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Thirsty pot plants
are bad for dry state
Re: “Did legal marijuana help or harm Californians?” (Page A1, Jan. 28).
In response to the front-page article Jan. 28 about marijuana, its use and sales, the article omitted water issues.
Marijuana is a thirsty plant. California has water shortages. A plant growing outside consumes about 6 gallons of water per day in the season, June-October. That is more than is used by wheat, corn or cotton. Later in the year, it requires less: 2.5-2.8 gallons per day per plant.
Growing indoors allows control of the environment. There are websites that assert the plants have been hybridized to need less water. These sites are from companies involved in the marijuana industry.
Do the math: If the outdoor plant needs 6 gallons and the indoor, hybridized plant needs slightly less, so what? These companies are growing hundreds or thousands of plants all of which need slightly less per plant, but a whole lot more per crop.
Carmelita Nager
Sunnyvale
Vanessa Sandoval has
council qualifications
On Jan. 18, I attended a District 2 in-person candidates forum at Southside Community Center. Hands down Vanessa Sandoval is the most experienced and qualified candidate for San Jose City Council representing District 2.
Her experience and qualifications are impressive, and so is her legacy as chief of staff for Councilmember Sergio Jimenez and working hand in hand with community members. As a mother and experienced, active member of San Jose, she has a vested interest in making her home city a safer, cleaner and more prosperous city.
Debbie Hilpert
San Jose
Vote for Nijmeh to
shake up status quo
Re: “Tribal chair Nijmeh makes push to unseat longtime 18th Congressmember Lofgren” (Page A1, Jan. 13).
Charlene Nijmeh’s candidacy for California District 18 representative has done something rarely seen in Bay Area congressional districts: A longtime incumbent stands challenged in a primary.
That is the whole purpose of the primaries, except that it is hardly ever met. The competitive primary implicitly raises questions of term limits as it is monumental for a challenger to overcome an incumbent’s name recognition.
Charlene’s background, a tribal chairwoman who founded a recycling business, is refreshing as well as unconventional. It is our chance to challenge the status quo. I hope people in California’s 18th District choose Charlene as their representative.
Marisol Diaz
San Jose
Support effort to
roll back utility tax
Re: “Utilities’ fixed-fees rate plan targeted” (Page A1, Feb. 22).
Thank you to the authors and co-authors of AB 1999, Assemblymembers Gail Pellerin, Marc Berman, Evan Low and Alex Lee, for listening to their constituents and taking action to stop the big utility tax.
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If the Legislature doesn’t pass AB 1999, the utilities will charge most ratepayers a utility tax ranging from $30-$70 a month.
The proposed utility tax is uncapped with the potential to grow. Even a $30 a month utility tax will increase bills on millions of working and middle-class households already reeling from PG&E rate increases (with no end in sight) and penalize rooftop solar and energy conservation.
It is imperative that our state legislators pass AB 1999 before the California Public Utilities Commissioners vote to set the monthly tax in June.
Please contact your state Assembly member and senator and ask them to co-sponsor AB 1999.
Rebecca Elliot
San Jose
