Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Aug. 10, 2024

Robin Williams still missed by many in Marin

We’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of Robin Williams’ death on Aug. 11, 2014. He died when he was 63 years old.

I was on the College of Marin track team with Williams just before he was accepted to the esteemed Juilliard School in New York for acting. There was much laughter in the back of the bus on those track team road trips.

Many of us remember that, in the summers of 1974-1976, Williams was a busboy at the Trident, a Sausalito restaurant. Later, he entertained us with his comedy when he performed in the Mill Valley Plaza a few times. His local knowledge of Marin provided funny moments for those in the know.

His suicide hit many of us hard.

— Alan Rossi, San Anselmo

Supervisors wrong on Pt. Reyes construction

I am writing in response to the recent ruling by Marin County supervisors on proposed construction in Point Reyes Station (“Marin approves controversial rural housing linked to retail expansion,” Aug. 1).

Congratulations, once again, to the Board of Supervisors, who appear to have opted for money over the wishes of the residents. People pay a fortune to go to Europe and see buildings from thousands of years ago and we can’t save a building from the 1930s?

Why do you think people come to California and Point Reyes? I’m certain it’s not to see a brand new concrete mini-market with a couple apartments attached. There had to have been other ways to get more housing and less destruction in that lovely little town.

Look at Petaluma. Leaders there opted to put a huge shopping center outside of downtown so that the center could continue to have the lovely flavor and looks that it is known for. Some of us remember how hard it was to fight for the open space and our lovely towns.

Hopefully, this will be remembered by more people than me when the supervisors come up for a vote. I thank Supervisor Dennis Rodoni for recusing himself.

— Marie Salerno, Greenbrae

Upgraded Horse Hill path cheaper than Alto Tunnel

In his letter published July 24, Dwayne Price made the incredible suggestion that costs to expand the Horse Hill path for cyclists and pedestrians traveling between Corte Madera and Mill Valley could be equal to or more expensive than reopening Alto Tunnel. Really?

In order to keep the cost of opening the tunnel to $60 million, seven years ago, Marin County consultants felt forced to reduce the width of the tunnel from 16 feet to 11.5 feet. That’s very narrow. If four lanes are needed (to keep cyclists and pedestrians separated in both directions), that means they are each less than 3 feet wide. That’s uncomfortably narrow and extremely dangerous.

Since that estimate was put forth, with the increases in labor costs, concrete, lumber, steel and much more, I would expect the cost to double (at least) to $120 million. Considering all the other issues, such as easements for the use of the tunnel route, it is difficult to deny that the numbers involved to open the tunnel are extremely high for the benefit of relatively few.

Given the tremendous growth in the use of electric-assist bikes, an upgraded Horse Hill multi-use path would be a much more cost-effective way to provide effective transit. This could be done without having to purchase any property.

Don’t be fooled by arguments to open the tunnel. I think they are nonsensical. The Horse Hill route could be upgraded relatively quickly and for significantly less money, no matter the source of those funds.

— Nick Javaras, Corte Madera

New NMWD rate plan is unfair to some ratepayers

According to North Marin Water District officials, my wife and I can expect our bill to go up 20.7% for the year ahead, if we use the same amount of water as last year. This is a nasty surprise for a 70-year-old couple on a mostly fixed income. I feel compelled to warn other NMWD customers who might have missed these July 1 increases.

Tier 1 increased 3.5%, tier 2 increased an exorbitant 19.4% and tier 3 increased by a doubly exorbitant 43.5%. This is happening after NMWD pushed many consumers into the higher tiers. In 2020, tier 2 started after 615 gallons per day were used. Now it starts much lower (262). Tier 3 used to start at 1,845, but now it starts at 720.

“The current cost-of-service analysis has resulted in modest updates to the rate structure, which ensures that each class of customer will continue to pay their fair and proportional share of costs,” said NMWD General Manager Tony Williams in a recent IJ article (“North Marin Water District considers new Novato rate plan,” April 10).

I don’t consider the 19.4% and 43.5% increases “modest.” Additionally, I don’t think that putting all the cost of Stafford Lake water in tiers 2 and 3, as well as all the cost of NMWD’s conservation program in tier 3, is “fair and proportional” to “each class of customer.”

I think NMWD is attempting behavioral change in a punitive way. Beyond certain limits, nothing more can be done, the prices are punitive without purpose or effect. I doubt anyone is wasting water. I suspect tier 2 and 3 customers likely have good reasons for using the water they do. I know I do — irrigation for fire safety.

— Jeff Drust, Novato

Pay corporations to not dump harmful waste

We pay vast cleanup costs for climate change caused by polluters. We’d save trillions if we paid polluters to stop polluting.

Global climate change is largely created by heat-trapping carbon dioxide and other chemicals dumped into the atmosphere and onto the planet by corporate manufacturing processes, and the products they build and that we use.

Corporate dumping is not ethical or moral. You don’t throw your trash into your neighbor’s yard. They do. Some of these corporations are guilt-free, single-minded profit seekers. They only dump because you and I pay for the cleanup. Dumping is cash in their bank.

Cleaning up after the fact is dumb. It would be far cheaper for the public to pay companies to not dump, rather than continue paying the rapidly rising costs of forest fires, increasingly destructive hurricanes, more severe floods, heat-related human deaths, species extinction, coastal protection from sea level rise and so forth.

Public financing of public benefits has a long history. A classic business school example is the coastal lighthouse. It is used by every passing ship, but the lighthouse owner cannot collect a user fee or toll. Similar shared public goods include police, fire, roads, parks and defense. These public goods protect us and our environment. I propose we make not dumping more profitable. (The obvious solution, requiring sustainable manufacturing processes and products, is apparently politically impossible.)

Some corporations scream against any social protections (regulations) that will increase their manufacturing cost. They also scream “socialism.” But their objections would disappear if cleaning up at the source was profitable.

This is a pay-for-performance proposal. You prove you reduced dumping. We pay you.

We’d all win — big time.

— Barry Phegan, Greenbrae

Kamala Harris has shifted positions on key issues

Former President Donald Trump blew it last week when he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris’ ethnicity. He should realize that is not a sufficient reason to vote for or against her.

What I do think is an ample reason is her past push for “Medicare for All,” which would, by definition, be dependent on taking the contributions of those of us who contributed, as I did, to Medicare from age 16 to 72. I also think Harris showed too much support of rioters who were accused of committing crimes during Black Lives Matter protests.

I recognize that her current positions on those items (and regarding issues at our southern border) may be different than they were, but I am reluctant to believe that they will suddenly become set in stone if she is elected.

I wish Condoleezza Rice had run when asked. She would have been an excellent first woman president.

— Peter H. Behr Jr., San Anselmo