LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SDG&E knows it can keep raising its rates

Re “Your SDG&E rates are going up again soon” (Oct. 18): News of higher San Diego Gas & Electric rates comes as inflation eats away at the budgets of San Diego area families. The average raise is $15 per month or $180 more each year in electricity charges for SDG&E customers.

The article makes some comparisons to for-profit investor-owned utilities but misses out on comparison to public nonprofit utilities like the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. SDG&E was already the most expensive utility in the nation. Your comparisons with other profit-making utilities do not give the public a fair, clear picture of how it is being gouged to enrich the stockholders.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilmembers Sean Elo-rivera and Jen Campbell knew SDG&E was the highest-priced utility and knew more demands for profitable rate increases were coming before they granted a new, long exclusive franchise and eliminated the protections to keep rates low. John Stump City Heights

Don’t fall for deceptive city parkland measure

Re “Vote ‘no’ to defeat this poorly thought-out proposal” (Sept. 29): Masquerading as a benign child care program, Measure H is actually a public land grab. Once private contractors can take over prime beach and park space, they will proliferate as did the roller skate operators who once blighted Balboa Park. Larry Stirling Bay Ho

Re “U.S. awards $2.8B in grants for EV batteries in 12 states” (Oct. 19): How generous of Joe Biden to grant (give) our taxes to industries, however good and necessary. Why not a loan instead of a grant? When any company earns a profit from our grubstake, it should be returned, plus interest. Pay us back. J.L. Ravetti San Carlos

Twenty companies in 12 states are sharing this boost to domestic manufacturing thanks to the infrastructure bill. This investment in our future would never have occurred had every single GOP House member in 11 of the 12 states who voted no on the bill prevailed. On the Senate side? Companies in Alabama and Tennessee were awarded funds and all four corresponding GOP senators voted no. In four of the states receiving grants, just one of the two GOP senators supported the measure. Refresh my memory: Which party is looking out for American industry and jobs? Bruce Johnson Normal Heights

Youth today don’t know what they are missing

If you didn’t live when America was great, you don’t know why/how. It can never be great again.

The environment was logical, faith-based. The economy was “cash and carry.” A household could live on a one-person income. It was the responsibility of every adult to correct anyone’s child who displayed disrespectful behavior. I never understood the principle of punishment until I read material by an old door-to-door pots and pans salesman, Lee Dubois. He writes, “The only way a person changes their value system is through a significant emotional event.”

When our parents found out that someone had corrected us, we received a second significant emotional event. James Pope El Cajon

GOP is telling you just what it is going to do

Re “Mccarthy: No ‘ blank check’ for Ukraine if GOP wins majority” (Oct. 18): Are we all paying attention? Republicans said aloud what they are going to do.

National law against abortion? Think this is hyperbole? Remember the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade? They plan to use the debt ceiling to force spending cuts to Social Security, Medicare and to end help to Ukraine, causing market disruption and job loss, as happened during Donald Trump’s “reign.”

And you know they once again will cut taxes for rich people, because of course rich people shouldn’t pay taxes. And there is always the lying about the 2020 election fiasco that will continue to reverberate. And more shrinking of federal agencies that need people working for them to meet our needs.

Climate change? Gone! DACA? Gone! Immigration, racism and guns will be high on their list.

Listen to their words. Your vote has consequences for our democracy. Barbara Mitchell Oceanside

Don’t give vandals the attention they want

Re “Protesters vandalize Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’” (Oct. 15): It is quite disturbing the vandalism and damage these protesters are doing to historical artwork and museums. It is clearly understood that these tactics are specifically geared towards getting media attention, so why are you giving it to them?

My advice would be to stop printing the photos of them and at the very least block out their faces. Donna Mangus Encinitas

Tim Riley a hero for helping foster youth

Re “Carlsbad man recognized for helping foster youth at Voices for Children” (Oct. 13): The definition of a hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievement or noble qualities. I nominate Tim Riley for this hero award.

He volunteered 10 years ago with a group called CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), whose volunteers’ goals are to provide the educational, medical and emotional support that their foster children need. He says his biggest honor is that he helped six young men and that his reward was that “all six of my case youth grew into independent young men.”

I thank Tim for his “heroic” deeds and CASA for taking such good care of the foster children. Patricia Mcfeaters Oceanside

Happy to see Padres, not Dodgers, advance

Kudos to writers Kevin Acee, Kirk Kenney and Bryce Miller and to the photographers for their excellent photos of our Padres finally finishing off the Dodgers.

I appreciate all of the editors, printers and everyone else at the Union-tribune who stayed later than usual to get out the outstanding news about our Padres.

I will be sending all of the Padres columns and photos to family members in Philadelphia, who were born and raised in Chula Vista. They are Padres fans who will enjoy reading and seeing these treasured accomplishments by a San Diego sports team — our Padres. Ed Duffy Chula Vista

I live in the Los Angeles area. But I am a Giants fan. So I just wanted to say thank you, Padres! Stephen Greenberg Santa Monica