Marin IJ Readers Forum October 12, 2022 – Marin Independent Journal

Services do not correspond to taxes in San Rafael

I just received my property tax bill. I never complained about paying my taxes. I live in the best state in the union and the most beautiful county in this state. I will pay anything to live here. But I must say that I am very disappointed with what is happening in Marin and San Rafael, in particular.

I don’t know what our supervisors and city council members think. Our parks, Boyd and Gerstle, are so run down it’s sad. Yet the authorities can let a huge new hotel be built on Fifth Avenue and B Street, but find nowhere to live for the homeless living here and there in makeshift slums?

Plus, Fourth Street is a shopping disaster. The Northgate Mall will be reduced when the housing element is built, so it is no longer an alternative. The San Rafael Recreation Center does not offer exercise classes specifically for residents over the age of 55. You have to pay to play tennis or pétanque.

Where are the heads of all these elected officials in whom we put our trust (and our taxes) to do the best for this city and this county? Where do my taxes go other than pensions?

—Joanne Gotelli, San Rafael

Anti-pesticide group supports Damon Connolly

As president of the Marin nonprofit, Pesticide Free Zone, I join board member Kraemer Winslow and community activist Nancy Okada in supporting National Assembly candidate Damon Connolly during the November elections.

As a member of the San Rafael City Council, Connolly worked with constituents to develop an Integrated Pest Management Plan for the city and reduce pesticide use in that community.

As Marin County Supervisor, Connolly supported the Integrated Pest Management Commission eliminating the use of glyphosate in public common areas in the county. Connolly is a legislator who understands the connection between the environment and health. He has a proven track record. He can be trusted to do what he says.

His opponent, who claims to be an environmentalist and national climate leader, was one of the California Coastal Commission members who voted to approve the dropping of 1.45 tons of poison-infused bait on an island at a sanctuary virgin sailor off our coasts. The proposal was adopted by a single vote.

Join us in supporting a candidate we can believe in.

—Ginger Souders-Mason, Kentfield

Greene’s vote against ‘deep green’ is baffling

San Anselmo deserves to be represented by elected officials who will champion common sense measures to mitigate climate change – or at least those who did their homework before voting against them.

In August, the board of directors of MCE (formerly Marin Clean Energy) voted overwhelmingly in favor of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. New customer accounts are “light green” or 60% greenhouse gas free, by default since 2010. However, customers can opt for a second tier. “Deep green” is 100% greenhouse gas free with electricity generated entirely by solar and wind energy.

On August 18, the board voted 18 to 4 to have all new customer accounts default to dark green, with the option to upgrade to light green. The price difference between light green and dark green accounts is 1 cent per kilowatt hour. For an average Marin household, that’s about $60 a year — a cost-effective way to eliminate the carbon impact of our electricity.

San Anselmo MCE representative Ford Greene voted against the measure, opting to keep new customers light green by default. This vote betrayed his commitment as an environmentalist. When he explained this vote to his colleagues at the San Anselmo City Council meeting the following week, he was unable to answer basic questions about the difference between the two levels, such as the difference of cost between “light” and “deep” green. His vote against the proposal could have been more justifiable with evidence of extensive research and analysis.

More progressive leadership is needed.

—Bridget Clark, San Anselmo

Bentley excellent choice for Novato Sanitary Ward

Without a doubt, Dennis Bentley is the most qualified person to run in the Novato Health District.

As a former water and wastewater engineer, Bentley has done it all. In everything he does, including as past Rotary President of the Sunrise Novato Group, Bentley exemplifies leadership qualities and his ability to work well with others. At a time when we have to be very careful with our resources, Bentley is the right person to ensure a good future for all.

With 20 years of experience as a water and wastewater engineer, we need Bentley’s expertise on this board. Vote for Dennis Bentley in November.

—Paz Perry, San Rafael

Civic Center’s tacky horror rave goes too far

The secret is out – the Marin Civic Center is a tacky eyesore. We who noticed “The Emperor Has No Clothes” have generally remained silent, but the recent IJ article celebrating it as a work of genius was just too much (“Marin Civic Center Celebrates 60th Anniversary” , October 5).

Instead of enhancing or celebrating the hilly site, Frank Lloyd Wright destroyed its charm by plunging a straight-line horizontal monstrosity that obliterated the pleasant curves of the small hills. A few arches with dull and unattractive mini “pseudo lobbies” don’t save buildings that just don’t work for the site. Crowning it is the incredibly ill-chosen “robin’s egg” blue roof, which does nothing to beautify or improve the structure. It almost feels like it’s all a tasteless joke.

The Civic Center’s interior, with its silly color choices, fanciful art deco touches, and overall cheap (though it’s been expensive) feel, is eminently uninviting. Trees that grow over multiple floors, using a ceiling-to-floor section, are a nifty gimmick, but that can’t save bad interior design. The gap between the glazed offices and the naughty architectural details gives the final touch. For me, the feeling evoked is “I have to get out of here as soon as possible”.

And then comes the hard part, finding your way. The poorly planned layout, level differences between buildings, confusing elevators and escalators, and generally nonsensical floor plans all but guarantee that first-time visitors will end up in the wrong arch exit. , unable to visualize where (or even at what altitude) they parked their car.

Architecture is not sculpture. Wright obviously never considered the usefulness or convenience of the buildings’ visitors. On top of that, I was told there were leaks.

The great mystery is why Wright, the unparalleled genius of residential architecture, was so utterly unfit for non-residential work.

—Bill O’Connell, San Rafael

The Republican platform cannot be supported in November

A recent letter from Tim Peterson of San Anselmo made me laugh.

He says the Republican Party needs to take control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in order to “clean up the swamp” of Democratic misconduct. After four years of corruption by former President Donald Trump, the current refusal of some to accept a legally won election of Joe Biden by the American people, as well as a willingness to look the other way while fellow Republicans running for office continue to lie and commit betrayal on a daily basis, hardly suggests that Democrats are committing crimes.

We have done more in the first two years of Biden’s presidency than Trump even attempted in four years of mismanaging our country. The current Republican Party should not be allowed near the halls of government of the American people, it has no platform but greed for power and money and we must do whatever we we can to ensure that the midterm elections keep the government and our democracy Democratic.

Don’t be fooled by “Trumpism”, it is a clear and present danger to our democracy.

— Paul Bartolini, Santa Rosa