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Measures’ effect on Prop. 40 absent in op-ed
Re: “Prop. 41 ensures independent audits of tax-funded programs” (Page A6, Sept. 17).
Steve Westly in his op-ed fails to mention that if Proposition 41 and Prop. 40 (the billionaire wealth tax) both pass, but Prop. 41 passes by a higher margin, it invalidates Prop. 40. Prop. 42 would also invalidate Prop. 40 the same way.
Billionaires funded the yes on 41 and 42 efforts precisely to sabotage Prop. 40. Even if either would be good law, their purpose is to kill Prop. 40, which is a much more significant move to reduce our egregious wealth inequality.
Westly’s failure to divulge the heavy and secret consequences is not only sneaky, but it’s also a serious ethical lapse. I urge him to explain and apologize.
Doug McKenzie
Berkeley
Newsom should throw newsrooms a lifeline
Re: “Newsom should sign bill to bolster state’s newsrooms” (Page A6, Sept. 11).
Thomas Jefferson said he would prefer newspapers without a government to a government without newspapers. Yet, because of costs, thousands of local papers have shut down during the past 20 years, and others have become thinner, while social media makes it easy to disseminate fake news without public scrutiny.
We need local journalism to inform us on topics ranging from road hazards and pancake breakfasts to local and state politics. AB 2222 would provide tax credits to newsrooms for hiring full-time and part-time journalists. Urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign it before its Sept. 30 deadline.
Karen Lee Cohen
Walnut Creek
Addressing students’ needs isn’t a form of bias
Re: “Group files civil rights complaint, citing bias” (Page B1, Sept. 14).
Public school teachers learn that assessment drives instruction, related services and the funding for interventions and supports.
Back in 2002, President George W. Bush signed No Child Left Behind, a comprehensive program that disaggregated student data identifying underperforming groups. Then it generally linked funding to school districts based on their responses to these trends. We were able to identify a national achievement gap between different subgroups in ELA and math starting in third grade, which led to lower graduation rates.
Now, President Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon are co-opting the pedagogy. Stating that White females are being treated with bias because they do not have a special program is ridiculous. A school district studying student outcomes and responding to those needs is not bias; it is responsible and best teaching practice.
JJ Kael
Oakland
Prop. 45 weakens needed protections
As written, Proposition 45 weakens California protections for clean air and clean water.
Especially during these times of federal rollbacks of environmental protections, California must defend the laws that protect our public health, air, land and water. Big corporations are spending millions of dollars so they can build polluting projects with less public oversight. Prop. 45 shifts costs to taxpayers to pay the clean-up bills for big corporations’ polluting projects. Prop. 45 rolls back protections for public health and our air, water and land from toxic chemicals.
Voting no on Prop. 45 keeps protections strong for our public health, our air, land, water and wildlife habitat.
Janice Schroeder
Berkeley
Speak out against Trump’s census plan
Since 1790, the United States has done a complete count of its population every 10 years.
However, the census is now in trouble because the Trump administration has proposed sweeping changes. The changes would undercount residents, restrict the type of information that is collected (such as demographic information, including race and ethnicity), and sow further mistrust of federal institutions. In addition, the administration is rushing, disregarding the typical 90-day public comment period.
This may sound bureaucratic and removed from our daily lives, but the proposed changes would have profound local effects. The census is essential for city and county planning, assessing social trends and determining representation in Congress. I urge people to get informed at handsoffourcens.us, then make a comment in opposition to the reckless and damaging proposed changes in the Federal Register or to members of Congress.
Paul Gilbert
Emeryville