Double parking in city is an epidemic
Double parking in San Francisco is at epidemic levels: Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, FedEx, UPS and the list goes on. When will City Hall wake up and start a rigorous ticketing of this abusive, rude and illegal practice? The funds collected could be directed toward street repair and our citizens could have a true double win.
Rick Swain, San Francisco
Donate the money
Regarding “Welding program idle, lacks teacher” (Dec. 3): Otis Taylor Jr. reports that John F. Kennedy High School in Richmond has been unable to hire a welding teacher because it offers a salary of only $54,000 while welders can make $90,000 to $110,000 out in the world. At the same time, he reports that both Chevron and the Port of Richmond are in need of welders. Hasn’t anyone suggested that Chevron and/or the Port of Richmond donate the roughly $50,000 it would take to solve both the school’s problem and their own? That seems like an easy, obvious win-win solution.
Bob Roden, Berkeley
Endow the position
Regarding “Top Giants owner: Criticism hurts but racist label ‘untrue’ ” (Page One, Dec. 3): If Charles B. Johnson would like to do something immediate and positive, he could endow the welding teacher position at John F. Kennedy High School in Richmond.
A million dollars would be a good start, and if he’s worth $5 billion as noted in The Chronicle, that would be a pittance for him. Unlike political donations that have unknowable results, this school program should produce clear, measurable benefits to the community almost instantly.
Robert Nyden, Palo Alto
Wrong focus for bishops
Regarding “Why Catholic bishops stay quiet about immigrants” (Dec. 2): I have two comments on Celia Viggo Wexler’s excellent article. No. 1, I agree completely that the U.S. bishops have been too focused on sexual morality and have been glossing over other important issues, especially issues of social justice. If our bishops and priests do not preach about the morality of social justice, how do we learn the church’s position? If clergy don’t tell us to welcome the stranger, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, then who will? No. 2, isn’t it ironic that after more than 50 years of preaching about sexual morality, it was the clergy’s own sexual immorality that led to their own “loss of moral authority?” To reword a quote from William Shakespeare, “They were hoisted by their own petard.”
Ron Hoverstad, Stockton
Earned pensions
Thank you for “Pensions are promises state must keep” (Open Forum, Dec. 4): Our state’s teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters are unsung heroes whose important work impacts all segments of our population. Their unions carefully negotiated contracts so that their workers could have a livable pension upon retirement. These contracts must be honored, or members of these noble professions will face poverty as senior citizens.
Nonunion and private employees mistakenly believe these pensions are “free money” when, in fact, they are based on employee contributions of anywhere from 8 to 10 percent of their monthly salaries to state retirement systems. To those who make higher salaries in the corporate world and resent state worker pensions, I pose this question: Would you be willing to devote your entire working life to lower-paying public service jobs, as California’s teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters do? They have certainly earned the pensions they receive upon retirement and deserve our gratitude.
Ulysses Alexandrou, Novato
U.S. on the sideline
Why doesn’t President Trump have hats printed up that say “U.S. on the Sideline”? His refusal to acknowledge climate change and the role humans play is not putting America first, it is an attempt to push us backward. The world is going through a transformation, including climate change and the remaking of the world economy. We will not only be harmed directly by sea level rise, increasing wildfires and decreasing crop yields. We are being harmed because we are not doing more to participate in the coming transformation of our energy sector. I am glad that an American delegation at least went to the Climate Summit. I am also heartened that a bipartisan group of U.S. representatives has introduced HR7173.
This bill would create a national carbon fee for the purposes of efficiently limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Revenue raised by the fee would be returned to Americans in the form of monthly rebate checks. I want to see more leadership at the national level from our senators and representatives on the issue of climate change.
Cynthia McLaughlin, Redwood City
Trade imbalances
Concerning “Trading delays” (Editorial, Dec. 4): President Trump’s declaration of a “incredible deal” having been made with China’s President Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit is as empty as the “great deals” that used car salespeople promise on late-night TV commercials. The fact that both countries merely agreed to suspend their tit-for-tat tariff war does not resolve underlying trade imbalances and intellectual property theft issues. Once again, Trump has displayed two unfortunate character traits on the international stage: puffery and buffoonery.
Nigel Llewlyn, South San Francisco
Know your neighbors
Regarding “Porch piracy epidemic worst in nation” (Dec. 4): If Amazon customers in the Bay Area are tired of having their deliveries stolen, as described by The Chronicle’s Heather Knight, here’s a simple solution: Get to know your neighbors.
A good neighbor can either take in a delivery box that is left on your doorstep or be on the lookout for poachers and report them to the police. In this age of online anonymity, its still worthwhile to engage, face-to-face, with the people who live near you.
Claire Rosenthal, San Francisco