Letters to the Editor 06.25.26

On the Books

Well look at that, they did their damn job (“Monterey City Council approves budget following the failure of the Measure D tax increase,” June 18-24). — Miguel Renteria | Monterey

Congratulations to the Monterey City Council for coming up with a balanced budget in these challenging times, certainly not an easy task. Your dedication and hard work is sincerely appreciated — Derek Dean | Monterey

No more quick fixes! Early retirements need to be looked at! [City Manager] Dante [Hall] is the right man to do the job. — Uwe Grobecker | Monterey

It would be great to get the group [Friends of Alvarado Street] to fund street powerwashing, planters, benches, flowers etc. (“The First Amendment can be expressed in countless ways, such as painting a crosswalk,” posted June 18). Our downtown is so grimy – it doesn’t give tourists a reason to come or locals to hang out. — Anna Wilson | Monterey

Over Taxed

I’m not surprised (“Board of Supervisors pass on luxury real estate transfer tax, citing lack of support,” posted June 19). Taxpayers are tired of our leaders continuing to raise our taxes due to their fiscal mismanagement. Budgets are created and approved every year for a reason. Our leaders should treat the tax payers budget as their own and not over spend! Enough is enough! — Jose Mendoza | via social media

In the Weed

Wow, that isn’t fair (“The winner of P.G.’s first cannabis license lottery is a company with multiple entries,” June 18-24). Eight out of 10 were the same company? That’s BS! — Cheryl “Rebelle” Robinson | Prunedale

Chain weed stores, like Starbucks and McDonald’s. — Chad Castle | Carmel Valley

Good! Just open something already! As a consumer, I could care less about “fairness.” I just want to buy some smoke without having to drive. — Kevin Stoll | Monterey

Tech Titans

It’s Jeff Bezos’ world, we just live in it (“The arrival of Amazon ushers in the Silicon Valley era of Salinas, and all the impacts that come with it,” June 18-24). — Arno Featherstone | Seaside

The view used to be so beautiful. I can’t believe they let this happen. — Kristina Solorzano | via social media

What an eyesore. Used to be a beautiful agricultural field. — Eric Palmer Sr. | Monterey

Monterey County doesn’t need any of this. — Ted Glennon | via social media

Beginning of the end. — Brad Copeland | via social media

I sure hope the Salinas Planning Department has done their homework, researched and planned for the massive water usage and water pressure limitations, in case there is a huge Amazon warehouse fire. In the last week alone, there have been several huge warehouse fires that did not have enough water supply or water pressure to put out their fires, one in LA and one in Tracy.

If that were to happen here in Salinas then we will have thousands of acres of agricultural crops and people’s air, homes and yards being contaminated and poisoned. — Shauna Lynn Davis | via social media

Animal Planet

This is fantastic (“Spay-and-neuter ordinance in unincorporated areas moves a step forward,” posted June 17). — Karen Sheppard | Pacific Grove

Can we instead support funding for spay and neuter at an affordable cost? How can this be enforced? I feel like people will be less likely to reclaim and keep their pets. I want all pets spayed and neutered so I support the idea, but wondering if this is the best way. — Kari Wolf | via social media

This is sure to provide relief to Hitchcock Road Animal Services down the road and hopefully it will become easier to hire and retain employees. I advocate for the shelter workers as much as the animals. What a heartbreaking job they have.

I just received Seaside’s May 2026 intake report to the SPCA. May 2024: 55 animals (before ordinance); May 2025: 25 animals (six months into ordinance); May 2026: 15 animals (one-and-a-half years after ordinance).

One animal control officer for a [33,000-person] population, big results! Thank you to the City of Seaside for showing what is possible! Thank you Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo and all of the Board Of Supervisors for voting! — Lisa Nall Sears | Monterey

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Long overdue! — Martina Shaw | Salinas

Take Root

Yikes! Salinas’ Adopt-a-Tree sounds like a great program, but has a grossly ill-advised tree list (“Good Week,” June 18-24). Of the 36 recommended, only a whopping five are natives, and way too many of the others are either highly invasive pest trees or extremely messy. Imagine sidewalks littered with tripping hazards, stained by debris, requiring near daily clean-up by the hapless homeowner, and “volunteers” sprouting up everywhere you least want them.

Salinans, do your homework, so you don’t end up paying to water your worst nightmare. To the City: Vet your preferred list more thoughtfully to create the urban oasis you hope for. — Nancy Howden | Monterey

Menu Plan

All of that plus she is funny, kind, humble and exudes grace (“Food and giving have always been a part of Les Dames d’Escoffier board president Rachel Mueller’s life,”June 11-17). Our Les Dames chapter is lucky to have you Rachel! — Tamie Aceves | Pacific Grove