A suggestion on a new name for Cabrillo

Cabrillo College is taking suggestions for a new name through Feb 22, after which a task force will meet to bring forward a proposal. I’m a lifelong resident of the area, former Cabrillo student and employee, community advocate, and a descendant of early California settlers.

Spending a million dollars on a name is an enormous expense of limited resources, as well as political capital, in a small community of taxpaying voters. Wouldn’t such costs be better spent on community college students themselves, many of whom need such resources to advance future generations? Endow a scholarship for indigenous and undocumented students whose fates are the subject of this debate.

But, what better way to acknowledge the indigenous inhabitants of the area, than a naming ceremony of Amah Mutsun College cementing their legacy into our present-day reality in perpetuity, honoring this exquisite place where we all agree we are lucky to be.

— Anna Vaage, Aptos

Author takes hypocritical advantage of capitalism

In reference to the Feb. 16th Sentinel interview of Marxist author John Holloway, I note his books, “Cracking Capitalism” and “Hope in Hopeless Times”.

In the interview, Holloway goes on about, “The fact that our relations are mediated through money is a disaster ...” Capitalism depends upon a few being able to exploit the many.”

I find that the book, “Cracking Capitalism” paperback via plutobooks.com is $33. Evidently, Mr. Holloway is not only a capitalist, but also a hypocrite.

— DC McCavitt, Santa Cruz

Commission correct in approving 915 Water

I watched the Planning Commission’s approval of 915 Water Street. I heard many compliments from neighbors and commissioners about how hard the developer worked with the neighborhood to address their concerns, including more parking than legally required and adding EV charging stations. The commission asked for more affordable units. The developer replied they had included as many as possible (complying with legal requirements), but adding more would result in increasing the rents for the rest of the units, undesirable for other renters.

A recent letter writer misunderstands the 20% affordable requirement, which is calculated on the base units and not the density bonus units. If he wants to change the law, he should pursue that, but the Planning Commission’s mission is to ensure current laws are followed, and that is exactly what it did.

I am grateful to the commission for voting to pass this much-needed rental housing development.

— Steven McCarty, Santa Cruz

Find ways individually to combat changing climate

I read Michael Lewis’ Feb. 14 Guest Commentary about renewable energy with interest. He begins with “The attention of the world is focused on one thing these days: ‘climate change.’” Hooray! Finally, our changing climate is beginning to get the attention it needs.

The science is clear that fossil fuels are the biggest source of GHGs and pollutants in our atmosphere and that reducing their use will reduce some of their negative effects on our climate. Yes, the alternatives — wind, solar, geothermal, wave, etc — also cause disruptions to ecosystems and species. However, on our current path of climate warming, we are losing thousands of species every day. Instead of trying to “move local government away from its present unsustainable path” as Mr. Lewis recommends, I suggest we find ways to electrify our homes, grow a garden, plant some trees, and get a price put on carbon so polluters pay.

— Donna Ramos, Santa Cruz

Stop the Ukraine war if only for our grandchildren

Mr. Putin, you have grandchildren and I have grandchildren. What do they think about your war of aggression toward Ukraine? Do they know you bomb apartment buildings, hospitals, cities, not to mention killing Ukrainian soldiers and civilians? For what?

Remember when the Germans invaded your country in 1941? How did your parents feel about the Germans bombing and killing Russian soldiers and civilians? Isn’t it the same?

What will happen to our grandchildren if you do not stop this insanity? The world wants you to stop this aggression.

— Leonard Foreman, Santa Cruz