Letters to the Editor

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Apr 30, 2009 | by Anonymous

Simple! No Navy ships, no guided-missile destroyers, no planes, no helicopters, no unmanned drones, and no rerouting ships on longer routes.

Presto -- no hijacked ships and no hostages, for a fraction of the cost.

John Brna

Pinole

Subtle taxation?

Traffic fines used to be punishment for a traffic violation.

Now, a new state bureaucratic decision means that out of a $436 red light violation, $100 is for punishment. The other $336 can be used in 10 or more different ways.

I'm sure the person paying the fine is relieved to know how light the punishment is. Could this be another subtle way of taxation?

As usual, those hardest hit are the unemployed, the underemployed, and other poor people. With the current financial conditions, the state's timing is marvelous!

Little wonder ballot initiatives are necessary.

Leo Garfield

El Sobrante

Give Salazar a chance

Since becoming Secretary of the Interior in January, Ken Salazar has been rubbing a lot of powerful people the wrong way as he's called a halt to the Bush administration's rapacious attacks on the environment.

He has demonstrated that he cares far more for our nation's legacy of public lands than for the oil and gas companies. He has cancelled oil and gas leases on the edge of Utah's stunning Red Rock country, eliminated destructive shale oil development, and made clear he shares President Barack Obama's commitment to conservation and renewable energy development.

After eight years of being coddled by the Bush administration, the oil and gas industry leaders are mounting severe attacks on Salazar, trying to undermine his efforts to protect our environment from them.

Secretary Salazar needs to be applauded and encouraged for his strong stand against these greedy titans!

Elizabeth Claman

Richmond