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ICE keeps focus off
hardened criminals

A young undocumented honor student walks into an immigration hearing with her mother — she walks out deported to Guatemala, wearing only the clothes on her back. She doesn’t even speak Spanish, not a trace of an accent. What was achieved here? Who was made safer? Who benefited?

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These are not criminals. They pay taxes. They contribute. Now their jobs are empty, waiting for Americans who will never step forward to take them. The “benefits” of deportation are nothing but political lies — fabricated talking points for cheap applause lines.

The fallback excuse is always: They broke the law. But that phrase is weaponized, designed to lump hardworking families together with rapists and drug lords. It is dishonest. It is immoral.

Ronald Reagan faced the same dilemma. He chose citizenship, compassion and national strength. Donald Trump chooses cruelty, deception and self-promotion. Deportations like this don’t solve problems. They invent them.

Mark Grzan
Morgan Hill

We should reform
large Powerball jackpots

With upwards of $1 billion in the current Powerball prize, no one person (or even a group) should be awarded such an obscene amount.

I suggest that the drawing process be changed to award a winner(s) sooner before the amount reaches such astronomical numbers: When the estimated winnings reach $250 million or more, draw 6 numbers plus the Powerball. When winnings reach $500 million or more, draw 7 numbers plus the Powerball, and so forth for each $250 million increment. But, still retain the requirement to match just 5 numbers in the draw and the Powerball to win the top prize.

This process still encourages more purchases as the prize total increases.

Frank Swanson
Cupertino

Let’s better plan
transit-oriented housing

Functional criteria are needed for incentivizing transit-oriented developments (TOD).

SB 79 seeks to incentivize market-rate, transit-oriented developments by extremely high density within a half-mile of transit stops. Michael Barnes’ comment in CalMatters raises concerns: SB 79 overturns cities’ state-approved housing elements achieved after spending countless dollars, and the areal spread does not bring the same vibrancy as urbanization along transit corridors.

Few know that new TOD can gentrify neighborhoods and displace lower-income transit users. A far more sensible approach to incentivize TOD is the reduction of the traffic impact fee, based on a realistic assessment of vehicular traffic reduction. State Sen. Josh Becker’s SB 358, if passed, will update how cities determine the fee, and the conditions for qualifying TOD — proximity to grocery stores, schools, daycare, parks, etc.

Careful planning for beneficial TOD is needed, as in cities’ housing elements. SB 79’s bubbles around transit stops won’t do.

Margaret Lee
Sunnyvale

SB 346 would even
short-term rentals

As a resort owner, we welcome guests with open arms and with an open app. We list our rooms on short-term rental platforms to stay competitive. We pay transient occupancy taxes, have required permits and comply with regulations. This is why we support Senate Bill 346.

SB 346 ensures fairness; it doesn’t limit opportunity. The bill requires platforms to share basic data with local governments, allowing them to enforce rules equitably. It’s a balanced way to bring illegal operators into compliance and protect legitimate hosts like us.

Many listings bypass the rules — no permits, no taxes and no oversight. Those operators enjoy the benefits without any of the responsibilities. That’s unfair and unsustainable. We’ve invested in safety systems, insurance and accessibility. Watching others skip these steps while turning a profit is frustrating.

SB 346 is a smart step forward.

Christopher Boettcher
Gualala

Demand that Congress
stop Medicare changes

Remember when Donald Trump said he would not be touching Medicare?

Now he and Dr. Oz are planning a fundamental change to Medicare: Requiring prior authorization for certain services, one of the most hated aspects of private medical insurance, with the decisions outsourced to AI. And the AI companies will be paid based on the value of services rejected.

The GOP invented mythical “death panels” to oppose the ACA, which would merely have paid physicians to advise patients on end-of-life care. Now they support actual AI death panels that will decide whether your continued care is supported by the for-profit system.

The program will initially be rolled out in six states: Arizona, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, New Jersey and Washington. Write to your member of Congress and demand that they oppose this horrible plan.

Will Beatty
San Jose

Rule change threatens
US wilderness areas

Re: “Trump administration presses rollback of ‘Roadless Rule’ on wildlands in U.S.” (Page B4, Sept. 2).

The USDA wants to roll back the “2001 Roadless Rule” that prohibits road construction and logging in specified wilderness areas in 31 national forests. This would allow the timber industry to commence clear-cutting in currently restricted areas.

Executive Order “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production” will have traumatic impacts on essential fish and wildlife habitats. If you do not agree with squandering national forests so the timber industry can harvest public lands, then your action is required.

A protest of this proposal can be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at the Federal Register.

Lenore Kelly
San Jose