes that don’t use much electricity. This tax would discourage any form of conservation, including turning down the AC, using efficient appliances or installing solar panels.

Tari and Bill Nicholson
Martinez

Columnist overstates
California’s problems

Re: “As governor travels overseas, state economic outlook worsens” (Page A6, Oct. 26).

If Dan Walters did not exist, we would probably want to invent him. He does his best to tell us how gloomy we should be about California.

For example, in a recent column, he tells us that California has the second highest unemployment rate of any state. But 4.7 percent is, essentially, full employment. No need to panic there. Then he harps on the projections of a flat rate of population growth. But doesn’t that give us a better chance to catch up with housing needs and such? Then he speculates that tax revenue for 2022 may come in low, but admits that this may be because of the late filings by many high earners and corporations.

The sky is not falling, Dan. California’s weather is great and our economy is strong. But keep those negative columns coming, just to keep us on our toes.

George Fulmore
Emeryville

War creates tense
campus climate for Jews

Re: “Call the Hamas attack what it is — terrorism” (Page A6, Oct. 18), “Campus tension, grief on rise as conflict continues” (Page A1, Oct. 20) and “Harassment against Jews, Muslims on the rise since Hamas attacks” (Oct. 26).

Your editorial about the Hamas massacres is an important recognition of human rights.

It is a very difficult and painful time for Jewish people who are increasingly isolated, subject to growing hate crimes and hate speech, and whose rights and welfare are frequently denied. At UC Berkeley, Jewish students and faculty lack support and solidarity and are subject to intimidation, harassment, vilification for their identities, and resulting constraints on freedom of their religious, political, ethnic and cultural identities.

This has been ongoing for several years, but has reached a fever pitch since the Hamas massacres. Many Jewish students fear for their safety. Their rights are not being sufficiently protected. Many hide their identities for fear of exclusion and abuse. Justification of the Hamas massacres on campus is routine. This creates a dangerous climate of hostility and fear for Jewish students and faculty.

Noam Schimmel
Berkeley