OAKLEY, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: Jersey Island, right, Bethel Island, left, and Taylor Slough are seen from this drone view in unincorporated Contra Costa County near Oakley, Calif., on Thursday, May 26, 2022. The Ironhouse Sanitary District owns the island and there are plans to work with a developer to add a marina, hotel, 450 waterfront homes and an exotic wildlife park to the nearly deserted island. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
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Central San should
broaden diversity
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District’s Board is considering four candidates for its open board seat, in Division 3, Walnut Creek.
Central San’s 75-year history has never included a person of color on its board. It has predominately been older White males. This has slowly changed with the addition of two White women and needs to continue on this trajectory to bring in more diversity. Central San could benefit from diversity to more accurately reflect the composition of our community.
Of the four candidates, two are women of color, while the other two are older and white. It is time to make governing boards reflect the diversity of the people they represent. Central San’s Board should choose either Florence Wedington or Mona Gupta.
Boards need to recognize diversity, equity and inclusion to promote better decision-making, prevent blind spots while making board decisions and reach a broader community.
Caitlyn Smith
Walnut Creek
Gas price spike are
unrelated to oil prices
Oil prices surge after OPEC’s production cut. Just watch pump prices soar immediately.
Everybody seems to forget that gas prices today should not reflect oil prices today. There is on the order of a six-month difference between crude buys today and gas arriving at stations.
This is where Gov. Gavin Newsom should be focusing his attention. And Congress should be reining in commodity speculators. They are the largest contributors to the outrageous prices we pay, way more than the oil companies.
Bruce Onken
Fremont
NYC indictment only
start of Trump’s troubles
Re: “Trump indicted” (Page A1, March 31).
Just saw in the headlines that the Manhattan DA’s office has indicted Donald Trump for paying hush money — finally.
That’s only one of his many crimes. What about the findings of the Jan. 6 Committee? Was their work for nothing? The evidence is directly in front of everyone’s faces that he’s a criminal and needs to be imprisoned. Why is it taking so long for that to happen? He is a clear and present danger to this country yet so many everyday Americans, including those in Congress, are ignoring his criminal actions and want him in the Oval Office again.
I guess it’s impossible to underestimate the intelligence of so many of his supporters.
Ramona Krausnick
Dublin
Lack of postal service
should inspire outrage
I’m old enough to remember the debate in Congress on the subject of ending Saturday delivery of mail from the post office. The United States Postal Service was losing money. Debate was ongoing and fizzled out with no decision reached, no legislation created.
Not much has changed. The Postal Service continues to lose money. What has changed is the increasing and worrisome situation of the absence of mail delivery, to residential addresses, for days and weeks at a time. I subscribe to Informed Delivery and get a daily email regarding the mail I should find in my mailbox, so I know what’s not being delivered.
My question: Why am I not reading reportage of this increasing violation of federal law? Why am I not seeing letters to the editor on the subject? I understand, and share, the outrage about gun violence and political malfeasance; this should occasion expressions of outrage as well.
Trish Elliott
Oakland
Congress must establish
accountability for courts
It is clear that the judiciary has been hijacked by an anti-democratic conservative movement, especially the Fifth Circuit and the Supreme Court, and is actively working to undermine the efforts of the elected branches.
I urge my representatives to take action to reform the judiciary and restore its independence and integrity. It is imperative that Congress take a leadership role in addressing this issue. The following actions should be considered:
1. Expand the size of the SCOTUS to restore ideological balance to the court.
2. Investigate the undue influence of partisan groups on the judiciary.
3. Increase transparency and accountability in the judicial branch by requiring judges to disclose their financial and political affiliations.
4. Strengthen the independence of the judiciary by limiting the influence of political parties and special interest groups on the appointment and confirmation process.
I urge my representatives to take immediate action on this critical issue.
Steven McClellan
San Pablo