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Ballot-proof affordable housing proposals

Re: “Housing plan goes to voters” (Page A1, July 27).

Half Moon Bay’s decision to place a long-delayed affordable housing project on the November ballot feels like déjà vu. Two years after this project received a green light from the city, opponents have exploited one of the biggest loopholes remaining in California’s housing approval process — undercutting local plans and leaving dozens of families in the lurch by putting this 40-unit project to a citywide vote.

This strategy is being employed in many other parts of the state to slow or kill affordable housing — including Menlo Park, Grover Beach and Livermore, where opponents tried to force an Eden Housing project into an expensive ballot measure campaign before it could proceed.

There is a straightforward way to close this loophole: If Gov. Newsom and the Legislature really want cities like Half Moon Bay to stop dragging their feet on building the affordable homes their residents need, they should ballot-proof affordable housing.

Linda Mandolini
Hayward

Yes on Prop. 43 to uphold voters’ intent

Re: “Prop. 43 spurring fight on tax vote” (Page A1, July 27).

When voters decided that a two-thirds threshold was necessary for any tax increase, government leaders went crazy looking for a workaround.

They appeared to have found it by arranging for most tax measures to be done through the initiative process rather than be honest and put them on the ballot themselves. This way they get free of what they call the “tyranny of the minority” and get what they want. Proposition 43 scares them because the people are telling them that we’re weary of endless tax increases. If their projects are really vital, the politicians should be able to convince two-thirds of the electorate that the tax is vital. It’s called accountability.

We were not confused when we voted for the two-thirds threshold, and we were not ambiguous. I am no anti-tax nut, but I am voting yes on 43.

George Mathews
Antioch

Oakland schools must create a new paradigm

Every year we hear the same discussion about school budgets, declining enrollment, school closures and financial crises. Oakland Unified is often portrayed as a failing district, but perhaps we are asking the wrong question.

The real issue may not be the people running our schools — it may be the system itself. Our school districts were designed more than 150 years ago for an industrial society where children walked to neighborhood schools, and teachers were the primary source of information. Today, students learn through technology, AI, community organizations, internships and experiences far beyond the classroom.

Instead of repeatedly trying to repair a model built for another era, we should begin reimagining public education for today’s families. Oakland has an opportunity to lead that conversation by creating schools that serve as community learning centers and by preparing students for a rapidly changing world.

The mission of public education is not to preserve old institutions.

George Lerma
Oakland

US government was not intended to be Christian

Re: “Bible to be required reading for students at schools in Texas” (Page A4, June 28).

The groups pushing for Christianity to be taught in public schools in Texas do not seem to be very well educated themselves. The Founding Fathers were very clear. It was definitively stated in the Treaty of Tripoli, which was ratified by the Senate and signed by the president, stating, “The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion.”

Drop the mic. End of story. It could not be more clear.

Only around 65% of Americans consider themselves Christian. Many of those are non-practicing. Pushing one religion on everyone should never happen in this country. It’s ignorant, disrespectful, inconsiderate and just plain rude. Also, I’ve found many Christians have not studied the history of other religions or even how theirs came to be formed. They just accept it without questioning or learning religious history. It’s not for everyone.

Kit Miller
Walnut Creek

Trump’s Qatari jet is obvious graft

Recent news reports described the security problems of the Air Force One airplane given to Donald Trump by Qatar. Trump responded by trying to find out who leaked the story. Reporters focused on us taxpayers potentially having to pay millions to upgrade the plane’s security, in addition to the millions we’ve already paid.

But no one is focusing on what happens to the airplane after Trump leaves office. It should not become his personal possession. That would be a prohibited bribe which the Constitution calls an “emolument.” In addition, if the plane were taken out of service, it would need to be decommissioned. We taxpayers could cough up more to take all the security stuff out of the airplane.

Trump’s corrupt acceptance of this illegal bribe should merit impeachment, removal from office and judicial consequence. He certainly shouldn’t be allowed to keep this “gift.”

Bruce Joffe
Piedmont