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Letters: Measure E | Climate strategy | Women’s sports | Cease-fire support | Women’s health - The Mercury News

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Letters: Measure E | Climate strategy | Women's sports
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Letters Letters Represent the opinion of the letter writers.

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Feb. 28, 2024

By Letters To The Editor

February 27, 2024 at 4:30 p.m.

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Election letters cutoff

Wednesday at noon is the last day to submit letters pertaining to the March 5 election. To submit a letter, please fill out the form at eastbaytimes.com/letters-to-the-editor. We do not accept letters by email.

Vote no on

Alameda Measure E

Measure E is a regressive, exorbitant tax on some homeowners of an astounding almost $2,000 a year.

At $0.585 per square foot, that is $1,170 per year for a 2,000-square-foot house and $1,755 per year for a 3,000-square-foot house. Ironically, the tax contains a cap that means owners of very large buildings will pay less per square foot.

It is being sold as an “educate the children” measure, but it is entirely unnecessary. Having taught math in high school, I can attest that money is not the issue. The issue is resource allocation and a top-heavy bureaucracy. This measure will only feed that bureaucratic beast.

Please vote no.

Jack Knutson

Fremont

Biden should accelerate

nation’s climate strategy

A “ New Biden administration proposal would slow down nation’s shift to electric vehicles,” (Page A1, Feb. 18) by not limiting sales of gasoline-powered vehicles until 2030.

That would drastically postpone President Biden’s most ambitious strategy to combat climate change. Our planet is reaching the tipping point of irreversible climate change if immediate action is not taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Melting ice is diluting Arctic saltwater which will shut down the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation mechanism that keeps interconnected ocean currents flowing.

That will disrupt the climate globally with freezing temperatures in Europe, shifting Asian monsoon rainfall patterns, and reversing Amazon rainy and dry seasons with powerful storms, heavy rainfall and extreme heat.

President Biden should restrict tailpipe emissions.

Republicans in Congress should support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, H.R. 5744, which would establish a gradually increasing fee on carbon that would be returned to every adult in equal payments.

Mark Altgelt

Vallejo

Pump up coverage

of women’s sports

Re: “ Female ump works game in spring training” (Page C4, Feb. 25).

Hip hip hurray for Jen Pawol, a woman who was covered in the Sports Section. No photo, but hey, it is national news that a woman umpires a major league game — albeit, a spring training game.

I would like to see more coverage of women’s and girls’ sports. It is out there.

Miriam Schalit

Hayward

Demand that U.S.

support cease-fire

On Feb. 20, the United States was the only country out of 15 to veto a UN Security Council resolution draft that would call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Since the terrible Oct. 7 Hamas attack, there have been almost 30,000 Palestinians killed, there is starvation and disease, and Gaza has been destroyed. It is obvious that policies must change in order to create a two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This is required for there to be peace with justice in the area, and it must start with a cease-fire now.

What can you and I do? Contact our president, our senators and representatives, and insist on a cease-fire now, an end to the supply of U.S. weapons for Israel, and continued involvement until peace and justice are achieved. Without a change in policies, a larger Mideast war can easily occur.

Arlene Reed

Diablo

Support candidates who

value women’s health

The World Health Organization states that “abortion is a human right and an essential health service that must be respected, protected and fulfilled.”

We have read newspaper accounts of girls as young as 10 who were raped and denied abortions. Because a 10-year-old’s body is not fully developed, pregnancy and childbirth can cause severe harm. Forcing a raped 10-year-old to carry a pregnancy is cruel and inhumane.

An estimated one in four pregnancies end in spontaneous miscarriage. In states that criminalize abortion, many women are afraid to seek the care that they need fearing that they will be arrested. Healthcare providers are afraid to provide care fearing fines, loss of license and arrest. Thus, in states that ban abortions there is an increase in maternal morbidity and mortality.

What can we do? Vote for candidates that will support reproductive freedom on a state level.

Danielle Wohl

Orinda

Related Knowledge Center: Climate legislation

State of Play

The federal government and states are in the process of implementing two laws — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — an investment of more than a trillion dollars to address climate change.

More informationabout Climate legislation

Letters: Measure E | Climate strategy | Women’s sports | Cease-fire support | Women’s health - The Mercury News

Related Knowledge Center: Climate legislation

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