Supes miss the obvious question on Moss Landing

An online petition to stop future battery storage facilities in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties is a no-win scenario. Do we really want to live with candles as our only source of energy like it’s the 1600s?

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors’ symbolic vote for an independent investigation already in place of the Moss Landing incident is just white-washing the obvious question: Should communities that have no infrastructure first in place be allowed to continuously build housing in areas where industrial sites are located to be built? Simply — No!

Time for stronger infrastructure safety designs, proper housing zones and better local government decision-making from elected representatives who are just buying time like this board or waiting for another disaster and reinventing the wheel on the dais, once again.

— Jeff Staben, Soquel

PRT has been successful elsewhere; great fit for SC

I’ve written several letters to the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) supporting personal rapid transit (PRT) as a great fit for Santa Cruz. I’ve never gotten a reply or see them acknowledge it even exists.

I’m glad to see a letter from another supporter (Jan. 29).

PRT has been used quite successfully at West Virginia University and is celebrating its 50th anniversary (https://prt.wvu.edu/).

Read up on PRT and see if you don’t agree it’s a good idea.

— Pureheart Steinbruner, Aptos

PG&E VP says utility is stabilizing electric rates

PG&E is listening and addressing your concerns. In 2025, customers will see more stable electric rates compared to last year.

In January, most residential customers saw electricity costs drop by 4% or $11, helping offset gas price increases. This means, that if you’re usage hasn’t increased compared to last year, your combined gas and electric bill remained flat.

We’re working hard to further stabilize bills through 2026 by cutting costs, improving efficiency and pursuing nontraditional financing sources without compromising safety.

For example, customers could see an additional $16 monthly decrease in their electric bill in the next 6-12 months if the CPUC approves PG&E’s request to issue bonds to spread vegetation management costs over a longer period.

We want you to know we’re making progress. Learn more about what were doing to lower energy costs at: www.pge.com/en/newsroom/currents/energy-savings/about-energy-rates-whats-ahead-and-how-to-lower-energy-costs.html.

— Teresa Alvarado, VP, PG&E’s South Bay/ Central Coast Region, Santa Cruz

No comparison between the Holocaust and Gaza

To the letter writer (Jan. 28) who equates the millions of people tortured and killed just because they were Jews with the Gaza war displacement of Palestinians: How dare you! Especially on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The Holocaust was a systematic attack on a specific group of people just because they were who they were. Six million Jews were killed among thousands of others.

Israel is trying to defend itself from terrorists who want their country wiped off the face of the earth. The poor people of Gaza are pawns of Hamas. What has Hamas done for their people but keep them poor, uneducated, ignorant and hungry? I feel for these poor people but there is no comparison between the Holocaust and what is happening in Gaza.

— Cindy Jarrold, Santa Cruz

As Trump breaks laws of the land, supporters yawn

Trump is breaking, stretching and bending not once, not twice, but who knows how often and how much the laws of the land. Yawn! He is throwing his considerable weight around as he abuses his powers with gleeful abandon. Fires, illegally, 18 inspector generals. Lindsay Graham, on the firing, with a shrug says, yeah, a technicality. He is trying to rewrite the 14th Amendment. Meh!

Presidents aren’t supposed to enrich themselves while in office. Did the Republicans now meeting in Doral, one of Trump’s properties, not get the memo on the emoluments clause? How about making millions selling a Trump and Melania bitcoin while he is pushing cryptocurrency? Boring! Giving TikTok a reprieve even though Congress and the Supreme Court concurred to ban it? Oh well. Americans voted for him and are getting their money’s worth. And it’s only just begun.

— Christine DeLapp, Aptos