Letters to the Editor 10.01.26

Flock of Cameras

Definitely a double-edged sword. I love the crime-solving abilities after the crime. But the potential privacy/data mining abuse is a real concern. Good decision (“County supervisors vote to take down all sheriff’s Flock cameras,” posted Sept. 22). — Dennis Kirby Plummer | Spreckels

Wow. That’s bold leadership. — Christian Parley | Monterey

Good news! At least it’s a speed bump in the tracks of the coming surveillance state freight train. — Michael Steelman | Monterey

Some folks are unlikely to be kidnapped. I, however, would be happy for any evidence that is available because I’m not doing anything I need to worry about. If you’re not doing anything unconstitutional, you should have no worries (“A community-led group forms to oppose law enforcement’s use of surveillance technology,” Sept. 17-23). — Kathy Keeler-deHaaff | via social media

They need to convict people using them for nefarious purposes. They should only be viewed with a search warrant by authorized law enforcement. A misuse of the system should result in consequences. — Evelyn Bass | Gonzales

There is no expectation of privacy in public spaces. They do not violate the Fourth Amendment. Abuse of the information, if it occurs, is a separate crime that should be prosecuted if proven. — Mark Demel | Monterey

Seeing Signs

It seems incredibly petty for the city to make such a major issue out of campaign signs being posted only one to four hours early (“Seaside mayoral candidate Alex Miller is fined for posting political signs early,” Sept. 17-23). Alex Miller made a minor timing mistake, not some serious offense that harmed the community. Spending time and resources pursuing a $7,000 fine over a few hours feels disproportionate and unnecessarily punitive.

The city should focus on issues that meaningfully affect Seaside residents, rather than making an example out of a technical campaign-sign violation. — Jared Wiegand | Seaside

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Everyone understands that rules matter, but there should also be some common sense and perspective in how they are enforced. Do people get a speeding ticket for going 5mph over the limit? No. This wasn’t a campaign trying to ignore the rules for days – it was a matter of a few hours. The city’s decision to pursue such a steep penalty over something so minor comes across as petty and disproportionate. Seaside has much bigger issues to address, and residents deserve better than seeing city resources focused on this. — Shanda LeBoeuf | Seaside

All sign restriction ordinances have lost in court time and time again. This is nothing new and has been litigated many times for over 20 years. The average cost to cities is several hundred thousand dollars. All for a few hours. Someone is making a political point. — Roland Soltesz | via social media

Measure for Measure

I love Celia Jiménez and Pam Marino’s take on the Measure H initiative in Salinas (“The fate of rent stabilization in Salinas moved from town halls to city council and now to the ballot box,” Sept. 17-23). The Yes on H folks failed to acknowledge and realize that landlords have an unfair advantage in the court system with evictions so tenants need an extra layer of protection with the ordinances proposed in Measure H. That’s why Salinas residents need to vote No on H! Repealing the protections puts the tenants back in the clutches of the court system, essentially stripping tenants of any protections from predatory landlords. — Eloise Shim | Salinas

It is one tool and not a solution to the overall problem. Examples of positive outcomes do exist in California where policy actions have been taken, in addition to rent control, to ensure development is also encouraged. The reality is we already have statewide rent control but renters are often left to figure that out (and how to enforce it) on their own. — Mark Ackermann | via social media

As a past mayor of Marina, I oppose Measure Q (“Our endorsements on local ballot measures and state propositions on the Nov. 3 ballot,” Oct. 1-7). Nothing requires the tax be utilized for police or fire facilities. Misleading statements falsely allude the purpose of the new tax precisely for this.

Where is a plan for the amount of funds and revenue sources that will be needed long-term for these critical facilities and services? Why hasn’t this issue earlier been elevated to a priority? Why hasn’t some initial effort with existing funds occurred? — Jim Perrine | Marina

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As part of Marina’s Citizens Facility Advisory Committee, we volunteered our time to help the expert come to a solution. Our City of Marina needs to build. Two years ago I campaigned for Measure U, however it did not pass.

