Letters: Ditch ‘summer blend’ | Mystery donors | Vote for Wallace

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Time for state to ditch
‘summer blend’ gas

Re. “Gov. Newsom relaxes refinery rules as California gas prices climb,” Sept. 30:

As the spread between California and national gas prices approaches $3 a gallon, lawmakers spar over eliminating the gas tax or taxing the oil companies. Neither will fix the problem.

Though the Democratic-controlled Legislature claims disdain of the oil industry, they have given the oil companies a gift the greediest CEO couldn’t have dreamt of — a closed market. When you mandate a product that cannot be economically sold outside of the closed market, Economics 101 accurately predicts the end result, a supply-constrained system.

As Gov. Newsom calls for an early switch to winter gas, maybe it is time to re-examine the mandate for the unique blend. Doing so would eliminate the giveaway to the oil companies and market forces would reduce prices; with newer cars on the road, the benefits of the California-only blend have waned since the inception of the rule.

Ken Nishimura
Fremont

Thao must explain
mysterious donors

An Oakland mayoral candidate’s committee may not accept a contribution over $900. It is illegal to use several persons as “straw donors” in order to hide the true source of a larger, illegal contribution.

Candidate Sheng Thao has raised about 45 percent of her committee money from $900 donors, such as attorney general Rob Bonta and developers Michael Ghielmetti and Alex Gevorgian.

However, nearly a dozen other contributors listed at $900 on her Form 460 filings are perplexing: a stocker at a Walmart store, a day care provider, a supervisor at a deli, a casino cashier, a pharmacy intern, three students, a production assembly worker, and a Head Start preschool teacher. These are honorable occupations, but they are not highly paid. Adding to the mystery, none of these persons live in the Bay Area.

Straw donors? Sheng Thao should give voters an explanation – now.

Charles Pine
Oakland

Vote for Dean Wallace
for Pleasanton council

Perspective matters for Pleasanton’s future progress. Dean Wallace is the best choice for Pleasanton City Council District 1.

As a young professional himself, he understands the desire to afford to live in Pleasanton and the challenges young families face. He brings a wealth of experienced collaboration on the very issues challenging Pleasanton today. His ideas are fresh and well laid out on his website.

Let’s reclaim our title as the City of Planned Progress. Join me in supporting our future, vote Dean Wallace on Nov. 8.

Jocelyn Combs
Pleasanton