Letters: Local control crucial to coastal towns like Half Moon Bay

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Local control crucial to small coastal towns

Re: “Newsom administration sues Half Moon Bay” (Page B1, July 17).

I have lived on the San Mateo Coast since 1976 and have seen a lot of growth and infill. Unfortunately, with this growth and popularity with visitors, our infrastructure, roads, public transit, and TV and internet availability have not improved. During the last tsunami evacuation directive a few years ago, our two-lane roads were completely stopped by people trying to leave.

Anybody coming here on a sunny beach day knows all too well the traffic jams on Highway 92, a very dangerous and antiquated road. Adding another almost 500 homes will make matters worse. The reality for most locals is to commute by car to good job markets for well-paying jobs, which are scarce here.

Giving the state and federal governments control over local community governance is not a one-size-fits-all good idea.

Bruce Krutel
El Granada

Prop. 45 poll shows state in line with Trump

Re: “Poll points to strong Prop. 45 backing” (Page A1, July 16).

It’s interesting that we now have strong sentiment favoring changes in California’s CEQA legislation. It’s certainly an indication of how far we’ve come from caring about our environment.

It’s astonishing to think this legislation was signed by Ronald Reagan, a Republican revered in conservative circles. Now we’re in sync with a Trump administration that trips over itself dismantling environmental regulations. It’s all well and good to want to streamline the process, shortening review times and mandating time limits on court decision-making, but do we need to be reminded that we have this legislation because people are unwilling to do the right things on their own? Do the right thing.

Eugene Ely
San Jose

Could Oakland closure signal end of charters?

Re: “Oakland charter’s end seen as a harbinger” (Page A1, July 19).

Tragic. Cataclysmic. The death knell on publicly funded charter schools has sounded loudly and will have a grave impact on a movement that at one time showed promise.

The State Board of Education, on a 7-2 vote, shuttered the Oakland Aspire Golden State College Preparatory Charter School by taking no action. The State Board was petitioned by Aspire to overturn the vote to close by Oakland Unified and the Alameda County Office of Education.

This decision essentially shutters the school for next year, sending the hundreds of middle and high school students packing to their neighborhood comprehensive high school, a forced choice hundreds of students and their parents fought to overturn.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown said, “This is an organic institution that has grown up in Oakland. It’s a real tragedy.” I concur with Brown.

The more than 30-year charter school movement should be a topic in California’s race for governor.

Joseph Di Salvo
San Jose

Foreign student limits disregard our colleges

Re: “Foreign students limited to four years” (Page A1, July 17).

I read about President Trump limiting to four years how long a foreign student can stay here. How about making the limit five or six years?

How long a foreign student takes to complete a college education depends on whether a class is only offered once a year. What if that person needs to get a Ph.D., if they need to do a training program or do work in conjunction with earning the degree? They need more time.

Again, Trump is putting hardships on foreign students who will pay more money to come over here and support U.S. universities. How can someone not place more importance on education?

Celeste McGettigan
San Jose

Global celebration contrasts with Trump

Re: “First-ever World Cup Final Halftime Show was an outright winning show” (Page A1, July 20).

Kudos to the Mercury News and Jim Harrington for the splendid coverage of the World Cup finale half-time show, which was rivaled only by Spain’s defensive excellence for pure wonderment.

One cannot, however, ignore the dripping irony that the 11-minute extravaganza, which was a true celebration of international diversity, was performed before the most shameless and unapologetically racist white nationalist president in our country’s 250-year history.

Donald Trump is, without rival, our national embarrassment.

Barry Goldman-Hall
San Jose

Kowtowing Congress threatens nation’s liberty

The U.S. Congress has abdicated its power to Donald Trump, thereby eliminating the checks and balances of the Constitution.

This has led to an unwarranted war, the indiscriminate incarceration of immigrants, unprecedented federal debt, a desecrated White House, the resurgence of fossil fuels and curtailed wind and solar power, a slash in National Park budgets, the elimination of social programs and scientific research, the use of the office for personal gain and federal overreach that threatens our personal freedoms. Additionally, the Department of Justice has become a personal tool of the president, thereby eliminating fair and equal treatment under the law and instead allowing Trump to pursue his perceived enemies and to strip the judicial system of experienced and qualified lawyers and judges.

The Republicans are allowing Trump to steer a sinking ship with no intervention. It will be hard, if not impossible, to reclaim the United States that once was.

Claudia Parker
San Jose