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Cortese bill on school
funding is a start

Re: “California school funds remain inequal 54 years after key ruling” (Page A6, April 15).

I was shocked to learn that, even in 2025, California’s school funding remains unfair just as it was back in 1971.

It is outrageous that a child’s education still depends on the ZIP code where they live. Wealthy districts continue to thrive, while others are struggling with limited resources. This is not equality in education.

State Sen. Dave Cortese is stepping forward to fix this by helping schools that can’t raise enough through property taxes, but this is just a start.

States must fully commit funding to schools based on the students’ needs, not on neighborhood wealth. Every child in California deserves the same opportunity to succeed, no matter their ZIP code. It’s time we do something about this problem, as all students deserve better.

Diego Reyes
San Jose

Modest raise not enough
for Gilory’s teachers

Re: “Gilroy teachers union and school district reach tentative deal” (Page B1, April 17).

The tentative agreement between Gilroy Unified and its teachers is a step in the right direction; but it can’t be the finish line. The modest 2.5% raise, support for special education teachers, and better health benefits show respect for the people shaping our children’s futures.

But respect should be sustainable. As a community, we must ensure this contract is just the beginning of an ongoing commitment to teacher well-being and retention. With the cost of living rising and burnout affecting educators across the state, we can’t afford to lose good teachers to better-paying districts; or worse, to other careers.

I urge the Gilroy Board of Education to approve this deal on May 8 and commit to future increases that reflect the value of our educators. Let’s invest in teachers the way they invest in our kids: deeply, and for the long haul.

Elicia Baron
Santa Cruz

Policy changes could
help strapped youth

Re: “What $100,000 is worth in the largest U.S. cities in 2025” (April 15).

A recent article reveals a harsh truth: In California, even a $100,000 salary is no longer enough to ensure a livable wage. As a resident, I often worry about the cost of moving out. Whether renting or buying, the expenses feel overwhelming. Securing a six-figure job takes years of hard work — yet in cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, that income barely covers essentials. The article reflects a deeper issue: Hard work no longer guarantees financial stability.

This is not sustainable. Policymakers must address the widening gap between wages and the cost of living. By reconsidering wage policies and investing in affordable housing, we can begin to restore balance and opportunity for working Californians.

Picture a future where young Californians like me don’t have to choose between staying home or going broke. I’m urging lawmakers to act now to make California more livable for all.

Madison Ramirez
Gilroy

Letter writer must
have missed joke

Re: “Tariff strategy was built on another lie” (Page A8, April 13).

Larry Guernsey berates economist and Trump adviser Peter Navarro for citing “a supposed economic expert named ‘Ron Vara’ … a made-up person, a bald-faced lie … based on a fraud, like much else in this administration.”

But surely it is obvious that “Ron Vara” is an anagram of “Navarro” and that Peter Navarro was having some (rare) fun.

It’s an old literary device. One of the characters in “Lolita” is “Vivian Darkbloom,” an anagram of its author, Vladimir Nabokov; and Dan Brown’s “O, Draconian Devil” and “Oh, lame saint” turn out to be Leonardo Da Vinci and The Mona Lisa.

Peter Brodie
San Jose

Improve mental health
access to save lives

Mental health deserves more attention, especially in underprivileged communities where stigma and lack of access prevent people from getting help. In 2024, a 14-year-old Santa Clara student died by suicide after being bullied for living in a youth shelter. His story is a tragic reminder of how urgently we need better mental health support.

I volunteer with NAMI Santa Clara County to raise awareness and connect people with resources. But community action is essential. We can all help by starting conversations, supporting our peers, and advocating for better mental health services in schools and neighborhoods.

No one should suffer in silence. Together, we can break the stigma and build a more compassionate, informed community.

Duong Nguyen
San Jose

Trump flouting the law
demands our pushback

Of our constitutional guarantees, two held special significance for me during my 13 years as a public defender (I’m also a USMC veteran): the Fifth Amendment guarantee that “No person shall … be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” and the Eighth Amendment prohibition against “cruel and unusual punishments.”

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Donald Trump violates these by rendering persons to a Salvadoran torture/death Gulag, outraging me, as it should every decent American, and impelling our duty to speak out, as per the poignant, post-World War II poem by German pastor Martin Niemöller — initially an antisemitic Nazi supporter, later serving as a U-boat commander, later trained as a priest, then imprisoned in concentration camps for his criticism of the Nazi regime — which begins, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.”

Garth Smith
Santa Cruz