The responsibility of building our City of Marina will lay in the hands of the people who live in our city. It will take all of us to do it.

I ask for support for our police and fire departments, the people who are there for us to keep us safe everyday. — May Holland Dungo | Marina

Park n Ride

They should run a free shuttle from the Barnyard or Crossroads Shopping Centers to Point Lobos to free up parking and congestion along the highway (“Monterey County Supervisors move to pursue no-parking restrictions near Point Lobos,” posted Sept. 22). — Shawn Adams | Monterey

Money Matters

A key duty of local leadership is working effectively with state and federal agencies to secure funding and execute public projects (“HUD audit found money problems with Monterey mayoral candidate’s assisted living facility,” Sept. 24-30). An active federal exclusion status or recurring state tax disputes raises practical questions about a candidate’s ability to seamlessly navigate intergovernmental relationships on day one. — Barrie Riddoch | Monterey

Licensed facilities care for elderly and infirm folks, who count on owners to follow the law. When you do things that impact a community that cares for dependent adults, I question your ability to run a city ethically. — Kymm Navarette | Salinas

Water Way

Christopher Bunn [of the Salinas River Management Unit Association] rightly observes that the Pajaro River is an encouraging example of a public flood project (“Letters,” Sept. 10-16). The Salinas River is not the Pajaro. On the Pajaro, land is managed by a public agency for a single purpose. On the Salinas, most of the floodplain is privately owned.

Here, flood-reducing work is done through the Salinas River Stream Maintenance Program, a partnership of the Resource Conservation District, Water Resources Agency, Farm Bureau, and landowner-led River Management Unit Association. Participation is voluntary. That is a property choice and it leaves a risk where owners do not enroll, but it is not the absence of a program.

Flood preparedness extends beyond the Salinas River. The Water Resources Agency monitors storm activity and coordinates with the County Department of Emergency Management when flooding is predicted. Nacimiento and San Antonio dams provide the greatest flood reduction.

Until there is landowner agreement on an alternative, the voluntary program remains the charted course. — Ara Azhderian | Carmel

Note: Azhderian is general manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.

On Trail

So awesome to see this result (“Ensen Community Park in Salinas expands with a 67-acre restoration area,” Sept. 17-23). Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard on this project. — Barbara Bastian | via social media

Just Jazz

Just a wonderful event. Thank you, Monterey Jazz Festival (“The Monterey Jazz Festival’s theme, ‘Only in Monterey,’ rings true in its 69th outing,” posted Sept. 28). — James R. Goulart | Moss Landing

Film Rolling

Kudos on your pledge to go back to the movie theaters (“Saving Maya Cinemas is good for the movies – and more broadly, for downtown,” posted Sept. 15). Unfortunately, especially in the summer, there isn’t much for an adult to see. On the other hand, those action movies do bring in families and teens which appears to have bumped up theater profits.

I make it a point to check out the Cinemark online once a week to see if there’s anything interesting. See you at the movies. — Ruthie Carter | via email

Family Restaurant

Great food and great people! (“After closing a longtime barbecue location, Johnny Carmona reinvented himself at Pajaro golf course,” Sept. 24-30.) — Debbie Lerma | Watsonville

They are the best! — Maggie Alba | Watsonville

Correction

A story about allegations against Vince Malfitano misstated the details of an account reported by a dental assistant in California Dental Board records (“In Monterey’s election for mayor, challenger Vince Malfitano seeks to unseat the incumbent,” Aug. 27-Sept. 2). She did not claim Malfitano placed her hand on his groin, but that as he “pulled [her] hand toward his groin area [the assistant] pulled her hand away from respondent’s grip and told him that his behavior made her feel uncomfortable.”

In addition, the story described unwanted sexual touching as “sexual assault,” a term that does not appear in the Dental Board’s report. It has been updated instead to use the Dental Board’s term “sexual misconduct.”