Port Commission reverses O’Neill building decision

The Port Commission meeting held Sept. 24 was a standing-room-only affair. There were so many in attendance, some had to stand outside. This certainly would not have been the case were it not for the recent Sentinel Guest Commentary written by Commissioners Dennis Smith and Darren Gertler that described how, in the previous meeting, with no public input or knowledge, three of the five commissioners voted to rename the Jack O’Neill building omitting O’Neill’s name and thus not recognizing the enormous contribution he made to harbor an so much more.

Due in very large part to the persistence of Commissioner Smith, there was a subsequent vote 3 to 2 in favor of retaining Jack O’Neill’s name on the building.

For the record (and possibly future voting consideration) the two commissioners voting to delete Jack’s name were Stephen Reed and Toby Goddard.

— Michael Funari, Santa Cruz

No on Prop. 36 op-ed: No accountability

Sometimes I can’t help myself. After reading the op-ed by Carolina Valle and seven organizations regarding Proposition 36 I felt an urgency to respond. They’re totally opposed to correcting the problems that were addressed by the passage of Prop. 47 in 2014. One of the primary areas that I fully support my tax dollars being spent on is law enforcement and containment of those who commit crimes, regardless of how small the crime may appear. In their appeal to defeat Prop. 36 they announce that “punishment shouldn’t be a response to poverty and poor health.” Really? Just because someone’s poor or in poor health they should be allowed to break laws knowing full well that it’s just not the right thing to do?

What on earth has happened to accountability in this liberal state that was once an amazing and safe place to live? They reject opposition from “Home Depot, Walmart and Target to protect their bottom line.” Really? Their bottom line is the reason we have businesses to rely on when we need goods. Good grief people!

— Elwin Haddix, Ben Lomond

Incarceration doesn’t work: Vote no on 36

Vote No on Proposition 36! In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47. Among other things, Prop. 47 reduced many minor crimes, including minor thefts and victimless crimes like simple drug possession, from felonies to misdemeanors. This helped reduce prison populations and created funding for treatment programs that are designed to keep people out of jail. Keeping people out of jail saves money, reduces discrimination against poor people and people of color who make up the large majority of incarcerated people, and keeps all of us safer.

The county’s chief law enforcement officer, Sheriff Jim Hart, who nobody has accused of being “soft on crime,” endorsed Prop. 47. Prop. 36 would roll back many of the beneficial reforms of Prop. 47, costing billions of dollars, and taking money away from treatment programs that have been proven to work.

Evidence establishes that incarceration does nothing to reduce crime or recidivism. Increasing incarceration is a terrible idea — No on 36.

— Peter Gelblum, Boulder Creek

Column on late-term abortions was ‘garbage’

I object to my subscription fees being used to publish such badly researched articles (“Late-term abortions are not a myth. They’re happening.” Opinion, Sept. 22). I didn’t read the Atlantic article columnist Kathleen Parker refers to. But I did take the trouble to look up the website of The Boulder Abortion Clinic at https://www.drhern.com. Parker clearly didn’t, because, on the front page, they do talk about first, second and third-trimester abortions. So, yes, they do sometimes happen later in pregnancy. And this is how they describe them, “Our staff have extensive experience working with people who have recently discovered, late in a pregnancy, a catastrophic fetal anomaly or genetic disorder that may cause death, suffering, or serious disability for the baby that would be delivered if the pregnancy were to continue to term.”

That is why reputable doctors perform late-term abortions, and why patients seek them. Nowhere on the site do they say anything like what Parker says they do. You should be ashamed of yourselves for printing such garbage.

— Chris Finnie, Boulder Creek