Cofer can think outside the box
“Sacramento mayoral candidate jabs opponent’s homeless proposal. Did he misrepresent it?” (sacbee.com, Sept. 7)
Dr. Flo Cofer is the best choice for Sacramento mayor. She has the most energy, knowledge and coalition-building skills of the two candidates to address our homeless crisis. She is not an extremist, as some misinformation suggests.
Anyone who has spent time with Cofer knows she is reasonable and clearly willing to listen. Sacramento needs someone who can think outside the box, not the same old, same old.
Gail Marie Erlandson
Sacramento
Opinion
Setting the record straight
“CA bill could spark resurgence in indoor smoking culture,” (sacbee.com, Sept. 6)
In no way does the recently passed cannabis cafe bill, Assembly Bill 1775, threaten Californians’ right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. In no case does it permit cannabis smoking anywhere that it is presently banned; rather, it permits beverages and fresh food to be sold at existing lounges where cannabis use is allowed.
Not a single Californian will be exposed to objectionable cannabis smoke or odors under AB 1775. The bill was written with union representatives in order to ensure that it protects worker safety. It’s telling that the opposition to cannabis cafes comes from anti-smoking advocates who have no intent of visiting them.
Those who do have every right to be served coffee, tea and fresh food with their cannabis.
Dale Gieringer
Berkeley
Playing the fiddle while Rome burns
“Photos | See how Sacramento’s Tower Bridge Dinner celebrated local food in 2024,” (sacbee.com, Sept. 9)
I’m opposed to closing a state roadway so a few hundred people can have a banquet on it. Agree or disagree, there’s no denying the optics of the event are terrible.
We are years into a homelessness crisis. How many of the banquet’s attendees are elected officials who have promised to solve these issues?
I detest this dinner. It’s got a very “playing the fiddle while Rome burns” feel to it. Moreover, it’s another example of Sacramento hiding its baggage and pretending it’s something other than it is.
Tommy Stone
Sacramento
Deliberately misleading
“Stockton residents fight back against wood pellet proposal,” (sacbee.com, Aug. 31)
Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR), supposedly a nonprofit for community benefit, is failing Stockton by falsely claiming that a proposed pellet plant will “lessen wildfire risk and improve air pollution levels.”
GSNR purports that removing trees from California forests will lessen wildfire risk; however, logging will only increase fire risk by reducing wind, decreasing precipitation caused by tree height and decreasing overall wildfire resilience. The logging proposed is purely for the profit of Drax and their wood pellet product.
GSNR also claims that their factory will improve air pollution levels. Yet, there is no possibility that increasing boat, train and industrial traffic in Stockton could ever decrease air pollution — especially not considering the removal of air-filtering trees from our state.
GSNR is deliberately misleading this community to ensure Drax gets its pellet plant. If this plan is allowed, Stockton and California’s forests will forever be at risk.
Luke Zaelke
Chatsworth
“Assembly Bill 1775 does not permit cannabis smoking anywhere that it is presently banned.” Read More