Letters to the Editor 05.24.18

In The Walls

No one should have to live like this (“A Seaside family’s search for a healthy home reflects the human cost of the housing crisis,” May 17-23). Monique Garretson | via Facebook

Thank you, Monterey County Weekly, for this article. The region is in desperate need of quality, affordable housing. The status quo of systematic opposition to increasing and improving housing stock serves the few at the expense of the many. Looking forward to disrupting that status quo in Seaside. Craig Malin | via web

Editor’s note: Malin is city manager of Seaside.

Mind the Gap

In the May 17-23 issue, separated by just a few pages and by an enormous gulf of well-being, we read of the following: 1) A family living an apartment so disgustingly Dickensian that the children are literally sickened (“A Seaside family’s search for a healthy home reflects the human cost of the housing crisis”); 2) The transportation travails of the less fortunate and disabled – no car because gasoline is too expensive, and even getting to medical care is a day-long excursion (“More help is on the way to get seniors and disabled residents moving in Monterey County,”); and 3) Zoning Administrator hearings for two houses in Monterra, which would each have more than 4,700 square feet and more than 1,000-square-foot garages (“Public Notices,”).

These extremes in the way our culture separates poorer and richer, and which are widely predicted to become worse, does not bode well. Some might say that we are well on the way to becoming the society depicted in the movie Elysium. I suspect we’re already there. Eric Tyle | Monterey

On the right side of Page 8 of this week’s issue, you report county visitors “injected” $2.85 billion into the local economy during 2017, a 3.5-percent increase over 2016 (“Good Week,” May 17-23). On the left side of the same page you report the county had to compromise with oil companies over Measure Z because of a $36 million budget deficit (“Recent Posts”).

Although $36 million is less than 1.27 percent of $2.85 billion, it appears all that incoming cash isn’t really going where it’s needed. Joe Snyder | Monterey

Ride On

I enjoyed Pam Marino’s cover story (“More help is on the way to get seniors and disabled residents moving in Monterey County,” May 17-23). I’m a retired senior and a non-driver by choice due to poor eyesight. When I moved here from San Francisco I was initially disappointed by this area’s limited public transportation options, but I’ve now grown used to them.

The article sometimes gives an impression that bus riders are unfortunate people, unhappy with their situation as they have less freedom. While I’m sometimes frustrated by infrequent buses and long walks to bus stops, I’m content to not be dependent on a car which I’d have to pay for, park, keep fueled up, maintain, and insure… and drive very, very slowly. I’m glad I’m not among the ranks of angry and stressed-out drivers I encounter on a daily basis!

Cities should experiment with a “car-less” day where the only options are buses, cabs (along with Uber and Lyft) and car-pooling. Such a day might help people to see how non-drivers cope, and to feel the unusual freedom that comes with non-reliance on a vehicle. It might also give drivers a sense of profound respect for the privilege and responsibility that come with car ownership. Helen Rudnick | Seaside

It sounds great what MST does. However, couldn’t it be done cheaper and in a more environmentally friendly manner than carrying just a few passengers in huge buses of the size appropriate for big cities, like San Francisco, where they are usually full?

For decades I have been counting passengers in buses, and most of the time (except rush hour) they just have 1-2-3-4 passengers, or NONE. How efficient is this? I asked my city’s representative on MST board this question more than once. The answer was that they need capacity for rush hour. Really, ALL day?

Could such disregard for efficiency be possible if it was a private company? How long would it survive?

Jerry Juskie | Marina

We need to have a teen driving service for the elders! Terri Pitton Dickey | via Facebook

Meat Eaters

We’ve had rib-eye, sirloin steaks and yummy sandwiches (“The Meatery: How a Seaside butcher shop is elevating the transparency and flavor of their products,” May 17-23). This place is the bomb! Darla Jo VanSchuyver | via Facebook

Very nice article! Can’t wait to eat there. Linda Smith | via Facebook

They’ve yet to hit their full stride, find their focus or offer something not already available elsewhere in town. I don’t think there are enough hipsters in Seaside to let them pay the rent.Kenneth Chrisman | via Facebook

Round and Round

I hope the new owner will still keep it as a record store (“Recycled Records in Monterey is up for sale,” posted May 16). We need more record stores. Kathey Norton | via Facebook

I literally grew up here in my teens!! This is sad. Laura Barajas Jones | via Facebook

Hazy Taxes

Keep making it difficult for farmers, packagers, businesses in general to make any profit and you’re handing the reins right back to the black market (“Fearing economic collapse, cannabis growers lobby for sharply reduced county cultivation tax,” May 10-16). Government – screwing up the simplest of tasks! Crissy Soares | via Facebook