Please explain the three years to improve bridge

Can someone please explain, in language simple enough that a child can understand, why, 100 years ago, they were able to build the Empire State Building in a year but it will take three years to rebuild the Murray Street Bridge?

— Michele D’Amico, Soquel

Received suspicious email on SSA tax cuts

I became suspicious when I received a mass email from the Social Security Administration (SSA) on July 3rd, promoting the Big Beautiful Bill, which claims to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits. After checking the IRS website, I discovered that the bill includes a provision allowing individuals aged 65 and older to deduct $6,000 from their federal income, or $12,000 for married couples where both are 65. This senior deduction is available in addition to the standard deduction or to those who itemize their deductions.

However, it’s important to note that this senior deduction is temporary and will only be applicable for four years, from 2025 to 2028. It’s available to individuals with an income of up to $75,000, or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. The deduction is reduced for those with higher incomes and is completely phased out for individuals earning $175,000 or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly.

As a senior, I prefer to receive official notices from the SSA, rather than a mass email proclaiming no tax on Social Security benefits.

— Sean Livingston, Santa Cruz

Many consequences to services with a train tax

In order for a passenger train to become a reality in our county a mega sales tax measure will need to be passed by a 2/3 majority of voters. Early estimates put that increase between 2% and 3%. It’s doubtful this measure will succeed.

Bear in mind that if the RTC continues to move forward with planning for a $4-plus billion train, and they attempt to put this regressive tax on an upcoming ballot, the collateral effect could be devastating for county services.

A train tax will make it almost impossible to pass other bond measures and taxes (sales and otherwise). Future funding for Metro, schools, parks, fire, police, homelessness, mental health, libraries, road repairs and housing all will be compromised.

Add to the fact that if we had the highest sales tax in the state major purchases would be made outside the county, thus contributing to a decrease in revenue.

— Bill Cook, Santa Cruz

Blaming Democrats ‘gets us nowhere as a country’

It is difficult to respond to a fellow member of our Santa Cruz County community who believes that people in one group called “the Democrats“ are filling the airwaves with lies. There are no facts to back this up. We need facts to understand how to move forward in our country together.

Causing more fear and division is not needed at this time. A group called “the Democrats” cannot respond as a group. We can work together as individuals concerned for the future of our country. But blaming a group will never produce that ability. Please back up your opinions with facts …

Fact: We have an upsurge in unnecessary arrests of people with dark skin based on the amount of fear being generated by Americans, calling innocent human beings “cruel non-feeling criminal illegals, who don’t care about their fellow man.”

That gets us nowhere as a country.

— Beth Riley, Santa Cruz

‘Blatant violations’ at Twin Lakes Beach are ignored

With all the budget cuts, why don’t the state park rangers and sheriff’s deputies write more tickets at Twin Lakes Beach for, from what I see, blatant violations like illegal fires, parking and littering? Or at least how about going back to charging to park in our beach neighborhood?

I’m all for visitors respectfully using our beaches. But the ones that come here and severely violate the simple rules, and there’s a lot on summer weekends, should be ticketed. Let’s deter visitors like this by making them financially responsible for the upkeep of our beaches and neighborhoods that they choose to degrade.

— Todd Bunker, Santa Cruz

Battery fires: Risks come with all energy sources

People organizing about the Moss Landing battery fire do not understand that every way of providing energy comes with risks. Obviously fossil fuel contributes to climate change, but powering electric vehicles requires batteries, very powerful batteries, and these occasionally catch fire. We can continue to make them safer, but totally safe may elude us.

— Meade Fischer, Lincoln