Letters: Utility tax | Faux originalists

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for April 4, 2024

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Pressure Legislatureto stop utility charge

As expected, last week the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proposed a new fixed charge for utility bills — $24 a month for most ratepayers — that is twice the national average and will raise bills for millions of Californians.

The CPUC’s proposed utility charge will increase electricity bills on millions of people who live in apartments and small homes, as well as solar users.

The Legislature can stop the utility charge. Only sustained public voices will give lawmakers the backbone to stand up to the utilities.

Please call your assemblymember and state senator and tell them not to be fooled by the CPUC’s proposal.

Rebecca ElliotSan Jose

GOP are originalistswhen it’s convenient

Re: “Originalists needed on the Supreme Court” (Page A6, March 29).

This nonsense about originalism has to stop. An allegedly high-minded justification for adhering to time-honored principles, it is invoked when it is convenient and conveniently abandoned when it is not.

Samuel Alito, the originalist’s originalist, didn’t find enough in the Constitution to prevent women from making their own decisions about their bodies so he had to invoke 11th and 14th century thinkers to justify this violation of the 14th Amendment. Originalists, finding the Second Amendment’s references to a well-regulated militia inconvenient to enabling their gun infatuation, conveniently ignored the amendment’s original language which was written to deal with a time when the nation had no standing army and needed a fall back position to deal with the British.

Republicans complain about a lack of respect. Start by being honest about your motives rather than creating contrived rationalizations for your desires to restrict the freedoms of Americans.

Eugene ElySan Jose