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SJ minimum wage
should be a living wage

San Jose’s minimum wage is going up to $18.45 an hour next year. That sounds good, but it’s nowhere near enough to actually live here. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment is about $3,000 a month, and the cost of food and utilities keeps rising. Even someone working full time can barely cover the basics. As a student, it’s impossible to keep up with a school schedule and have enough to live on, too.

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People shouldn’t have to work two or three jobs just to stay in the city. San Jose needs to raise the minimum wage closer to a real living wage (what it actually takes to survive here) and also adjust it annually for inflation.

If we want to keep people in our community, we need to pay them enough to live here.

Kaya Juncker
San Jose

Opinion piece misleads
on county spending

Re: “Should Santa Clara County raise sales tax? No, end excess spending first” (Page A9, Oct. 12).

In Sunday’s opinion piece advocating a no vote on Measure A, Pat Waite claimed that the fact that Santa Clara County’s budget is larger than that of 19 states is evidence of wasteful spending, but that is misleading.

It is important to note that Santa Clara County’s population is greater than any of the 12 smallest states, according to 2025 census data. And as we well know, California, and especially the Bay Area, has a higher cost of living than most of the rest of the country.

So the size of Santa Clara County’s budget is not an indication of fiscal mismanagement. It is likely mostly due to the size of the population and the cost of living.

Paul Gregory
Palo Alto

Yes vote on Prop. 50
is an F for democracy

In a democracy, each vote should be counted and have equal value and effect as other votes do. Gerrymandering makes the vote have a different value depending on the district it is in.

Proposition 50 proponents are effectively saying, “We have to destroy democracy in order to save it.” At the same time, gerrymandering ensures the reelection of politicians already in office. If you like politicians, vote yes on Proposition 50.

John Cormode
Mountain View

National leaders should
keep it simple on budget

Re: “Health care issues fuel D.C. impasse” (Page A1, Oct 14).

All that our Congress and the president need to do right away to resolve the shutdown is to utilize the age-old principle of Keep It Simple Stupid.

Congress should pass a bill to continue all current health care measures of the ACA for another year, which will placate the Democrats to sign the funding extension. Then Congress should use that year to work out an overdue bipartisan health care program that both Republicans and Democrats can live with.

Get on with it.

Frank Swanson
Cupertino

ICE actions spread
fear and division

The current situation with ICE agents has many people on alert. I am writing to express how this has caused many individuals to experience deep feelings of anxiety and fear, as I have.

This is a threat and harm to those who are being impacted, especially the Hispanic community. The Hispanic community has been the target of ICE. This type of action spreads fear and division across our communities. Families are being torn apart, and many people live in constant worry about their safety and future.

My question is, why do people from other races and ethnicities think they will not be affected? Injustice toward one community ultimately affects us all, and we must speak up before this fear becomes our new normal.

Lizette Diaz-Axomulco
San Jose

Ceasefire is a win
for world’s terrorists

In the news and analysis on Gaza, there is something missing. Gaza can’t be free and democratic without the consent of Gazans.

A plebiscite is needed to determine whether Gazans continue support for Hamas. A solution imposed by outsiders will not prove viable. The predicted end of Hamas is problematic. Hamas has not disarmed and shows no sign of doing so.

Not to minimize the emotional value of hostage release, the current euphoria is not validated by realistic appraisal. Israel has not solved the tunnel problem that contributed to the attack. A two-state solution will result in another attack sooner or later.

Hamas has reaped enormous benefit from its attack. Israel has paid a heavy price in prisoner release and loss of moral credibility. Other Western nations, in spite of recognition of Palestine, suffer increasingly virulent anti-Semitic attacks.

It’s terrorists everywhere who should be encouraged by the ceasefire arrangement.

Fred Gutmann
Cupertino