Letters: Enforce laws | Push back | Humanitarian aid

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Feb. 22, 2024

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Library closure shows
need to enforce laws

Re: “Library will reopen on Tuesday with armed security” (Page B1, Feb. 19).

The closure of Antioch’s library is a perfect example of what happens when we don’t enforce the law and punish criminals.

We continue to elect liberal politicians who are more concerned with their ineffective social programs than they are with protecting their law-abiding constituents. They have absolutely ruined the city of Antioch just like what happened in Oakland.

Please enforce the law and punish the criminals. The victims here are the general public. Our way of life is being destroyed.

Gordon Monroe
Concord

Cities must push back
on Density Bonus Law

“A Home for Every Californian” sounds like a great idea but sometimes ideas have unintended consequences. Everyone is concerned about the high cost of homes in California but the Density Bonus Law that allows developers to bypass regulations is not the answer.

Community after community throughout California is pushing back against developers who come into their area, using the Density Bonus Law to build “affordable homes” but which, in fact, are large homes being sold for $1.2 million and up. These homes will do little to help alleviate the problem of affordable housing.

The Bonus Density Law is being abused by developers who often do not live in the area in which they are building and care nothing for the community. It is time for Californians to push back against this law and elect officials who will fight to protect our communities and find real solutions to the housing problem.

Kirsten West
Pleasant Hill

U.S. should provide
more humanitarian aid

Re: “Military campaign tearing families apart” (Page A3, Feb. 5).

Thank you for the profiles humanizing the innocent Palestinians suffering the consequences of Israel’s indiscriminate bombing in Gaza.

The reporters cite over 26,000 dead (now more than 29,000); 19,000 children left with no parents or adults to look after them, including Melisya whose relatives were killed; and over 90% of the population driven from their homes. WCNSF, meaning Wounded Child No Surviving Family, is a new acronym now used, all too frequently, to describe one of the unique horrors inflicted by Israel on the children in Gaza

Yet the United States plans to send another $15 billion to Israel for even more weapons but only $200 million to Gaza in humanitarian aid. That’s $7,000 per Gazan for Israel to bomb them and $100 per Gazan for Gazans to survive some more of, and then recover from, the bombing. It would be funny if it weren’t so cruel.

Elizabeth Fisher
Pleasant Hill

 

Cabaldon’s deeds
set him apart in race

For state Senate District 3 Christopher Cabaldon is the best candidate by far.

Cabaldon is a 10-time former mayor of West Sacramento, where he turned a sleepy town into one of America’s Most Livable Cities, increasing jobs and housing, and reducing homelessness by 58%. Assault and burglary rates dropped by more than half.

Cabaldon served as Vice Chancellor for California Community Colleges and created West Sacramento Home Run, a renowned program for preschool through college. Appointed by President Obama to College Promise, Cabaldon got 400 cities to offer free college educations.

A professor at Sac State, and former Chief of Staff for a state Appropriations Committee, Cabaldon has been appointed by five governors to regional and state boards for water, transportation, air quality and health. He is a policy expert with unmatched experience and an exceptional candidate for state Senate.

Vote for Christopher Cabaldon on or before March 5.

Anne Carr
Vallejo