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If insurers can’t makemoney, they will leave
Re: “Stepping into the fire is his calling” (Page E1, March 16).
Proposition 103 may have been well-intentioned, but good intentions often lead to unintended consequences. Insurance companies are businesses, not charities — they won’t operate where they can’t turn a profit.
Reform advocates like Harvey Rosenfield ignore this reality, believing the state grants insurers a privilege by allowing them to do business. In truth, when insurers can’t price risk appropriately, they leave. This forces homeowners in high-risk wildfire areas into the FAIR Plan, which is propped up by surcharges on all insurance customers. The result? Responsible homeowners in low-risk areas end up footing the bill.
That’s not fairness — it’s failure.
Brian SuckowPalo Alto
State must boost moneyfor last projects standing
Re: “State begins redistributing $500M for water projects” (Page A1, March 20).
The California Water Commission is looking to reallocate nearly half a billion dollars of Proposition 1 funds that might have been spent expanding Los Vaqueros Reservoir. The desperately needed water storage projects that were authorized by Proposition 1 enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support in the Legislature and were approved by two-thirds of California voters. Over a decade later, none of the approved projects have fully materialized. Santa Clara Valley’s Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project is one of just six proposals left standing.
The CWC needs to recognize the project’s complexity and commit itself to funding a much greater share of the mounting design costs. This would provide additional time for Valley Water to refine Pacheco’s design, evaluate its feasibility, learn the fate of other nearby projects, and consider viable alternatives. If the will of California voters is to be respected, the deliberative process regarding Pacheco needs to be adequately funded.
Doug PetersonSan Jose
S.J. libraries offeraffordable diversions
In 2022, I moved from the Midwest to the Bay Area, and the shock I had when I saw rent prices made me question my decision and change my budget.
Many weekends, I ask, “What can I do for free?” Thankfully I found an apartment blocks away from the MLK Library in San Jose, and that has helped me maintain my sanity and my wallet.
I know that I’m not the only person who has the exact same conversation. Unfortunately libraries tend to be the target when it comes to budget cuts. The city of San Jose needs to prioritize the funding of libraries because it benefits everyone from the homeless to students to people who need a free escape from reality.
Erin FoleySan Jose
NIH cuts will killmedical research
The United States is defunding indirect costs that support basic biomedical research, a tiny fraction of the federal budget.
The National Institutes of Health. the crown jewel of biomedical research, and a key academic and commercial partner, is being cut to the bone. The NIH is the largest funder of biomedical research on the planet. Venture fund investors know that defunding NIH will kill biotech innovation and new co-formation. Research scientists know that cutting NIH funding will destroy careers and years of work leading to new discoveries. Economists, pharma and biotech executives know that biomedical job creation will die. Everyone knows that discoveries leading to new medicines will dry up.
People arise. We can’t let this happen.
Joel HayflickPalo Alto
Trump’s economic agendais the same GOP failure
Re: “Trump’s agenda aims to boost the economy” (Page A6, March 19).
I’m compelled to respond to the notion that Donald Trump’s agenda aims to boost the economy. Trickle-down economics, which grants tax breaks to businesses, has been tried before with underwhelming results.
These tax breaks often don’t translate to job creation, but instead further enrich the wealthy. We give away substantial tax breaks, only to receive minimal economic growth in return.
A more effective approach would be to tax the wealthy and invest in supporting those who need it most. This aligns with the values of empathy and kindness that are central to Christianity.
Let’s focus on creating an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.
Ann MorrisonMenlo Park