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Structure of VTA
must be changed
Re: “Report says VTA was ‘misleading’ about project costs” (Page A1, Jan. 19).
I find it shocking that the Valley Transportation Agency’s own auditor found staff lacking transparency and provided misleading information about the BART project. I also find it very difficult to believe the VTA Board of Directors did not discover this earlier. How can this be?
Grand jury reports have found the VTA is heavily staff driven and the VTA board lacked the experience and focus necessary to properly set policies and provide oversight to the VTA staff. The reports recommend changes to the structure of the board.
No surprise here after all. The only surprise is that the auditor found a way to write the report and publish it before being silenced. It is well past time the government structure of VTA was changed. But, will it be changed? Don’t hold your breath. Remember this the next time they ask to increase your taxes.
Norman Kline
San Jose
State must tighten
plastic bag ban
Plastic pollution is a serious issue that is hurting the environment and threatening our health. Thankfully, California has made strides to combat this issue through bills that ban certain plastics and require sustainable disposable methods. One way California can continue to make the state more environmentally friendly is by passing a stricter plastic bag bill.
In 2014, California passed SB 270 which banned single-use plastic carry-out bags. That being said, why are plastic bags still being given to customers? This is due to plastic bag manufacturers exploiting the language in the bill to be unaffected by the law. As the bill denotes that only single-use plastic bags are banned, manufacturers are making their bags with thicker plastic to be considered multi-use.
This unsustainable practice must end. California needs to enforce and pass stricter measures to combat plastic pollution and banning plastic bags is a great way to do so.
Amy Arnes
Sunnyvale
EV conversion
must be equitable
Re: “New rules would require charging outlets” (Page B1, Jan. 15).
Thanks for the article highlighting the topic of transportation, San Jose’s top source of CO2 emissions.
As a leader of San Jose Youth Climate Action, I know our future depends on bold, immediate action to mitigate climate change. Rapid electrification is critical to achieving our city’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 — and must be done equitably.
The cost of EV charging in multifamily homes can be five times that of single-family homes. San Jose’s building code should require assigned parking spaces for all new apartment or condo units with parking, directly wired even for unbundled spaces. This provides affordable at-home charging, the main barrier to EV adoption.
Climate change demands care for both our planet and its people. San Jose, take this opportunity to ensure equitable charging for multifamily residents and help secure a sustainable future for all of us.
Daphne Zhu
San Jose
